By Thomas Grant Jr.
The Brookland-Cayce football team can now focus on the upcoming season instead of fighting penalties from the S.C. High School League
The Bearcats received a reprieve from the Appellate Panel on Tuesday. They voted 4-0 to reduce the sanctions handed down a week ago by the Executive Committee against the Cayce school.
Brookland-Cayce faced playoff ineligibility and a suspension for five regular season and all playoff games for new head coach/athletics director Jim Clyburn and some assistants. In addition, the team would lose three days of practice, have just one preseason scrimmage and a $1,500 fine.
The Appellate Panel reduced those penalties. Clyburn will not face suspension and the fine was reduced to $500. Instead, Clyburn will not be able to coach in the five available summer competitions the school will be allowed to participate in.
The team will also still lose three August practices and have just one scrimmage available to them.
All of this is the result of a violation of practice rules involving a rising junior defensive lineman who participated in spring practice. At the time, he was academically ineligible and not enrolled at the school.
According to reports, the student had enrolled at Clear Dot Charter to improve his academics and become eligible to play at Brookland-Cayce. The school said they had received clearance from the league for the student to participate in practices.
Currently, the student is scheduled to enroll in summer classes. A successful completion would make him eligible to play this fall.
(Photo by GoFlashwin.com)
