Dear Fenwick Community,

In Saturday evening’s 7A state semi-final football game between Plainfield North High School and Fenwick High School, the IHSA officials instructed the teams to play after time expired and as a result awarded a win to the wrong team. Pursuant to the outcome of the game, IHSA invited Fenwick to submit an appeal to the IHSA. Early this morning, the IHSA Board determined that it would not hear the appeal. As a result, in an effort to protect the rights and rightfully earned opportunities of our students, Fenwick High School has filed a lawsuit in the Circuit Court of Cook County, Illinois seeking declaratory, injunctive and other relief against IHSA. Please refer all media inquiry to Peter Groom, Principal of Fenwick High School.

 

 

For anyone that isn't clear on the situation, this is what happened: Fenwick had a 10-7 with 3 seconds on their own 15. Fenwick's coach instructed his QB to take the snap and throw the ball deep down the field. Time expired and the officials called intentional grounding which is the right call. That should have been the end of the game. Fenwick goes to state. Instead, the officials gave Plainfield North an untamed time because of the penalty (that should only happen on a defensive penalty) and they kicked the game-tying FG. Then Plainfield North won in OT. Fenwick got screwed bad but I'm not sure there's anything that can be done. The IHSA doesn't overturn official decisions. Some people think that Plainfield North should forfeit or something and let Fenwick go to state. As a HS coach, I'd probably go with what the game officials said if I were on PFN staff. If I were on Fenwick though, I'd be livid. Not sure what you tell your kids on either side.

Sounds like a decision will be made tomorrow. I doubt anything is changed. It really sucks but what can you do?

Fenwick deserves to lose for not having a single coach who follows college football and knows Oklahoma St got screwed on the same play

Rules vary through levels.

 

Refs should definitely know the rule but as an unbiased fan, if I was at the game, I would've assumed it was the right call. Shows what I know.

For anyone that isn't clear on the situation, this is what happened: Fenwick had a 10-7 with 3 seconds on their own 15. Fenwick's coach instructed his QB to take the snap and throw the ball deep down the field. Time expired and the officials called intentional grounding which is the right call. That should have been the end of the game. Fenwick goes to state. Instead, the officials gave Plainfield North an untamed time because of the penalty (that should only happen on a defensive penalty) and they kicked the game-tying FG. Then Plainfield North won in OT. Fenwick got screwed bad but I'm not sure there's anything that can be done. The IHSA doesn't overturn official decisions. Some people think that Plainfield North should forfeit or something and let Fenwick go to state. As a HS coach, I'd probably go with what the game officials said if I were on PFN staff. If I were on Fenwick though, I'd be livid. Not sure what you tell your kids on either side.

 

The bigger thing on this is that PFN was not pressuring the QB and as such simply throwing the ball as he did is not intentional grounding. In the OSU game, the guy threw it into the stands. This QB threw the ball in the field of play and one could argue the receiver just did not run his route. This happens in games all of the time and if the QB is not under duress, it is not a call you make.

 

That aspect is on the officials who before enforcing the penalty should have gotten together and waved off the flag. If none of the five could get it right wave it off and go home. You would think after the OSU game someone would have gotten it right.

 

There are much better ways to kill two seconds than this and this is as much on the Fenwick coaching staff as the officials.

 

Take four steps back and take a knee. Run out the back of the end zone. Do not take a knee on on the other downs.

 

This does suck for Fenwick though.

 

 

 

 

 

The bigger thing on this is that PFN was not pressuring the QB and as such simply throwing the ball as he did is not intentional grounding. In the OSU game, the guy threw it into the stands. This QB threw the ball in the field of play and one could argue the receiver just did not run his route. This happens in games all of the time and if the QB is not under duress, it is not a call you make.

 

That aspect is on the officials who before enforcing the penalty should have gotten together and waved off the flag. If none of the five could get it right wave it off and go home. You would think after the OSU game someone would have gotten it right.

 

There are much better ways to kill two seconds than this and this is as much on the Fenwick coaching staff as the officials.

 

Take four steps back and take a knee. Run out the back of the end zone. Do not take a knee on on the other downs.

