Grand Rapids Catholic Central’s (MI) football team must be reinstated in the playoffs—for now—a judge ruled Friday, Oct. 30.
The program had been removed from the postseason by the Michigan High School Athletic Association on Thursday, Oct. 29 for playing with an ineligible player for six regular season games. They were forced to forfeit five regular season wins.
"The MHSAA’s difficult decision to remove Grand Rapids Catholic Central from the football playoffs for having fielded an ineligible player this season was challenged today in state court, which entered an order directing Catholic Central’s first-round participation in the playoffs," the MHSAA wrote in a statement emailed to the Detroit Free Press, part of the USA TODAY Network.
Before
the MHSAA's ineligibility ruling, the Cougars (7-2) were scheduled to play Comstock Park on Friday, Oct. 30.
The MHSAA added in its statement that they were not given an opportunity to take part in the legal proceedings, and would have presented new evidence to explain their decision if they had been able to do so.
According to Kent County Court Records, there will be a show-cause hearing Nov. 6 at 9 a.m. The student plaintiff and the MHSAA will appear before the court during that time, according to an update from Catholic Central president Greg Deja on the school’s website.
The player had initially been cleared to play when the MHSAA confirmed their eligibility in January 2026 following their enrollment. The MHSAA then informed Grand Rapids CC earlier this month that they were reopening their investigation due to new information about the student’s former residence, and ruled Thursday that the player did not satisfy “full and complete” residence change.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Judge orders Michigan high school football powerhouse reinstated in playoffs
