Trial opens over whether Marian Central state champ wrestler and his coach should be suspended

A trial to determine whether a state champion wrestler from Marian Central Catholic High School should be allowed to continue in the sport – and whether his coach should be suspended – got underway in McHenry County court Monday.

The IHSA had ruled late last year that then-freshman Jimmy Mastny had been recruited to wrestle at the Woodstock school after the teen, from Oregon, Illinois, moved into the home of the Marion Central wrestling co-coach’s mother so he could attend the Catholic school.

In December, just before the season began, the IHSA Board of Directors suspended the coach, Jordan Blanton, for the season and banned Mastny from ever wrestling at Marian. The board that governs high school sports in Illinois ruled that the way Mastny joined the team went against IHSA rules that prohibit recruiting. The board’s decision came after IHSA Executive Director Craig Anderson found that Blanton and Mastny violated the IHSA’s 3.070 recruiting bylaw, which bars any sort of recruitment or offering and accepting inducements for a student-athlete to attend a school.

Both Mastny, who is now 16, and Blanton denied violating any rules and said they followed the IHSA’s by-laws. Jimmy Mastny’s mother, Renee – who turned over guardianship of her son to Stacey Blanton, the coach’s mom – and Jordan Blanton then filed a motion seeking a temporary restraining order.

McHenry County Judge David Gervais temporarily granted restraining order lifting the suspension allowing Blanton to coach and Mastny to wrestle for the season while the question of his eligibility was pending. The judge questioned why Mastny should be punished under the circumstances. Gervais also said in December he did not find that recruitment took place in this situation. Gervais – the same judge who oversaw the transfer of Mastny’s guardianship to the coach’s mother – also said IHSA didn’t provide a clear explanation of how to apply its rules.

Mastny went on to have one of McHenry County’s most dominant seasons. He won the Class 1A 157-pound state title and helped the Hurricanes win their first IHSA dual team state title.

But while Blanton and Mastny were allowed to coach and wrestle last season, their original legal challenge to the IHSA continued, and on Monday, Gervais presided over the trial, in which attorneys for IHSA and for Mastny and Blanton questioned Anderson, the only witness to testify.

The IHSA head testified that the investigation was prompted in part by anonymous emails alleging recruitment by the Marian Central wrestling team. IHSA also investigated three other students who transferred to Marian that year and also were wrestlers. They were cleared and Mastny was not because Anderson said he suspected recruitment had taken place. The investigation into Mastny was “very time consuming” and involved interviews with the coach, his mom and Mastny’s mom. Ultimately, Anderson said he “found there was a recruiting violation.”

In questioning Anderson, Timothy Brandner, the attorney for Mastny and Blanton, read through the bylaws and sub-bylaws governing the sport. The sub-bylaws read that no “connected person” or “person associated” with the school is allowed to provide housing or privileges to a student athlete. However, Brandner asserted, Stacey Blanton is not an employee or volunteer or otherwise connected to the school. Though her son is a coach at the school and is considered a connected person, she is not; therefore, no rule was broken, the attorney said.

Brandner pointed out that there is nothing written in the bylaws that “specifically” says the parent of a connected person is not allowed to provide housing to an athlete. Anderson agreed but said it “is reasonable” to interpret that it is a violation.

The attorneys are to file written closing arguments by Friday and a status hearing is scheduled for Aug. 30, with the judge expected to announce a ruling sometime after that.

It is unclear what happens to Mastny’s wins from last year if he is found to be in violation of bylaws. After the hearing, Brandner said “his best guess” is that those wins will not have to be forfeited. Mastny was still considered eligible at the time because the judge had temporarily granted a restraining order which lifted the suspension preventing him from wrestling. IHSA acknowledged months ago that the only association Stacey Blanton had to the school was that she is the coach’s mom, Brandner said.

“The question the judge has to answer is ... was the IHSA’s decision arbitrary, capricious or unreasonable in how they interpreted the by-laws,” Brandner said. “Our position is it is arbitrary and unreasonable to say an employee’s mom is connected to the school.”