Football at Mary G. Montgomery High School will look different next season after the Alabama High School Athletic Association suspended head coach Zach Golson for one year and barred the Vikings from postseason play.

According to the Alabama High School Athletic Association, Mary G. Montgomery High School was fined and placed on probation for violating AHSAA Rule VI, Section 12, which governs recruiting. The school self-reported the violation, and the Vikings will be allowed to play their 10-game regular season schedule but will be barred from postseason competition in 2026.

In addition, games against Mary G. Montgomery will not count toward the Class 6A, Region 1 standings or any tiebreaker scenarios because the school is ineligible for championship play.

Any students found to be in violation of the recruiting rule will be deemed permanently ineligible to participate in athletics at Mary G. Montgomery High School, according to the AHSAA. The association stated those students may regain eligibility in the school district where their family resides. The AHSAA release did not list how many student-athletes could be affected by the ruling.

“We appreciate the administration for investigating and reporting this violation,” said AHSAA Executive Director Heath Harmon in the association’s release announcing the penalties.

The violation allegedly stemmed from a signing ceremony in April for eighth-grade students at Mary G. Montgomery High School. According to reports, several students at the event allegedly did not live in the school zone. Photos from the ceremony later appeared on social media.

Under AHSAA rules, coaches and school representatives are not allowed to recruit students who live outside their school zone or communicate with students already enrolled at another school for recruiting purposes. The rule covers contact through phone calls, emails, text messages and social media.

The penalties come after a successful run for Mary G. Montgomery High School under head coach Zach Golson. Golson compiled 37 wins in four years as head coach and led the Vikings to the only three playoff victories in program history.

Golson was also named the Alabama Sports Writers Association’s Class 7A Coach of the Year in both 2022 and 2023. Before he took over the program in 2022, the Vikings had compiled a 30-90 record under six previous head coaches.

Earlier this month, Mobile County Public Schools placed Golson on administrative leave.

Sherri Blevins is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News. You may contact her at [email protected].