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Central Catholic football transfer cases: One athlete is eligible, one isn't
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The WPIAL made two different rulings Monday on two football players who transferred to Central Catholic High School.
Running back Niko Thorpe, a sophomore who transferred in January from Shaler to Central Catholic, was ruled eligible to play next season.
Sophomore quarterback J.J. Cosentino, who transferred from Kiski Area to Central Catholic, was ruled ineligible to play this season, however.
The WPIAL Board of Control ruled Cosentino transferred, at least partly, for athletic reasons.
Thorpe led Shaler in rushing yardage as a sophomore and transferred in January.
Cosentino was Kiski Area's starting quarterback last season as a sophomore before sustaining a season-ending knee injury early in the year. He eventually transferred to Central Catholic.
"Our board of control heard each case and were of the opinion that the Thorpe transfer was not motivated by athletic purpose," said WPIAL executive director Tim O'Malley.
"When the board heard the Cosentino case, they felt there was at least partly some motivation in regard to athletics."
Cosentino is expected to appeal the decision to the PIAA.
Also, the WPIAL granted a fifth year of eligibility to Central Catholic wrestler Matt Bradley, who repeated his junior year because of concussions.
Burgettstown hired Terry Havelka as its new football coach Monday night.
Havelka, a 1975 Burgettstown graduate and a standout in football, baseball and wrestling, has been an assistant football coach for 25 seasons. He will continue to be Burgettstown's wrestling coach, a job he has held for 19 years.
Havelka succeeds Matt Taylor, who left to become Keystone Oaks' coach.
First Published May 16, 2012 12:00 am
