Earle High School's football season is officially over after the school chose not to file an injunction to remain in the Class 2A playoffs.
The Bulldogs forfeited their season Nov. 30 after self-reporting to the Arkansas Activities Association the use of an ineligible player. The Class 2A playoffs, in which the Bulldogs were to play in the state semifinals, were postponed Dec. 1 because of Earle's forfeit. Earle was scheduled to face Foreman in one of two semifinal games.
With Earle's forfeit, the Class 2A playoffs will resume with two semifinal games today, with Mount Ida traveling to Camden Harmony Grove and Foreman hosting Salem.
Salem, the No. 5 seed from the 3-2A Conference which lost 50-31 at Earle in the Class 2A quarterfinals Nov. 24, took the Bulldogs' spot in the Class 2A playoffs, the AAA announced Nov. 30 in a news release.
Earle Superintendent Dr. Richard Wilde said Thursday that he, along with Earle football Coach A.C. Coleman and Principal Juanita Bohanon, met with the Arkansas Activities Association on Wednesday to discuss the school's situation.
"It's heartbreaking," Wilde said. "There was no intention [of breaking any rules]."
Wilde added that it was an inadvertent situation on the part of former superintendent Rickey Nicks, who also served as the Bulldogs' athletic director.
Earle has been under state control since November because of financial issues, including almost $2 million in improper expenditures dating to 2015. Wilde was appointed Nov. 6 by Arkansas Education Commissioner Johnny Key to be superintendent of the Crittenden County school district.
Since Earle is under state control, Wilde said that if the school had filed an injunction, it would have had to go through Key to do so.
The player's transcript, Wilde said, stated that he was in his fifth year of high school. Per the AAA handbook, a player can only play eight semesters. The player transferred from Marion before his junior season in 2016-2017.
"I don't know what we would be contesting," said Wilde, who declined to name the ineligible player but acknowledged he is 18 years old.
Earle, which was 10-1 and won the 3-2A Conference on the field with senior quarterback Gerry Bohanon, finishes 0-11 with the forfeits.
The semifinal winners today will meet in the Class 2A state championship game Dec. 15 at War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock.
Sports on 12/08/2017