Fraudulent passes controversy is near an end; Christian Bryant still undecided.
Maine South (Park Ridge) High School officials appeared in front of the Illinois High School Association board Monday in regards to charges that fraudulent sideline passes were issued by Maine South representatives for its Class 8A state championship game against Chicago Mount Carmel at Memorial Stadium in Champaign. The IHSA ordered Maine South to conduct an investigation, and those findings were reported by school principal Shawn Messmer, athletic director Steve Adams, assistant athletic director Jaret Kirshner and head football coach David Inserra.
An immediate ruling was not made by the IHSA. Any sanctions leveled on Maine South are not expected to include the forfeiture of the Hawks' 28-7 win in the title game, the IHSA previously said.
"They (school officials) were genuinely sorry and recognized that these negatives have overshadowed the great positive they achieved in winning a state title. They also provided a well thought-out plan to prevent these types of abuses from occurring in the future," IHSA Executive Director Marty Hickman said in a statement.
Illinois all-conference football teams
SIMEON'S BRYANT REMAINS UNDECIDEDChristian Bryant, a 6-foot-5, 330-pound senior offensive lineman at Chicago Simeon, is expected to make his college choice by the end of January. He pushed back his announcement due to Michigan coach Rich Rodriguez being dismissed, according to the Chicago Tribune. Bryant has scholarship offers from nine schools, including Michigan, Arizona and Illinois.
Paul Bowker, an online and newspaper sports journalist for 25 years and the author of two Major League Baseball books, covers the Chicago area for MaxPreps. He may be reached at bowkerpaul1@aol.com.
