The Westinghouse High School girls' basketball team will be without coach Phyllis Jonesin the PIAA playoffs after the Pittsburgh City League suspended her for a year for allegedly recruiting a player from another school.

Westinghouse won its third consecutive City League championship Thursday, and Jones was suspended Friday after a hearing with the District 8 (City League) athletic committee. After the hearing, the committee voted, 5-3, to suspend Jones immediately.

Westinghouse begins the PIAA playoffs Saturday against Indiana.

"The way the PIAA rules read, the suspension has to be for at least one year for violation of the [recruiting] rule," City League athletic director Mike Gavlik said. "The suspension begins the day of the hearing."

Under terms of the suspension, Jones can't practice with her team the rest of this season, or until Feb. 27 of next year.

Jones did not return phone messages left for her at her home, Westinghouse and cell phone.

Gavlik said the player Jones is accused of recruiting does not play for Westinghouse. Gavlik said City League officials were made aware of Jones' possible recruiting in mid-February.

"The committee felt there was evidence to support [the recruiting charge]," Gavlik said.

Jones has won seven City League championships in 18 years as coach, been in the title game all 18 seasons and compiled an overall record of 349-133. But this is the second time the City League has suspended Jones for a year for allegedly recruiting a player, which violates PIAA rules.

In early March 2006, the City League suspended Jones after the league championship game, and Jones was not permitted to coach in the PIAA playoffs. But Jones maintained her innocence three years ago and appealed the suspension to the PIAA. Three months after the City League handed down its suspension, the PIAA overturned it and Jones coached the 2006-07 season.

Gavlik said Jones again can appeal her suspension to the PIAA.

The uncle of a Neshannock boys' basketball player was arrested in a WPIAL semifinal game a week ago after he came onto the court during a fight involving his nephew.

Donald L. Kirkwood Jr., of New Castle, was arrested by Bellevue Police and charged with resisting arrest, disorderly conduct and defiant trespassing. He faces a preliminary hearing April 2.

Kirkwood's nephew, Tony, is a senior guard and leading scorer on Neshannock's team. In a game against Serra at Northgate, Tony Kirkwood and Serra player Rob Heatherington got into a fight. Punches were thrown and both players were ejected.

Donald Kirkwood came out of the stands during the fight and game officials asked for Kirkwood to be removed from the gymnasium. Paul Holzshu, the WPIAL site manager for the game, said when Kirkwood was asked to leave, he became upset and that's when police arrested him.

This is the third year the PIAA has had "play-in" round games. But the "play-in" games are different this season. The PIAA is giving teams home games.

WPIAL executive director Tim O'Malley said the PIAA is staging the 21 "play-in" games at home sites because the games were not well attended the past two years. All 10 WPIAL teams (five boys and five girls) involved in "play-in" games will play at home tonight.

Seneca Valley last night hired Don Holl as its new football coach. Holl has been Erie Cathedral Prep's coach the past four seasons and had a 36-14 record. Former Pitt coach Walt Harris had talked with Seneca Valley officials about the job a month ago, but Harris eventually accepted an assistant coach's position at the University of Akron.