The Argyle Eagles improved to 7-1 on the season and 4-0 in district play after a dominant 56-16 win over The Colony Friday night, but the program’s momentum could be tested soon.
Being led by transfer quarterback Hayes Hackney, it felt almost inevitable that Argyle would have to answer questions about his eligibility.
That’s exactly what will happen, according to a report from the Dallas Morning News.
A district executive committee hearing is scheduled for Tuesday, citing a possible dual-residency issue for Hackney, who transferred to Argyle High from Prosper Walnut Grove High School during the offseason.
It’s a similar situation to what Lewisville High School quarterback Laykon Brassfield is facing, who hopes to return for Friday’s game against Flower Mound if all goes well.
Brassfield was ruled ineligible just before the Battle of the Axe rivalry game against Marcus High School because his family had used a house in Argyle to enroll his younger siblings in Argyle ISD, but a different address to enroll Brassfield in Lewisville ISD.
The Farmers were forced to forfeit the first three wins of the season, but could have them reinstated if Brassfield is ruled eligible. Lewisville is 4-0 since starting safety Aiden Evans took over as quarterback.
Hackney and Argyle High face potentially the same fate, except the Eagles would be forced to forfeit all of its district wins, as well, and make it unlikely that an appeal could be made before playoffs with just two games left in the season.
According to the DMN, Hackney has already faced a DEC in a May hearing that cleared him to play for Argyle by a 4-2 vote, but a potential residency issue has come up since.
The only loss handed to the Eagles this season was by a team out of California in the team’s season opener at the brand new Argyle Stadium.
Hackney is in his first year as Argyle’s quarterback, and took over for Maguire Gasperson, who graduated and is now on the roster for the University of Texas at San Antonio.
Brassfield and Hackney aren’t the only southern Denton County football players in the midst of the high school football transfer chaos.
Marcus High School’s former quarterback Colton Nussmeier transferred to Denton Ryan, was ruled ineligible before the start of the season, and is now playing his senior year at a private school in Louisiana.
The Marauders are 2-5 overall this season, and 0-4 in district with a recent blowout loss to Flower Mound in the Mound Showdown rivalry game.
A highly-touted defensive lineman from Byron Nelson also left the Lone Star State for an opportunity to play with a high school in Florida.
The Bobcats are 4-3 on the season and just 2-2 in district.
