Central High School administrators have informed the TSSAA that the school’s football team is forfeiting Friday’s first-round Class 3A playoff game at Giles County.
The decision was made over the weekend due to a lack of healthy players the Purple Pounders would have to put on the field against an 8-win Giles County team that has scored 41-plus points in four of its last five games and is averaging 32 points for the season.
“There were several factors that went into this decision,” Central principal Dr. Leangela Rogers said. “First and foremost were the number of injuries that the team has sustained, which would leave us putting much younger kids on the field who have limited experience and aren’t ready. That becomes a safety concern.
“Also, the trip would have cost the school between $4,000 to $5,000 to load up the team, cheerleaders and band and travel that far away. That’s a significant cost. We weighed all the factors and decided this was the right decision for our team and our school.”
Under TSSAA regulations, by choosing to forfeit a playoff game, the Purple Pounders will also not be eligible for the playoffs next season. Although the rule also states that schools choosing to forfeit a playoff game could receive an additional two-year postseason ban, which would keep Central out of the playoffs until the 2029 season, the state’s high school sports governing body has informed the school that it will be allowed to compete for a playoff berth beginning in 2027.