Powerhouse team removed from playoffs

VW independent sports/submitted information

COLUMBUS — In some respects, it’s been a challenging season for defending Division IV state champion Glenville.

In late August, the OHSAA placed the school’s football program and docked the Tarblooders and several schools around the state practice and scrimmage days.

After a Week No. 2 game at Olentangy Liberty, 11 team members were charged with theft after allegedly stealing over $4,500 worth of merchandise from a Columbus-area Dick’s Sporting Goods store. The players involved were suspended for two games.

Now, the Ohio High School Athletic Association has removed Glenville from the 2026 football playoffs as part of an ongoing investigation into Cleveland Metropolitan School District inaccurately assigning student participation opportunities to Glenville.

Glenville was considered the favorite to win this year’s Division III state championship.

The issues stem from students who attend Ginn Academy, which is a non-member magnet school that does not offer sports and is under the control of Cleveland Metropolitan School District. Students who attend Ginn Academy can only participate in athletics at the Cleveland Metro school that is closest to their residence.

Glenville’s first-round opponent, No. 12 seed Hunting Valley University School, will advance on the bracket to a second-round game against No. 4 seed Salem on Friday, Nov. 6.

In October of 2018, Glenville was also removed from the football playoffs for the same infractions, along with being fined $5,000 and placed on probation through 2021.

“Recently we discovered several irregularities with students going to Ginn Academy and playing football at Glenville, which led us to conduct an audit of the participation opportunities for all fall sports student-athletes at Glenville High School,” said Doug Ute, OHSAA Executive Director. “This week we confirmed that many players on Glenville’s football team should have been playing at other schools this season. It will take some time to examine all the information and determine the extent of the violations this season and potentially in previous seasons for all schools and teams within Cleveland Metro.”

Glenville won the Division IV football state championship in 2022, 2023 and 2025 and entered the 2026 playoffs as the No. 5 seed in the Division III, Region 9 playoffs. The 2022 team defeated Van Wert 42-33 in the regional championship game in Tiffin.

There is not an exact timetable on the full scope of the investigation and additional penalties.

Glenville finished the regular season 8-2, with the only losses coming to a pair of Division II powerhouses, Massillon Washington and Columbus Bishop Watterson. Members of Cleveland’s Senate Athletic League, the Tarblooders outscored league foes 244-12.