Ironton is one of the top high school football programs in the state of Ohio. However, the Fighting Tigers are officially banned from the playoffs due to a recruiting scandal.
They were cheating for the last seven years!
This latest ruling by the Ohio High School Athletic Association changes the entire landscape of high school football within the state. The Division V favorites already played their last game of the season.
Ironton High School doesn’t lose anymore.
Ironton High School is located in Ironton, Ohio, right on the boder of West Virginia and Kentucky. It sits just a few blocks from the Ohio River, which separates all three states within about 20/25 miles.
The Tigers were not very good during the 2000s prior to 2019. They won only five games in 2015, seven games in 2016, four games in 2017, and six games in 2018.
And then things took a turn for the better out of absolutely nowhere.
Ironton lost the state championship in 2019 at 13-2, lost the state championship to Kirtland for the second year in a row at 11-1 in 2020 and lost the state championship to South Range in 2022 at 15-1. The Tigers finally broke through in 2024 at 15-1. They are the reigning state champs. They have not lost more than two games in a single season since the sudden upward trajectory in 2019.
As it would turn out, there is a reason for the success.
High school football recruiting scandal shakes Ohio.
The Ohio High School Athletic Association will not require Ironton to forfeit wins from previous seasons or its Division V state championship from last year. However, the Tigers will not be allowed to defend their title.
They are officially banned from the playoffs due to numerous violations of the OHSAA recruiting bylaws over the last seven years… which just so happens to date back to the instant turnaround.
A weeks-long investigation found Ironton guilty of coordinated efforts to influence prospective athletes’ enrollment at the school through communication with parents and students. Documented records reveal deliberate efforts to conceal illegal recruiting activity, including a specific set of instructions on how to avoid leaving evidence of wrongdoing. The OHSAA claim the Tigers were aware of their infractions and made a conscious effort to circumvent required compliance measures.
As a result, Ironton received the playoff ban for this season, three years of probation and a fine of $7,500. The local school district also agreed to change its policies on enrollment and transfers to avoid these kinds of violations in the future.
Should the Tigers commit an additional violation during the probationary period, they will receive an immediate automatic postseason ban for the next available tournament.
Ironton players and parents held a protest against the OHSAA ruling on Friday. Their efforts are likely to fall on deaf ears. It is an unfortunate way to end another dominant season. The Tigers finish at 9-1.
The post Ohio High School Football Champion Banned From Playoffs For Seven-Year-Long Recruiting Scandal appeared first on BroBible.
Ohio High School Football Champion Banned From Playoffs For Seven-Year-Long Recruiting Scandal
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