 

This does suck for Fenwick though.

Agreed.

 

But f*** those rich Fenwick brats anyway

Agreed.

 

But f*** those rich Fenwick brats anyway

Hey now, watch it asshole.

Prior to last year the only good football played in OPRF was when Fenwick was there.

Cough

 

https://soundcloud.com/user-354259561/state...m-dave-bernhard

Hey now, watch it asshole.

Rich bastards. I bet half that teams dads are lawyers that play at my club. I'm sure they are all over this s***.

Rich bastards. I bet half that teams dads are lawyers that play at my club. I'm sure they are all over this s***.

 

Rich on rich hate!

Rich on rich hate!

Michael O'Brien is live tweeting from the court room. @michaelsobrien

I should have gone over to watch the argument, but Fenwick's attorney is making a ludicrous argument, IMO, that a rulebook is equivalent to a contract and the failure to abide by the rule is a breach of that contract. Talk about opening the flood gates...

I thought the front page of the Tribune article was total B.S.

 

Not up to the high school teams to enforce the rules and they shouldn't be judged to do so.

I should have gone over to watch the argument, but Fenwick's attorney is making a ludicrous argument, IMO, that a rulebook is equivalent to a contract and the failure to abide by the rule is a breach of that contract. Talk about opening the flood gates...

 

Definitely. The IHSA lawyer cut to the chase. By playing in an IHSA game, Fenwick agrees to certain things and results.

Judge sides with IHSA.

 

I feel bad for Fenwick. They got hosed but not PN's fault.

What should happen here is that the other school should step down and let Fenwick play. But of course that won't happen because that would be the right thing to do.

What should happen here is that the other school should step down and let Fenwick play. But of course that won't happen because that would be the right thing to do.

 

No it wouldn't. Plainfield North didn't do anything wrong. Plus it's the state title game. Nobody is giving up this shot.

What should happen here is that the other school should step down and let Fenwick play. But of course that won't happen because that would be the right thing to do.

 

Someone called into the Score this morning and said basically that the IHSA would not allow this because it would undermine their decision, even if they wanted to

I don't see why. Good sportsmanship mandates they step down. Everyone agrees they should not have been given the opportunity to tie the game and win in OT.

 

This is the problem with our sports culture, especially at schools. We preach good sportsmanship and being a better person and doing the right thing over winning, and then when we have the opportunity to actually do that it's NEVER done.

 

I don't think a Judge should have made this call, but it's ludicrous the IHSA or any sports organization doesn't have a clause in the rule book that in CLEAR cases of a screw up that decides games there can be a change made after the fact.

 

I don't see why. Good sportsmanship mandates they step down. Everyone agrees they should not have been given the opportunity to tie the game and win in OT.

 

This is the problem with our sports culture, especially at schools. We preach good sportsmanship and being a better person and doing the right thing over winning, and then when we have the opportunity to actually do that it's NEVER done.

 

I don't think a Judge should have made this call, but it's ludicrous the IHSA or any sports organization doesn't have a clause in the rule book that in CLEAR cases of a screw up that decides games there can be a change made after the fact.

 

Yea, but as stated earlier, once you open the floodgates on one bad call, then you start getting other "well if this call went the other way then we would have scored a TD and won the game...." type complaints in the name of good sportsmanship. Playing entire games under protest because of a bad call then going to court.

Think I read by rule, if PN stepped aside, it would be a forfeit win for ESL. Fenwick wouldn't be allowed to play either way.

Edited November 23, 20169 yr by Brian

Think I read by rule, if PN stepped aside, it would be a forfeit win for ESL. Fenwick wouldn't be allowed to play either way.

 

I would bet money that this is correct.

Yea, but as stated earlier, once you open the floodgates on one bad call, then you start getting other "well if this call went the other way then we would have scored a TD and won the game...." type complaints in the name of good sportsmanship. Playing entire games under protest because of a bad call then going to court.

 

This is such a limited ruling though. It wasn't mid-game. Fenwick won the game. It was over. Then the refs gifted the other team additional time that they used to tie it up and eventually win. There's no judgment call here.