(AP) - A New Jersey judge will hear argumentsThursday in the dispute over the suspension of nine Wayne HillsHigh School football players.

The hearing before Administrative Law Judge Ellen Bass in Newarkwill consider whether the school district's suspension of theplayers can be overturned in time for them to play in a statechampionship game on Saturday.

The nine players were charged with assault after a brawl at anoff-campus party in late October.

Attorneys for the players say they were punished arbitrarily andwithout due process by the school district. They've asked for thesuspensions to be lifted pending the resolution of the criminalcase.

The judge's finding from Thursday's hearing will be referred tothe state's commissioner of education, who will then issue adecision.

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