Skip to main content
High School

Texas judge rejects restraining order to allow Argyle Liberty Christian to be in TAPPS playoffs

Private School Powerhouse ruled to have used an ineligible player this fall 
Cody Thorn|
Argyle Liberty Christian has been removed from the TAPPS playoffs after it was forced to forfeit games for the use of an ineligible player. The Warriors were set to be the top seed in Division I.
Argyle Liberty Christian has been removed from the TAPPS playoffs after it was forced to forfeit games for the use of an ineligible player. The Warriors were set to be the top seed in Division I. | High School On SI

Liberty Christian School in Argyle filed a temporary restraining order, or TRO, against the Texas Association of Private and Parochial Schools (TAPPS) to be allowed in the football playoffs.

The TAPPS Executive Board ruled on Nov. 3 that Liberty Christian School had used an ineligible player this season and must forfeit the games he played, according to previous High School on SI reporting.

The ruling stemmed from a transfer-player eligibility rule regarding a player participating on a 7-on-7 team coached by Liberty Christian assistant coach player eligibility rule regarding a player participating on a 7-on-7 team coached by a Liberty Christian assistant coach, Antonio Griffin.

“It was determined that a transfer student-athlete participated on a 7-on-7 team coached by Liberty Christian assistant football coach Antonio Griffin in the year prior to transferring to Liberty,” TAPPS said in a news release last week. “Furthermore, the athletic department leadership and football coaching staff knew or should have known of these facts prior to the start of the 2026 football season.”

According to a letter shared online by a CBS affiliate in Dallas, the school filed a temporary restraining order on Nov. 6 to restore the Warriors ot the playoffs. The team was the No. 1 seed heading into the playoffs and the favorite to win the TAPPS Division I title.

Judge Bruce McFarling ruled on Nov. 10 that TAPPS provided due process, stating that the decision was bound by following the law rather than deciding on the player's athletic eligibility.

“TAPPS appreciates the opportunity to address the 362 Judicial District Court in Denton, Texas to defend our process and procedure regarding the eligibility of a student athlete,” TAPPS posted online Nov. 10. “With the denial of the Temporary Restraining Order requested by our member school, the TAPPS Division I playoffs will be played as scheduled beginning this Friday, November 14.”

In a letter shared with parents when the TRO was issued, School President Dr. Blair McCullough wrote, “As you know, we continued to fight the recent unfair ruling by TAPPS against our football team. Our young students have done nothing wrong, and we must do everything we can to set the record straight, restore our season and allow our team in the playoffs. … In the name of basic fairness and decency, TAPPS has a duty to reconsider the clear and unambiguous evidence we provided them.”

On Twitter, many connected with the LCS program shared a photo of the evidence of an email shared with TAPPS and suggested it may have been altered. The parents claimed they had the original email that was sent out and that it only says, “Owned by Coach Griff.”

Evidence submitted to TAPPS said the LionHearted Sports Collective is “Owned and Coached by Coach Griff.”

The background

The decision also led to a major change to the Division I playoff schedule. To give the remaining teams time to adjust and prepare for new opponents, TAPPS decdelayed the start of the Division I playoffs to Nov. 14, movingided to delay the start of the Division I playoffs to Nov. 14, which moves the state championship game back to Nov. 28.

The first-round matchups are:

* Austin St. Michael’s Prep vs. Dallas Parish Episcopal 

* Plano Prestonwood Christian vs. Lutheran South Academy 

* Frisco Legacy Christian Academy vs. San Antonio Central Catholic 

* Addison Trinity Christian Academy vs. Houston St. Thomas Catholic 

Add us as a preferred source on Google
Published
Cody Thorn
CODY THORN

Cody Thorn is a veteran journalist who covers high school sports across the state of Texas and Missouri. He is based in the Dallas-Fort Worth area and has covered sports and news since 1999.

Home/Texas