CHARLESTON, W.Va. — High school football teams in West Virginia are set to enter the postseason utilizing a newly established points system that has been validated by the state Supreme Court, albeit with a postponement of one week before the playoffs begin.
The state’s governing body for interscholastic athletics holds the jurisdiction to set its regulations, according to the justices of the Supreme Court. This decision reinforces the court’s longstanding practice of respecting the authority of the Secondary School Activities Commission (SSAC).
The contention originated when the SSAC modified its playoff qualification criteria, introducing a fourth classification for football determined by student enrollment numbers. Subsequently, the Commission permitted approximately two dozen smaller schools to move down a classification, addressing their concerns about being unable to compete effectively in a higher category.
This adjustment necessitated a new points system engineered to evaluate playoff contenders across all four classifications. On Tuesday, the Supreme Court justices concluded that a lower court’s judge had made an error by reverting to an earlier points system and unjustly “substituting the WVSSAC’s decision with its own.”
The Supreme Court stated, “We have consistently maintained that the way the WVSSAC administers its regulations is not open to judicial oversight.”
In an official announcement, the state athletics commission indicated that the playoffs, initially delayed the previous week, would commence shortly. The commission confirmed it would implement the points system that had governed the regular season to finalize the playoff roster.
An attorney representing the Wood County Board of Education voiced concerns that the new points system hindered schools like Parkersburg and Parkersburg South, which secured their place in the Class AAAA playoffs, from hosting playoff matches. Attorney Patrick McFarland emphasized that having a home playoff game is vital for fostered community involvement and enhanced school spirit, along with the financial benefits from additional ticket sales, as reported by local media.
Due to this ruling, a play-in game that had been scheduled between two teams excluded from the initial playoff roster was nullified. This game had been ordered by a circuit judge in Mason County and was deemed an “overreach” by the Supreme Court.
These developments coincide with the Supreme Court’s attention on a related matter regarding the ongoing dispute surrounding the state Class A volleyball tournament. The competitions for other classifications had already taken place earlier in the month.
In previous cases, the court upheld SSAC decisions in 2010 when it mandated South Charleston to forfeit a state semifinal win involving four players who were suspended. Additionally, in 2008, the court backed SSAC rules concerning mandatory multi-game suspensions for ejected players, in a matter involving former NBA player O.J. Mayo, who was a standout at Huntington High.