State investigating Mount Healthy football
By Tom Groeschen
Enquirer staff writer
The state-ranked Mount Healthy High School football team (9-0) is being investigated for possibly using an ineligible player, with ramifications potentially including nine forfeits and no Division II playoff berth.
Mount Healthy said the unnamed player was cleared to play this season, but the Ohio High School Athletic Association indicated today that it has information that the player might have exhausted his eligibility last year.
“There is some question over a player’s eligibility,” said Bob Goldring, an OHSAA assistant commissioner. “We have had conversations with Mount Healthy about it. When and if additional information is forwarded to us, we can make a final ruling.”
Mount Healthy is ranked No. 8 in the Ohio Associated Press weekly Division II state football poll, and is No. 2 in the Enquirer area Divisions II-VI ratings.
Mount Healthy’s perfect won-loss record seemingly has assured the school’s fifth straight Division II playoff berth.
Mount Healthy coach Kurry Commins said the school hopes the situation is resolved no later than Friday, when the Owls play Roger Bacon in a season finale.
“Speaking for my football program and my administration, I believe we have followed every rule for the student to be eligible,” Commins said.
Commins said the player, a senior whom Commins would not name, transferred from another school before the 2005 season began. There is a possibility the player may be in his ninth semester of high school, whereas OHSAA bylaws allow only eight semesters of participation.
Mount Healthy athletic director Tina Tuck said the school corresponded with the OHSAA about the player before this season.
Tuck said this morning her records showed the OHSAA had cleared the student, but the OHSAA responded later in the day by saying its records could not verify that.
Both sides are now checking their records for any calls and correspondence. The student’s school records also are being re-checked, dating back to elementary school.
OHSAA bylaw 4-3-4 says that, once a student completes eighth grade, the student shall be eligible for a period not to exceed eight semesters taken in order of attendance, whether the student participates in athletics or not.
Commins said the player has played in all nine games. Should the OHSAA rule against Mount Healthy, the school might have to forfeit all nine games and would not make the playoffs. Many other schools would also be affected, as the OHSAA bases playoff berths on a computerized system that primarily rewards victories.
Goldring was unclear on how the situation was brought to the OHSAA’s attention.
“It does raise some eyebrows,” he said, “in Week 10 of the football season. How this came to be reported, I’m not sure at the moment.”
