Hayfield wins injunction to stay in Virginia state playoffs

VHSL postpones first round games until Nov. 21, just hours before the first scheduled kickoff; Robinson abrubtly removed from the Class 6-Region C bracket

The Hayfield Hawks will fly once again this season as the won an injunction from a Fairfax County judge to be reinstated into the 2024 VHSL Class 6-Region C playoffs. The decision, late Friday afternoon, force the VHSL to postpone Friday's scheduled opening round games until Thursday, Nov. 21. / Hayfield Hawks Football Instagram

Hayfield High will participate in the Virginia public state football playoffs after winning an injunction Friday against the Virginia High School League’s decision to ban the Hawks from the 2024 and 2025 postseason.

According to the Fairfax (Va.) Times, Fairfax County Circuit Judge Manuel A. Capsules granted a temporary injunction, filed by Hayfield parents and players, late Friday afternoon. 

The Fairfax Times said the judge scheduled a hearing for Dec. 4 to discuss the case further. 

Friday’s legal decision, just hours before the start of the Virginia Class 6 state region playoffs, led the VHSL to postpone first round games until Thursday Nov. 21.

Hayfield, the No. 1 seed in the Region C playoffs, will host eight-seed Thomas Edison Thursday. Hayfield, No. 3 in High School On SI's Top 25 Virginia High School Football Rankings, went 9-1 during the regular season while outscoring foes, 593-68.

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Related:

Hayfield (Virginia) football appeal denied; Hawks banned from state playoffs

Hayfield football facing a two-year ban from VHSL state playoffs

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Robinson, which had been the No. 8 seed, lost its spot as the result of Hayfield’s reinstatement.

The quarterfinal winners will compete in the C region semifinals, Nov. 26. The region final will take place Nov. 30. 

Last week, Hayfield lost its appeal to the VSHL’s sportsmanship committee and executive committee, upholding a decision by the state’s athletic governing body in late October to ban Hayfield from postseason play for violating the VHSL’s proselytizing rule.

The saga began in February when Hayfield hired Darryl Overton, who won back-to-back Class 6 state titles at Freedom, as football coach. Overton’s arrival, along with a host of transfers raised concerns among Hayfield’s parents, existing coaches, and the Fairfax County Coaches Association, prompting an investigation by the Fairfax County school system into allegations that several players that had transferred from Freedom were not living in the Hayfield’s school district. 

In late August, Fairfax County Public Schools cleared Hayfield. The VHSL, however, exercised its right to conduct a separate investigation. 

According to the Washington Post, the VHSL’s initial report found that 14 players transferred from Freedom to Hayfield after Overton was hired in February. In addition, the program added five transfers from private schools and five incoming students.

The VHSL determined those transfers were made so that student-athletes could play football at Hayfield and violated the league’s proselytizing rule, which states that schools or groups of individuals representing schools can’t subject a student from another school to “undue influence” by encouraging them to transfer to participate in VHSL activities.

According to the Fairfax Times, Hayfield parents Nicole Kaboli-Monfared and Devin Moore, sought to challenge the VHSL ruling through the Fairfax County Circuit Court, initially without legal representation earlier in the week. 

On Wednesday, John Cafferky, an attorney at Blankingship & Keith, known for representing Fairfax County Public Schools in special education disputes, stepped in, filing on the behalf of Hayfield parents and players who filed for a preliminary injunction against the VHSL’s two-year postseason ban. 

The VHSL maintained its position Friday with Executive Director Billy Haun filing a declaration opposing the motion by the Hayfield parents and players, according to the Fairfax Times.

VHSL CLASS 6 REGION C PLAYOFFS

Quarterfinals - Thursday Nov. 21

No. 8 seed Thomas Edison at No. 1 Hayfield

No. 7 Mount Vernon at No. 2 Lake Braddock

No. 6 South County at No. 3 West Springfield

No. 5 West Potomac at No. 4 Fairfax

Semifinals (at higher seed) - Tuesday Nov. 26

West Potomac/Fairfax winner vs. Edison/Hayfield winner

South County/West Springfield winner vs. Mount Vernon/Lake Braddock winner

Final (at higher seed) - Saturday Nov. 30

Semifinal winners