Camarillo High starting quarterback Jake Constantine has been suspended for Friday night’s CIF Northern Division semifinal football game against Bishop Diego.
Constantine was ejected in the second quarter of last Friday night’s quarterfinal 38-7 win at St. Joseph after he drew a second unsportsmanlike conduct penalty. The Scorpions were leading 21-0 at the time.
Under CIF-Southern Section rules, a player ejection is followed by an automatic one-game suspension.
Camarillo sought to appeal the suspension, but Thom Simmons, Director of Communications for the CIF-SS, said in a Twitter message to the Ventura County Star: “There is no appeals process, no review by this office or any meetings with officials.”
Simmons, in an earlier tweet, wrote: “The only one who can rescind an ejection is the official who applies the ejection.”
Camarillo’s backup quarterback Connor Clark is expected to start against Bishop Diego. Clark mostly handed the ball off to running backs Isaiah Otis and Aaron Lamb. Otis rushed for 164 yards on 21 carries.
The 6-2 Constantine directed a Camarillo offense that averages 455 yards in total offense and more than 40 points a game. He completed 222 of 304 passes for 2,964 yards and 38 touchdowns.
Friday’s semifinal game at Camarillo pits two league champions with 12-0 records. Camarillo captured the Camino League while Bishop Diego won of the Tri-Valley League. The top-seeded Scorpions have been the Northern Division’s No. 1-ranked team for most of the season.
