University School Drops Glenville Playoff Game After Court Order

University School will not play in its rescheduled high school football playoff game against Glenville High School on Saturday. The private school officials announced the decision after the Ohio High School Athletic Association, or OHSAA, moved the contest from Friday evening to Saturday afternoon following a legal intervention.

The dispute centers on student athletes who attend Ginn Academy but are eligible to play for Cleveland Metropolitan School District teams. OHSAA removed Glenville from the state football tournament on Thursday, October 29, citing participation rules. A judge in Cuyahoga County granted a temporary restraining order on Thursday, which required the game to proceed.

Daryl Hopes, a supporter of Glenville, questioned the residency requirement in the rules. He asked why it matters if Ginn Academy is the school being represented and why children cannot come from all over to play.

University School stated in a release that it prepared to compete in the state tournament and was disappointed by the initial cancellation on Thursday. The school expressed surprise when the OHSAA rescheduled the game for Saturday, October 31, under the court order. University School said it will respect the court's process and will prepare to compete against Salem on Friday night if that becomes the resolution.

Cleveland Metropolitan School District officials confirmed they are ready to host the matchup at the new John F. Kennedy High School football stadium. The district said it welcomes University School to the facility on Saturday at noon.

OHSAA officials said they stand by their ruling from Thursday but will comply with the court order. The association noted that it requested residential information from the Cleveland Metropolitan School District on September 28 and received the initial batch on October 22. Glenville did not object to the findings of the OHSAA audit during a meeting on Thursday. A hearing regarding the dispute is scheduled for Monday.

Local leaders held a press conference on Friday afternoon after the temporary restraining order was granted. One official named Conwell said the community was initially disappointed by the cancellation but is now happy that the children and the Glenville community have the chance to play the game.