In a letter sent from Grapevine-Colleyville ISD, the district says the decision came after allegations of an ineligible player were flagged by the UIL.
GRAPEVINE, Texas — Reigning as back-to-back 5A state champions, the Grapevine High School Baseball team has seen this current season end abruptly and without a chance to win a third consecutive title, as the UIL has deemed the team ineligible for the 2026 postseason.
“We’re not going to just give up on our season,” said Lale Esquivel, a Grapevine High School senior.
Several players from the team gathered with parents at the Tarrant County Courthouse Thursday to file a temporary injunction.
“I know they would rather lose on the field then lose in a courtroom,” said Esquivel’s father, Lale.
WFAA acquired the documents filed in Thursday’s injunction hearing. The 348th District Court in Tarrant County is expected to set a future date for the defendants in this case, namely the UIL and the Grapevine-Colleyville ISD, to appear to argue the case made by Esquivel, who is named as the plaintiff.
Esquivel has two sons on the team. His oldest is a senior. The team was supposed to be playoff-bound this week. It was going to be a chance to defend their two-time state championship title.
“We were hitting, getting ready for the game,” said Esquivel.
He said his coach broke the news before their first playoff game Wednesday. Their season is over.
“It was like a punch in the gut. I feel like I’ve gave everything to this program not to receive the same back was kind of frustrating,” said Esquivel.
In a statement from Grapevine-Colleyville ISD made available Wednesday to WFAA, the district says it was notified Tuesday evening by the UIL of a ruling against the GHS baseball team stemming from an investigation detailing that an ineligible player was active on the GHS baseball team.
District officials say that after that internal investigation, it was determined the student-athlete in question did not meet the requirements outlined in Section 442 of the UIL Constitution and Rules. Section 442 is in reference to a student’s eligibility based on their residence in the school attendance zone.
Officials say that while the player was initially deemed eligible based on information given to the district, they took full responsibility of the transgression and self-reported later findings to the UIL.
In a statement to WFAA, the UIL confirmed that Grapevine-Colleyville ISD reported the participation of the ineligible athlete.
As a result of this decision, Grapevine must forfeit all games that the athlete played in, which means the GHS baseball team no longer qualifies for the playoffs despite compiling a 28-3 record and a No. 1 ranking in the state. Officials say head coach Jimmy Webster has fully cooperated with the investigation.
“We realize this news is deeply disappointing for our players, families, and fans, and it is not the ending anyone envisioned for this season,” the district’s statement reads. “However, we refuse to compromise our commitment to the rules and the values of honesty and sportsmanship. Our focus now remains on supporting our student-athletes and helping them navigate this challenge with the same resilience they demonstrate on the field.”
Grapevine began its championship run in 2024 by defeating Lucas Lovejoy High 6-5 to win the 5A State Championship, which at the time was the second baseball state championship in school history.
In 2025, the team followed up with their second-straight championship, which came with a 9-5 win over Humble Kingwood Park in the state final.
As a result of the forfeiture, Denton Ryan will face Aledo in the 5A Division I playoffs, and Colleyville Heritage will face Chisholm Trail.
Parents and student-athletes want answers.
“If we did something wrong, we did something wrong. We’ll take the punishment. I just don’t believe we did.” said Esquivel.