An agenda item on the NSAA Board of Directors meeting for Jan. 20, 2022, caught the attention of athletic directors and coaches around the state on Tuesday. 

The agenda item: Gretna, Student Eligibility, 10:00 a.m. The agenda item, a player on the 2021 Class A State Champion Gretna football team.

Over two hours later, the board left an executive session. The NSAA board announced they had upheld Executive Director Jay Bellar’s December ruling. Gretna would have to vacate the 2021 Class A Championship for using an ineligible player.

No champion will be listed for the 2021 season in the NSAA record books and Gretna will return the championship trophy. However, the players on the 2021 team will keep their medals.

There is precedent for such a decision to be made by the executive director and the board. In 1919 Holbrook was found to use an ineligible player and vacated the Class F basketball title that year. More recently Omaha Westside forfeited a 1999 football playoff semifinal due to an ineligible player.

Here's @nsaahome director Jay Bellar comment on the Gretna situation–NSAA ruled unanimously Gretna used an ineligible player, Dragons must vacate the 2021 Class A state title – there will be no champion in Class A for 2021 @KETV pic.twitter.com/lVseAFDrNG

— Andy Kendeigh (@AKendeighKETV) January 20, 2022