A company that matches nationally prominent high school football teams for interstate games is threatening to sue a Georgia school for pulling out an Ohio game in three weeks.
On Thursday, Benedictine of Savannah notified the head coach of Ironton, Ohio, that Benedictine would not be playing Sept. 14 against Ohio’s Archbishop Moeller. Ironton is the host school for the Ironton Gridiron Classic double-header.
In an email to Ironton’s Trevon Pendleton, Benedictine athletic director Jack Holland said a kickoff time change to 4 p.m. from 1 p.m. prompted the cancellation.
‘’The logistics of bringing a team, coaches, equipment, etc., to a football game nearly 600 miles away are daunting and must be arranged well ahead of the scheduled game,” Holland wrote. “In reliance of the agreed 1:00 p.m. start time, Benedictine has made substantial plans and commitments at significant expense. As you are also aware, top football programs carefully regulate and coordinator their meetings, practices and game preparation based on established schedules.’’
Holland went on to write, “’This [time] change simply cannot be accommodated in light of Benedictine’s travel plans and other commitments already in place.’’
Joe Maimone, founder of matchmaker Prep Gridiron Logistics, said the game time was changed in April or May. Holland in the email indicated the change was made ‘’recently.’’
Maimone said he offered to move the game back to 1.
“They’re not answering our calls, they’re not answering our texts, they’re not answering our emails,’’ Maimone said. “They’re avoiding us at all costs.’’
Maimone called the time change ‘‘a decoy excuse.” He said Benedictine pulled out because it no longer felt it could win in Ohio after the physical toll of losing 41-17 last week to Rabun Gap Nacoochee, a Georgia boarding school that is ranked in the top 100 of national polls, and facing Buford this week.
Maimone sent an email to Benedictine coach Danny Britt threating to sue if Benedictine does not reconsider.
“THIS IS NOT AN OPTION,’’ his email said. “This game is being broadcast to a national audience on the Flo Football channel and as they say in showbiz ‘the show must go on. Please do whatever it takes from your end to comply. Failure to do so will result in major lawsuits.”
Maimone said his company had incurred more than $10,000 in expenses in preparation for the event. Flo Sports planned to live-stream both games but told Maimone on Friday that it would not send a crew unless both games were played. Ironton is still scheduled to play St. Francis of New York in the other game.
Benedictine coach Britt declined comment Friday morning. His team is playing at Buford on Friday night.
Georgia teams are subject to fines if they cancel games with other GHSA teams, but ‘‘contracts with other states are typically not binding,’' GHSA assistant executive director Jay Russell said Friday.
Benedictine, a private Catholic military school, has won four state titles in classes 4A and 2A the past 10 seasons. The football program began beefing up its schedule to include strong out-of-state opponents in 2021. Friday night’s game with No. 1-ranked Buford of Class 7A represents another effort to strengthen its schedule.
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