South Oak Cliff High School officials are “considering filing a grievance” over a controversial penalty call made in the last moments of the Class 5A Division II high school football state championship on Dec. 16, WFAA reports. The Golden Bears lost the match 20-17 to Port Neches-Grove.
A pass interference penalty call in the final moments of the game led to PNGs win, and Dallas ISD confirmed to WFAA that South Oak Cliff officials have considered filing a grievance on the play. Dallas ISD declined to confirm where a grievance will be filed.
A statement by the University Interscholastic League (UIL) said any objection “based on a game or contest official’s decision will not be considered,” and that officiating crews were agreed on by both teams in advance of the game.
Following Saturday’s game, South Oak Cliff head coach Jason Todd told the Dallas Morning News he felt several calls in the game were “questionable.”
“PNG — they do a great job. To take nothing away from them, but I really want to watch the film,” Todd said.
Here is a WFAA breakdown of the play, which has left many South Oak Cliff fans cheated of a championship 3-peat.
There was contact at the top of the route, based on the video and photo evidence. Where there could have been a judgement call, though, was whether the penalty thrown should have been pass interference or defensive holding, which is dependent on if the ball was in the air or not when the tug of the jersey occurred at the top of the route. The tug on the jersey seemed to happen simultaneously as the quarterback threw the ball.
