Brookland-Cayce’s football team is facing sanctions after the South Carolina High School League accused the school of practicing with an ineligible player. 

The Bearcats initially faced a $1,500 fine and loss of three August practices, along with the suspension of new head coach Louis Clyburn for five games and all of the postseason. 

But, after a meeting in front of the SCHSL Appellate Committee, the board unanimously voted to significantly reduce the penalties.  

Brookland-Cayce will now pay a $500 fine, miss three August practices and play only one scrimmage. Clyburn will not be suspended and is allowed to coach in the postseason. 

Many of the details about the violation were not initially known publicly at first. The school’s meeting in front of the league’s Executive Committee went into closed session to share personal details about the ineligible student.  

The meeting in front of the Appellate Committee provided more clarity. 

Brookland-Cayce was accused of allowing a student enrolled at Clear Dot Charter to practice with the team in the Spring. The student practiced seven times, Brookland-Cayce principal Vance Jones said. 

The student is a rising junior and was enrolled at Brookland-Cayce in the fall. He was a member of the 2024 football team and enrolled at Clear Dot Charter to boost academics and return to Brookland-Cayce at the start of the next school year. 

Brookland-Cayce officials claimed they got approval to let the student practice from league commissioner Jerome Singleton during a face-to-face meeting. Singleton denied that claim.

League officials also stated that as of early June, the student had yet to withdraw from Clear Dot Charter. 

The student is still not eligible to play in the fall, but Clyburn said he is enrolled in a summer class at Brookland-Cayce that, once completed, would make him eligible. 

Brookland-Cayce was originally presented with two options for punishment. The first was a postseason ban plus a two-game suspension for Clyburn. The second was the initial punishment selected by the school. 

The Bearcats submitted a proposal for self-imposed sanctions that included Clyburn being suspended for the first two games, the loss of summer contests and three August practices. That proposal was denied on two separate votes by the Executive Committee. 

Brookland-Cayce will now have its coach for every game this season. It is a relief for the school and Clyburn, who is entering his first season as the Bearcats’ coach and athletic director. 

The Bearcats will begin their 2025 season on Aug. 15 at home against Saluda.