Judge upholds Gainesville HS injunction; most players cleared to compete

Gainesville High School wins injunction argument

A Hall County judge upheld Gainesville High School’s injunction, clearing 34 of 38 suspended players. The ruling allows most of the team to play in Friday’s Class 5A quarterfinal. GHSA had suspended players after a brawl during the Gainesville–Brunswick playoff game.

GAINESVILLE, Ga. - A Hall County judge on Wednesday upheld an injunction filed by Gainesville High School, allowing the vast majority of players suspended by the Georgia High School Association (GHSA) to compete in the next postseason game.

What we know:

The ruling means 34 of the 38 players suspended after a fight during Gainesville’s playoff game at Brunswick may play in the Class 5A quarterfinal against undefeated Langston Hughes. Only four suspensions remain in place.

The backstory:

GHSA initially suspended 38 Gainesville players after video showed a Brunswick defender ripping off two Gainesville helmets and striking a player, triggering a third-quarter brawl. Players from both sidelines rushed the field, leading officials to end the game with 1:57 remaining and award Gainesville the win.

Editor’s note: GHSA first reported 39 suspensions, but the number was corrected to 38 during court proceedings.

After Gainesville appealed, GHSA reinstated four players, but 34 suspensions remained. The school did not challenge four of them, instead filing an injunction asking the court to lift 30 suspensions.

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In Wednesday’s ruling, the judge sided with Gainesville, clearing nearly the entire roster for postseason play.

The game was originally scheduled for Friday, but the GHSA appealed the ruling and has postponed the game until that appeal is adjudicated. 

The other side:

Meanwhile, Brunswick High School has accepted GHSA’s penalties — 41 suspensions, a $5,000 fine, and a one-year postseason ban — and has begun its own internal disciplinary review.

Dig deeper:

Legal challenges to GHSA decisions are not uncommon. Georgia courts have temporarily halted GHSA rulings multiple times in recent years, including cases involving Cook High in 2023 and Charlton County in 2018.