In a decision that is surely heartbreaking to students, parents and others on Signal Mountain, the Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association has upheld its decision vacating six of Signal Mountain High School's football wins this season.
The TSSAA had earlier ruled that Signal Mountain played an ineligible player, after the school evidently did not properly fill out paperwork on the student, who transferred from Lakeview-Fort Oglethorpe but does not live in Signal Mountain's school zone.
We know that rules are rules. But it is nevertheless sad that the player in question and his teammates will suffer the loss of many of their victories this season even though they personally did nothing wrong.
It is little consolation now, but Signal Mountain's highly successful football program can take at least some comfort from the fact that "there's always next year."