Judge confirms Catholic Central's football forfeit after eligibility dispute
A Kent County judge sided with the MHSAA, ending the Cougars' season and awarding a win to Berrien Springs.
By Chioma Brooks ·
Grand Rapids Catholic Central will not play in the 2026 high school football playoffs after a judge ruled in favor of the Michigan High School Athletic Association. Kent County Circuit Court Judge Paul Denenfeld issued the decision on Monday afternoon, ending a 12 day legal battle over the eligibility of a transfer student.
The Cougars had been scheduled to face Berrien Springs in Tuesday's Division 5 district final. Under the court's ruling, Berrien Springs receives a forfeit victory. The Shamrocks, who hold a 10 1 record, will now play West Catholic on Saturday at 1 p.m. on the Falcons' home field. West Catholic entered the weekend with a 9 2 record.
The dispute began on Oct. 29 when the MHSAA removed Catholic Central from the Division 5 tournament. The association cited an eligibility review of a player who transferred from Comstock Park in January 2026. The MHSAA initially cleared the athlete in August 2026 after his family left the Comstock Park school district. However, the organization received video evidence on Oct. 26 suggesting the family had not completed a full move as required for immediate eligibility.
Because the student athlete played football at Comstock Park in 2025, he would have been ineligible to play in the 2026 season at Catholic Central without the transfer exception. The association determined the family did not meet that standard.
Catholic Central senior Noah Zainea filed an injunction against the disqualification on Oct. 30. Judge Denenfeld granted a temporary restraining order, allowing the Cougars to play their originally scheduled Round 1 game against Comstock Park. The Cougars won that matchup 56 13.
The regular season standings for Catholic Central will reflect the change. The team finished the season with a 7 2 record as the top ranked team in Division 5. However, because the ineligible player appeared in six regular season games, those wins are now recorded as losses. The Cougars' official record drops to 2 7, a mark that would have eliminated them from playoff contention before the tournament began.
Geoff Kimmerly, the MHSAA Director of Communications, said the organization is thankful for the court's prompt decision. He stated that the ruling confirms the integrity of the eligibility rules, which member schools expect to be enforced as written.
