GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. -- The Grand Junction High School football team finds itself in jeopardy of missing the playoffs-- and the season hasn't even started.

After a rules violation spotted in May, the team was placed on restriction. But the football coaches are hoping the state's athletic association goes easy on them for the 'honest mistake.'

While most of Grand Junction High School's campus is quiet these days, the practice fields sure aren't.

"I think everyone's really working hard and they're just ready to get going," said Sean Rubalcaba, GJHS' starting quarterback.

He and his team are getting ready to start a season with high hopes. But, those hopes could have been dashed long ago.

"Just before May, we were notified that what we were doing was against the rules," said GJHS' Head Coach Robbie Owens.

The team had broken rule number 2310.1 in the Colorado High School Athletic Association handbook.

"Basically, you cannot work 8th graders until once their school year is out," Owens said.

His team was working with 23 underage students at 25 different weight room sessions between March and April.

After realizing the violation, they self reported it. That's when CHSAA automatically put the team on restriction.

"Your team is not allowed to be in the playoffs," Owens said. "With CHSAA, that's the penalty for the violation."

The worst case scenario of missing the playoffs would truly be a gut-check for this team. They're looking to build off last season that included a playoff appearance.

"That would hurt your program a lot," Owens said. "I mean, there's some seniors out here that deserve that opportunity."

Rubalcaba agrees, but will take whatever the punishment is. "If we have a good season, it's a positive. And that's just what we're trying for."

While the practices go on, an appeal to CHSAA asking for probation continues off the field.

"They're confident and we're confident that the restriction will be taken off," Owens said.

That's something that allows players like Rubalcaba to focus on taking last year's (3-7) mark to a much improved (7-3) record this year.

"The coaches are really emphasizing a lot of effort so we can flip our record," he said.

A decision to continue the restriction or place the team on probation will be made when CHSAA meets on August 12th and 13th.