Activities directors representing St. Paul high schools Harding and Humboldt submitted a written request Monday to the Minnesota State High School League to restore section playoff eligibility for players not involved in a physical altercation during a football game last week against St. Paul Johnson.
Officials seek relief from MSHSL for team banned from football playoffs
Activities directors from Harding and Humboldt say players not involved in altercation should not be punished.
October 25, 2022 at 12:29AM
Section playoffs throughout the state begin Tuesday. Both teams — the Harding/Humboldt cooperative program and Johnson — were initially suspended. While taking ownership of players' actions, the activities directors sought relief for those who didn't leave the bench during Wednesday's game, according to a source familiar with the situation.
Harding/Humboldt was leading Johnson 35-22 with 2 minutes, 30 seconds left to play when the officiating crew stopped the game. A St. Paul Public Schools news release Thursday stated, "We determined multiple Code of Conduct violations occurred, resulting in suspensions that will prevent both teams from participating in postseason section play."
The consequences dealt a blow to seniors on both teams. Harding/Humboldt (7-1) hoped to make a big playoff push this season.
On Saturday, Knighthawks junior Jeremiah Bryant launched a petition on change.org. As of Monday evening, more than 2,100 people had signed in support.
Before combining as a program and finishing 4-5 last season, neither Harding nor Humboldt had sniffed .500 in forever. Harding's last winning season came in 2012. Humboldt owned the conference's longest losing streak at 31 games. Last season's improvement helped bring more than 60 players out this fall, an increase of about a dozen.
Six players plus head coach Garrett Raboin and assistant coach Ben Gordon are from Minnesota. The tournament’s games will be televised starting Monday.
