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SANTA ANA — Crean Lutheran football player Jacob Maiava on Thursday filed for a temporary restraining order against the CIF Southern Section and CIF State seeking immediate eligibility after being ruled ineligible at the school following his offseason transfer from Santa Margarita.
In a filing at Orange County Superior Court through his guardian, the All-County offensive lineman sought a hearing Thursday with the hopes of playing Friday against La Serna but the case appears set to be heard Monday, said Michael Caspino, the player’s attorney.
“He’s distraught,” Caspino said of Maiava, who was ruled ineligible at Crean Lutheran by the section in late August and hasn’t played this season.
“He’s upset. He’s doing well academically. Going to Crean has been a good thing for him academically.”
The court filing offered the first explanation on why the 6-foot-2, 290-pound senior was ruled ineligible at Crean Lutheran. The documents also lay out why Maiava, who is committed to SMU for college, believes he should be allowed to play.
Maiava was ruled ineligible, according to court documents, because the section found evidence of pre-enrollment contact between him and Saints assistant coach Ryan Porter “prior to the enrollment” at Crean Lutheran.
The player and assistant coach both spent last season at Santa Margarita.
“There is documented evidence that Jacob Maiava transferred from Santa Margarita Catholic High School to Crean Lutheran High School after former assistant varsity football coach at Santa Margarita Catholic High School, Ryan Porter, was hired as the assistant varsity football coach at Crean Lutheran,” CIF-SS commissioner Mike West wrote in a letter to Maiava’s parents.
Under Southern Section bylaws, student-athletes who follow a former coach to a new school within a year “are prima facie evidence (or sufficient evidence) of undue influence/recruiting by the school to which the student transfers or may be considered prima facie evidence that the student enrolled in that school in whole or in part for athletic reasons.”
In a letter to Maiava’s parents found in the court document, West also mentions the section discovered evidence of an “athletically motivated” transfer.
“Based on the foregoing, and all the evidence and documents submitted, it is the decision of CIF Southern Section to deny athletic eligibility to Jacob Maiava in the sport of football at Crean Lutheran High School until Aug. 8, 2025,” West wrote.
Maiava, in his court filing, stated that he left Santa Margarita due to challenges in the classroom. He states that he applied to attend Crean Lutheran on Jan. 8 but his application was “placed on hold” because he needed to “make up classes.”
In his letter, West states that Maiava didn’t “officially” withdraw from Santa Margarita until May 31.
After providing proof of his completed makeup work, Maiava states he was accepted at Crean Lutheran on Aug. 6.
Maiava’s court filing and West’s letter both agree on the Aug. 6 enrollment date but West’s summary of evidence doesn’t include Jan. 8.
The two parties also agree that Porter was hired at Crean Lutheran on April 9.
Caspino said that Maiava has appealed the section’s eligibility ruling but filed the temporary restraining order while awaiting the results of the appeal.
“I’m here to tell the judge, we want you to reinstate (Maiava) pending the outcome of the appeal,” Caspino said.
Thom Simmons, section assistant commissioner, said the section doesn’t comment on pending litigation.
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