WPIAL rules Isiah Warfield eligible for senior season, ineligible for playoffs

By: Chris Harlan
Wednesday, August 7, 2019 | 11:22 AM

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The WPIAL approved Isiah Warfield to play basketball in the regular season, but the Central Valley transfer remains ineligible for the playoffs.

The 6-foot-5 rising senior and Liberty recruit was a 25-point scorer at Sewickley Academy.

The WPIAL board decided his eligibility Monday based on transfer paperwork submitted by the schools, said WPIAL executive director Tim O’Malley. However, to gain postseason eligibility, Central Valley would need to request a hearing and demonstrate that Warfield qualifies for one of the hardship waivers listed in PIAA regulations.

The reasons deemed sufficient are:

A change of residence necessitated by a change in employment.

A school-initiated administrative transfer within a school district.

A court-ordered transfer.

A change of schools caused by a military reassignment of a parent.

A change of schools caused by release from a juvenile facility.

A demonstrable change in income or other financial resources that compels withdrawal from a school.

The rule was enacted last summer and makes all transfers after the start of 10th grade postseason ineligible for one year.

“We knew this was always a possibility, but we weren’t concerned about it, really,” said his father, Mike Warfield. “(The transfer) was totally not about athletics.”

Warfield joins a Central Valley team that went 7-14 overall last season, 4-8 in Section 2-4A. The Warriors had reached the playoffs nine consecutive years before missing them last winter.

Chris Harlan is a TribLive reporter covering sports. He joined the Trib in 2009 after seven years as a reporter at the Beaver County Times. He can be reached at charlan@triblive.com.

Tags: Central Valley, Sewickley Academy