By Justin A. Rice, Globe Correspondent

A two-week investigation concluded that the Fenway High girls’ basketball team has to forfeit at least three victories this season, and the team will not be allowed to defend its title at next week’s city tournament at Madison Park.

Boston schools’ athletic director Ken Still said Fenway broke an MIAA rule that prohibits players from participating in more than four quarters per day, not including overtime. Still said Fenway played JV players for too long during the varsity games in question.

The defending Division 4 state champions will forfeit two games against Latin Academy and at least one game against South Boston, which lifts South Boston into first place in the Boston City League North division, Latin Academy moves to second and Fenway drops to third.
The top two teams in each division qualify for city tournament.

Fenway coach John Rice said he was trying not to run up the score in the four games in which the JV players were used.

''It was having JV kids play in the varsity and so apparently we lost track in a couple instances and we went over the four-quarter rule,” Rice said.

Still said between getting to the bottom of forfeit issues and communication with coaches and officiating issues, this season has taken a toll on him.

“This has been, for me, a very, very rough basketball season and it’s very hard for us in that we’re in one location and all our coaches are in another, not like being an AD in a school in the suburbs where I can sit down with coach and headmaster,” he said.

“We need to teach sportsmanship, we need to teach camaraderie with each coach. Each coach, if there is any differences, we need to sit down and discuss those differences. A lot of those things have bothered me this year. Believe me, I’m going to make some changes but I need headmasters onboard to [help] reprimand because I can’t reprimand because I’m not the one who does the hiring.”

Justin A. Rice covers Boston Public school athletics. He can be reached at jrice.globe@gmail.com. Follow him on Twitter @GlobeJustinRice or @BPSspts.