West Virginia student athletes can prepare to suit up and play ball.
The state Supreme Court of Appeals ruled late Tuesday that high school football championships can proceed as originally planned under the West Virginia Secondary School Activities Commission – despite two lower court rulings based on changes to playoff categories.
The rulings in Wood and Mason counties had blocked all football playoffs in the state – Tuesday’s ruling means those playoffs can move forward now.
In part, the Court said Tuesday that the SSAC had the authority to reclassify the teams based on school size. The creation of a fourth athletic class, Class AAAA, over the summer triggered a reclassification of schools in most sports.
Petitions were filed Tuesday in an effort to stop two lower court rulings regarding the Class A high school volleyball playoffs, which were postponed due to conflicting court orders out of circuit courts in Hardy and Taylor counties. Those games are still pending.