Peach County coach makes passionate appeal to GHSA

Campbell wants to be named co-champs or game replayed.

THOMASTON — Chad Campbell was not in his usual coaching attire, but this wasn’t a usual gathering.

The Peach County coach, in suit and tie spoke emotionally, sternly, and at times slightly confrontational for nearly 50 minutes during a presentation to the Georgia High School Association’s Board of Trustees on Monday regarding misapplications of rules by officials during the Trojans’ 10-6 loss to Calhoun on Dec. 8 in the Class AAA state title game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

The primary focus was on the ruling of an incomplete pass on an apparent catch by Noah Whittington with 3:33 left in the game, Whittington catching a pass and reaching out to score, the ball coming loose as it crossed the goal line.

The pass was ruled incomplete, and Calhoun went on to win.

Campbell, surrounded by more than 40 assistant coaches, players, administrators and Trojan supporters, requested the game be replayed, played from the point of the play with the rules properly applied, or Peach County named co-champions with Calhoun.

None of those options are likely, GHSA executive director Robin Hines said afterward.

“That has never been a consideration,” he said of replaying the fifinal few minutes.

As for co-champions: “That’s never been a consideration.”

Campbell asked if any board members wanted to see video of the play in question, and none did.

Only near the end did Campbell address that Whittington appeared to step out of bounds during his route. If a player is forced out of bounds, he may re-establish himself inbounds and touch the ball. If he goes out on his own, he may not be the fifirst player to touch the ball.

“That’s so coincidental, you know that?” Campbell told the board. “He was pushed out of bounds, and it’s on video. He got shoved out of bounds and established himself inbounds, like the National Federation rules say.

“They always say, the eye in the sky don’t lie.”

A large portion of Campbell’s speech dealt with a misapplication of the rules, primarily the definition of a catch.

Another sticking point was the mixing of offifficials from different associations for championship games. Campbell said it appeared offifficials didn’t want to overrule or show up another offifficial, and that the mixing of referees who may have never worked together is likely to have had a negative impact.

The board asked no questions, and fifinally after more than 45 minutes–which included passionate pleas from a few fans, comments from Peach County superintendent Daryl Fineran and senior line backer Jaquez Jackson, the group was told everything discussed would be taken into consideration. But judgment calls can’t be appealed and any update could be weeks from now.