Mary G. Montgomery High School officials said Wednesday they will not continue appealing the Alabama High School Athletic Association’s sanctions against the school’s football program and will instead focus on complying with the penalties and supporting students through the coming season.
School opts to accept penalties, vows compliance
Principal David Diaz told reporters the district had taken the issue as far as it intended. "We are putting it to rest, and we are going to make sure we abide by all of our sanctions and move forward," Diaz said. The decision ends the school’s pursuit of further action after earlier appeals to AHSAA-affiliated boards did not produce a reversal of the penalties.
In May, AHSAA executive director Heath Harmon announced Mary G. Montgomery’s football program had committed violations and issued a slate of penalties. Those measures included a fine, a ban from participating in the 2026 postseason and a season-long AHSAA coaching suspension for then-head coach Zach Golson.
Appeals history and next steps
Mary G. Montgomery first presented an action plan to the AHSAA Central Board on July 29, outlining steps the school would take in response to the association’s findings. At that meeting, the Central Board took no action. The school later appealed to the District 1 Board on Aug. 5, and that board upheld the executive director’s decision.
Diaz said the school could still file one final appeal in the same manner that other schools have announced they will pursue. He noted, however, that the school had reached the point where it would not press the matter further. "The AHSAA Central Board didn't hear the issue to begin with," Diaz said of the July session in Montgomery, adding that school leaders had hoped the presentation of their action plan might prompt the board to consider hearing an appeal.
Former coach urges broader review
At a separate hearing Wednesday concerning a mandatory transfer from the school — a personnel action affecting Zach Golson’s employment as a teacher — Golson urged school and county officials to continue seeking review. He called on officials to escalate the matter to the AHSAA Central Board and to scrutinize whether conflicts of interest existed among board members.
"I would love to see MGM and MCPSS appeal to the Central Board, ask for people to recuse themselves if they have conflicts of interest," Golson said. "Open the whole thing and look at it. Ask yourself, ‘Does the punishment fit the crime or the facts?'"
Golson also asked the Central Board to examine the determinations of ineligibility for players, the postseason ban and his one-year suspension, questioning whether the penalties align with past precedent.
What the sanctions mean locally
For the Mary G. Montgomery student-athletes and families, the sanctions carry clear consequences. The postseason ban means the varsity team cannot participate in state playoff competition for the upcoming season. Individual player eligibility rulings, already part of the AHSAA’s penalties, may affect roster composition and playing time.
- Postseason ban: No participation in 2026 state playoffs.
- Coaching suspension: One-year AHSAA suspension for former head coach Zach Golson.
- Fines and other penalties: Financial penalties and ineligibility rulings for specific players.
District officials did not provide new details Wednesday about how the school will support affected students academically, athletically or with regard to college recruitment concerns. MG M’s action plan presented in July is understood to include measures intended to prevent further violations and to support student welfare, but the school’s decision to stop further appeals means those measures will be implemented under the existing sanction framework.
Broader questions for AHSAA governance
The dispute highlights tensions that can arise between local school systems and the statewide high school athletics association over compliance, adjudication and appeals processes. Golson’s request that the Central Board consider recusals and examine precedent underscores scrutiny of how disciplinary decisions are made and whether they are consistent across member schools.
For now, Mary G. Montgomery’s leadership says its priority is ensuring students are supported and that the school adheres to the AHSAA’s sanctions while moving forward into the 2026 school year.
