WESTERN PA. School-jump by star player scrutinized

ASSOCIATED PRESS
Pittsburgh Central Catholic is out of the PIAA District 7 Class AAAA football playoffs. One of its best players may not be.
Running back Andrew Johnson, one of the state's top juniors, transferred from Central Catholic to North Hills High School. The move came one week after Central Catholic was pulled out of the playoffs by the Catholic diocese because of an alleged sexual abuse case involving players during the preseason.
Johnson, who is 5-foot-11 and 195 pounds, rushed for 1,690 yards as a sophomore and had 704 yards on 114 attempts this season despite being slowed by an ankle injury.
Johnson and his family have lived in the North Hills School District for more than a year, but there is a question when he will become eligible to play. North Hills plays Friday against North Allegheny, but it is unlikely he will be cleared to play by then.
Because he is transferring from a private to a public school, he would need a "principal-to-principal" signoff to be eligible. Central Catholic's principal would have to sign off on the transfer to North Hills' principal, who happens to be football coach Jack McCurry.
The only way he could be certified to play immediately is if it were determined he clearly didn't transfer for athletic intent.