Steve GehlbachTue, November 25, 2025 at 9:28 PM UTC·2 min readThe Georgia High School Association has upheld the suspension of 35 Gainesville High School football players following a brawl during a game against Brunswick High School last Friday.
During an online hearing on Tuesday morning, the GHSA board reviewed video evidence from the game and reinstated only four of the 39 suspended Gainesville players.
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The four reinstated players included two who had their helmets forcibly removed and two others who did not engage in the altercation.
Gainesville’s head football coach, Josh Niblett, made a passionate plea during the hearing, arguing that his players reacted only after a Brunswick player ran onto the field and speared a Gainesville player who was without a helmet.
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“I understand there’s a bylaw and understand have to stick to your guns, set a precedent, but this is a chance too…also that this wasn’t right,” Niblett said at the hearing. “I mean it’s not right. I don’t know what you want our guys to do when that happened?”
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementThe GHSA rules mandate that all players who leave the bench during a game must miss the next game, even if it is part of the upcoming playoffs.
The board voted to uphold the suspensions for all but four players, emphasizing the importance of adhering to their by-laws.
During the hearing, Glynn County school officials acknowledged the role of Brunswick players in instigating the fight and stated that they would face consequences, potentially including criminal charges.
The Georgia High School Association also suspended 41 Brunswick players and placed their football program on probation for the next season, making them ineligible for the 2026-2027 postseason. Additionally, Brunswick was fined $5,000.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementThe decision by the GHSA means that Gainesville High will have to play their next game without 35 of their players, impacting their performance as they head into the playoffs.
Meanwhile, Brunswick faces significant penalties that will affect their football program for the foreseeable future.
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