WIAA: Sanctions against 2 MPS football teams cannot be dropped; Pulaski wins big in emotional final game

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- The Pulaski High School football team notched its first official win of the season Thursday night, Oct. 17.

It comes as the WIAA is standing by the sanctions levied against the Rams and against Bay View.

After having to forfeit all previous games because of MPS's clerical error, the district rearranged the schedule to ensure this week's games would not be forfeited.

Pulaski won big over Vincent, 44-0. It was an emotional performance for a team caught in the middle of another district mistake.

The WIAA says it will not change its sanctions, but families tell us that could force them to make some tough choices.

Terrell Wise, a junior fullback for the Rams, told us his goal right now is to "Try to focus on the good. It's pretty tough this whole season."

Wise and his teammates finally had something to celebrate. Their big win was a needed release after a difficult week.

But the sanctions handed down by the WIAA for the MPS clerical error meant it might have been the last time Terrell's mother, Guadalupe, cheered on her son in a Pulaski uniform.

Guadalupe Wise told us Terrell was considering switching schools because of the forfeited season and two year playoff ban. She said, "He definitely mentioned that. He wants to continue to play."

MPS rearranged the schedules so that Pulaski's and Bay View's games would not be forfeited, making them the first and last games of the year that would count.

After the game, Junior Running Back Atavion Hooker told us, "It was discouraging. A lot of players didn't show up to practice. It brought us down. But our coaches brought us back up."

Hooker racked up big yards and big tackles as he battled Vincent on the field.

But the Rams cannot do anything about the sanctions off the field.

Atavion's mother, Demetrius Hooker, told us before the game, "It's not fair to the boys. I feel like why are they being punished?"

After MPS admitted blame for the error, many wondered if the WIAA could amend the sanctions so as to not impact the students.

After days of uncertainty, we finally got a chance to ask Mel Dow, an associate director at WIAA. Dow told us, "We can't arbitrarily change the sanctions for any particular violations."

Dow says the WIAA is bound by the rules that were created by member schools themselves.

And he said membership wants consistency when rules are broken.

Not enforcing these sanctions, Dow said, would impact other schools. "That means that somebody else will be displaced because of a misapplication of the rule breaking of the rule."

But the WIAA's stance is frustrating families and board members who wish there was more flexibility.

Megan O'Halloran, a director on the Milwaukee Board of School Directors, told us, "To know there are adults who will stand by this decision because a piece of paper wasn't filed correctly, I think it is outrageous."

As the process plays out in the present, families are weighing difficult decisions in the future.

Guadalupe Wise said of her son, Terrell, "He's developed a lot of friendships. So, it's a tough choice that he's going to have to make."

Terrell said, "All we try to do is stay positive. Just play hard."

We also asked WIAA's Mel Dow if they could have expedited the appeal process.

He said all appeals take place in person at regular board meetings.

The agenda for the Oct. 31st meeting was already full, so the earliest the appeal could be heard is at the December 6th meeting.

That's when MPS will make its case and get a ruling.

Bay View plays Riverside Friday evening, Oct. 18.