New Filings in Student's Case Against Goose Creek Disqualification

A new argument has been filed in federal court challenging the ineligibility of a Goose Creek Gators football player.

The Goose Creek Gators football program spent a week unsuccessfully fighting a ruling by the South Carolina High School League that disqualified the team from the playoff tournament and invalidated the team's undefeated season.

The team's run to a second consecutive state title was stopped in the board room over a special needs student's eligibility in his fifth year in high school.

The latest filing isn't likely to change the fortunes of the Gators football program, but the SCHSL decision also prevents the student from registering for basketball. 

Complete coverage of the Goose Creek Gators disqualification

A motion last Wednesday for a temporary injunction regarding Friday's game between Northwestern and Bluffton was rejected. The teams went on to play and Northwestern has advanced to state finals next weekend.

The latest request is for a reversal of last week's ruling by Judge Weston Houck. In part, the judge was concerned about his ability to hear the case considering the South Carolina High School League had not been properly served.

In the latest request, the students attorneys are asking the court to reconsider, claiming that they had attempted to serve the papers on a former SCHSL executive director. They provide documentation from the state listing Ronald Matthews as the receiving agent for the SCHSL. He retired seven years ago.