Due to the use of an ineligible player, the Melrose High football team will forfeit eight games, including all of its 2024 postseason wins.
Following the dismissal of the Wildcats’ entire coaching staff in September 2024, the unnamed athlete transferred from Hamilton High School in December.
Along with the three regular-season games the unnamed player participated in, the Golden Wildcats will also forfeit their postseason wins over Obion County, Haywood County, Dyer County, and Nashville Pearl-Cohn.
Melrose will also have to return its runner-up trophies and plaques, and have been fined over $800 for each game the athlete played in.
The school also has to pay back the TSSAA nearly $11.5k which is its share of the five playoff games.
This season, Melrose moves to Class 3-A and begins play against Central on August 22. The school intends to appeal the ruling.
