Court rules Glenville remains in OHSAA football playoffs. What's next?
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CLEVELAND − After back-to-back hearings earlier this week, a judge in Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas decided that the Glenville football team will participate in the Ohio High School Athletic Association playoffs.
This comes a week after OHSAA banned Glenville from the 2026 playoffs only to have that decision reversed by the courts the next day when a temporary restraining order was issued on Glenville's behalf on Oct. 30, leaving its first-round playoff game with University School in limbo. Also in limbo, a second-round game scheduled for Friday, Nov. 6 featuring Salem against either Glenville or University School.
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Judge Andrew J. Santoli granted a preliminary injunction, sought by Glenville athletes, on Tuesday, Nov. 3, ruling that the OHSAA's decision to ban the team was arbitrary. He also denied OHSAA's motion that the complaint filed on behalf of two Glenville athletes lacked standing.
"Plaintiffs have proven by clear and convincing evidence that this decision was arbitrary because it was made before the investigation was completed and shall remain in the playoffs at this time," Santoli's order read.
The judge also rejected the association's claims that the case belonged in Franklin County court and that Cuyahoga had jurisdiction.
OHSAA will determine who plays Salem by either rescheduling the Glenville-University School game, declaring University School forfeited the Oct. 31 game or finding another solution.
Glenville, which won the Division IV state championship a year ago, is the fifth seed in Division III, Region 9 this season. University School is the 12 seed. Salem, the fourth seed in the region, had a first-round bye.
OHSAA's reaction to court ruling
OHSAA said it agreed with the ruling in a Nov. 3 afternoon news release.
"The Court emphasizes that it is not asked, nor permitted, to determine who is entitled to play in the Playoffs. It is beyond the scope of this Court’s authority to order that one team be entered into the Playoffs over another, or that one team advance in the Playoffs over another,” the association said. "The court order included additional findings that the OHSAA will challenge in appellate court in Cleveland Wednesday morning. More information regarding Salem’s playoff opponent this Friday will be released Wednesday. The OHSAA has stayed in communication with Salem and appreciates the school’s cooperation and patience."
Nov. 2 court hearing
Before Tuesday's ruling, the court held a hearing after a high school football playoff game between University School and Glenville did not transpire on Oct. 31, despite a judge's order.
"It's incredibly frustrating this game didn't take place on Saturday," Santoli said in the Nov. 2 court hearing, according to a video posted by WKYC. "I find it rather remarkable that this game couldn't take place over the weekend when it was canceled about 24 hours before it was scheduled to take place.
He also questioned why it was not ruled a forfeit by University School for choosing not to play Glenville.
Glenville pointed the blame at OHSAA, stating the referees never showed up for the game due to OHSAA not ordering them.
"The game cannot be scheduled until OHSAA does their part," Glenville attorney Stanley Jackson said. "They never wanted University School to play that game."
OHSAA claims they have been cooperative and that the association isn't to blame.
"We complied anyway because we want to be cooperative; we want to figure out this solution here. But let's not lose sight of the fact that this all started because Cleveland Metro School District did not provide the proper information. ... That's who started it," OHSAA attorney Joseph A. Fraley said in court.
OHSAA also filed a motion on Nov. 2, stating that the complaint filed on behalf of two Glenville athletes cannot proceed and that a judge should end the temporary restraining order.
The motion states that the OHSAA penalty was on Glenville alone and that it has not determined two students' eligibility, which have been the center of an investigation. It also said that the court did not have the jurisdiction to make a decision in the case.
"The right to contest a penalty imposed on a member school, and to pursue the appeal process the members created, belongs to the member school," the motion reads. "Two students cannot litigate that right in their own names, on behalf of a school and a team that has not authorized them to do so, while the school district responsible forcompliance remains absent."
Santoli said at the time he would consider a contempt hearing to determine if the school district disobeyed a court order or disrupted court proceedings.
Glenville restraining order vs. OHSAA
On Oct. 30, Santoli granted a temporary restraining order filed by Glenville High School, allowing them to play their game against University School after originally being banned from the playoffs.
Santoli's decision comes after attorneys Michael L. Nelson Sr., Jackson and James L. Hardiman filed a motion in Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court on Oct. 29 on behalf of two Glenville players.
"Unless some immediate injunctive relief is granted, the entire football team will suffer permanent and irreparable harm," the motion reads.
The ruling temporarily reversed the OHSAA's decision to remove Glenville from the postseason because of an investigation into eligibility issues.
University School refused to play Glenville in high school football playoff game
After Santoli ruled that Glenville could play its playoff game, the team opposite it, University School, refused to play a rescheduled game.
According to reporting from The News-Herald, University football coach Ben Malbasa confirmed that the team decided to not show for the 7 p.m. Oct. 30 game at Glenville, and also that it would not play the Tarblooders later that weekend, either.
University released a statement Oct. 30 addressing the back-and-forth saga:
“We were disappointed to learn of the initial cancellation of the contest on Thursday, Oct. 29, and then surprised to learn of the temporary restraining order leading the OHSAA to reschedule the game for the afternoon of Saturday, Oct. 31.
“We will not compete in the now rescheduled contest, respect the court’s prudence in deciding the ultimate outcome of the legal dispute, and will prepare to compete with Salem on (Nov. 6) if that is the resolution.”
OHSAA's initial statement on Glenville football court order
OHSAA emailed the following statement shortly after 5 p.m. Friday, Oct. 30:
"Following the Ohio High School Athletic Association’s removal of Cleveland Glenville from the football playoffs on Thursday (Oct. 29), the OHSAA is aware of the court order issued today (Friday, Oct. 30) requiring the playing of the football playoff game between Glenville and University School.
"The OHSAA stands by its ruling issued on Thursday (Oct. 29). However, the OHSAA will comply with the court order and is working with the two schools to reschedule the game sometime this weekend.
"To clarify information presented this afternoon, the OHSAA first requested student residential information from Cleveland Metropolitan School District on September 28. The OHSAA received an initial batch of information from CMSD on Oct. 22. On Thursday (Oct. 29) in a meeting with Glenville, the school did not object to the findings of the OHSAA audit."
OHSAA's Glenville football investigation cites 'irregularities'
The OHSAA had removed Cleveland Glenville from the 2026 football playoffs on Oct. 29.
The Tarblooders' removal from the Division III, Region 9 postseason came as part of an ongoing investigation into Cleveland Metropolitan School District and inaccurately assigning student participation opportunities to Glenville.
It all stems from students at Ginn Academy, which is a non-member magnet school that does not offer sports and is under the control of Cleveland Metropolitan School District. Student-athletes from Ginn Academy are only allowed to participate at the Cleveland school district closest to their residence.
“Recently we discovered several irregularities with students going to Ginn Academy and playing football at Glenville, which led us to conduct an audit of the participation opportunities for all fall sports student-athletes at Glenville High School,” OHSAA Executive Director Doug Ute said in the email Thursday, Oct. 29.
“This week we confirmed that many players on Glenville’s football team should have been playing at other schools this season. It will take some time to examine all the information and determine the extent of the violations this season and potentially in previous seasons for all schools and teams within Cleveland Metro.”
Includes reporting from Beacon staff writer Brad Bournival.
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This article originally appeared on The Repository: Court rules Glenville remains in OHSAA football playoffs. What's next?