The Cook Hornets, who are dealing with the fallout of using an ineligible player, can’t control their fate in the courtroom. They do, however, have a say in how their fate plays out on the field and on Friday, they kept their postseason hopes alive by beating No. 7 Fitzgerald 14-7.
As of now, the win puts the Hornets at 7-2, 5-0 in Region 1, which is good enough to clinch the region championship, regardless of if they win their season finale against Worth County (5-4, 3-2).
Here’s how the Region 1 standings look today: Cook 5-0, Fitzgerald 4-1, Sumter County 3-2, Worth County 3-2, Jeff Davis 2-3, Berrien 1-4, Dodge County 0-6.
However, on Oct. 18, the GHSA ruled the Hornets must forfeit wins against Berrien, Brooks County, Jeff Davis, Pelham and Sumter County, because the ineligible player appeared in those games. If that ruling holds, it would put the Hornets at 2-7, 2-3. On Friday, though, a superior court judge issued a temporary restraining order against the GHSA’s ruling, and it’s unclear if the GHSA will challenge the order.
Here’s how the Region 1 standings would look if the GHSA’s ruling is enforced: Fitzgerald 4-1, Sumter County 4-1, Jeff Davis 3-2, Worth County 3-2, Cook 2-3, Berrien 2-3, Dodge County 0-6.
The GHSA’s scenario means the Hornets would need to beat Worth County and then emerge from a tiebreaker possibly involving as many as four teams in order to keep alive their streak of postseason appearances, which began in 2000.
Though the off-field issues have been a distraction, Hornets coach Byron Slack is proud of his program and wants to keep the focus on the field.
“After the game I told the players, their parents and anyone else that would listen how much of an honor it is to be the head coach at Cook County High School,” Slack said. “Going forward we just want to play football.”
The Hornets beat the Purple Hurricane for the first time since 2010 after going winless against them their last six tries.
Slack said the Hornets’ defense getting a fourth-down stop on the opening drive, and a 57-yard punt by Hornets sophomore Brooks Moore set the tone for Cook. Cha Hobbs caught both of the Hornets’ touchdowns.
With the loss, the Cane (6-3) dropped to No. 10 in the rankings. They host Berrien next week.
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