Local

University School refuses to play Glenville in playoff game despite court order

Cleveland, Ohio • October 31, 2026 • By Press Pass USA

Editorial illustration: an empty high school football field on a Saturday afternoon in autumn, with an empty bench on the sideline

Editorial illustration — Press Pass USA

University School will not play Cleveland Glenville in their Ohio high school football playoff game — not on Friday night, and not in the game rescheduled for Saturday, October 31 — even though a judge's temporary restraining order restored Glenville to the postseason on Friday.

University School, the No. 12 seed in Division III, Region 9, did not show for the first-round game scheduled for 7 p.m. Friday, October 30, at Glenville, head coach Ben Malbasa confirmed to The News-Herald. The school then said it also will not compete in the rescheduled contest this weekend.

"We were disappointed to learn of the initial cancellation of the contest on Thursday, October 29, and then, surprised to learn of the temporary restraining order leading the OHSAA to reschedule the game for the afternoon of Saturday, October 31. We will not compete in the now rescheduled contest, respect the court's prudence in deciding the ultimate outcome of the legal dispute, and will prepare to compete with Salem on Friday night if that is the resolution," University School said in a statement issued October 30.

The refusal is the latest turn in a dizzying 48 hours. The Ohio High School Athletic Association removed Glenville — the No. 5 seed at 8-2 — from the playoffs on Thursday, October 29, amid an investigation into the Cleveland Metropolitan School District inaccurately assigning student participation opportunities to Glenville, centered on students who attend Ginn Academy, a non-member magnet school that does not offer sports and is under district control.

On Friday, Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Judge Andrew Santoli granted a temporary restraining order requiring the Glenville–University School game to be played. The OHSAA said Friday evening that it stands by its removal ruling but will comply with the court order, and was working with the two schools to reschedule the game sometime this weekend — Saturday afternoon, according to University School's statement, and Saturday at noon, according to a FOX 8 report cited by USA TODAY.

University School is proceeding as if the OHSAA's original ruling will ultimately stand. Under that ruling, the Preppers advanced to a second-round game at No. 4 seed Salem on Friday, November 6. Until a hearing scheduled for Monday, November 2, the Region 9 bracket — and who plays Salem on November 6 — remains unresolved.

Sources: USA TODAY (Oct 31, 2026); The Canton Repository (Oct 30, 2026); Stateline Sports Network (Oct 31, 2026), citing The News-Herald; On3 (Oct 31, 2026), citing FOX 8; OHSAA statement, as reported by USA TODAY and The Canton Repository (Oct 30, 2026).