Injunction keeps Hawks' dreams of state title alive

Hanahan High School is putting up a fight to regain a spot in the Class AA state wrestling championship.

On Thursday, High School League commissioner Jerome Singleton ruled the Hawks had to forfeit a victory in the 125-pound weight division in Wednesday night's Class AA Lower State championship against Loris because they used a wrestler who was ineligible to compete.

Singleton's ruling turned a 34-33 Hanahan victory into a 39-31 loss, giving Loris a berth in the state championship.

But on Friday, Hanahan and Berkeley County School District officials got an injunction to halt the state championship match until a hearing is held on Thursday, Hanahan athletic director Charlie Patterson said late Friday afternoon.

Patterson said he didn't know the name of the judge because Berkeley County School officials handled that part of the process. Attempts to contact Berkeley County School District officials Friday evening were unsuccessful.

Patterson and school officials worked all day Friday in formulating a response to Singleton's ruling.

"All I can tell you right now is that the highest people in the district are involved in this matter," Patterson said Friday morning.

"We've got the highest people in the district contending for the kids."

At approximately 3 p.m., Patterson said the school district had lawyers studying the case and that legal action was a possibility. That became reality less than three hours later.

Singleton said he was informed of the injunction by High School League attorneys.

"I haven't seen it," he said. "I was made aware of it, and I know it holds up the playoffs."

Loris was scheduled to wrestle Woodruff in the state championship today, but the match was postponed indefinitely by bad weather.

"We probably caught a break because of the weather," Patterson said. "That gave us more time."

High School League rules state that a wrestler cannot compete more than one class above his actual weight in any match. Hanahan wrestler Koffi Dwira, who is certified to wrestle in the 125-pound category, competed in a higher weight class than is permitted by the High School League when he wrestled in a holiday tournament earlier this season. He won Wednesday night in the 125-pound division with a 12-5 decision over Jamar Gore. But Singleton said he became ineligible when he competed in a weight class outside the league's parameters during the regular season.