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The courts may be one step closer to determining who the Salem football team will play on Friday.
On Monday, representatives from the Ohio High School Athletic Association and the Glenville athletic department gave their testimony at the Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas.
No decision was reached as to who will move on to play Salem in a Division III, Region 9, quarterfinal this week. It was the latest chapter in a situation that resulted in Glenville being removed from the playoffs and then granted a temporary restraining order against the OHSAA's ruling on Friday.
The hearing centered around the eligibility of Glenville players, if correct information was given to the OHSAA by the Cleveland Metropolitan School District and the OHSAA's process for removing the Tarblooders from the playoffs on Thursday.
The OHSAA removed the Tarblooders after an investigation began regarding whether some members of the football team should have attended other schools in the Cleveland school district.
Some Glenville players attend Ginn Academy, a non-OHSAA member magnet school in the Cleveland school district. Per OHSAA guidelines, student-athletes attending Ginn Academy can participate in public school athletics, but they must play in for the school closest to their residence.
Ronald Sayers, the OHSAA director of eligibility and technology, and OHSAA associate executive director Kristin Ronai both said eligibility questions were raised regarding 10 players at the time of Glenville's removal from the tournament.
On Sept. 29, the OHSAA requested residential information for Glenville's players. Glenville responded on Oct. 25, but clarification was needed for 25 athletes. A zoom call was held with OHSAA and Glenville officials, but the team was removed from the postseason on Thursday.
Due to the restraining order, the OHSAA rescheduled Glenville's first-round playoff game against University School for Saturday. But University School said Friday that it would not play, and it stuck to its word, as the Tarblooders showed up to an empty stadium.
According to cleveland.com, Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas Judge Andrew J. Santoli gave a 9 a.m. deadline today for both sides to review documentation and prepare closing arguments.
Salem, who received a first-round bye, is scheduled to host either Glenville or University School at Sebo Stadium on Friday night.