Mike White takes a look at the tough position the WPIAL is in today, concerning a hearing with the Jeannette and North Catholic boys' basketball teams.

The WPIAL will have a hearing today with the North Catholic and Jeannette boys' basketball teams, concerning a fight between players after their game Saturday. No matter what the WPIAL does, you can be sure of this: The league will be criticized.

It really is a no-win situation for the WPIAL in this case. The fight occurred near the North Catholic locker room after the PIAA quarterfinal game Saturday at Hempfield. According to those who witnessed the fight, it involved numerous players from both teams, including Jeannette star Terrelle Pryor.

So here is the WPIAL's quandary. If the league decides to suspend players from both teams, the WPIAL will be criticized that the ruling is unfair because North Catholic's season is over. Jeannette is in the semifinals Wednesday night and thus stands to lose much more than North Catholic if players are suspended.

If the WPIAL merely gives a slap on the wrist to both teams and levies penalties for next season, however, critics will say the league turned its head to the fight because it didn't want to see Pryor or other Jeannette players miss the semifinal game.

The other problem for the WPIAL is: Will either team identify any players who were fighting? The players probably won't finger anyone. After the game Saturday, state police were on the scene and investigated the event. Police brought North Catholic players Matt and Marty Long out of the North Catholic locker room and wanted to escort them to the Jeannette locker room to identify players who punched them. Both Longs had cuts and abrasions on their heads and faces, but they told police they would not identify any Jeannette players.

Are there any precedents in a case like this? Yes and no. When North Hills' LaVar Arrington punched an opposing player in the handshake line after a holiday tournament. His case wasn't heard until after the season and the WPIAL suspended him for a few games the following season.

But in a 1992 WPIAL quarterfinal game, North Allegheny defeated Woodland Hills when Devin Billeter dribbled the length of the court in 4 seconds to make a game-winning shot. When the game ended, Woodland Hills coach Matt Furjanic immediately went to the scorer's table and accused the timekeeper (Doug Woods) of purposely not starting the clock. He hit Woods in the face with a towel. After the game, Furjanic accused the scorekeeper of cheating because the game was played at Duquesne University, and then Duquesne athletic director Brian Colleary had a son, Chris, on North Allegheny's team.

The WPIAL had a hearing on the matter and suspended Furjanic for the rest of the season, including the PIAA playoffs.

So good luck, WPIAL. No matter what the league rules, the criticism will fly.