COLUMBIA, S.C. — Ridge View High School‘s football season has come to an abrupt end after the team’s appeal of a decision that some of its players were ineligible failed.
The appellate committee of the South Carolina High School league voted 6-0 Monday to uphold sanctions against Ridge View High. They’d made a similar vote Friday, but under league rules, the school had the ability to appeal that one more time, which Monday’s hearing was all about.
The league affirmed that at least one player was ineligible for the entire season before last Friday night’s game against A.C Flora. The league had said last week that three players were ineligible.
The league did meet to discuss the other two players in a closed door session but it’s unclear what the outcome of that discussion was. Regardless, with one player ineligible, the penalties against the team remain the same: the team must forfeit their eight victories this season which eliminates them from the high school playoffs which begin Friday night.
Richland Two had investigated after concerns were raised concerns some students who transferred into the school may have violated the high school league’s policy on moving into a new district. Those concerns were then passed along to the high school league.
Both last week, and again on Monday, the league concluded those concerns were valid.
“We dealt with it as such,” said SC High School League Commissioner Jerome Singleton. “When the same evidence was presented to the appellate panel and the executive committee they both saw it the same way.”
Attorneys tried to provide evidence that they felt proved the students had the right to play sports in the district, including utility bills, but the effort proved unsuccessful.
“The South Carolina High School league oftentimes loses focus of young people,” said Bakari Sellers, an attorney representing some of the players. “Here you had three young men, great kids, great athletes, just trying to do the right thing and they weren’t given any grace.”
With Ridge View eliminated, Richland Northeast High School takes their place in the postseason.