Report: Ref mix-up costs HS team a playoff game, court says it stands
An Oklahoma high school football team will not get a chance to replay their game — or portion of it — despite a referee's mistake that cost the school a chance to win a playoff game, it was ruled in court on Thursday.
There is no precedent allowing a court to order the replay of a high school football game, and no way to insure that a replay would be fair to both teams because the conditions of the disputed contest could not be replicated, District Judge Bernard M. Jones II said in a written opinion, the New York Times reported.
The case evolved out of a Class 3A quarterfinal between Frederick A. Douglass High School of Oklahoma City and Locust Grove High School.
Douglass appeared to take a 25-20 lead with 1:04 remaining in the fourth quarter on a 58-yard touchdown pass.
However, a coach on the Douglass sideline accidentally got in the way of a referee running down the sideline, resulting in a five-yard penalty.
The officials were supposed to assess the penalty on the extra point or following kickoff. However, they erroneously ruled it should be marked off on the play itself, negating the touchdown.
That left Locust Grove the victor, 20-19.
Douglass sought relief in court, claiming players had "endured irreparable harm by the referee's mistake," and was granted a temporary restraining order, which prevented Locust Grove from playing in the semifinal playoff game. That went away with Thursday's ruling.
