Bluegrassrivals

KHSAA penalizes Fairview
Sanctions include 19 forfeits, fine, postseason ban

Aaron Snyder
The Independent

WESTWOOD —

The Kentucky High School Athletic Association has penalized Fairview High School and its football program after it played an ineligible player throughout all of last season and part of this season.

The KHSAA made its final ruling on Friday morning via a faxed document which Fairview superintendent Bill Musick and the school board approved.

Sanctions include a 2013 postseason ban, forfeits, a fine and a four-year probation.

Fairview will be stripped of 18 wins, including all 14 during its Class A state runner-up season in 2012 and its first four victories this season. The school has also agreed to pay $5,000 — a $2,800 restitution to the KHSAA for travel allowances paid during the 2012 state football finals and $550 to each of the four schools Fairview defeated in the 2012 playoffs.

All hardware collected throughout the playoffs must be returned to the KHSAA, and the state runner-up finish has been vacated.

The Eagles will be forced to miss the 2013 playoffs, which were set to begin at home on Nov. 8 had they been eligible.

The football team is under probation through 2017 — this does not include a playoff ban past 2013. If the program commits another violation during that period, the KHSAA's penalty would be much more severe, said Musick.

"For 55 years, Fairview Schools have had an outstanding relationship with the (KHSAA). Today's ruling will not change that relationship," Musick said. "We as a staff at Fairview Schools accept the responsibility for what has transpired."

"It is my hope that this setback, and the many lessons learned by all of those involved, will only serve to strengthen their resolve to do things correctly and fairly on behalf of the students, coaches, administrators and fans," said KHSAA commissioner Julian Tackett.

How the ruling affects the Class A playoff matchups, according to the KHSAA: The vacated game between Fairview and the third-place team from the opposite district will be considered a forfeit by Fairview. No other adjustments will be made.

Fairview's record now officially stands at 4-5. All forfeits will be reflected on the team's record as 1-0 losses.

Fairview travels to James Gamble Montessori in Cincinnati tonight for its last game of the season.

In addition to the KHSAA sanctions, the school has also accepted the resignations of head football coach Nathan McPeek, effective after today's game, and athletic director Garry McPeek, which has already taken effect.

Garry McPeek also resigned as principal and is no longer an assistant coach.

Nathan McPeek remains a teacher at the high school, while Garry McPeek has been reassigned to Fairview Elementary where he is a physical education instructor.

Chris Perkins, a transfer from Ashland, played all of last season and the first four games of this season. According to Perkins, he repeated his academic junior year at Fairview upon transferring. The KHSAA did not name Perkins in its release, but it has ruled that the student-athlete wasn't eligible to compete in athletics in the fall of 2012 or 2013.

"I had no knowledge of the student-athlete being academically ineligible," said Nathan McPeek in a statement. "I have put my heart and soul into this program and results have spoken for themselves … I was asked to resign as head football coach due to the investigation."

Perkins said he quit the team after Fairview beat Hazard, 30-27, on Sept. 20. The defensive end also said he was not informed of his ineligibility at any point and that did not factor into quitting.

For more on this story, look for Saturday's edition or visit http://www.dailyindependent.com.

Question since the post season ban is this year. I'm assuming kids aren't allowed to transfer like the rose hill situation?

Am I the only one that finds the comments by their SI, laughable?

D IT UP Wrote:Am I the only one that finds the comments by their SI, laughable?

No.

D IT UP Wrote:Am I the only one that finds the comments by their SI, laughable?

Laughable -yes, sad- yes, as long as he's si there will be issues- yes, guy still thinks he's above the law- yes, would fit right in with the rest of the crooks in DC- yes!

New meaning to "B.I.T.W.", for some of those that think this punishment was wrong now means "Bring In The Whiners!" Because I am sure that Facebook is overloaded with those who think that this was too harsh, have read some of those posts and just find it curious that those who have been so ardent about Fairview not cheating or doing anything wrong are now nowhere to be found? Hmmm...all of you in Cincy tonight?

