By Stephen Spiewak
MaxPreps.com
The Mississippi High School Activities Association has reinstated a team back into the playoffs just days after it left the field with a controversial loss.
Walnut dropped what it thought was a season-ending 24-21 loss to Leland in the 2A playoffs on Friday, but Tuesday the executive committee of the MHSAA overturned a call by the officials, a game-winning touchdown on the final play of the game.
The official score now is Walnut 21, Leland 18 and the Cubs (9-3) are bounced from the playoffs and home for the holidays.
Leland connected on what appeared to be a decisive 20-yard touchdown pass with no time left on the clock. However, the referees threw a flag for an illegal forward pass, resulting loss of yardage and a loss of down.
Things then got confusing, as the referees granted Leland one final play with the game clock expired, much to Walnut’s chagrin.
Leland connected yet again for a touchdown, and the Cubs celebrated with what they thought was a victory. But re-examining the rulebooks and the final two plays, the MHSAA ruled differently.
Here was Tuesday's ruling handed down by the MHSAA:
The play in question occurred on the last timed down (last play of the game during regulation time). NFHS rule 3-3-4.b.3 on page 44 of "2008 NFHS Football Rules" states the following: “A period shall not be extended by an un-timed down if during the last timed down of the period, one of the following occurs ... fouls that specify a loss of down.” The official called a completed illegal forward pass on a play that resulted in a touchdown. Because of the illegal forward pass, the game should have been over.
MHSAA Executive Director Ennis Proctor told the told Rod Walker of the Clarion Ledger it was the first time the organization has ever had to reverse the outcome of a game. The committee’s vote was 10-1-1 in favor of changing the call and thus the game's victor.
“The game should have been over, but they gave them an un-timed down,” he told Walker. “It (the call) was so flagrant. The executive committee had no choice. It was a violation of the national federation rules.”
The ruling, predictably, brought on strong reaction from both sides.
Walnut coach Timmy Moore, whose team (10-2) won its first playoff game in school history two weeks ago and now hosts Eupora (10-2) in a quarterfinal game, was pleasantly relieved.
“We felt like the activities association and executive committee would do the right thing and correct a wrong,” he told the Clarion Ledger.
Leland coach Eugene Sanders told the newspaper he was so disappointed with the decision that he’s contemplating leaving the coaching profession. His team finished the season 9-3.
“They are not doing right for the kids,” he said. “It should be decided by officials and not people sitting behind a desk. … It has torn the kids up and it has torn the community up.”
The refereeing crew is suspended for the rest of the playoffs and will be placed on probation for the 2009 season, Proctor said.
E-mail Steve Spiewak at sspiewak@maxpreps.com.
Clarion Ledger story. Click here.
MHSAA website. Click here.
