Update: Walton coach Dixon says violation unintentional, team can overcome forfeits
Walton’s football team might forfeit victories for the use of an apparently ineligible player, the GHSA confirmed Wednesday.
The status of the player and the number of forfeits will depend on additional information that the GHSA seeks from the school and should be finalized Thursday.
At stake are wins over Region 5-AAAAAA opponent and Lassiter and non-region opponents South Gwinnett and Marietta.
If those wins are erased, Walton’s record would become 1-4 overall and 1-2 in the region, making it a tough road to make the playoffs under first-year head coach Mo Dixon.
Walton's troubles are believed to be the result of misinterpreting a GHSA transfer rule and the failure of a student-athlete to make a required change of residence into his new school district.
Walton self-reported the violation. The number of forfeits would depend on the number of games that an ineligible player participated.
Walton has made the playoffs 12 of the past 13 seasons. Dixon, a former defensive coordinator at North Gwinnett and Byrnes of South Carolina, succeeded Rocky Hidalgo, now head coach at Glynn Academy.
Walton plays Pope at home on Friday.
