Give the 2013 Bryant Hornets football team another victory and one less loss.
The Arkansas Activities Association issued this statement today:
North Little Rock High School notified the Arkansas Activities Association on Thursday that it was forfeiting all of its varsity football wins and varsity boys’ basketball wins during the 2013-2014 school year in which an ineligible player participated.
The forfeit includes 10 wins from the 2013 football season, and at least 24 wins from what was considered a state championship season of 26-2. North Little Rock also surrendered the 2014 Class 7A boys state basketball championship trophy to the AAA.
“We are grateful to North Little Rock High School for its integrity and honesty while dealing with a sensitive issue,” AAA executive director Lance Taylor said. The district self-reported what is considered a violation of AAA rules and took immediate action. The AAA agrees that a violation occurred.
So the 28-7 loss to North Little Rock in the first round of the Class 7A playoffs turned into a victory for the Hornets, whose record for the season goes to 8-3 instead of 7-4.
Controversy has swirled around the North Little Rock program of late. Head coach Brad Bolding was fired today for a list of reasons that included violations of AAA rules.
There is speculation that the violations may have involved K.J. Hill, who played at Bryant as a freshman and sophomore, but moved to North Little Rock for his junior and senior seasons as a football and basketball player. But that speculation has not been verified.
Hill was the leading rusher and receiver for the Hornets as a sophomore. He also led the Bryant freshman basketball team to an Central Arkansas Junior High Conference championship and led the varsity Hornets in scoring as a sophomore. He announced his move to North Little Rock after Bryant lost to the Charging Wildcats in the second round of the Class 7A State basketball tournament in the spring of 2014.
He was named the football play of the year in Arkansas after last fall’s season with North Little Rock and is currently a member of the school’s basketball team. On Wednesday, he signed a national letter of intent to attend Ohio State on a football scholarship. He had earlier made a verbal commitment to play at Arkansas.
