OSSAA Addresses Issues at Jones and Southmoore

Originally Published: Nov 11, 2009 8:47 PM CDT

Corey DeMoss
Oklahoma Sports Staff Writer

OKLAHOMA CITY – The OSSAA denied the hardship request of Jones quarterback Daxx Garman Wednesday, and said it would take a closer look at eligibility issues at Southmoore.

A ruling last week caused Jones to forfeit six wins from this season, five of them in district play. Those forfeitures dropped the Longhorns from 7-0 and first place in District 2A-2 to 2-5 and out of the playoffs.

Jones appealed that decision and tried to get a hardship for Garman that would have preserved his eligibility and the team’s wins. The denial of that hardship all but assures that the Longhorns’ forfeits will remain intact and they will not take part in the playoffs.

The issues at Southmoore center on one unnamed player whose eligibility is in question. However, the player only took part in two of the Sabercats’ non-district games, so a ruling on his eligibility will not affect Southmoore’s playoff standing.

The OSSAA did not definitively rule that the player is ineligible, just that it needs to further investigate the matter. Regardless, Southmoore’s first-round playoff matchup with Eisenhower is still intact.

The OSSAA also chose not to levy any additional punishments on Booker T. Washington. Tulsa Public Schools already forced the Hornets to forfeit three district wins because of recruiting violations and the academic ineligibility of players. The OSSAA upheld those rulings.

Those rulings cost the Booker T. football team a chance at defending its Class 5A state championship, and the volleyball team lost a regional championship.