Athletes and parents at Simeon High School say they were cheated out of a state football playoff victory and they're suing. When the top-seeded Simeon faced Nazareth Academy of La Grange Park on November 10, Richard Mercado was on the sideline. Mercado is an official from the Illinois High School Association, and the father of a player on the Nazareth team. Simeon's lawsuit claims Mercado spent the whole game working the referee and other officials, convincing them to make several questionable calls that cost Simeon the game. Plaintiff’s attorney Shay Allen accused Mercado of making calls "as if he was on the field."