Following a statement from Amarillo ISD on Thursday, where the school district acknowledged that a an Amarillo High football player with eligibility issues was brought to attention, there was clarity Friday morning from the University Interscholastic League about the situaton.
Amarillo ISD sent out a press release that the UIL has denied a waiver, meaning that the AHS varsity football team played with an ineligible player and will forfeit six games during the 2025 regular season.
Here is the release from AISD.
The UIL has denied our waiver, which means that the Amarillo High varsity football team has been playing with an ineligible player most of the season. Unfortunately, the final steps in filing the appropriate UIL administrative documentation were not completed on behalf of the student-athlete before the start of the season. While this comes down to an unintentional, but ultimately consequential clerical oversight, we genuinely regret its impact on our student-athletes. We take UIL rules and regulations seriously. Going forward, we will work diligently to fortify our records procedures to ensure a mistake like this doesn’t happen again.
AHS will forfeit the following six games in which the ineligible athlete participated:
August 29 – vs. Odessa High
Sept 5 – San Angelo Central
Sept 12 – Midland High
Sept. 25 – Lubbock Monterey
Oct. 23 – Lubbock Coronado
Oct. 31 – Lubbock High
Amarillo High currently sits at 1-8 on the season following the UIL’s decision and 1-4 in District 2-5A Division I. The Sandies must beat rival Tascosa in the final regular season game at 7 p.m. Friday at Dick Bivins Stadium for a chance at making the postseason.
The Sandies will be eliminated from the playoffs with a loss to Tascosa. If AHS does beat the Rebels and Lubbock High beats Lubbock Coronado, that puts AHS in a three-way tie with LHS and Caprock for a fourth place tie.
If Coronado beats LHS, the Mustangs will get the final playoff spot.