PETERSBURG, Ill. (WAND) - The Illinois High School Association (IHSA) has released an official statement following controversy surrounding the conclusion of Saturday’s Class 3A Football first round playoff game between PORTA High School Co-op and Fairfield High School.
According to the Fairfield Community High School Facebook page, a statement was issued Sunday, November 2, by IHSA Executive Director Craig Anderson, who confirmed that an officiating error resulted in PORTA being granted an extra down during the game’s final drive. On that play, PORTA successfully kicked a field goal to win the contest 9-8 and advance to the second round of the playoffs.
Anderson noted that IHSA by-law 6.033 clearly states: “The decisions of game officials shall be final; protests against the decision of a game official shall not be reviewed by the Board of Directors.”
Due to this rule, the IHSA cannot alter the outcome of a game once it has concluded on the field. Therefore, PORTA’s victory will stand, and the team will move on in the postseason. Fairfield's season comes to an end.
“I express my sincerest apologies to Coach Townsend and his players and coaching staff, as well as to the entire Fairfield administration and community,” Anderson said. “Coach Townsend and the school administration deserve recognition for the integrity and tact they have shown in the face of this difficult result.”
Anderson acknowledged that the situation was a result of human error, emphasizing that officiating mistakes occur at all levels of competition. He also stated that the crew responsible for the game would undergo a review and assessment based on the incident.
While the IHSA has no authority to reverse the game’s outcome, Anderson said the organization remains committed to improving training for officials and reviewing policies related to game officiating and by-laws.
“This was an unfortunate situation,” Anderson said, “but we will continue to be proactive in our efforts to educate our officials and strengthen fairness across all IHSA events.”
Following the ruling the PORTA Bluejays released the following statement:
"The PORTA Bluejays came away with a win over the Fairfield Mules in our recent playoff matchup, but we do so with mixed emotions. We recognize that the outcome was influenced by late-game officiating decisions, and while the result goes in our favor, it does not feel like the way any team wants to advance. Our players and coaches understand how difficult this ending was for Fairfield and share in their disappointment.
After reviewing the situation and consulting with the Illinois High School Association (IHSA), we have confirmed that there is no process available to overturn or alter the official result. The calls made on the field stand, and the game is considered final. We also recognize that officiating is an incredibly difficult job. Officials are human and make split-second judgments that can influence the flow of any contest, sometimes early, sometimes late. Unfortunately, when a pivotal call occurs near the end of a close game, it naturally carries a greater emotional weight and impact on the outcome. While we believe an error occurred in this case, we know it was not intentional, and we respect the work and integrity of those who make the game possible.
As a program, we are deeply disappointed in the way this game ended. While we are proud of our athletes’ effort and perseverance, we also empathize with the Fairfield Mules and their players, coaches, and community. Their sportsmanship and composure following such a difficult finish reflect the very best qualities of high school athletics, and we have great respect for how they handled themselves.
Though we are not pleased with how the game was decided, we wish our student-athletes the best of luck as they move forward into the second round of the playoffs. We remain committed to competing with integrity, humility, and respect for our opponents and the game itself."
