The student who was under investigation for eligibility was declared eligible earlier this week and North Gwinnett will not be forced to forfeit any games (see link to the newsapaper article) above, and shown again in this post.

 

http://gwinnettdailypost.com/index.php?s=&url_channel_id=37&url_subchannel_id=&url_article_id=20635&change_well_id=2

If i'm not mistaken I heard about a week ago he had to forfeit some games due to using an ineligible player, can anyone confirm that?

Supposedly there was an investigation into it, but no wrongdoing was found on his part. The team or record have not been affected from what I heard.

Read the link posted by PoppaBear. They players were ruled eligible and no games were forfeited. :thumb:

Here is another story, if someone could find the link I would really appreciate it:

 

North Gwinnett cleared by GHSA

Top-ranked undefeated team won't forfeit any games

By JOHN HOLLIS

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Published on: 10/17/06

The Georgia High School Association reversed itself Tuesday, clearing the top-ranked North Gwinnett football team of using an ineligible player and preserving the Bulldogs' perfect season.

"Based on new information provided by NorthGwinnettHigh School and the family, it was determined that the moving process continued into the second semester," said Ralph Swearngin, the GHSA's executive director.

"Legal documentation was provided at the hearing that I did not have at the time of my [original] decision."

The Bulldogs (7-0) had faced the prospect of having to forfeit as many as four games following allegations that a transfer from Collins Hill did not meet eligibility requirements.

The debate centered around the timing of the player's change of address from the Collins Hill attendance zone to the North zone. If the family had moved in fall 2005, as was initially believed, he needed to transfer there by the start of the second semester to be eligible for North's 2006 football season. The student finished out the school year at Collins Hill before enrolling at North.

The player and his family provided documents confirming their move wasn't final until January; so, he could finish the spring semester at Collins Hill, then switch to North Gwinnett without losing eligibility.

"It filled in some gaps," Swearngin said of the new documents. "It helped us to understand the situation."

First-year Bulldogs coach Bob Sphire was thrilled with the outcome.

"I'm a football coach," he said, "and all I want to do is coach football. I'm just happy it's all over and we can get the focus back to football now."

Joining Sphire on the two-hour trip each way to GHSA headquarters in Thomaston were athletics director Chris Culpepper, principal John Green, the player and his parents.

The process began at about 11 a.m. when Swearngin, who had no say in the appeal decision, stood before the four-man appeals committee and explained why he had ruled as he did last week. The North Gwinnett contingent then made its case.

The committee took about an hour to unanimously overturn the decision Swearngin handed down last Thursday afternoon.

North Gwinnett officials had sounded confident, but they were relieved at the result.

"We're very pleased with the outcome," Green said. "We've always trusted the system. Dr. Swearngin runs a tight house, but it's a fair system."

Swearngin said it was unlikely the family knew how to provide complete documentation from the outset of the questions.

"I think they were not fully aware of the rules of the Georgia High School Association, which is reasonable," he said. "I think, additionally, some of it was some personal information that they were reluctant to share."

The unidentified player had played sparingly in Region 7-AAAAA wins over Mill Creek, Forsyth Central, Collins Hill and Duluth, but did not dress for last week's win at Peachtree Ridge.

He's now eligible, starting Friday night.

"Now we can concentrate on South Forsyth," Sphire said, "and the rest of the region schedule."

The case shows room for improvement on all sides, Swearngin said. The GHSA must do a better job defining its rules, he said, and North Gwinnett and Collins Hill need to improve "the difficulties" in record-keeping at both schools.

"I understand it's hard," Swearngin said. "You can't expect a huge school to keep up with every group, every parent that moves."

You have to pay for the link from the Atlanta Journal.

Was Sphire involved in Catholic's sanctions?

Wes Cissell, is that the former Nelson Co. Cardinal Wes Cissell?

Here is another story, if someone could find the link I would really appreciate it:

 

North Gwinnett cleared by GHSA

Top-ranked undefeated team won't forfeit any games

By JOHN HOLLIS

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Published on: 10/17/06

The Georgia High School Association reversed itself Tuesday, clearing the top-ranked North Gwinnett football team of using an ineligible player and preserving the Bulldogs' perfect season.

"Based on new information provided by NorthGwinnettHigh School and the family, it was determined that the moving process continued into the second semester," said Ralph Swearngin, the GHSA's executive director.

"Legal documentation was provided at the hearing that I did not have at the time of my [original] decision."

The Bulldogs (7-0) had faced the prospect of having to forfeit as many as four games following allegations that a transfer from Collins Hill did not meet eligibility requirements.

The debate centered around the timing of the player's change of address from the Collins Hill attendance zone to the North zone. If the family had moved in fall 2005, as was initially believed, he needed to transfer there by the start of the second semester to be eligible for North's 2006 football season. The student finished out the school year at Collins Hill before enrolling at North.

The player and his family provided documents confirming their move wasn't final until January; so, he could finish the spring semester at Collins Hill, then switch to North Gwinnett without losing eligibility.

"It filled in some gaps," Swearngin said of the new documents. "It helped us to understand the situation."

First-year Bulldogs coach Bob Sphire was thrilled with the outcome.

"I'm a football coach," he said, "and all I want to do is coach football. I'm just happy it's all over and we can get the focus back to football now."

Joining Sphire on the two-hour trip each way to GHSA headquarters in Thomaston were athletics director Chris Culpepper, principal John Green, the player and his parents.

The process began at about 11 a.m. when Swearngin, who had no say in the appeal decision, stood before the four-man appeals committee and explained why he had ruled as he did last week. The North Gwinnett contingent then made its case.

The committee took about an hour to unanimously overturn the decision Swearngin handed down last Thursday afternoon.

North Gwinnett officials had sounded confident, but they were relieved at the result.

"We're very pleased with the outcome," Green said. "We've always trusted the system. Dr. Swearngin runs a tight house, but it's a fair system."

Swearngin said it was unlikely the family knew how to provide complete documentation from the outset of the questions.

"I think they were not fully aware of the rules of the Georgia High School Association, which is reasonable," he said. "I think, additionally, some of it was some personal information that they were reluctant to share."

The unidentified player had played sparingly in Region 7-AAAAA wins over Mill Creek, Forsyth Central, Collins Hill and Duluth, but did not dress for last week's win at Peachtree Ridge.

He's now eligible, starting Friday night.

"Now we can concentrate on South Forsyth," Sphire said, "and the rest of the region schedule."

The case shows room for improvement on all sides, Swearngin said. The GHSA must do a better job defining its rules, he said, and North Gwinnett and Collins Hill need to improve "the difficulties" in record-keeping at both schools.

"I understand it's hard," Swearngin said. "You can't expect a huge school to keep up with every group, every parent that moves."

 

Good to see KY isn't the only state with these issues.

Was Sphire involved in Catholic's sanctions?

 

Sphire, as well as the Lexington Catholic Football Program, had nothing to do with the sanctions against the school.

Wes Cissell, is that the former Nelson Co. Cardinal Wes Cissell?

Yes thats the one.