The reigning Division V state champion Ironton football team will not compete in the 2025 Ohio high school football playoffs because of Ohio High School Athletic Association sanctions tied to recruiting violations, Ironton City Schools announced in a statement Oct. 24.
“It is with heavy hearts that we share with you that we have received notification from the OHSAA of their determination that District coaching staff engaged in recruiting violations in 2018, 2019, and 2025, and that OHSAA’s sanctions will include suspension of Ironton High School from participation in this year’s playoffs,” read the statement addressed to the “Ironton school community” and posted on the district’s Facebook page at 10:11 p.m.
Earlier Oct. 24, the OHSAA said it would have an announcement about Ironton on Oct. 25.
According to the school district, the football program also was placed on probation through the 2027-28 school year and three coaches were suspended from coaching in the playoffs next season.
“The OHSAA’s determination followed an investigation during which we repeatedly advocated strongly for the District’s football program and its students, presented all rebuttal evidence available to us, and did everything we could in the short time provided to achieve a different outcome,” the district’s statement read.
Located in Lawrence County about 130 miles south of Columbus, Ironton has one of the strongest small-school football programs in Ohio. It has made 40 playoff appearances with three state titles (1979, 1989, 2024) and nine state runner-up finishes.
The Tigers beat Liberty Center 28-17 in the Division V championship game last season. They finished 9-1 this season with a 55-13 home win over Portsmouth on Oct. 24.
Entering the regular-season finale, Ironton was on course to earn the No. 1 seed in Region 19.
The school district said “our advocacy on the team’s behalf” resulted in the OHSAA deciding not to ban Ironton from the 2026 playoffs as well.
“We are deeply disappointed in this determination, particularly because the sanctions imposed harm (on) our students who were in no way involved in any wrongdoing, and we are particularly distressed about the impact on our seniors,” the district statement read.
High school sports editor Andy Resnik can be reached at aresnik@dispatch.com and at @DispatchPreps on X.
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Reigning Division V football champion Ironton out of playoffs due to recruiting violations
Reporting by Andy Resnik, Columbus Dispatch / The Columbus Dispatch
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