...And congrats to Allen Central on their biggest win in school history!...

WESTWOOD — Former Fairview High School Principal Garry McPeek said he voluntarily reported the ineligibility of a high school football player the day he learned of it.

No one in the district knew of the player’s ineligibility until that day, and there was no effort to hide what was a violation of Kentucky High School Athletic Association rules, McPeek said.

He called the violation an oversight, but accepted full responsibility for it. “In the end, I accept responsibility, because I missed it. No one else needs to accept responsibility. Bottom line is, a mistake was made. It was an oversight, and I missed it. It's my fault.”

McPeek said he discovered the violation Oct. 21 while reviewing student records of seniors for state academic accountability purposes. While checking transcripts, he learned the student had been enrolled as a sophomore but should have entered Fairview as a junior.

The student, who McPeek wouldn’t name but who The Independent has learned is Chris Perkins, enrolled at Fairview March 28, 2012, according to McPeek. Previously he had been at Paul Blazer High for two years and subsequently received schooling at the Boyd County Regional Detention Center for eight months, McPeek said.

McPeek said he immediately called Superintendent Bill Musick and asked him to report it to the KHSAA, and drafted the letter to the association detailing the violation and calling for self-imposed penalties.

McPeek blamed himself for what he called an oversight. “I never read the transcript. I missed it. It was my fault.”

Perkins enrolled at Fairview at the encouragement of a court-designated worker, McPeek said. “We do that all the time to give kids a fresh start. We’re a school of second chances,” he said.

Administrators hoped a fresh start at Fairview and the chance to play sports as an outlet would keep Perkins involved and lead to his graduation, he said.

McPeek met with Musick Oct. 24 and the meeting led to McPeek resigning as principal and athletic director and being reassigned as a physical education teacher at Fairview Elementary.

McPeek declined to say whether Musick or the school board requested his resignation. “I’m not going to throw them under the bus. I’m going to take the high road,” he said.

Resignation was a fair outcome, he said.

Musick did not return calls Friday to his office and cell phones.

MIKE JAMES can be reached at [email]mjames@dailyindependent.com[/email]

Allsports#1 Wrote:WESTWOOD — Former Fairview High School Principal Garry McPeek said he voluntarily reported the ineligibility of a high school football player the day he learned of it.

No one in the district knew of the player’s ineligibility until that day, and there was no effort to hide what was a violation of Kentucky High School Athletic Association rules, McPeek said.

He called the violation an oversight, but accepted full responsibility for it. “In the end, I accept responsibility, because I missed it. No one else needs to accept responsibility. Bottom line is, a mistake was made. It was an oversight, and I missed it. It's my fault.”

McPeek said he discovered the violation Oct. 21 while reviewing student records of seniors for state academic accountability purposes. While checking transcripts, he learned the student had been enrolled as a sophomore but should have entered Fairview as a junior.

The student, who McPeek wouldn’t name but who The Independent has learned is Chris Perkins, enrolled at Fairview March 28, 2012, according to McPeek. Previously he had been at Paul Blazer High for two years and subsequently received schooling at the Boyd County Regional Detention Center for eight months, McPeek said.

McPeek said he immediately called Superintendent Bill Musick and asked him to report it to the KHSAA, and drafted the letter to the association detailing the violation and calling for self-imposed penalties.

McPeek blamed himself for what he called an oversight. “I never read the transcript. I missed it. It was my fault.”

Perkins enrolled at Fairview at the encouragement of a court-designated worker, McPeek said. “We do that all the time to give kids a fresh start. We’re a school of second chances,” he said.

Administrators hoped a fresh start at Fairview and the chance to play sports as an outlet would keep Perkins involved and lead to his graduation, he said.

McPeek met with Musick Oct. 24 and the meeting led to McPeek resigning as principal and athletic director and being reassigned as a physical education teacher at Fairview Elementary.

