Brunswick High School will be eligible for postseason play next year after the Georgia High School Association voted Wednesday to overturn most of the suspensions handed down following a bench-clearing fight during a playoff game against Gainesville.

During a virtual Board of Trustees meeting, Brunswick Principal Slade Turner and District Athletic Director Steve Waters appealed the penalties issued after the November altercation. The GHSA had originally suspended 41 Brunswick players, including two who were ejected based on the officials' game report. Those sanctions drew increased scrutiny after Gainesville won an injunction overturning its own suspensions, arguing that the GHSA had issued inconsistent discipline compared to a similar fight between Northeast and Southwest high schools in Macon earlier in August.

Following the discussion, the Board of Trustees voted 11–1 to overturn 39 of the suspensions and downgrade Brunswick's probation to a "severe warning." Waters, who serves on the board, abstained from the vote. The decision keeps the Pirates eligible for next season's playoffs. The two players ejected during the game will still serve a one-game suspension. Fines issued to both schools were not challenged and remain in place.

The ruling marks a significant reversal from the GHSA's initial punishment. With less than two minutes left in the third quarter of the second-round game, several Brunswick players appeared to initiate a fight as the team trailed Gainesville 42–0. Video posted to social media showed players from both sidelines rushing to midfield before punches were thrown. Officials ended the game immediately, and it was never completed. The GHSA later fined Brunswick $5,000 and placed the program on probation for the 2026–27 school year, making the team ineligible for postseason play.

Turner, at the time, said Brunswick "accepts the ruling of the GHSA and will fully comply with all directives immediately." He said the school turned over all available game film and detailed lists outlining which players entered the field, which engaged in the fight, and which remained on the sideline as instructed. GHSA reviewed information from both schools before issuing its decision.

Turner added that the school had launched its own disciplinary process. 

On Tuesday, Brunswick Head Coach Garret Grady announced his resignation. A GHSA spokesperson told CBS News Atlanta that his departure was "a school issue."