MHSAA to make ruling soon for Loyd Star

Published 11:35 pm Friday, September 29, 2017

Hearings will be held Wednesday by the Mississippi High School Activities Association for two more Loyd Star students accused of being ineligible to play baseball during the 2A playoffs last school year.

Todd Kelly, director of development and communications for the MHSAA, told The Daily Leader Sept. 6 the MHSAA is conducting an investigation into the program.

The Loyd Star baseball team won the 2017 2A state championship with a two-game sweep of East Union at Trustmark Park in Pearl. The Hornets finished the season with a dominant 37-2 overall record and didn’t lose a game until the second round of the 2A state playoffs.

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It was the first 2A state championship for Loyd Star in 37 years.

If the MHSAA decides that the students are ineligible, the 2A state title could be stripped.

“They are investigating, but no names or further information can be released at this time,” Loyd Star principle Robin Case said.

MHSAA Associate Director Rickey Neaves said one hearing has already been held and that student was found to be ineligible to attend Loyd Star High School.

The ineligibility is based on the student not meeting the residency requirement.

Neaves said two more students will have a hearing Wednesday.

He said after the eligibility of the three students is determined, the executive committee will meet to decide how their ruling will affect the championship game won by Loyd Star last year.

Meanwhile, individuals in Loyd Star and the rest of the county have taken to Facebook to cast blame and make threats and insinuations.

Many have claimed one of the baseball player’s truck’s brakes were cut intentionally.

A parent of a Loyd Star student filed a report with the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office claiming her son’s truck had been tampered with by someone. In a report filed Sept. 15, the woman said her son’s 2008 Chevrolet truck was having transmission problems.

The report stated: “She brought the truck to Stan King to be checked out. Once the truck was checked it was discovered someone had put transmission fluid in the brake container, which damaged the entire brake system.

“She stated she does not know when someone would of had access to his truck, and that they do not do any maintenance on the vehicle so she knows that none of them did it. She did state that there have been problems at Loyd Star school where her son attends and doesn’t know if someone did it at the school.”

Chief Deputy Johnny Hall said the truck showed no signs of forced entry.

Sheriff Steve Rushing said the report of vandalism will be investigated.

“We talked to the mechanic and he said it looked like somebody poured transmission fluid in the brake reservoir,” Rushing said.

Lincoln County School Superintendent Mickey Myers told The Daily Leader Thursday that no students in the district have been transferred due to residency issues.

He said the board will look into eligibility of students at all four attendance centers, but will likely not make any changes during the school year. He said students who may be in the Brookhaven School District could lose credits because Brookhaven is on a four-block schedule while county schools are on a seven-period day.