Decision could prove costly for Gainesville’s quarterfinals playoff game
Gainesville was playing what was perhaps their best game of the 2025 season when leading the Brunswick Pirates 42-0 with about two minutes remaining in the third quarter of their second-round playoff matchup at Glynn County Stadium. What happened after that could determine if the Red Elephants are able to reap the rewards of that playoff performance. A fight between players for both teams caused officials to call the game, giving Gainesville the 42-0 win.
Depending on the results from the GHSA’s investigation into the fight, Gainesville could be forced to play their Class 5A state quarterfinal matchup against Hughes without several key players, or it could mean Gainesville’s season is over.
“We are looking at all of the video that is available to us, and we hope to have a decision around noon on Monday,” said Dr. Tim Scott, GHSA executive director.
As far as what the severity of the penalties could be, Scott said that’s why he and the GHSA are being thorough with their investigation.
“We want to make sure we are fair and thorough, but Gainesville understands all of the possibilities, but so does Brunswick,” Scott said. “We’re working through it as we speak.”
According to GHSA bylaws on sportsmanship, “All players who are involved in a fight and any substitutes who leave the bench area during a fight or potential fight and are ejected from the current contest will be subjected to the sit-out rule.”
Video of the fight posted online shows the beginning of the fight starting around midfield with players from both sides engaged with each other. Soon afterward players from both sidelines run onto the field to join the fray.
A GHSA review of the footage taken of the fight could determine who the players are and how many could be facing discipline. That discipline could include fines, as well as disqualification from the next game, which is not an issue for Brunswick this year as their season is over. For Gainesville, it could mean any number of players disqualified. Could it be enough to cost Gainesville their quarterfinals matchup with Hughes?
“We’re waiting on the GHSA,” Adam Lindsey, Gainesville athletic director, said when asked about any potential forthcoming penalties. He said he expected to hear from the GHSA on Nov. 24.
Glynn County School System athletic director Steve Waters said: “The Glynn County School System and Brunswick High School deeply regret the unfortunate incident that occurred last night at Glynn County Stadium. We are working closely with Gainesville High School and the GHSA to thoroughly review the situation and assess all relevant details. We are fully committed to cooperating with the GHSA to ensure a swift and appropriate resolution.”
While the fate of Gainesville’s playoff eligibility remains in limbo until possibly Monday, there was a recent fighting incident in New Jersey that did prevent two high school football teams from participating in their state playoffs.
Could a similar fight in a New Jersey high school game set a precedent with the Gainesville case?
Two New Jersey high school football teams were both disqualified from that state’s playoffs after a situation similar to the one between Gainesville and Brunswick occurred midway through the fourth quarter of the contest in October of this year.
The teams involved were West Side and Weequahic high schools, both located in Newark. In that contest, a fight broke out with 6:40 left in the game and with Weequahic leading 24-0.
In that contest, both teams were just midway through their regular season. West Side was winless and was not likely to make the playoffs, while Weequahic was 4-1 and likely headed to a playoff berth.
New Jersey’s state high school governing body, the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association, has a rule that basically states that if three or more players and/or coaches are disqualified for flagrant unsportsmanlike conduct penalties prior to a tournament (playoff) game, they will not be permitted to participate in the postseason.
While there have been cases of Georgia high school teams in various sports disqualified from postseason play for the use of an ineligible player or players, there aren’t any known recent cases of fighting that prevented an entire team from playing in the postseason.
In 2016, KIPP Atlanta Collegiate High School decided to forfeit their appearance in their GHSA Class 2A Round 1 playoff game against Hapeville Charter following a fight that occurred in KIPP’s final regular season game. That was a self-imposed penalty that the school’s administration decided on and not a GHSA-imposed penalty.
Two Macon teams, Southwest Magnet and Northeast, were involved in a brawl earlier this year in the second week of the 2025 Georgia high school football season. That game was cancelled following the brawl that occurred in the third quarter with Northeast leading 38-0.
If Gainesville is able to advance to the quarterfinals, it would be a much-anticipated rematch of the 2022 Class 6A state championship game that saw Gainesville lose to Hughes 35-28 in Josh Niblett’s first season as Gainesville’s head football coach.
