Glendale Deer Valley’s football playoff hopes have been resurrected after the Arizona Interscholastic Association’s Executive Board lifted its probation status on Monday (Oct. 21). But the football program still will be on advisement, or warning.

The Skyhawks, who had not been on the AIA’s power points list that determines playoff seedings, will be placed on the list when it is updated on Tuesday morning (Oct. 22). The team (5-3) has two regular-season games remaining.

The AIA made its decision after the Deer Valley Unified School District took more of a corrective action in regard to some of those responsible for the high school’s decision to allow two ineligible players to play in a game after their hardship transfers from another school were denied by the AIA.

The AIA later ruled the players eligible after they appealed.

But Deer Valley’s entire athletic program was put on probation for the defiance of AIA bylaws, and only after an appeal was the program reinstated on Oct. 8 after the district showed examples that it was taking corrective disciplinary steps. The football program remained in limbo until Monday.