How some players deal with AIA hardship denials
Scottsdale Saguaro running back Marqui Johnson won’t play football his senior season, after the Arizona Interscholastic Association’s Executive Board on Wednesday denied his hardship appeal.
Johnson, a dynamo for Scottsdale Chaparral the last two seasons, transferred this summer to Saguaro.
His original hardship case was denied two weeks ago by the 4A committee that hears hardships.
The AIA felt that Johnson violated the prior-contact bylaw because a Chaparral varsity assistant coach joined Jason Mohns’ staff at Saguaro, before Johnson made the move.
The board went by the bylaw that the student-athlete is ineligible in that sport for the entire season.
Other appeals denied
Chandler senior cornerback David Eppinger had his hardship approved but his appeal on an alleged prior-contact violation with the Executive Board was denied on Wednesday.
Mesa Red Mountain junior running back Marcus Brown and Glendale Ironwood sophomore quarterback Will Haskell Jr., both had their hardship appeals denied.
This was Brown’s second move. He began his career at Chandler Hamilton, before transferring to Mesa Skyline. According to the AIA transfer rules, firsttime transfers are ineligible the first half of the season, and second-time transfers must sit out the whole season.
Haskell, who transferred from Glendale Deer Valley after spring ball, will only have to sit out the first five games.
“Some of those kids, in their senior year, our heart goes out to them,” said Will Haskell Sr., Will’s father. “Hopefully, they keep fighting to achieve their dreams.
“As for Will, he is stronger because of this. We thank the Ironwood family for standing by us.”
Eppinger, who spent his first three years at Perry, won’t be able eligible at all this football season, he said. It had to do with alleged prior contact.
He said his mother transferred him from Gilbert Perry to two-time defending 6A champion Chandler. Eppinger was a key figure in Perry reaching the 6A final for the first time last season. Perry fought the move with the AIA.
In the offseason, Eppinger said he played on a traveling 7-on-7 team that was organized by Jeff Conover, the father of BYU-committed senior quarterback Jacob Conover. Jeff Conover helps part time with the school’s freshman team and quarterbacks. Eppinger said that Conover never coached him on the State 48 7-on-7 team.
Conover said he was on the field during the 7-on-7 tournament games in his role as director of State 48, a team comprised of players from various high schools. He said he never gave instruction to players, was never part of the coaching staff. He said witnesses sent letters to the AIA, explaining that.
“I’m disappointed because there wasn’t proof that I was coaching,” Conover said. “We gave them everything.”
Eppinger said he still will work out with Chandler’s football team, attend all team meets and games.
AIA assistant Executive Director Joe Paddock said that he couldn’t comment on any of the specifics on the cases, but that the Executive Board had allowed for any additional information from the schools on the student-athletes’ behalf after the hardships were denied two weeks ago in front of the respective conference committees. He said the board did not see enough new details that would reverse the rulings.
Legal help?
Ronald Johnson, Marqui’s dad who moved Marqui from Philadelphia two years ago, said his son is hurt.
“He doesn’t feel good at all,” Ronald said. “We talked to Coach Mohns and he said if he keeps up and practices and continues to be a good student-athlete, he’ll be fine. He’s not playing, so trying to get a college (football) opportunity can be very difficult.
“They destroyed his chances. They have decreased his chances of playing college football significantly.”
Johnson said he had to move his son out of Chaparral because of what he felt was a negative atmosphere that was impacting his son. He said his son didn’t move to Chaparral to follow the coach with whom he didn’t have a relationship, other than saying ‘Hi,’ and, ‘Bye.’ He was not Johnson’s position coach.
“The AIA definitely made a decision to hurt a kid instead of helping him excel,” Ronald Johnson said. “It feels as if he got punished and he did nothing wrong. To move across country and wanting to better yourself, only for these wolves to destroy you, it’s not very satisfying at all.”
Johnson said he will look into getting legal help to try to salvage his son’s season.
“The fight is not over,” he said. “If sports keeps kids active and on point, the last thing they should want to do is take that away from him.
“They’re taking a kid who was doing well and now just put him back in a depressive state, an unhappy mood. It’s a lot on a single parent. I don’t get it. The AIA needs to be overhauled. Rules need to be scrutinized.”
Johnson was one of Chaparral’s most dynamic football players the last two seasons and figured big in Saguaro’s plans.