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CLEVELAND -- Salem is still in the dark about what opponent it will face on Friday in the second round of the Div. III, Region 9 football playoffs.
A court hearing in Cleveland over No. 5 seed Cleveland Glenville’s eligibility went five hours on Monday afternoon with no decision reached.
Judge Andrew J. Santoli has set the hearing to continue at 9 a.m. today with closing arguments and a decision expected in Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court.
Two Glenville football players are challenging the Ohio High School Athletic Association’s decision to remove the Tarblooders from the playoffs over eligibility issues.
Glenville was removed from the playoffs by the Ohio High School Athletic Association on Thursday, but a court order on Friday put Glenville back in the playoffs. A scheduled contest against No. 12 University School on Friday was postponed to Saturday, but University refused to play the game.
Glenville warmed up and took the field on Saturday morning but University did not show up. No officials were at the game because OHSAA did not assign them according to the Glenville students’ lawyer.
Even though the court fell short of a decision on Monday, the judge understood the time frame the football teams faced.
“In all fairness to Glenville, University School and Salem this has to be decided,” Santoli said. “My expectation is that it is decided today in fairness to all of the kids that play football this weekend. I can’t have this preliminary injunction issue and temporary restraining order lingering throughout the week. It’s not fair to Glenville, it’s not fair to University School and it’s certainly not fair to Salem. (Salem’s coach) is probably watching this hearing trying to figure out who he should be preparing the kids for.”
Santoli was not pleased that University School refused to play Glenville on Saturday.
“My expectation Friday after that conference call was that the football game was going to be played,” Santoli said. “I wrongfully thought University School wanted to play a playoff football game. When I say University School, I am addressing the administration and coaching staff. I’m sure the players wanted to play. I’m sure the parents wanted their kids to play. I’m sure the alumni and fans (wanted it). But the fact that it was taken away from them by the coaching staff and their administration is pathetic. I’m frustrated by that.”
The judge said he is considering a contempt hearing later on regarding University School’s decision not to play the game. He said he didn’t think it was a foregone conclusion that Glenville would have beaten University and he pointed to other 11 and 12 seeds winning their games on Friday.
“We were robbed of that because University failed to appear,” Santoli said.
As of Monday evening, there was no ticket buying link on the OHSAA site for Friday’s game at Sebo Stadium.