Campbell Hall Drops Its Legal Fight With CIF

Campbell Hall High of North Hollywood, seeking to get its boys’ basketball team in the playoffs, dropped its legal fight against the CIF Southern Section on Tuesday.

In a written statement, school officials said they did not want to jeopardize the standing of a fellow school and its players.

On Monday, officals said they would go to court in order to get a temporary restraining order that would allow the basketball team a berth in Friday’s first-round playoff action.

Campbell Hall recently had to forfeit eight victories for using an ineligible player, junior forward Rowan Pearson. The forfeits dropped the team’s record to 6-16, which did not qualify for the Division V-AA playoffs. Appeals to the Southern Section Executive Committee and to CIF Commissioner Thomas Byrnes were denied last week.

Kenneth Wright, Campbell Hall’s attorney, was scheduled to present the school’s case in Van Nuys Superior Court Tuesday afternoon, but was informed that he had filed paperwork in the wrong place.

Wright should have taken the matter to Burbank Superior Court. Three hours later, the school dropped the case.