Massachusetts high school lacrosse team forfeits playoff game over cigar photo but parents claim they were fake

These celebratory cigars may have been a little premature.The Ipswich High School (Mass.) boys lacrosse team forfeited its state semifinal game after several players posed with cigars in their mouths after graduation, according to CBS Boston.The circulated photo shows eight boys posing post-graduation Sunday with cigars in their mouths.However, parents of several banned players reportedly said the cigars were not real and at least one provided proof to the school that the sticks did not contain tobacco.“The crime and the punishment are not even close to each other.There’s a judge and a jury and it’s evil right now,” Drew Wile, a father of one of the boys in the photo who was disciplined, told CBS.Ipswich disqualified several players from playing in the scheduled semifinal game against Cohasset on Tuesday since the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association forbids tobacco use, per CBS.The school’s website includes a statement, as of Wednesday morning, explaining that it made the call to forfeit the matchup due to a lack of eligible bodies.“Ipswich High School was very excited to have its boys lacrosse team advance to the Division 4 State Semifinals that was scheduled for Tuesday evening at 6pm,” the statement reads.“The team and coaching staff decided that due to the shortage of available players that it was in the best interest of the team to forfeit the game.

We congratulate all of our players and coaches on a great season and for advancing to the Final Four.”John Gianakakis’ son participated in the photo and he told CBS that his child and several of the teammates asked for help to set up the photo without using tobacco and violating the rules.He reportedly used painters’ tape to create the alleged fake cigars.“(A cigar shop worker) told me that you can use banana leaves.You can use chamomile and stuff like that, and cigar wrappers,” John Gianakakis told CBS.

“They tried them.It was horrible.

They burned fast.It was windy.

I...