Georgia's Mary Persons is forced to forfeit three victories

The GHSA has ruled the team used an ineligible player in its first four games, which included three wins

The Mary Persons football team taking the field for its Aug. 23 game against Jackson. The Bulldogs won, 23-0, and it is one of three victories the team has since been forced to forfeit. / Mary Persons Bulldogs Instagram

According to report by Georgia High School Football Daily, the Mary Persons football team has been forced to forfeit three earlier victories after the Georgia High School Association (GHSA) ruled that the school used an ineligible player in those contests.

Mary Person's head coach Brian Nelson confirmed the report to GHSFD on Thursday.

The player, who has not been identified, participated in the Bulldogs first four games of the season in which the team went 3-1. According to the report, the player failed to move legally into the Mary Persons school district as required under GHSA rules.

“It’s been the toughest couple of days of my coaching career, and I’ve been coaching for a while,” Nelson said to GHSFD. “I met with the seniors [Wednesday] at 3:30 and the team before practice, and that was the toughest part."

Mary Persons, which played in the Class 3A state quarterfinals last year, has reached the post-season 12 times in the last 13 years, but the team is now in jeopardy of missing the playoffs. The team's record now stands at 0-4 overall and 0-2 in the district.