Lemont High School volleyball team's season ends in disappointment as judge upholds IHSA disqualification
COOK COUNTY - In a disappointing turn of events, a top-ranked high school volleyball team in Lemont has seen their fight to save their season come to an end.
On Thursday, their last-ditch effort to reverse their disqualification by the Illinois High School Association (IHSA) was denied by a judge.
The Lemont team had a promising season, earning a top seed in the state playoffs. However, their season took an unfortunate turn when the IHSA disqualified them due to playing one extra game in the regular season.
After the IHSA rejected their appeal on Wednesday, the team's last hope rested with a courtroom plea. Nevertheless, the judge declined to reinstate the Lemont team, officially ending their season.
Lemont volleyball players sound off after last-minute disqualification from playoffs
The Lemont volleyball community is sounding off, saying their run for state has been stolen.
Parents of the volleyball team expressed their concern in a statement, emphasizing the impact of the decision on their students' well-being, mental health, and their continued interest in athletics. They called for changes to prevent such situations from happening to other student-athletes in Illinois.
Lemont High School also released a statement, expressing their regret that the student-athletes won't be able to continue their season. The school affirmed that they pursued every reasonable option in support of the team.