Appeals Court Upholds OHSAA Decision, Glenville Out of Playoffs

The Eighth District Court of Appeals ruled Thursday that the Ohio High School Athletic Association may sanction the Cleveland Metropolitan School District and Glenville High School. The ruling clears the way for the OHSAA to enforce its Oct. 29 decision removing Glenville from the football playoffs. Hunting Valley’s University School will now advance. The Preppers will play a Division III regional quarterfinal game at Salem on Friday night. OHSAA Points to Tournament Integrity OHSAA Executive Director Doug Ute said the association stands behind the rules its members adopted. “The OHSAA and our member schools are committed to the integrity and fairness of our tournaments,” said Ute. “While it is a difficult decision to remove students from a tournament, all member schools must abide by the rules and regulations that they have voted into place and that the OHSAA works to enforce.” Appeals Ruling Backs Trial Court Thursday’s decision supports a trial court ruling issued Tuesday. In that ruling, the court said its role was limited. “The Court … is not asked, nor permitted, to determine who is entitled to play in the Playoffs. It is beyond the scope of this Court’s authority to order that one team be entered into the Playoffs over another, or that one team advance in the Playoffs over another.” What Comes Next The OHSAA says it will keep working with the Cleveland Metropolitan School District. Those talks will focus on participation opportunities for non-enrolled students within the district. For University School, attention now turns to Friday’s road trip to Salem with a regional semifinal spot on the line. Frequently Asked Questions Why was Glenville removed from the OHSAA playoffs? The OHSAA removed Glenville on Oct. 29. The association says it continues working with the Cleveland Metropolitan School District on participation opportunities for non-enrolled students within the district. What did the Eighth District Court of Appeals decide? The court ruled Thursday that the OHSAA may sanction the Cleveland Metropolitan School District and Glenville High School. That allows the Oct. 29 removal to stand. Who replaces Glenville in the Division III playoffs? Hunting Valley’s University School advances in Glenville’s place. When and where does University School play next? University School plays a Division III regional quarterfinal at Salem on Friday night. Did the court decide which team should play in the playoffs? No. The trial court said it was not permitted to decide who plays in the playoffs. The appeals ruling reinforced that decision.