Final playoff prep for Quakers
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SALEM -- The only thing different about Thursday’s practice was Salem’s football players weren’t wearing shirts on a warm November afternoon.
The fourth-seeded Quakers waited six days before finding out they will play 12th-seeded Hunting Valley University School in a Division III second-round playoff game at 7 p.m. today at Sebo Stadium.
“We’ve been preparing for these guys since last Thursday at 5 o’clock,” Salem coach Ron Johnson said. “Ever since the OHSAA said we would be playing them (a week ago).”
Salem received a first-round bye and who would be the opponent was going through the court system after the OHSAA removed state power Cleveland Glenville from the playoffs over eligibility issues.
The Eighth District Court of Appeals in Cleveland issued a decision Thursday afternoon that allows the Ohio High School Athletic Association to sanction Cleveland Metropolitan School District and Glenville High School.
The OHSAA said is was then able to enforce its Oct. 29 decision to remove Glenville from the playoffs and putting the University School Preppers into a regional quarterfinal game at Salem tonight.
"The OHSAA and our member schools are committed to the integrity and fairness of our tournaments," said OHSAA executive director Doug 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."
Glenville was favored to win another state title and give the Quakers renewed hope.
“It certainly does,” Johnson said. “They played Glenville last year (a 49-0 loss in the second round). They knew what they were getting into.”
Glenville won the Division IV state championship last season and captured state titles three of the past four years.
“They aren’t a Division III team and they weren’t a Division IV team last year,” Johnson said.
Salem athletic director Matt Freeman said he was informed by the OHSAA around 2 p.m. Thursday of the decision to let University School advance.
He then met with Johnson and school administrators to go over some things.
“Obviously everyone is asking,” Freeman said. “We told the administrators so they get messages out to their schools.”
Tickets are $12 for adults and $5 for students. They are available online through HomeTown Ticketing or at the gate with cash.
“We’re looking at it as a normal game we would run during the season,” Freeman said.
Johnson said he gave the Quakers last Friday off so they could go watch games if they wanted to.
“They came back Monday and were locked in to play,” he said.
A lawsuit was brought by two student-athletes from Glenville, the OHSAA said, and were granted a restraining order allowing the University School at Glenville game to proceed. It was rescheduled for last Saturday afternoon, but University School refused to play.
A Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas Court held a hearing on Monday and Tuesday, allowing Glenville back in the playoffs. The OHSAA appealed.
The OHSAA said Glenville eligibility issues stem from student who attend Ginn Academy, which is a non-member magnet school that does not offer sports and is under the control of the Cleveland Metropolitan School District. Students who attend Ginn Academy can only participate in athletes at the Cleveland Metro school that is closest to their residence.
The OHSAA said "63 of the 64 student-athletes on the Glenville football roster this season do not attend Glenville High School and Cleveland Metro has not successfully proven that many of those student-athletes should have been participating at Glenville."
The OHSAA said it “will continue to work with Cleveland Metropolitan School District regarding the participation opportunities for non-enrolled students within their district.”
“This decision is infuriating,” Cleveland City councilman Kevin Conwell told WKYC. “OHSAA doesn't understand the transient nature of Cleveland's children. Their rules work for suburban communities, not cities where families move regularly and schools that have open enrollment. Shame on all the parties involved in cheating these students out of an opportunity they've more than earned."
Johnson said he faced a similar situation when he was head coach at Canton McKinley.
“We thought had a great chance to win the state title and ran into Toledo Whitmer,” he said.
Whitmer beat Canton McKinley, 37-6, in the regional semifinal and reached the state semifinals, only to have its victories forfeited later for using an illegal transfer.