OHSAA Removes Ironton from 2025 Football Playoffs
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Due to the extent of the violations, the penalties include a postseason ban this season, a postseason suspension of some members of the coaching staff next year (if they are coaching at an OHSAA member school), three years probation and a $7,500 fine.
The district also agreed to change local policies on enrollment and transfers and attend an educational seminar presented by the OHSAA staff. The postseason penalties and probation are specific to the football program. Any additional violations of the recruiting bylaws during the probationary period will result in automatic postseason ineligibility for the next available tournament.
At this point, the OHSAA will not require Ironton to forfeit wins from previous seasons and the school will retain its 2024 Division V state championship.
Ironton was 8-1 heading into its final game of the regular season Friday night. In that game, Ironton allowed an ineligible student-athlete to participate, which results in a forfeiture. In the final computer ratings on Sunday, Ironton will be placed at the bottom of Region 19 in Division V.
The OHSAA’s investigation determined that some members of the Ironton football program had engaged in ongoing and coordinated recruiting efforts, including communications with parents and students regarding methods to influence other prospective athletes’ enrollment. Records show deliberate efforts to conceal recruiting activity, including direction on how to avoid leaving evidence of infractions, which demonstrates an awareness of wrongdoing and an intentional effort to circumvent compliance. The scope and coordination of these activities, as well as the number of impermissible contacts, represents a serious and pervasive violation.
The Ironton district may choose to include additional penalties. The Ironton District Board of Education wrote a community letter expressing their disappointment with the incident:
October 24, 2025
To the Ironton school community,
It is with heavy hearts that we share with you that we have received notification from the OHSAA of their determination that District coaching staff engaged in recruiting violations in 2018, 2019, and 2025, and that OHSAA’s sanctions will include suspension of Ironton High School from participation in this year’s playoffs. The sanctions further include OHSAA’s suspension of the three coaches involved from coaching in the playoffs next year, as well as placement of the football program on probation through the 2027-2028 school year. To be clear, these are the sanctions imposed by the OHSAA; the Ironton Board of Education has taken no action at this time. The OHSAA’s determination followed an investigation during which we repeatedly advocated strongly for the District’s football program and its students, presented all rebuttal evidence available to us, and did everything we could in the short time provided to achieve a different outcome.
We are deeply disappointed in this determination, particularly because the sanctions imposed harm our students who were in no way involved in any wrongdoing, and we are particularly distressed about the impact on our seniors. We want you to know, however, that the sanctions initially proposed by the OHSAA would have made our team ineligible to participate in playoffs for two years and their decision to remove the ban in the second year was a result of our advocacy on the team’s behalf. We understand that many of you are upset. After consultation with attorneys who have the most successful experience with legal challenges to OHSAA determinations as well as multiple local attorneys, it was their collective recommendation that we accept the negotiated sanctions presented to us at this point in time.
Moving forward, we are fully committed to ensuring that appropriate corrective measures are taken to avoid any further adverse impact on our football program. This is a setback, but this has not erased the hard work and accomplishments of our students as a team this year. We are so proud of them. We will not let this take away our pride or our legacy, and we will strive, as always, to uphold the values that define Ironton City Schools both on and off the field.
Sincerely,
Ironton Board of Education
