Sports
Eligibility Issue Could Wipe Away Armwood's Season, Title Hopes
As the Armwood Hawks blast through the 2011 football season, their biggest road block might not be a team across the field, but an FHSAA ruling on the eligibility of senior offensive lineman Jack Lightsey.
It seems like nothing can stand in the way of the Armwood High football team and a perfect season — nothing, that is, except a potential eligibility violation.
As reported by TBO.com on Nov. 14, senior offensive lineman Jack Lightsey might be athletically ineligible this season. Lightsey has started all of Armwood's games this year, and a ruling that Lightsey is ineligible would force the 10-0 Hawks to forfeit all of their 2011 games, a playoff spot, and any state title aspirations.
Lightsey transferred from Dr. Phillips High School in Orlando this past March, and his family established a residence in the Armwood district in addition to properties in Orlando and in Pinellas County. However, the issue in question is whether or not the Lightsey family made a "full and complete" move to the area.
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According to Florida High School Athletic Association regulation 9.3.2.1.1, a full and complete move is established when:
(a) The former residence is not occupied for any purpose at any time by the student or any of the persons with whom the student has been living; and
(b) All personal belongings are moved from the former residence; and
(c) Mail is received at the new residence; and
(d) All utilities are transferred to the new residence; and
(e) Driver’s license, voter registration and other forms of legal identification are changed to the new residence.
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Armwood football coach Sean Callahan said Tuesday school administrators met with FHSAA Director of Athletics Lannes Robinson and Lightsey's father, John Lightsey II, on Nov. 7 as part of an investigation into the matter.
The FHSAA confirmed Monday the school requested a ruling on Lightsey's eligbility, according to TBO.com. An FHSAA spokesperson could not be reached for comment Tuesday.
Amongst the swirl of distractions, it's business as usual for the Hawks as they prepare for Friday's Class 6A first-round playoff game against Lakewood Ranch.
"If anything, it's brought us closer together as a team," Callahan said.
Callahan was more concerned about the, "loose" play of his team in the regular season finale against King than he was about the Sword of Damocles that hangs over his team. The Hawks rolled 54-6 last week, but according to Callahan, the Hawks "took King lightly," and the coach said he was "embarrassed" by his team's effort.
"You could see it coming all week, the way we were practicing," Callahan said.
A disappointing 48-point blowout win? That's the standard that's been set for Armwood this year. Callahan admitted that anything short of a state title this year would be a "disappointment."
Having thrashed every opponent so far, even top teams in larger classes, it's hard to imagine any other high school football team denying Armwood its third state title and second undefeated season.
However, its biggest adversary might not be another football team.
