MPS football error: WIAA reduces Bay View, Pulaski postseason bans
WIAA reduces Bay View, Pulaski postseason bans
The WIAA is reducing a two-year ban on postseason eligibility for two Milwaukee Public Schools football programs: Bay View and Pulaski.
MILWAUKEE - The Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association is reducing a two-year ban on postseason eligibility for two Milwaukee Public Schools football programs.
After a paperwork fumble led to failure on the field, parents and an MPS administrator said the WIAA's change is best for the kids.
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"I was happy because that was kind of messed up how they fought hard to get to the playoffs, and they finally got there, but they couldn’t play because of some clerical errors," said Anthony Milons. His son, Dayshon, is a junior at Bay View High School.
MPS on Friday announced the WIAA reduced the postseason ban for Bay View and Pulaski high schools, allowing them to play in the 2025 postseason.
Milwaukee Bay View plays Milwaukee Riverside on Friday, Oct. 18
"I had to call him. He was excited," said Milons. "Sports make him focus, so it would have sucked if they would have took that away from him."
In October, both MPS high schools were forced to forfeit the rest of their 2024 football seasons. The school district said, when it decided to change conferences for both schools, its head of athletics did not submit the proper paperwork – leading to the WIAA's initial decision.
"I don’t want nothing to stop his trajectory," Milons said. "I was thinking about transferring for his last year, which would have sucked.
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"I wish so much that we could reverse the situation, and that it never happened to begin with," said Milwaukee Recreation Director Lynn Greb.
Greb said, during Friday's appeal hearing, she presented provisions to the WIAA.
"We’ve definitely reviewed every deadline associated with our high school athletic program," she said. "Make sure more people, more eyes, are on the required deadline, so it doesn’t come down to one person’s responsibility only."
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As for whether anyone was disciplined for the paperwork error, Greb said she could not comment on personnel matters.
FOX6 News reached out to the WIAA to learn what factors went into the decision. A spokesperson provided the following statement:
"We can confirm what the MPS released shared; however, we have not seen the contents release. There was an appeal hearing this morning; however, our office does not release information regarding appeals in closed session. However, please contact the administrative team at MPS or refer to the release they distributed with results and comments of the appeal. Any appeals' decision is determined by extenuating circumstances."