OHSAA asking appeals court to keep St. Charles soccer in Division II

St. Charles High School's boys soccer team received notice on October 8 that they may not have the chance to compete in the Division I postseason following a judgment granting them that opportunity only two days prior. The Ohio High School Athletic Association (OHSAA) has swiftly announced they are filing an emergency appeal in the 10th District Court of Appeals in Columbus, aiming to overturn the ruling and halt the division I and II tournament draws across Ohio.

The OHSAA informed affected schools via a memorandum on the same day, with Stried, the director of media relations, sharing the news with The Dispatch later. A hearing may take place as early as October 13 or 14. The tournament draw, originally scheduled for October 11, will remain unchanged for divisions III, IV, V, and all five girls divisions.

Director of media relations, Tim Stried, explained that the administrative procedures and deadlines for tournament administration make it crucial to proceed with the appeal. If the appeal fails, schools could challenge tournament deadlines and procedures at various levels. St. Charles boys soccer team was originally slated for Division II, but due to an administrative oversight in not submitting the necessary paperwork to the OHSAA, they were not promoted to Division I. They had filed an injunction on September 11, seeking permission to move up to Division I due to a miscommunication in their athletic department.

If St. Charles is allowed to compete in Division I, the Central District tournament would have to adjust from having five district champions to four, while the Northeast District would gain an additional champion. Currently, Division I has six district champions in the area. The judgment was delivered by Judge Jeffrey M. Brown on October 6, favoring St. Charles due to the unique opportunity it provides for the Cardinals to play in Division I, without affecting other teams or causing harm to third parties.

The appeal process is urgent, as Division I and II postseason play are set to commence the week of October 18. Stried emphasized the critical nature of the situation, stating that they decided to fight the decision and delay the tournament draws until a final decision is made. St. Charles currently holds a 13-2-1 record this season, with just one regular-season game left on October 15 against Worthington Kilbourne.

The team is ranked third in the state by MaxPreps, behind only Cleveland St. Ignatius and defending Division I state champion Dublin Jerome. The Cardinals were previously Division I state runners-up in 2024 and semifinalists the previous year.