Canton Central Catholic advances after Liberty football team dropped by OHSAA

Canton Central Catholic High School will return to the field on Nov. 6 after the Ohio High School Athletic Association disqualified Liberty High School from the state playoffs. The ruling came after Liberty was found to have used an ineligible player who wore an eligible jersey during a regular-season game.

Liberty defeated Canton Central Catholic 26-16 in their head-to-head matchup. Despite the loss on the scoreboard, the Crusaders have now secured the playoff spot. The state association notified Canton Central Catholic to prepare for a second-round game.

Jeff Lindesmith, the head football coach for the Crusaders, said the error was caught by a Liberty supporter. That fan alerted the Canton Central Catholic staff about the jersey swap, who then contacted Liberty's athletic director. The athletic director informed the state association later that same day that an ineligible player had taken the field.

Lindesmith noted that the second chance carries extra weight for the team's senior class. He stated that the players were thrilled to get another opportunity to compete together. For many of those seniors, this upcoming game will be their final chance to play football in high school.

The Crusaders will travel to Lake County on Nov. 6 to face Perry in the regional quarterfinals. This match marks Week 12 of the competitive season for the program.