Bishop Montgomery Under New Oversight After Potential Rule Infractions

Torrance’s Bishop Montgomery High School’s football program is under scrutiny after five players were declared ineligible for the 2025 and 2026 seasons by the CIF Southern Section. Damien Calhoun of the Daily Breeze names these players as Kimani Tuitasi, Evan Epenesa, George Toia, Troy Taulua and Kainalu Skipps. Tuitasi, a 6'3" 230lbs, Edge, formerly played for Narbonne High School in Harbor City. Narbonne itself has been been plagued with compliance problems. Its 2024 season ended in scandal, when the CIF discovered that several players had joined the team using incomplete eligibility documentation and through improper housing arrangements. These are the same activities that Bishop Montgomery is now facing scrutiny over. The school is accused of violating CIF Bylaw 202, which states, “The CIF requires that all information provided in regard to any aspect of the eligibility of a student must be true, correct, accurate, complete and/or not false or inaccurate.” Tuitasi transferred to Narbonne from Warren High School in Downey, CA in 2024, the year in which Narbonne was embroiled in transfer scandals. This calls the legtimacy of his other transfers into question. Also denied by CIF Southern Section was George Toia, brother of former UCLA defensive lineman Jay Toia and San Jose defensive lineman Soane Toia. Those watching the situation unfold on social media voiced their displeasure with California's transfer system. User Aram Tolegian tweeted the following:

Screenshot from Aram Tolegian's X Feed.

Coach Mark responded:

Coach Mark's comments highlight two of the biggest problems in high school sports: Parents who encourage their children to cheat to gain unfair advantages and coaches who bribe students to play, in violation of their section's rules. The controversy at Bishop Montgomery follows a huge increase in transfers to the school, as well as coaching changes and a strategy of courting powerful opponents including Mater Dei. New school leadership, including President Patrick Lee, a former St. John Bosco administrator, is now overseeing the program and working with officials to ensure proper procedures are followed. The decision underscores the importance of transparency and adherence to transfer rules in high school athletics. Programs across California are reminded that noncompliance can result in player ineligibility, vacated wins, and reputational damage. Kainalu Skipps was, just a short time ago, hailed by @_undertherada_ as a player who exhibited great leadership. Now, he will have to deal with a blemish on his record. Parents and coaches should consider the lasting damage rulebreaking can do to a player's career and a team's future.