By Kevin Connelly

kconnelly@vindy.com

The Wellsville High School football team will play a meaningful game Saturday night and that’s all head coach Rich Wright wants his players to worry about.

“We’re in the playoffs,” Wright said Monday, after the Ohio High School Athletic Association concluded its investigation into an eligibility matter involving the Tigers.

The school may be breathing a sigh of relief rather than celebrating a victory, since “an eligibility matter was discovered and the school will be reprimanded and fined accordingly,” according to a statement released by the OHSAA.

The statement continued, saying “forfeitures will not be a part of the sanction.”

When asked specifically about the matter, Wright declined to comment, saying only that it stemmed from an “anonymous letter sent to the OHSAA.”

With the investigation over, Wellsville can now shift its focus to Saturday’s first round opponent, Ashland Mapleton. The Tigers (7-3) earned the fifth seed in Division VII, Region 23, meaning they’ll have to travel to Ashland to take on the Mounties (7-3).

Wright said he’s just happy for his players that they get to continue their season.

“[The playoffs] was a goal of theirs at the beginning of the year,” the second-year coach said. “We were hoping for a home game.

“Last year, Mapleton had to travel to us, so we’ll head to them this year.”

Wellsville won last season’s first-round playoff meeting, 39-21.