Coming off back-to-back victories over Falls Church and district rival South County, the AHS varsity football team seemingly could not be beat. Until they encountered an opponent of a different sort: the Virginia High School League rules committee.
“I heard the news Tuesday night (Sept. 21) at about 9:30 p.m.,” said head coach Mike Scott.
The news he discovered was that a player on the team, sophomore running back Darius Williams, was ineligible due to a waiver that was not signed when he transferred to AHS from Lake Braddock. Per VHSL rules, the Atoms were forced to forfeit all of their wins.
Williams attended, and played football for, Lake Braddock his freshman year, but transferred to AHS over the summer to play for his base school. Before tryouts, Williams was told he was cleared to play and made the varsity squad as a backup running back and special teams player. He subsequently played in the team’s first three games of the season, including the 35-0 victory over Falls Church and the 7-3 victory over South County.
The waiver was finally signed Sept. 23, in time to make Williams eligible for the game against Oakton, which the team went on to lose 35-21.
“I was pretty mad since we’re 0-4 because of [the waiver], but there’s nothing I can do about it now, said Williams.
Scott, along with Director of Student Activities Angelo Hilios, principal John Ponton, and Director of Student Services Steve Sengstack are in the midst of appealing the decision.
“My understanding [of the appeal process] is that a rotating council of representatives from the other regions [in Virginia; not the Northern Region] will hear the appeal and then make a decision,” said Scott. “[The situation] doesn’t affect us one bit. We’ve moved on; we’re either 1-0 in the district or 0-1, but right now we’re focused on the Lee Lancers.”
The Atoms take on the Lancers tonight, Oct. 1, at 7:30 p.m. in search for what now would be their first official win of the season.
“We just need to come out ready to go the rest of the season and win the rest of our games,” said junior quarterback Adam Wattenbarger.
Additional reporting by Becca Hendrickson
