The postseason ban hanging over Mary G. Montgomery High School’s football program is still in effect after the Alabama High School Athletic Association’s Central Board declined to take action on the school’s punishment during a lengthy meeting in Montgomery this week. But according to the Mobile County Public School System, the Semmes school has not run out of options.
MGM Principal David Diaz confirmed Thursday morning that he had received a letter from AHSAA Executive Director Heath Harmon outlining the Central Board’s actions, but he declined to comment further, directing questions to Mobile County Public School System Communications Director Rena Phillips. Multiple sources told reporters that no formal vote was taken during a second executive session Wednesday because state law prohibits voting in executive session.
What Happened at the Central Board Meeting
Diaz spent roughly 20 minutes Wednesday morning presenting to the AHSAA Central Board during an executive session that stretched to four hours, in part because the board also met separately that day with representatives from several other Alabama schools, including Pell City, Vestavia Hills, Oak Mountain and Selma. Harmon said Diaz had been asked to lay out an action plan showing what steps Mary G. Montgomery has taken, and will continue to take, to prevent future compliance violations.
“I just asked them to come in and present to the Central Board what had happened and what they’ve done to address it,” Harmon said following the meeting. He did not elaborate further on the content of Diaz’s presentation, and the board took no formal action to lift or reduce the postseason ban.
A Path Forward Through the Local Board
In a statement issued Thursday, Phillips clarified that Wednesday’s session should not be mistaken for a formal appeal hearing. “According to the AHSAA, yesterday’s meeting was not a formal appeal,” the statement read. “It was a meeting where MGM representatives presented the action steps that the school has taken to make sure that the school maintains AHSAA compliance going forward.” Phillips added that AHSAA informed the school Wednesday night that Mary G. Montgomery can still appeal its 2026 postseason status, but that appeal would need to go before the local District 1 board rather than the statewide Central Board. “MGM is now considering its options,” the statement said.
District 1’s board is made up of Blount Principal Jerome Woods, Alma Bryant coach Bart Sessions, former Foley coach Deric Scott and Fairhope coach Caleb Ross. It is not yet known when that board will schedule a hearing on Mary G. Montgomery’s request, and school officials have not said publicly what additional evidence or arguments they intend to present if an appeal moves forward.
Background on the Recruiting Violations
The postseason ban traces back to a ruling the AHSAA handed down in May, when the association found that Mary G. Montgomery had committed recruiting violations. Along with the playoff ban for the upcoming season, the AHSAA suspended head coach Zach Golson for a full year. Golson was placed on paid administrative leave on May 4 and was escorted off campus that day without being given the chance to address his players or coaching staff. He has since lost his position with the program entirely.
Golson’s departure marked the end of a rebuilding effort that had turned Mary G. Montgomery into one of the more respected programs in Alabama’s largest classification. He took over the Vikings in 2022 after inheriting a program that had posted the worst record in Class 7A history, and within a few seasons had them competing for region titles. Under his leadership, MGM went 37-10 overall and won two region championships in four years, including a 31-5 stretch over the final three seasons and a 23-3 mark in region play across the last four years.
What It Means for the Vikings and the Semmes Community
For students, coaches and families connected to Mary G. Montgomery High School, the uncertainty carries real weight heading into the 2026 season. A postseason ban would keep one of the region’s stronger programs out of the Class 7A playoff picture regardless of how the Vikings perform during the regular season, affecting seniors who have spent years working toward a playoff run and a coaching staff now tasked with steadying the program without its longtime head coach. Mobile County Public School System officials have indicated the district intends to pursue every available avenue to restore the team’s postseason eligibility, and the outcome of any District 1 appeal is expected to shape how the Vikings approach preseason preparations in the weeks ahead. Southalnews.com will continue to follow developments as the appeal process moves forward and as the AHSAA and Mary G. Montgomery school officials provide additional updates.