UF verbal commitment ruled ineligible by AHSAA for Senior season

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SEC, and State of Alabama related.

Lewis transferred from Greene County to Northridge High School where he played his Junior season. He recently transferred to Tuscaloosa County High School for his senior season but has been ruled ineligible by the AHSAA for not making a "bona fide" move.

In order to play his senior season his only option will be to play at a private school. He is considering Tuscaloosa Academy, American Christian Academy (where Chris and Brad Smelley played), or Bessemer Academy.

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The AHSAA guidelines for determining a bona fide move include:

- The household furniture of the family must be moved into an unoccupied house or apartment.

- All principal members of the family must reside in the new place of residence.

- The original residence must be closed, rented or disposed of and not used by the family.

- Nine months at the new residence will be required to make a move bona fide.

The AHSAA ruled that Lewis had not made a bona fide move and is therefore ineligible.

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Also, Northridge High School must forfeit all games won that Lewis competed in. Since he was a double sport athlete this includes any games won during football and basketball season.

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Northridge High School must forfeit every contest that former athlete C’yontai Lewis competed in during the 2012-13 school year in a recent ruling by Alabama High School Athletic Association, The Tuscaloosa News has learned. Lewis was a tight end for the Jaguars football and team and guard/forward for the basketball squad.

Lewis, who transferred to Tuscaloosa County this summer, was also ruled ineligible for 2013-14 by the AHSAA Tuesday morning.

The AHSAA ruled Lewis did not complete a "bona fide" move from Greene County to Northridge for his junior season.

The 6-foot-5, 213-pound senior tight end, who is verbally committed to the University of Florida, recently enrolled at Tuscaloosa County after playing his junior season at Northridge. He played his freshman and sophomore seasons at Greene County.

Lewis played in all 10 football games, as Northridge went 5-5, and competed in every basketball game.

“I found out today,” Lewis said. “They sent a letter to the school. They said I wasn’t eligible. I really don’t understand why I wasn’t eligible, but they said I wasn’t. It was a shock to me.”

At issue was whether Lewis made what the AHSAA classifies as a “bona fide move.” According to the AHSAA website, “A bona fide move occurs when a student’s parents move completely out of one school attendance zone into another.”

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