hi. ok, my school just had a game in which was very close. We were down 38-34 with 56 seconds left so we were forced to onside kick the ball. we kicked it and recovered it. but the officials rule that their team was offsides after we had gained possession of the ball. my question is are we allowed to decline the penalty or not? because they would not allow us to decline the penalty and as a result we lost a playoff game.

This sounds as if this is a dead ball foul. R will be penalized 5 yards, if enforcement accepted. Regardless if penalty is accepted or not, K will re-kick since it was a dead ball foul.

What code were your playing under simply because you said it was high school but used the word "offside?"

If the school was anywhere in the U.S. but Texas or Massachusetts, the code used would be the NFHS Rules.

That being the case, NFHS rule is encroachment, not offside, is a dead ball foul and there is no choice. You said the play was completed but if encroachment occurred the play did not count because it was a dead ball foul.

I know your next question has to be why did the officials let the play go. Not being there I can only guess there was some communication problem among the officials that let the play go.

It happens sometimes when a dead ball foul occurs just before it becomes alive and the official is unable to stop the play already in progress.

Don't know why you posted here because nothing we say can change the score. Get over it, it is just a game.

Nope, you lost the game because you allowed your opponent to score more points than you did. You did not lose the game because the opponent encroached.