At an active AHSAA Central Board meeting Tuesday, the Board made three major decisions concerning appeals.

The Board unanimously upheld executive director Alvin Briggs’ decision resulting in the Coosa Christian football team forfeiting four wins from earlier in the season.

RELATED: 4 AISA schools set to join AHSAA

It also reinstated White Plains football team to championship play — upholding a move by the District 6 board — and reinstated an athlete’s eligibility at the request of Elmore County High School. That student-athlete had not played in any 2024 contest.

After beginning the meeting at 10 a.m., the Board went into executive session at 10:45 to hear appeals from the three schools and then discuss the presentations. Pell City also was on the agenda to appeal but did not have a representative present.

The session lasted more than three hours.

The Coosa Christian Case

It was announced on Sept. 29 by the AHSAA that Coosa Christian – a Class 1A semifinalist a year ago – would forfeit all four of its victories up to that point for a violation of the transfer rule. The AHSAA said then the school also would be fined for playing “some” ineligible players.

In their first game since that decision last week, Coosa beat Cedar Bluff 94-7. Coosa Christian coach Mark O’Bryant acknowledged after the game he ran up the score and told The Gadsden Times it was in response to Cherokee County Schools Superintendent Mike Welsh attempting to “sabotage” the Coosa Christian program. Welsh is also the Central Board president.

The White Plains case

The White Plains football team was ruled ineligible for the 2023 postseason on Sept. 26 after it forfeited a Class 4A, Region 4 game against Anniston.

According to the AHSAA, a team that intentionally forfeits a required game may become ineligible for championship competition for the remainder of the season. Also, that school’s remaining region games will be considered non-region games and will not count in the standings.

After Tuesday’s meeting, the forfeit to Anniston still remains, but White Plains will now be eligible for the postseason if it qualifies and its region games will count in the standings.

The Wildcats have only made the playoffs once in the school’s history. That appearance came in the 2A playoffs in 1994. But they have won their last two region games this year against Talladega and Cleburne County.

The Pell City case

In Pell City’s case, the AHSAA announced earlier this month that the Panthers would need to forfeit their only win of the season against Center Point for a violation of the transfer rule.

In a press release last week, superintendent James Martin called the AHSAA decision a “grievous error” and vowed to fight the decision through the appeals process. Pell City lost to Shades Valley 24-21 last week, dropping the Panthers to 0-4 in Class 6A, Region 6 (including the forfeit) and likely making the road to a playoff berth improbable.

Martin did not immediately return a text message from AL.com on Tuesday afternoon.

In other news from the meeting:

— The Board voted to name the school athletic grant program (formerly known as revenue sharing) after retired executive director Steve Savarese. The AHSAA will return $2.25 million to member schools this year, a record number. More than $23 million has been paid out to member schools since the 2009-2010 school year. The program was started under Savarese’s watch. The Board also voted to name the AHSAA Auditorium after former executive director Dan Washburn.

— The fall reclassification meeting is scheduled for Dec. 18.

— The Board approved a request by Oakwood Adventist Academy to move basketball playoff dates and times based on a new bylaw passed earlier this year.

— The North-South All-Star football game is scheduled for 2 p.m. Dec. 15 at Hancock Whitney Stadium on the campus of South Alabama. The Alabama-Mississippi Game is scheduled for noon on Dec. 16 in Hattiesburg.

This post will be updated