Boys Soccer: Broad Run Senior Keeper Hegedus Wins Appeal to VHSL to Play

(Mar 23, 2011) - Broad Run High School keeper Paul Hegedus, who allowed just three goals in seven postseason matches last year as the Spartans boys soccer team rolled all the way to the AA state semifinals, was in danger of having his senior season shut out by an academic rules violation but the Virginia High School League granted him a waiver on appeal Wednesday.

"We can't tell you what a relief this is. Not getting to play his senior year would have been just too much to take," commented Hegedus' father Pete Hegedus after the VHSL ruled 4-0 in his son's favor. "We definitely appreciated all the support that the school gave Paul. (Broad Run principal) Mr. Anderson, (athletic director) Mr. Kirby and his guidance counselor all came down and all spoke on his behalf ... in the end - his academic record and I think his character, plus the support of so many around him, won the day and reasonable people reached the proper and fitting decision. Paul's excited to put this behind him!"

Hegedus carries a 4.1 GPA and is taking four AP courses this senior year but a scheduling conflict forced him to drop his fifth credit course and when it was replaced by a non-credit course, he fell below the VHSL threshold of five credit courses for athletes in the semester prior to and during their sports season.

The Dulles District voted 3-0 to waive the rule for Hegedus but the VHSL initially denied the waiver. That denial was overturned today and the waiver was granted, allowing Hegedus to play this season.

Hegedus was a second team all-district selection last year for the Spartans and a year ago he captured US Youth Soccer's Save of the Year for the entire country in 2009 while with his travel soccer team.