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PIAA restores Johnson's eligibility
Sophomore running back Andrew Johnson
Christopher Horner/Tribune-Review
Andrew Johnson
Chaz Palla/Tribune-Review
John Grupp can be reached via e-mail or at 412-320-7930 / Grupp's blog
The 5-0 vote reversed an earlier WPIAL decision that found Johnson guilty of transferring from Central Catholic to North Hills for athletic intent and suspended him for one year from playing sports.
Johnson, one of the top running backs in the state, is immediately eligible to play athletics at North Hills. He also is among the best sprinters in the state.
The 6-foot, 200-pound junior, who lives in West View with his mother, Lenore, had been ruled ineligible until Nov. 5, 2003, or virtually all of next year's high school football season.
"I'm glad it's over and rectified," North Hills head coach/principal Jack McCurry said.
Attorneys Dwayne Woodruff and Craig M. Lee represented Johnson, who was accompanied by his parents, McCurry, assistant principal Pat Mannarino and assistant coach Rick Morris at the Saturday afternoon meeting in Mechanicsburg.
South Park principal James Horner represented the WPIAL.
The PIAA Board of Control heard an hour of testimony and needed only 30 minutes of deliberation before giving a ruling.
WPIAL executive director Larry Hanley could not be reached for comment.
Johnson said he transferred to get away from the "craziness" that followed the charges of alleged sexual assault in the school locker room during August football training camp. Lee said Johnson testified that he "never felt comfortable" at the school and had to commute for an hour to the school.
"He would leave his home at 6:30 in the morning and get back at 7 at night," Lee said. "North Hills is five minutes from his house."
Lee, a veteran of PIAA eligibility cases, said testimony from Central Catholic athletic director Larry Michelangelo bolstered Johnson's cause.
"He testified that the transfer was not for athletic purposes," Lee said.
According to Lee, Michelangelo was asked if he had any problem with Johnson's parents during the star running back's 2 1/2 years at Central Catholic. Michelangelo said, "No."
Any complaints about playing time? "No."
Any indication that the transfer was for athletic intent? "No."
At that point, a member of the PIAA Board of Control asked Horner if that was the same testimony Michelangelo had presented at the WPIAL hearing.
Lee said Horner "looked at the ground, and said, 'Yes.' "
The decision, which continues a recent string of WPIAL rulings being overturned on appeal, ends a two-month saga that began when Johnson transferred to North Hills in early November in the wake of alleged hazing incidents involving the Central Catholic football team.
In response to the hazing, the Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh and Central Catholic officials withdrew the football team from the WPIAL Class AAAA playoffs.
North Hills still was in the playoffs, and the WPIAL contended that Johnson, who rushed for 2,394 yards and 31 touchdowns in the past two seasons, had transferred in order to compete in the post-season, Lee said.
The WPIAL delayed Johnson's eligibility hearing until Nov. 25, three days after North Hills lost to Woodland Hills in the Class AAAA finals.
McCurry, who had called the WPIAL investigation into the transfer a "witch hunt," said the state ruling was overdue.
"It should have happened at the WPIAL level," McCurry said. "It's something that could have been avoided and should have been avoided. To put Andrew and his family through that for a month-and-a-half is something that should not be done in this profession."
