[Stardust]

When the use of an ineligible player during the 2004 football season led to 12 forfeited games, it handed the Highlands football program its first losing season in 56 years.

http://nky.cincinnati.com/article/AB/201...s+reversed

Five years after the final rulings in the case, it appears the school might get its streak back.

The Fort Thomas Board of Education on Tuesday sent a letter to the Kentucky Board of Education. The letter asks that the state board direct the KHSAA to drop the sanctions associated with the case of Michael Mitchell, a transfer from Covington Catholic who helped lead the Bluebirds to the 2004 Class 3A state championship game.

On the eve of the game, Mitchell was ruled ineligible by the Kentucky Court of Appeals and did not play in the Bluebirds’ 22-6 victory over Boyle County. Four months later, the KHSAA stripped Highlands of the 12 victories in which Mitchell had played. Although the team kept its state championship, its record was changed from 14-1 to 2-14.

Highlands also was fined $1,500 and placed on three years probation. Head coach Dale Mueller was suspended for two preseason scrimmages and the first two games of the 2005 season.

In its letter, the board of education points out that Mueller played Mitchell only after the Campbell County Circuit Court granted the player a temporary injunction. The letter also states that Mitchell “was ultimately found to be eligible to play football by the courts.”

The letter also states, “The sanctions violate the KHSAA’s own rules and Kentucky law. The KHSAA has admitted that its conduct in this case of sanctioning Highlands for simply obeying a court order is wrong since it has since changed its rule so that, in the future, schools cannot be sanctioned for complying with a court order.

“Despite previous requests, the KHSAA continues to attempt to justify its violation of its own rules and Kentucky law and continues to refuse to rescind the sanctions. … Since the KHSAA is continuing its illegal course of conduct and will not rescind the illegal sanctions, Highlands and Coach Mueller are by this letter requesting the Board to direct the KHSAA to do so in fairness to Highlands, Coach Mueller and the students of Highlands and to serve as a precedent that the KHSAA must cease and correct its illegal conduct so that other schools and coaches are not illegally sanctioned by the KHSAA in the future."