COCOA, Fla.,None — An athlete considered the best football player in Brevard County will not play for Cocoa High School in Friday night's state semi-final game.
Running back Chevelle Buie has been suspended from school and the NAACP had actually been fighting to get him to play. The organization tried to get Cocoa High and the Brevard district to change the decision not to let him play.
The district isn't saying why Buie was suspended, but someone close to the family told WFTV he had skipped school, again.
Number 4 Chevelle Buie is something to watch on the field. If he weren't suspended, he'd be helping the Cocoa High Tigers try to win their third state championship.
Instead, they'll play without him despite the efforts of South Brevard NAACP President Robert Johnson, who says Buie might have faced tougher punishment than others because he's a "superstar."
"Maybe because he's Buie. We don't know, but we're highly interested in it," Johnson said.
Johnson says he tried unsuccessfully to meet with school officials Friday so Buie could play Friday night. He says Buie's mother is concerned about him missing school and missing practice next week.
If the Tigers win Friday night, they'll play for the state championship next Saturday.
"We don't want to smother this kid's motivation with a promising future and we want to basically get him into school. We don't want to breed dropouts," Johnson said.
Buie's mother wouldn't talk to WFTV Friday, but Buie told WFTV Eyewitness Sports last summer that another state championship means more to him than scoring record touchdowns this year.
"I just want to win. I could have 2-3, as long as we win another state championship. That's all I want," he said last summer.
Friday, one fan who's taking the bus to the semi-final game in Madison County hopes for a win even without him.
"He's not the only one on the team. They'll win 'cause we all have been praying all day long," alumnus Jeannie McHellon said.
Suspended students are also suspended from school activities and sports. Buie's family is concerned the suspension could hurt his chances for a scholarship.
Someone close to his family says he's skipped school before; this time, he was hanging around at another school when he should have been in class at Cocoa.
WFTV
