Posted: Wed, 27 May 2009 09:02 PM - 8,940 Readers

By: Danny Davis

Lake Travis’ playoff schedule will remain the same after the UIL ruled on Wednesday afternoon that Calallen High School did not use an ineligible player this season.

Calallen was facing the forfeiture of most of their games this season, including last week’s 8-3 win over Alice in the regional quarterfinals. Instead, the Cavaliers and Wildcats will open up their best-of-three series on Friday.

“We’re excited,” Lake Travis senior shortstop Andy Holt said. “I wouldn’t want to play anyone else.”

At the heart of Wednesday’s meeting at UIL headquarters was the eligibility of Calallen senior outfielder Jacob Hubert. Hubert, who was not in attendance at the hearing, is hitting .393 with three home runs in 33 games this season.

After three years at Kaufer High School in Riviera, Hubert, who had grown up in the Calallen area, moved back with his family this past summer because of “safety issues.” However, in addition to his family still renting property in Riviera, Hubert’s two younger siblings attend school in a Riviera ISD middle school and his mother works as a nurse in the school district. Calallen is roughly 45 miles away from Riviera.

Also at issue were some answers on Hubert’s previous participation form and the document’s overall authenticity.

Recently, the UIL received an e-mail claiming that Hubert had transfered to Calallen in order to win a state championship. Calallen, the defending Class 4A champions, has outscored its opponents 35-3 in four playoff games this year. Kaufer, a Class 2A school, had its season ended in the area playoff round by Danbury.

On Wednesday, Hubert’s father denied the e-mailer’s claims.

“I truly believe we made the right decision,” said Pancho Hubert, who has been a practicing veterinarian in Calallen since 1991 and is a co-owner of Tejas Veterinary Clinic. “Sports were definitely second, always.”

In addition to Pancho Hubert, Rivera ISD superintendent Ernest Havner and Calallen ISD superintendent Arturo Almendarez testified at the meeting. Havner, who started in Riviera in June, confirmed the Huberts’ safety concerns and Almendarez pointed out that Hubert, a star football player at Kaufer, was not allowed by his parents to play football at Calallen.

“They did not move to Calallen for athletic purposes,” Almendarez said.

After nearly 90 minutes of testimony, the UIL voted unanimously to uphold Hubert’s eligibility.

Over at Lake Travis, the Cavaliers had adopted a business-as-usual outlook as they prepare to face the team that swept them out of last year’s playoffs. The team held a short meeting before Wednesday’s practice to go over the breaking news.

“I wasn’t going to worry about it until I got a call,” Lake Travis coach Roy Kinnan said. “We were prepared to (play) Calallen. That was the only thing to prepare for.”

*  Story Contributed by: Danny Davis