Stripped of district title, re-instated

In an upsetting turn of events, Houston High School was stripped of their Class 2 District 8 championship title after the Missouri State High School Activities Association (MSHSAA) learned of three players’ involvement in an outside tournament. This decision came Wednesday, Oct. 25. The district title was the first title the team had won for the district since 2006 and ninth overall title.

According to MSHSAA By-Law 3.13.2a, “a student shall neither practice nor compete as a member of a non-school team or as an individual participant in organized non-school competition in that same sport.” Three members of the Houston volleyball team participated in the Salem Memorial Hospital Mammography Volley For A Cure co-ed tournament on Saturday, Oct. 21. The punishment for breaking this by-law was for the school to forfeit any contests involved and relinquish place in tournament standings and return team/individual awards. A review of the MSHSAA website on Thursday, Oct. 26 showed Licking as the Class 2 District 8 champion.

The Houston R-1 School District submitted a restraining order to MSHSAA’s decision and were allowed to play the Sectionals game against Stover. The decision came on Saturday, Oct. 27 with game time being pushed back to 7:15 p.m. Sadly, the Licking Wildcats were well over half the way to play Stover as MSHAA had told the school they won the district title and would be playing the sectional game.

Houston lost in sectional play to Stover in four sets.