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Karns High School has been banned from the state playoffs.
Karns High School in Knoxville, Tennessee will not compete in the state playoffs this football season. The Beavers have been banned due to a recruiting violation.
The infraction was uncovered after a voicemail was leaked to the TSSAA.
That message, which was never meant to leave the phone line, seemingly confirmed the push to illegally recruit of a high school football player which was not enrolled at Karns. As a result of the wrongdoing, the Beavers will not be given the opportunity to secure a state title.
Karns High School football was on the cusp of a playoff invite.
Karns High School was established in 1913 in western Knox County. It serves grades 9-12 and boasts an enrollment of more than 1,300 students.
It’s located on the northwest outskirts of Knoxville, about a half-hour outside of downtown.
Google Maps
A map showing Karns High School in Tennessee.
In Tennessee, the top four high school football teams from each region make the playoffs. The Beavers are currently ranked sixth in their respective region.
All teams are required to play all other teams within their region. The teams with the best region records shall be declared the region winner, runner-up, third and fourth place and shall advance to the first round of the football play-off series.
Karns plays at the 5A level in Region 2. It has a 2-3 record in league play. The three teams in front of the Beavers are 3-2. Two games remain on the slate. There was a chance to get in.
Now, the Beavers will be barred from the postseason even if they win out. Their head coach broke recruiting rules. He pushed to illegally add a player to his roster. His actions will have immediate consequences.
Lee Warren has been suspended.
The head coach will not coach the next game against Knoxville West. The school will also be forced to pay a $500 fine or risk facing further punishment.
There is a restrictive probation for one year and an additional year of probation, limited offseason practice opportunities to six days during a 15-day period, and a total financial penalty of $2,750.
The playoff ban, however, is the harshest ruling for current players. The Beavers have nothing left to play for.
The punishment was given after the TSSAA got its hands on a voicemail from a conversation between Warren and a staff member.
“We learned of the situation when a voicemail was shared with our staff, which appeared to indicate that a Karns High School staff member was asked by the head football to contact the mother of a student who was not enrolled at Karns and encourage him to attend Karns High School and participate in football.”
-TSSAA statement
Warren attempted to contact a player’s family illegally through a staff member. That player was not enrolled at Karns. It was a Level 3 violation. Hence, the playoff ban.
Karns has not made the postseason since 2022 when it won seven games. They’ve gone 10-29 since. There was a chance to end that streak with a strong finish to the season. Warren’s shady recruiting antics strip the team of that opportunity.