McPeek declined to say whether Musick or the school board requested his resignation. “I’m not going to throw them under the bus. I’m going to take the high road,” he said.

Resignation was a fair outcome, he said.

Musick did not return calls Friday to his office and cell phones.

MIKE JAMES can be reached at [email=mjames@dailyindependent.com]mjames@dailyindependent.com[/email]

This is why principals should not be coaches so "oversights" like this will not happen.

This report explains a lot. I am so embarrassed because my school Blazer turned Farview in. I cannot explain why ,but we have been actively pursuing them for 5 years. We have the richest tradition in NE Kentucky and have benefited as much from transfers as any school in the state. My brother in law was on the staff when Arlis Beach came from Westwood. Heck everyone knows Baker does not live in the school district. I do not care for Fairview and Chad Tackett was done wrong but why oh why is it that we cannot stand to see anybody even a class A school that we do not even play in football do any good. instead of building our own program we have started a course of accusing others. Let us also learn from this embarrassment.

Tomcat Pride Wrote:This report explains a lot. I am so embarrassed because my school Blazer turned Farview in. I cannot explain why ,but we have been actively pursuing them for 5 years. We have the richest tradition in NE Kentucky and have benefited as much from transfers as any school in the state. My brother in law was on the staff when Arlis Beach came from Westwood. Heck everyone knows Baker does not live in the school district. I do not care for Fairview and Chad Tackett was done wrong but why oh why is it that we cannot stand to see anybody even a class A school that we do not even play in football do any good. instead of building our own program we have started a course of accusing others. Let us also learn from this embarrassment.

I must say I am a little surprised by this post.......All this time, I assumed that you held the mentality of some of your comrads. "Leapin (Aunt Bea) Lee" and "NotsoBADCAT" have apparently made it their lifelong objective to do the very thing that you have made mention of..Based on some past shenanigans, I would say there is a good chance that those two may have had a hand in this fiasco.

Kudos to you Tomcat Pride.

Tomcat Pride Wrote:This report explains a lot. I am so embarrassed because my school Blazer turned Farview in. I cannot explain why ,but we have been actively pursuing them for 5 years. We have the richest tradition in NE Kentucky and have benefited as much from transfers as any school in the state. My brother in law was on the staff when Arlis Beach came from Westwood. Heck everyone knows Baker does not live in the school district. I do not care for Fairview and Chad Tackett was done wrong but why oh why is it that we cannot stand to see anybody even a class A school that we do not even play in football do any good. instead of building our own program we have started a course of accusing others. Let us also learn from this embarrassment.

Well said, Tomcat Pride. It brings back my own memories of Paintsville Tiger players, coaches, and alumni "back in the day" who would sneer at any success that Johnson Central would have as they called everybody associated with the school a "greaser."

I don't know if they still do it, but at the last JC home game that I attended in person, a group of those classy PHS fans were still congregating off of school property and watching the Golden Eagles play for free. I suspect that those deadbeats still cannot stomach paying for a ticket that would benefit JC's football program.

It is sad when adults allow high school sports rivalries and petty jealousy turn them into such losers. Every school has at least a few such "fans," but some programs are more cursed with them than others.

Tomcat Pride Wrote:This report explains a lot. I am so embarrassed because my school Blazer turned Farview in. I cannot explain why ,but we have been actively pursuing them for 5 years. We have the richest tradition in NE Kentucky and have benefited as much from transfers as any school in the state. My brother in law was on the staff when Arlis Beach came from Westwood. Heck everyone knows Baker does not live in the school district. I do not care for Fairview and Chad Tackett was done wrong but why oh why is it that we cannot stand to see anybody even a class A school that we do not even play in football do any good. instead of building our own program we have started a course of accusing others. Let us also learn from this embarrassment.

This is probably the most genuine and honest post to ever come from an Ashland partisan. Good for you, Tomcat Pride.