Cocoa football appeal of loss to St. Thomas Aquinas denied by FHSAA

The Tigers were seeking to have the FHSAA reverse their loss to St. Thomas Aquinas from last week based on what they believed was improper application clock management rules

It was a quick decision on Cocoa football’s appeal on Monday afternoon of last week’s 37-36 controversial loss to St. Thomas Aquinas. 

According to a report in the Florida Today, the Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA) has denied Cocoa’s appeal. Per the report, the FHSAA’s Director of Athletics Robbie Lindeman emailed Cocoa athletic director Mark Carstens that the game is final per Bylaw 4.2.1. 

The Bylaw reads "The outcome (i.e., winners and losers) of all interscholastic contests are final, and cannot bereversed, except where the rules of the sport permit or in the case where a winner must forfeit its victory or points.” 

The issue was several officiating decisions, in the closing minutes of the contest, which allowed Aquinas to regain possession of the football, move inside the Cocoa five yard line and kick a game-winning field goal when the timeout situation and game circumstances seemed to make such an outcome mathematically impossible.

Following Friday’s contest, SBLive Sports published the NFHS broadcast of the final 1:28 of the contest along with a detailed timeline of the controversial calls and plays.

Cocoa will shift its focus to Week 5 as they have a bye week before facing Eau Gallie on Sep. 22. St. Thomas Aquinas will host Western this week. 

-- Andy Villamarzo | villamarzo@scorebooklive.com | @sblivefl