A federal lawsuit filed against Hononegah High School in Rockton, Ill., as well as district leaders, claims they mishandled the fallout surrounding sanctions against the school and its football program by the Illinois High School Association.
As reported by Rockford CW affiliate WIFR, Vecchio Law Offices, which represents plaintiff “John Doe,” says it filed the lawsuit Friday. The lawsuit names the school, principal Chad Dougherty, athletic director Andrew Walters, head football coach Brian Zimmerman, assistant quarterback coach Jeremy Warren and the school’s chief Title IX officer Kendra Asbury as defendants.
The 33-page complaint outlines that John Doe is a student at Hononegah High School and former football player for the 2024-25 school year. It claims that John Doe’s coaches and teammates retaliated against Doe after his parent reported eligibility issues involving another team member.
In September, the IHSA found that the school did not complete the appropriate paperwork, making the team member ineligible for the first three games of the season, WIFR's Laura Neuzil reported. As punishment, the IHSA put Hononegah High School on probation and required the team to forfeit its win against Harlem High School. The school’s athletic director, Andrew Walters, took responsibility for what he called “an oversight.”
Related: HS Put on Probation, Vacates One Varsity Football Win Over Eligibility Oversight
The lawsuit claims Doe faced extreme and severe harassment, threats, intimidation, repeated bullying and went from being placed in a “prominent position on the team” to being shunned and demoted.
Attorneys say despite reporting the issues to school officials, administrators did not investigate Doe’s claims, protect his identity or support him.
Per Neuzil's reporting, the lawsuit alleges that as a result, Doe left the team and “suffered loss of participating on the team, significant mental anguish and loss of opportunities related to college prospects and scholarships.”
