District 10 places General McLane wrestling, Wilmington on probation for one year
CONNEAUT LAKE ― The District 10 Committee hasn't been afraid to hand out sanctions on athletic programs and athletic directors who make mistakes that affect region standings and the playoffs.
At its latest meeting Wednesday, at the Iroquois Boating & Fishing Club, the D-10 Committee sanctioned General McLane and Wilmington after errors made in their individual athletic departments.
Wilmington's athletic department was put on probation for one year and Athletic Director Mike Copper was censured after the boys basketball schedule featured 23 games.
According to PIAA rules, basketball teams can play 22 games in the regular season. The mistake wasn't caught until the Greyhounds had played too many non-region games with a few region games left. Wilmington had to cancel its final game, which left scheduled opponent Hickory short one region game ― and it was the Hornets' senior night game. Hickory picked up a home game against Cambridge Springs. The lack of one region game almost cost the Hornets a shot at the region title but they finished 2½ games back of the region champions.
A similar punishment was handed out to Jamestown and its athletic director last winter when the girls basketball team was on pace to play 24 games.
The General McLane wrestling program was placed on probation for one year after transfer paperwork wasn't filled out until after the regular season for a transfer athlete. At the moment the error was discovered, the wrestler forfeited all of his wins and went into sectionals with an 0-21 record.
After self-reporting the mistake to District 10, General McLane forfeited each team match in which the wrestler had participated.
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Because the mistake changed the sectional bracket and would have changed the team wrestling bracket if it had been caught in time, D-10 handed down the one-year sanction.
“The General McLane School District was notified its wrestling program was placed on probation by District 10," General McLane Superintendent Matt Lane said in a prepared statement. "This probation will not affect any student experience or matches, including postseason, related to our wrestling program. This probation is a result of a roster incident involving principal-to-principal transfer paperwork that General McLane self-reported to District 10. General McLane has submitted a corrective action plan to District 10 that was accepted.”
The probation for both programs means that, for one year, if another mistake takes place, this mistake could be brought up again for harsher sanctions. It does not result in a playoff ban or anything else if the programs are mistake-free for one year.
Erie Prep Academy soccer
District 10 still has not resolved its issue with Erie Prep Academy. Erie Prep submitted requested materials to the D-10 Committee, but D-10 wants more information, including clearly defined rosters when it comes to their high school soccer team and their national soccer team.
Erie Prep does not become an actual member of the PIAA until July 1, so the academy would not be subject to transfer or recruiting violations for the next two months. D-10 wants to make sure that any athlete that was recruited to the national team does not end up on the high school roster that will compete in the PIAA.
Other issues resolved
District 10 resolved several issues during the meeting as well.
North East forfeited its girls track and field meet against Girard after they discovered the use of an illegal athlete.
Mercer alerted D-10 that it had banned a fan for one year after comments they made during a basketball game against Farrell.
D-10 accepted a final report from Iroquois over a uniform violation during football season. D-10 said that Iroquois' letter stated they realized their error and gave D-10 the report it had asked for in the first place.
More: Iroquois High held 'white out' game to boost school spirit, but now faces wrath of PIAA
New football co-op with Mercer
Commodore Perry athletes have a football program to play for as Mercer has approved a co-op with the Panthers. The co-op was approved by District 10 Wednesday. D-10 also approved the dissolution of the football co-op between Lakeview and Commodore Perry. Lakeview requested to drop the co-op earlier in the offseason. If Lakeview had kept the co-op it would have moved up to Class 2A.
Coaches, girls wrestler to be honored
District 10 will hold its annual end-of-year banquet April 26 at the Iroquois Boating & Fishing Club. D-10 will honor the coaches of the four team state champions from this year: Craig Antush of Hickory girls golf; Sam Tojaga of Cathedral Prep boys soccer; Deena Pribonic of McDowell competitive spirit; and Justin Magestro of Kennedy Catholic girls basketball.
D-10 will also honor Mercer student and Hickory wrestler Avry Ryhal, who is the first PIAA girls wrestling champion from D-10.
D-10 officers, tournament directors returning
All four officers will return for 2024-25 after officer elections Wednesday. Pete Iacino is back as chairman with Kirk Scurpa as vice-chairman, Bill Flanagan as secretary and Jim Come as treasurer.
Almost every tournament director will be back as well, but D-10 is looking for a girls volleyball tournament director. Don Wigton resigned as tournament director for boys and girls volleyball and Matt Vannoy has taken over as the boys volleyball director.
Contact Tom Reisenweber at treisenweber@timesnews.com. Follow him on X @ETNreisenweber.
This article originally appeared on Erie Times-News: District 10 places General McLane wrestling on probation for one year
