Cleveland, Ohio: Court Puts Glenville Back in the Football Playoffs, but University School Refuses to Play

Cleveland Glenville is back in the Ohio football playoffs by court order, and out of them again in practice, because the team it was ordered to play says it will not show up.

The Ohio High School Athletic Association removed Glenville from the postseason on Thursday, October 29, after an audit of student eligibility. Late on Friday, the association said a court order had been granted giving the program a temporary restraining order and allowing it to play. The association said it stands by its ruling, but that it will comply with the order and was working with the two schools to reschedule the game sometime this weekend.

How the removal happened

The dispute is about which school some Glenville players should be playing for. Many Glenville players attend Ginn Academy, a magnet school without athletics, and the association says the Cleveland Metropolitan School District incorrectly assigned those students to Glenville. The audit found that many of the players should be playing for other schools.

The association laid out its timeline in its Friday statement. It first requested student residential information from the district on September 28. It received an initial batch of information on October 22. On Thursday, October 29, in a meeting with Glenville, the school did not object to the findings of the audit, the association said. The association then removed the team.

It is the second time since 2018 that the program has been punished for the same situation. In 2018 the Tarblooders were fined 5,000 dollars and placed on probation for three years.

The court order

On Friday, attorneys Michael Nelson Sr., James Hardiman and Stanley Jackson filed a motion in Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court on behalf of students at Ginn Academy. Judge Andrew Santoli granted the motion. The order requires the playoff game between Glenville and University School to be played.

Glenville was the No. 5 seed in Division III, Region 9, with an 8 and 2 record. Last year the Tarblooders won the Division IV championship, their third championship run in that division since 2022. University School, the No. 12 seed at 6 and 4, had been advanced when Glenville was removed.

University School says no

The game was first set for Friday evening, October 30. According to a report from FOX 8, it was rescheduled to Saturday at noon, with Glenville ready to host. University School did not show for the Friday game, and its head coach, Ben Malbasa, confirmed to The News-Herald that the school will not play the rescheduled game this weekend either.

In its statement, University School said it was disappointed to learn of the initial cancellation on Thursday, October 29, and then surprised to learn of the temporary restraining order leading the association to reschedule the game for the afternoon of Saturday, October 31. The school said it will not compete in the rescheduled contest, respects the court prudence in deciding the ultimate outcome of the legal dispute, and will prepare to compete with Salem on Friday night if that is the resolution. Salem is the No. 4 seed, and the winner of this dispute is due to play there on November 6.

What happens on Monday

A hearing in the case is scheduled for Monday, November 2. Until that hearing rules, the Region 9 bracket stays unresolved: a state champion program is under a court order to play, its opponent refuses to play, and the association that removed the team says its own ruling was correct. Monday's hearing is expected to decide whether Glenville's season continues.