Glenville Playoff Ruling Faces OHSAA Challenge

**Updated November 3, 2026, 6:47 p.m. ET** CLEVELAND — A preliminary injunction keeps Glenville in contention for the Ohio football playoffs, but the OHSAA plans to challenge the ruling Wednesday morning and says it will announce Wednesday who faces Salem on Friday. Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Judge Andrew Santoli granted the injunction Tuesday. According to [19 News’ report on the order](https://www.cleveland19.com/2026/11/02/judge-have-hearing-glenville-high-school-football-teams-playoff-game/), he found the association’s removal decision arbitrary and directed it to resolve Salem’s opponent. The order allows a rescheduled Glenville–University School game, a University School forfeit or another appropriate remedy. In its [Tuesday statement](https://www.ohsaa.org/news-media/articles/court-not-asked-or-permitted-to-determine-who-is-entitled-to-play-in-ohsaa-playoffs), the OHSAA emphasized that the court did not decide which team is entitled to enter or advance in the playoffs. The association said it would challenge additional findings in the order. That is an announced next step, not a completed appeal or a scheduled hearing. No definitive first-round result, awarded score or advancement has been established in the sources reviewed for this update. The injunction does not resolve the ongoing eligibility investigation. **How the dispute reached court** The OHSAA removed Glenville from the postseason October 29, citing an investigation into Cleveland Metropolitan School District’s assignment of athletic participation opportunities for Ginn Academy students. Ginn Academy is a district magnet school that does not offer sports. The association says its students may participate at the CMSD school closest to their residence. Its audit found that multiple Glenville football players should have been competing at other schools, the OHSAA said. [OHSAA announcement](https://www.ohsaa.org/Sports/News/ohsaa-removes-glenville-from-football-playoffs-amid-investigation) The decision came as Glenville prepared to enter the Division III, Region 9 playoffs as the No. 5 seed. The Tarblooders won Division IV state championships in 2022, 2023 and 2025. Santoli granted a temporary restraining order October 30 allowing the first-round game to proceed. The OHSAA said it would comply while standing by its original eligibility findings. Tuesday’s reported ruling followed that initial relief and a subsequent hearing. [OHSAA statement](https://www.ohsaa.org/Sports/News/ohsaa-statement-on-court-order-regarding-cleveland-glenville) **Glenville arrived, but the game was not played** The matchup was rescheduled for noon October 31 at John F. Kennedy High School stadium. Glenville arrived ready to play, but University School did not participate. [News 5 Cleveland](https://www.news5cleveland.com/glenville-football-playoff-game-never-happens-after-university-school-declines-to-play) University School said it would not play the rescheduled contest and would prepare for Salem on November 6 if that became the resolution. **What comes next** The next announced checkpoint is Wednesday, November 4. The OHSAA says it plans to challenge the ruling that morning and release information Wednesday identifying Salem’s opponent for Friday, November 6. The unplayed first-round matchup remains unresolved. Neither the injunction nor the association’s statement establishes that Glenville or University School has advanced, and no numeric final score should be inferred. The OHSAA previously said its broader investigation could include other seasons, teams and schools within CMSD. The preliminary injunction should not be characterized as a blanket finding that every issue in that investigation has been resolved. *This story has been updated with the OHSAA’s response and the preliminary injunction’s procedural limits.*

Glenville Playoff Ruling Faces OHSAA Challenge; Salem Opponent Due Wednesday

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