ATLANTA, Ga. —  The GHSA has postponed Friday’s 5A quarterfinal between Gainesville High School and Langston Hughes High School after appealing a judge’s decision to lift the suspensions of 34 Gainesville players.

During last week’s game against Brunswick High School, a bench-clearing brawl broke out. Initially, 38 Gainesville players were suspended. The school appealed the decision and only four players were reinstated. The two schools were also fined $5,000.

An injunction was filed Wednesday morning in court, according to the school’s athletic department. An injunction is a court order that would require the association to essentially not pursue the suspensions.

The superior court granted the injunction, which reinstated 34 players.

“I am overjoyed with excitement for our kids,” said Adam Lindsey, athletic director at Gainesville High School. “I hate that it had to come to this (filing an injunction), but in the end it is about what is best for our kids: Go Big Red.”

Four Gainesville players are still suspended.

GHSA said it plans to file an appeal of the injunction and has postponed the game between Gainesville and Langston Hughes. They said the game would be rescheduled “once the appeal decision has been rendered.”

Gainesville said they will appeal the GHSA’s appeal of the court decision.

The game’s postponement could have an effect on the semifinal game that would follow. The winner of the game between Gainesville and Langston Hughes would face the winner of the game between Rome and Jackson County.

That game is set to go on as scheduled Friday. The semifinal game is set for Dec. 5, but the effect of the postponement remains to be seen.

Brunswick faces a one-year postseason ban and had 41 players suspended. One Brunswick parent whose son was involved said, “I’m very disappointed. I am very, very disappointed. I’m disappointed that our official let us down.”

“That guy could have pulled his neck and broke his neck, so he had no other choice but to reach up for his helmet,” she said. “He looked back and [seen] it. He wasn’t happy about it, but he had already expressed himself about they’re pulling his helmet.”

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