ALTON – The Illinois High School Association officially declared Alton as the winner of a girls soccer match over Edwardsville that was suspended by rain April 4 at Piasa Motor Fuels Field, with the 2-0 score going in as the official final score.
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The IHSA issued its ruling on Monday, stating a rule that any soccer match that reaches halftime is an official match. On that day, Alton had taken its 2-0 lead on a pair of early first-half goals, but school administrators had the match suspended at halftime because of steady rain. The second half of the match was to be played on Monday, until the IHSA made its ruling.
“I’m glad that the IHSA declared it an official game,” said Redbird head coach Gwen Sabo. “I can’t be truly happy though until I know that it is counted as a conference win for us. The match on April 4th against Edwardsville was a conference game, so certainly, it should be counted as a conference win. I’m hoping I hear an official decision from the conference soon.”
Edwardsville officials are planning an appeal to the Southwestern Conference to have the game declared a non-conference game, and to have another game scheduled that would count as a conference game. The decision on that appeal is expected this week.
With the IHSA’s ruling, the Redbirds are now 12-8-0, 5-2 in the SWC, and will play at Collinsville on Thursday evening in a 6:30 p.m kickoff. The Tigers are now 9-7-0 on the season, 6-1 in the conference, and host Chatham Glenwood on Wednesday in a 4:30 p.m. kickoff, then play at Belleville East on Thursday in a 5:30 p.m. kickoff.
