Championship Taken Away From Selma Middle School

Posted 5:00 a.m. Oct 30, 1996 — Updated 5:00 a.m. Oct 30, 1996

SELMA — At Selma Middle School winning is atradition, and it looked like the tradition had continued this year whenthe school's football team won six and lost none. The team appeared to bewell on its way to another conference championship.

Then it was discovered that one player was academically ineligible.According to the district, a guidance counselor incorrectly calculated thegrade average of a transfer student. The counselor also averaged the wrongset of grades.

Assistant Superintendent Dwight Hinnant says it was a simple case of anhonest mistake.

Football coach Stephen Jackson says his players are heartbroken afterbeing stripped of their conference title.

Now players and their parents are learning a tough lesson off thefield. Mistakes happen, and Gregory Edwards, father of a Selma footballplayer, says you have to play by the rules.

Edwards' son Rodell says his coach has helped the team accept whathappened.

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