GHSA suspends 39 Gainesville players in aftermath of fight; appeal to be heard Tuesday
The Georgia High School Association suspended 39 Gainesville football players Monday because of a fight during Friday night’s playoff victory at Brunswick.
However, the team still plans to play its Class 5A quarterfinal game Friday at No. 1-ranked Hughes, Gainesville City Schools superintendent Jeremy Williams said in a statement Monday revealing the GHSA’s ruling.
“While we typically do not condone this type of behavior, we will not sit back and watch our teammates be assaulted by ripping off helmets, punching, and barreling over a helmet-less player,” Williams said in the statement. “The large majority of our team entered the field with the intent to separate and resolve the incident, not escalate. Every true team would do the same. It’s disappointing a hard-line interpretation of the rule was applied, and we will be appealing.”
Gainesville, which was also fined $5,000 by the GHSA, has appealed, and the GHSA has set the hearing for 9 a.m. Tuesday in Thomaston. GHSA executive director Tim Scott confirmed the suspensions and said there would be fines for both schools, though the amount for Brunswick had not yet been determined.
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