Judge issues late-night order ordering play-in scenario for AAA football playoffs as SSAC anticipates more challenges in court

UPDATE:Mason County Circuit Judge Anita Ashley ruled late Monday night, ordering play-in games Friday night in the AAA football playoffs that match Point Pleasant vs. St. Albans and Hampshire vs. Capital.

Point Pleasant and Hampshire had made the 16-team field in the original playoff combines released last Friday evening, but they were kicked out when the SSAC reworked the rankings following an order from a Wood County judge. St. Albans and Capital made the AAA field in the new rankings.

The judge's order would essentially postpone the first round of the AAA playoffs for a week.

Meanwhile, a lawsuit seeking preliminary injunction for Westside High School was filed Monday in Wyoming County. Westside, which plays in Class AA, was one of four teams eliminated from the playoffs after last weekend's changes.

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. Four days before the statewide high school football playoffs begin, it remains to be seen whether or not that will be the case.

Wayne Ryan, Associate Executive Director of the West Virginia Secondary School Activity Commission, confirmed Monday evening that the WVSSAC expects more orders will be issued for all or some of the four teams included in the scheduled playoff field on Friday and excluded on Saturday after an order had been pronounced. awarded in Wood County to set the playoff rating system as it looked before the August reclassifications.

Today was a holiday, so the justice systems weren't working, Ryan said as a guest on Citynet Statewide Sportsline. Verbally, we certainly expect that there will be some court orders filed tomorrow morning and we will, as always, handle those appropriately and take care of those orders whether they are in person or via Zoom. There are several orders. We're not sure how many there will be. We can deal with it the way we need to, and it can shed more light on the situation.

As a result of Saturday's order to make the playoff rating system reflect how all schools were ranked prior to the August reclassifications, four schools lost at postseason berths Hampshire, Point Pleasant, Westside and Tolsia.

Hampshire and Point Pleasant were replaced by Capital and St. Albans. Westside's spot was claimed by Lincoln, while St. Marys joined the Class A field in place of Tolsia.

If, as expected, injunctions are issued for any of the four teams that were included in and subsequently excluded from the postseason, the case would likely be decided by the West Virginia Supreme Court.

We wouldn't determine it because if we did, we would be in contempt of court by one judge or the other, and we can't do that, Ryan said. At that point it has to go to a higher court. We would need a higher court to step in and decide which rating system to use, and once they made the ruling, we would go to work and have our state playoffs.

Returning to the original field after the season would not only lead to the addition of the aforementioned four schools and the removal of the other aforementioned four, it would also change a large portion of the opening round matchups.

So the fully realistic teams that practice on Monday and prepare to face one opponent can return to the field in a day or two to practice against another opponent.

They would have to make quick plans and so we can't really say what the timeline would be, Ryan said. We need to consider the competitive aspect, but also the logistics and arrangements of what can be done, what is feasible and what is not, and make the best decision we can once we have a final decision on which rating system to use.

While there is uncertainty surrounding the postseason in football, that is also the case in volleyball.

The three-day WVSSAC State Volleyball Tournament begins Tuesday at the Charleston Coliseum in Class AA, Class AAA and Class AAAA.

The Class A state tournament was scheduled to begin on Tuesday but has been suspended indefinitely pending a lawsuit. Seven of the eight quarter-final participants have been confirmed. The eighth team, from Region I, remains in dispute.

Tyler Consolidated and St. Marys were scheduled to compete in a play-in game in Charleston early Tuesday prior to the quarterfinals.

On Oct. 30, a judge ordered Tyler Consolidated moved into Class A for volleyball and cheer after competing in Class AA this season.

The section tournament had already ended when the order was received, creating a dilemma for the WVSSAC.

To comply, Tyler Consolidated and St. Marys agreed to play on November 2 for a chance to play Trinity in the regional match. Tyler won that match and St. Marys were eliminated at that point.

However, Trinity subsequently filed an injunction in Monongalia County requesting that it be allowed to play St. Marys instead of Tyler. The judge granted the request, and St. Marys went on to play Trinity in the regional and won.

Two conflicting judicial officers left Tyler without a berth in the regional tournament.

We were all disappointed not to have a Class A tournament tomorrow, Ryan said. When the whole process plays out and we know what we're doing, we'll do everything we can to put on a special Class A tournament to the best of our ability. Find a location with a good atmosphere and the necessary amenities, but it won't be the same because you won't get the other classes.

A few years ago we had to postpone wrestling for three weeks. Sometimes you're dealt a hand that no one likes and it's not ideal, but all you can do is deal with it, deal with it and make the secondary solution the very best for the children involved.