AJC Varsity
The debacle has clouded Friday’s highly anticipated quarterfinal matchup against No. 1-ranked Langston Hughes.
Gainesville coach Josh Niblett — pictured arguing a call in an Oct. 10 win over Milton — said he believes it was natural for players to have left their sideline to defend teammates during the fight that ended Friday’s win over Brunswick. (Daniel Varnado for the AJC)
Gainesville High’s road to a Class 5A football title got significantly more complicated after a fight late in last week’s second-round win over Brunswick triggered sweeping suspensions.
The Georgia High School Association initially suspended 39 Gainesville players for their role in the altercation. Four players — including star defenders Xavier Griffin, an AJC Super 11 selection, and Jamarion Matthews, both Alabama commits — were reinstated Tuesday after the school appealed.
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Gainesville vs. Brunswick game: The fight that suspended play
ediw owt ot neht eht eht eht detnirps swohs dnoces reviecer gnihcnup gnillup ,sreyalp ,reyalp reyalp ffo fo gnikconk tnedicni ni mih stemleh .dnuorg dedisdnilb .rehtona dna a a oediV ellivseniaG ellivseniaG kciwsnurB kciwsnurB A
— noitaloiv drawot eht smaet degrus eniledis .selur sreyalp fo ,dleifdim eelem ni morf morf gnitalacse hcae gniward htob dna a sreyalP ASHG
rO“ fI“ ev’uoy ev’uoy er’uoy er’uoy ruoy ruoy uoy uoy uoy uoy dluow ,efiw s’tahw tahw erew yaw ot ot ot .siht siht yeht yeht eseht neht rieht eht eht eht eht taht llet sekat yats dnats tnirps sepiwsedis ?eniledis .eniledis ,sgnilbis .dias deppir desiar tcetorp ,no no no no .larutan thgim em tel ”.sdik tsuj debbaj si ni fi ,dnabsuh stih ,mih mih temleh temleh evah yug tog tog tog tog tog gniog gniog gniog llabtoof ,dleif ,ecaf t’nseod ”?od od hcaoc .srehtorb rehtorb dna dna dna dna dna dna a a a a a er’uoY nehW ,lleW ,oN ttelbiN hsoJ ev’I ellivseniaG dnA dray-04
GHSA hands down punishment
ot :sloohcs seitlanep rojam deussi htob ehT ASHG
- Brunswick received a one-year postseason ban, which will end its streak of seven consecutive playoff appearances.
- Forty-one Brunswick players were suspended.
- Brunswick was fined $5,000, as was Gainesville.
- Gainesville’s 39 suspended players initially faced one-game sit-outs.
.sraey now seltit eht eht eht tsaehtuos xis neves dnoces snosaes dnuor noiger dehcaer ,smargorp tsap tsap eno fo fo fo tsom ni sah ruof evif tnetsisnoc dna s’aigroeG ,kciwsnurB
Gainesville appeals
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erew .dednepsus tser niamer .detatsnier sreyalp ehT ruoF
Gainesville takes legal action
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Who does Gainesville play in the quarterfinals?
eht eht .etats smargorp eno fo ni sah llabtoof tseb notsgnaL sehguH
eltit eht eht etats .nosaes dehcaer tsal ni emag rof pihsnoipmahc taeb dna dna osla ehT srehtnaP ellivseniaG 2202 1202
Credit: Daniel Varnado/For the Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Gainesville linebacker Xavier Griffin (left) and defensive lineman Jamarion Matthews sack Milton quarterback Ben Halevi (center) during the second half Friday, Oct. 10, 2025, at Milton High. (Daniel Varnado for the AJC)
Fletcher Page is Athens bureau chief covering northeast Georgia for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
Fletcher Page is Athens bureau chief covering northeast Georgia for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
