(Court reports – Photo illustration/MetroCreativeConnection)

PARKERSBURG — With ongoing litigation and several injunctions issued last week, the WVSSAC made a decision Thursday that would resolve the state football playoff tournament that was postponed earlier this week due to ongoing litigation. As petitioner, WVSSAC filed with the Supreme Court of Appeals a motion for a restraining order and a request granting expedited relief.
“We have filed a petition with the Supreme Court, we are now at the mercy of their schedule” said Wayne Ryan, Associate Director of WVSSAC. “We obviously hope for a decision in the near future. There are no guarantees.
Over the past week, two injunctions against the WVSSAC have been issued by county circuit court judges – one Saturday by Judge J.D. Beane in Wood County and a second late Monday in Mason County by the judge Anita Ashley. An injunction filed by the Wood County School Board was issued on behalf of Parkersburg High School, Parkersburg South High School and Williamstown High School due to a discrepancy between playoff grades and points. The second injunction, which was pending as football coaches attended playoff meetings for each of the four classifications Sunday in the WVSSAC building, issued a ruling ordering two play-in games tomorrow (Friday) involving the class schools AAA of Point Pleasant and Hampshire. who were kicked out of the playoffs when the seedings were reconfigured following the injunction issued by Wood County. Citing again from the appeal to the Supreme Court of Appeals, “the order of the Circuit Court of Wood County, West Virginia, exceeds its lawful authority and is clearly erroneous as a matter of law.” The Circuit Court’s action here is an oft-repeated error and demonstrates a continuing disregard for the WVSSAC’s discretion in administering its rules and regulations.
“Succinctly put, West Virginia case law ‘supports the…premise that courts are permitted to question how the (WV)SSAC enforces its rules.’”
In the face of ongoing litigation, the WVSSAC made the decision Tuesday to postpone the state football playoffs. Until the Supreme Court issues a decision, the WVSSAC recognizes Class AAA games as decided by the Mason County Circuit Court. At 1 p.m. Saturday. Capital plays Hampshire at Bridgeport High School and Point Pleasant plays St. Albans at Hurricane High School. According to the appeal filed Thursday with the Supreme Court, “due to the impracticality of the WVSSAC complying with both orders, it was necessary to postpone the West Virginia State Football Playoffs.” “For the West Virginia State Football Playoffs to begin, it is necessary that the conflicting orders be resolved so that the WVSSAC can comply with all legal mandates when the playoffs resume. “Each week the playoffs are postponed constitutes irreparable harm to WVSSAC member schools participating in the playoffs. Without an immediate ruling from this Court, the WVSSAC West Virginia State Football Playoffs cannot be played without violating any of the Circuit Court’s injunctive orders. The appeal ends with: “For the foregoing reasons, the West Virginia Secondary School Activities Commission respectfully requests that this court grant this motion for expedited relief and grant such other additional relief as the Court deems just and appropriate.”
Beyond the two-man games, the West Virginia State football playoffs continue to be considered postponed.
“We are in deferral mode until a decision from the Supreme Court.” » Ryan said. We’re hoping for 72 hours, but that’s all we know. We are waiting to know what rating system we will use. The one we’ve had all year or the one governed by the Wood County injunction.
Contact Kerry Patrick at [email protected]