Liam Kelly’s Undefeated Season Was Stopped Cold—Then Came a Stunning Courtroom Twist

A last-minute postseason decision sidelined the Mount Carmel standout and Illinois recruit. Days later, a ruling no one saw coming put his championship hopes back in play.

Mount Carmel (Illinois) wrestler Liam Kelly (top) had his perfect season stopped before a ruling this week changed everything. / Jeff Lange / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Mount Carmel’s Liam Kelly thought his high school wrestling career was over.

Instead, the reigning Class 3A state champion will step back on the mat this weekend—by court order.

A Cook County judge on Wednesday granted Kelly an emergency temporary restraining order, clearing the way for the Caravan standout to compete in the Class 3A Hinsdale Central Sectional. The ruling reverses a decision that had prevented him from wrestling at the Morton Regional on Jan. 31 and temporarily derailed his bid to defend a state title.

Circuit Court Judge Alison Conlon ruled there was no health or safety risk in allowing Kelly to compete, citing medical documentation already on file. According to the Chicago Sun-Times, Conlon wrote that “there is no health or safety risk” from his participation, referencing the Required Medical Forms and the record presented in court.

Kelly, a 165-pounder and Illinois recruit, won the 157-pound state championship last season. He has wrestled with a non-contagious skin condition—granuloma annulare—on his upper arms since his freshman year. A physician had completed the Illinois High School Association’s Required Medical Form, documentation that had allowed him to compete without interruption throughout his career.

That changed at the Morton Regional.

A Regional Decision That Stopped an Undefeated Season

During weigh-ins and inspections at Morton East High School, a trainer conducted a visual evaluation and ruled Kelly ineligible to wrestle because of the skin condition. Despite the existing medical clearance and an offer from his doctor to speak directly with event personnel, Kelly was barred from competition.

The decision effectively ended his individual postseason—at least temporarily.

Five days later, at a different site and under different supervision, Kelly was cleared to compete in the Marmion Dual-Team Sectional. He did not waste time on the mat, pinning his opponent at 190 pounds in 16 seconds.

Mount Carmel ultimately fell 46-23 to Marmion in team competition, but the broader issue remained unresolved: why was Kelly cleared at one IHSA event and disqualified at another?

Family Turns to the Courts

Kelly’s father, Michael, filed suit against the IHSA seeking to overturn the regional ruling. In court, the IHSA argued its bylaws did not provide a mechanism for special-circumstances relief and that the original trainer’s decision had to stand.

Judge Conlon disagreed.

In her ruling, she noted the IHSA did not explain why Morton officials barred Kelly while other event officials allowed him to wrestle. The order permits Kelly to enter the Hinsdale Central Sectional bracket as a 13th competitor in what is typically a 12-wrestler field. He will not replace another wrestler.

The top four finishers at each weight advance to the IHSA state finals Feb. 19-21 at State Farm Center in Champaign.

“I’m mad at how the IHSA handled it,” Michael Kelly told the Sun-Times. “Now justice is served. Now [Liam] can get back to wrestling.”

Attorney Steve Glink, who represented Michael Kelly, said he wished the IHSA had corrected the situation voluntarily but was pleased with the court’s decision.

IHSA Executive Director Craig Anderson said in a statement that while he feels for the student-athlete, his responsibility is to ensure rules are applied consistently and fairly. He added that the IHSA will comply with the court’s order but expressed concern about the broader impact litigation could have on high school athletics in Illinois.

A Second Chance on the Biggest Stage

For Kelly, the ruling restores more than just a match—it restores opportunity.

An undefeated season and a state title defense nearly ended in a trainer’s decision at a regional inspection table. Now, the Illinois signee returns to the postseason with his eligibility intact and his bracket expanded by one.

The path back to Champaign is narrow. Only four wrestlers at 165 pounds will advance.

But after a week that moved from disqualification to dual-meet dominance to a courtroom victory, Kelly has something he didn’t have after Jan. 31—a chance to finish his high school career on the mat instead of in the stands.

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