Canton forfeits, players charged
CANTON — Three members of the varsity football team face criminal charges for allegedly having alcoholic beverages, marijuana and pills while driving on the SUNY Canton campus.
As a result of the charges, the players have been suspended from the team. That creates a shortage of eligible players, so Canton has forfeited a scheduled Friday evening football game against the Massena Raiders at Massena's new turf field.
The Canton students, Devin M. Gardner, Luke J. Sharlow and James Guyette Jr., all 17-year-old seniors at Hugh C. Williams High, were stopped by SUNY Canton police at about 9 p.m. Saturday during a routine traffic stop on Cornell Drive, according to Gregory Kie, SUNY Canton spokesman.
Gardner was charged with unlawful possession of marijuana for allegedly having 13.8 grams of the drug, slightly less than half an ounce, according to campus police.
For allegedly having pills, Gardner was also charged with one count of fifth-degree and two counts of seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, Kie said.
Guyette, who was driving, and Sharlow were each charged with unlawful possession of alcohol with intent to consume. All three teens were arraigned Saturday night in Canton Village Court and released on their own recognizance. They are scheduled to return to village court Oct. 27.
Friday's canceled game was supposed to be Massena's last home game of the season and was to be Senior Night.
Canton School Superintendent William Gregory said Wednesday that the loss of three players left the Canton team with just 14 available players for Friday's game, two short of the required 16.
The three teens all admitted to Athletic Director William Porter on Tuesday they had violated the district's athletic code of conduct, Gregory said.
Porter is also assistant varsity football coach. Austin Weakfall, a Canton high school teacher, serves as head coach.
"They self admitted violating the code of conduct," Gregory said. "Unfortunately, that puts us below the minimum players. We had to cancel the game and forfeit to Massena."
Canton's athletic code prohibits student athletes from possessing or using non-medical drugs or intoxicating beverages. Athletes are also prohibited from being present where any illegal underage activity is occurring. Students are required to sign the athletic code before their sports season begins.
Gregory said the situation illustrates how the behavior of a few students can impact many others, such as this case where seniors at Massena Central lose out on their last home football game.
"Young people are going to make these kinds of mistakes. Many schools face these types of challenges. Hopefully, these students are learning a life lesson," the superintendent said. "Poor choices lead to consequences."
Porter said he notified officials from Section 10 as well as Massena Athletic Director Timothy Hayes and Anthony Diagostino, Massena High's football coach.
"I feel terrible for Massena," Porter said. "When you only have three or four home games a year, losing one home game is a big deal, particularly when you have a brand new multi-million facility to show off."
He said moving players up from Canton's junior varsity team to play on the varsity team for Friday's Massena game was an option that school officials chose not to take.
"We could, but we're choosing not to. That decision was not made lightly," Porter said.
The three players will also have to sit out the Oct. 24 game against Ogdensburg Free Academy, Gregory said.
Players from the Canton JV football team will be eligible to play with the varsity team for the OFA game Gregory said, noting that the JV season will be over by then.
Gardner, Guyette and Sharlow should be eligible to play with the team again for playoff games at the end of this month, Gregory said.
The teens did not receive additional disciplinary action, such as school suspension, because they weren't involved with a school activity when the code violation took place, the superintendent said.
This is the second time this season the Canton varsity football team forfeited a game.
Last month, the Golden Bears were forced to forfeit a Sept. 26 victory against St. Lawrence Central after it was determined that Canton running back Kyle Nason was ineligible because his legal residence was not within the Canton Central School District.
