Just a few days ago, Argyle Liberty Christian (TX) announced that it would be seeking legal action against the Texas Association of Private and Parochial Schools (TAPPS) decision to ban the Warriors from postseason play.
On Tuesday, a Denton County Courthouse denied the school's request for a temporary restraining order.
Charles Baggarly of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reported that the decision was announced after several hours of deliberation. The ruling keeps Liberty Christian out of the TAPPS Division I postseason.
According to Baggarly, 362nd Judicial District Court Judge Bruce McFarling ruled that TAPPS did not do anything illegal or against public policy. The ruling from McFarling came down to proper due process, not whether the athlete
was coached by Griffin or if the athlete was ineligible.
The first round of the postseason was moved back a week to allow for changes to be made to the eight-team bracket. Liberty Christian, led by five-star Oklahoma linebacker commit Cooper Witten, was viewed by many as the favorite to win the state championship in the division.
TAPPS' original decision was based on findings that found the program broke the "follow the coach" rule.
Senior receiver Jace Johnson transferred to Liberty Christian from Abilene Cooper ahead of the season. According to the TAPPS ruling, Johnson had played for Liberty Christian defensive backs coach Antonio Griffin's 7-on-7 program, Lionhearted Elite.
The report notes that Liberty Christian argued that TAPPS had ruled Johnson eligible previously. However, per TAPPS bylaws, the burden of proof was on Griffin to prove that he did not coach Johnson, and neither side could prove definitively that he did or didn't.
TAPPS' original decision was also made by a 5-0 unanimous vote and Liberty Christian had already signed a contract acknowledging that TAPPS Executive Board has final say over all eligibility-related issues.
With the decision, Liberty Christian finishes its season with a 7-3 record.
Follow Sports Reporter Joe Spears on X at @joe_spears7 or via email: JSpears@usatodayco.com. For additional high school sports coverage, be sure to follow USA TODAY High School Sports on Instagram and X.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Texas high school football powerhouse loses court battle, out of playoffs
