Marian Central wrestler, coach win court fight against IHSA as McHenry County judge overturns suspensions

State title holder Jimmy Mastny will be allowed to wrestle his remaining years at Marian Central Catholic High School, and his coach can continue in his role, a McHenry County judge ruled Friday.

Outside court after the brief hearing, Marian Central wrestling co-coach Jordan Blanton thanked all those who supported Mastny and him. Blanton described the trial as “just another challenge” that “requires the same determination” as any challenge wrestlers face on the mat.

The civil trial took place after Blanton and Mastny’s family sued the IHSA after the agency that governs high school sports in the state suspended Mastny from wrestling for Marian Central and Blanton from coaching over claims Mastny was recruited, which is not allowed under IHSA rules.

Central to the case is that before Mastny’s freshman year, Blanton’s mother Stacey Blanton, a longtime friend of Mastny’s mother, Renee, took Mastny into her Woodstock home and legally took over his guardianship so he could attend Marian Central. Renee Mastny has said she made this decision because Marian Central could provide her son with a better education than he could receive in his hometown of Oregon, in Ogle County.

But the IHSA determined the “housing arrangement with [the coach’s mother], which allowed Jimmy to wrestle at Marian Central, was a recruiting infraction,” Kenneth Vanko wrote in his argument.

Argued at a bench trial last week before Judge David Gervais was whether Stacey Blanton is considered a person “connected” to the school because she is the mother of an employee. If so, then Blanton taking Jimmy Mastny into her home, and the high school allowing him to wrestle, would be seen as a “special inducement” and considered a violation of IHSA bylaws regarding recruitment.

In his written ruling, Gervais said there was “no evidence” of any recruitment or that Stacey Blanton offering guardianship of Jimmy Mastny “ was an effort of recruiting or inducing Jimmy Mastny to attend Marian Central.”

The judge also wrote that the IHSA’s ruling in December and the appeal affirming the decision – that Mastny could no longer wrestle for the high school and Blanton would be suspended for one year – was “arbitrary and capricious and that no reasonable or rational interpretation and enforcement of the applicable IHSA By-Laws support” that decision.

“IHSA has chosen not to follow its own rules. There is nothing showing that there was any conduct” by Mastny or Blanton “that was improper under these IHSA By-Laws.” Additionally, Gervais said it was established the two moms had been friends since 2017 and made this decision after Jimmy and his parents explored “all avenues to find housing in the Marian Central” boundaries so he could attend the school.

IHSA’s “finding that Stacey Blanton’s offer was anything other than a friendly attempt of fulfilling Jimmy’s (and his parent’s) wishes in attending and wrestling for Marian Central is arbitrary and capricious,” the judge said.

After Gervais previously granted an emergency stop to the IHSA suspensions, allowing Mastny to wrestle and Blanton to coach, Mastny went on to win the 157-pound, Class 1A state title as a freshman. There was some concern he would have to forfeit that if he didn’t win the case.

Afterward the ruling came down Friday, Mastny was quiet and only expressed he was happy with the judge’s ruling. His mother said she is happy the weight has been lifted and her son can continue to thrive.

“God doesn’t put you through what he is not going to pull you through,” she said.

Timothy Brandner, attorney for Mastny and Blanton, said if the IHSA wants to define the parents of employees as “connected” to the school, then the IHSA needs to amend its by-laws. He also said IHSA has 31 days to file a notice of appeal.

An IHSA representative could not immediately be reached.