GAINSEVILLE, Ga. — The Georgia High School Association says it is appealing a ruling from a Hall County judge after they granted an injunction against the order that lifted the suspensions of members of the Gainesville High School football players following an on-field brawl at a state playoff game on Friday night.
The school district had filed a lawsuit that alleged Brunswick High team members “had punched Gainesville High School’s players on at least four previous occasions” that night, without any action taken to penalize them or protect the student victims.
Those incidents culminated in a brawl on the field after a Brunswick player “violently ripped off the helmets” of two Gainesville students and punched one in the face as another Brunswick student “ran from approximately 40 yards away and blindsided a helmetless” player from the other team, knocking them to the ground.
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Still, the “Defendant’s officials had yet to intervene, and Brunswick High School’s players stormed the field,” the lawsuit says.
In a series of hearings on Monday and Tuesday, players from both Brunswick High School and Gainesville High School were suspended from playing, with 39 initially blocked from Gainesville’s team.
After the fight was stopped, GHSA officials ejected two players from the Brunswick High team; none were ejected from Gainesville’s, according to the lawsuit.
A GHSA official had the Gainesville High and Brunswick High coaches identify the players who had left the team box and get on the field during the altercation after the game.
Then, GHSA had suspended 39 Gainesville players ejected due to conduct violations.
The judge ruled in favor of Gainesville on Wednesday, allowing most of the suspended players to compete this coming Friday against Langston Hughes High School, the top team in the division.
That game has now been delayed until a ruling is made on the appeal filed by GHSA, the organization said.
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