Chinle will play in the Class 3A state semifinals after all.
The AIA ruled on Wednesday that Chinle will be allowed to advance to the state semifinals, even though it lost to top-seeded Sabino in the quarterfinals. Sabino was placed on probation and removed from the bracket on Tuesday, after AIA officials ruled that the Sabercats' coaches violated prior contact rules.
Fourth-seeded Holbrook was initially moved through the bracket and into the finals, with the AIA giving it a ceremonial 1-0 win over Sabino. Now, eighth-seeded Chinle — who Sabino beat 55-43 on Monday — will play Holbrook at 6 p.m. Friday at Glendale's Gila River Arena. The winner will face either Winslow or Page in the final.
A Tucson Unified School District spokesman said Tuesday that the district "disagrees with the AIA decision," in part because TUSD and Sabino had originally self-reported violations leading to nine forfeits.
The AIA said that keeping Sabino in the playoffs would've been a disservice to "those teams that abide by fair play."
