Armwood RB Newton, LB Carrington, not eligible until January

Posted Oct 10, 2012 by Bill Ward

Updated Oct 10, 2012 at 11:29 PM

After initially being told by the Florida High School Athletics Association that running back Greg Newton and linebacker Craig Carrington would be eligible to suit up in mid-November, Armwood football coach Sean Callahan says he has now learned both players’ one-year suspension will not end until January.

Newton and Carrington, both juniors, were banned from action for one full year by the FHSAA due to what it ruled to be residency violations. Both appealed the decision, first to the FHSAA’s sectional appeals committee and, after being denied there, to the FHSAA board of directors last month in Gainesville.

After the board also turned down Newton and Carrington, there was confusion as to when their 365-day ban began. FHSAA executive director Roger Dearing initially said the two players would be eligible in November, the month the FHSAA’s investigation of Armwood’s football program began last year. But Callahan said he was told by principal Mike Ippolito the two players were not put on official suspension until January of this year and as a result, are not eligible for action again until January of 2013.

‘‘It’s a shame because both kids have been working hard this whole time and obviously want to contribute to this season,’’ Callahan said. ‘‘But that (January) is the date they get back and we’ll just have to wait on them for next season.’‘

Meanwhile, Callahan is hoping senior offensive lineman Gabe Nold can win his appeal, which has been sent back to the sectional appeals committee. After Nold and his family’s attorney presented new evidence in his eligibility case to the board at his hearing, the FHSAA now wants additional information regarding that evidence by Oct. 12. Once that stipulation is met, Nold’s case can be heard again at the next Section 3 appeals committee meeting, Nov. 1 in Bradenton.