GHSA forces Appling High to forfeit 2024 football games
PROTECTED CONTENT
If you’re a current subscriber, log in below. If you would like to subscribe, please click the subscribe tab above.
Username and Password Help
Please enter your email and we will send you a password reset link.
Last week, after all appeal attempts were completed, the Appling County High School (ACHS) was forced to forfeit all 2024 Pirate football games and placed on “Severe Warning Status” for next season by the Georgia High School Association due to player recruitment and for playing an ineligible player.
In a letter dated March 28 to ACHS Principal Dr. Ben Horner from GHSA, the following was cited:
The Georgia High School Association (GHSA) office acknowledges receipt of the response report you submitted on Thursday, January 9, 2025. This report pertained to the eligibility of students (three student/athlete names were redacted) to practice and participate in football after transferring to your school.
Although the eligibility reports were filed and cleared by the GHSA office, at that time, the GHSA was not aware of the students’ affiliations and athletic participation history. Following a thorough investigation, GHSA records and additional information have confirmed that one of the students (name redacted) either played for or was trained by a coach who was later hired by and coached at ACHS during the 2024 football season. This letter serves to inform ACHS of GHSA’s findings.
ACHS is charged with the following violations:
1. Violation of GHSA By-Law 1.63 – Allowing an ineligible “Migrant” student to participate. Fine $1,000.00
2. Violation of GHSA By-Law 1.71-1.72(d) – Recruiting and undue influence. Fine $2,000.00
The total monetary fine for these violations is $3,000.00
The student/athlete (name redacted) was trained by Coach Ian Silberman in Florida before transferring to Appling County High School. As a result, he is deemed an ineligible “Migrant” student and is ineligible for participation for one calendar year from the date of this letter. Furthermore, all football games in which the student/athlete (name redacted) participated during the 2024 football season must be forfeited, as he played under false pretenses. It is the responsibility of ACHS to notify your region secretary, your opponents, and the GHSA office regarding these forfeitures.
Additionally, the Appling County High School football team is being placed on “Severe Warning Status” for one calendar year from the date of this letter. This status means that any similar violations during this period could result in more severe penalties, including the possibility of being banned from the GHSA Playoffs for the 2025 football season.
Please understand that these penalties reflect violations discovered at this time. Any future violations or newly uncovered infractions may result in additional penalties. However, a reduced penalty has been applied due to your school’s minimal history of prior violations.
Should your school wish to appeal any of these penalties, please refer to Section 9, “Authority of Executive Director Appellate Procedure,” on page 10 of the GHSA Constitution and By-Laws.
We appreciate your professionalism, as well as your thorough and timely responses. Your cooperation in this matter has been duly noted and appreciated.
Please submit the fine payment to the GHSA office within 10 calendar days.
Signed, Carror “C.” Wright, Associate Director of Compliance, GHSA
On Tuesday, April 22, Dr. Ben Horner issued a message to ACHS staff about the matter. The message stated, “I want you to hear it from me and not anyone else. We are having to forfeit all our [football] games for the 2024 season due to having an ineligible player participate. Graham Floyd (Appling County Board of Education Attorney), Coach Seth Taylor (Athletic Director for ACHS) and myself have exhausted all avenues with GHSA. I will be informing those opponents from other schools shortly.”
Superintendent Dr. Janet Goodman also provided the newspaper with a statement on behalf of the school system. The statement reads, “The Appling County School System respects the decision by the Georgia High School Association (GHSA), but is very disappointed for all the students involved in the football program. GHSA initially approved three students for enrollment prior to their involvement in athletics at Appling County High School. After the football season was completed, GHSA reversed itself and made a decision, based on allegations made by neighboring coaches and individuals connected with those coaches, to suspend the athletic eligibility of these three Appling County students. As part of that initial decision, GHSA fined Appling County High School and mandated forfeiture of all games in which the ineligible players participated. Appling County High School appealed GHSA’s initial decision and, reversing itself again, GHSA rightfully restored the eligibility of two of the students.”
