JACKSON — The Mississippi High School Activities Association upheld its initial ruling from a June meeting banning out-of-state students from participating in athletics.

In a closed meeting with the executive committee on Tuesday, the MHSAA decided against overturning the rule after listening to representatives of the four Catholic schools in the Diocese of Jackson.

Following the meeting, Cathedral chief administrator Pat Sanguinetti expressed displeasure with the MHSAA’s ruling.

“We felt like they could work with us for at least one year since they announced the new enforcement of the ruling in June,” Sanguinetti said. “I would have thought they would have given us the benefit of the doubt. Our kids will play. We will not discriminate, and whether it’s MHSAA or not, our kids will play.”

Details of the vote count were not released.

Sanguinetti said he plans on getting with other members of the Diocese today in an effort to strategize and figure out what’s next for Cathedral High School.

“I won’t say we’re taking legal action yet because I need to make some calls first, but we should have a plan together by Thursday,” Sanguinetti said.

The Catholic Diocese of Jackson tried to sway votes in Tuesday’s meeting after a 7-5 vote in favor of enforcing the MHSAA’s out-of-state rule took place in June.

MHSAA executive director Don Hinton did not return several phone calls Tuesday.