WPIAL schedules eligibility hearing for record-setting QB after transfer to Central Catholic

By: Chris Harlan
Tuesday, July 30, 2024 | 2:15 PM

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The WPIAL will require an eligibility hearing for record-setting quarterback Jaivin Peel.

The sophomore set a WPIAL freshman passing record last season at Western Beaver and transferred this summer to Central Catholic. He was a student at Lincoln Park and played football at Western Beaver through a co-op.

The WPIAL board reviewed his eligibility request and scheduled a hearing for Aug. 12. WPIAL executive director Scott Seltzer said Tuesday the board “had some questions about the transfer,” so the league requested a hearing “to be sure.”

However, football coach Ryan Lehmeier confirmed Tuesday that Peel was no longer enrolled as a student at Central Catholic.

The board also scheduled hearings that day for Imani Christian’s Amaree Gonzalez, Central Catholic’s James Halter and Seton LaSalle’s Libby Michalski. Gonzalez transferred from Kiski Area, Halter from Mt. Lebanon and Michalski from Baldwin.

The 6-foot, 185-pound Peel passed for 2,898 yards last season and earned first-team all-conference honors in the Class 2A Midwestern. His yardage total was believed to be a WPIAL record for a freshman.

Peel also threw 32 touchdowns while leading Western Beaver to a 7-5 record and the WPIAL quarterfinals.

The WPIAL on Monday held hearings for two other Central Catholic transfers.

The board denied eligibility to freshman Owen Herrick, another quarterback who’d transferred to Central Catholic. Seltzer said the board found Herrick’s transfer from Seneca Valley was motivated in some way by athletics, a decision that can be appealed to the PIAA.

The WPIAL decision made Herrick ineligible for one year.

In a separate hearing Monday, the WPIAL granted eligibility to Central Catholic sophomore Zachary Gleason, who transferred from Chartiers Valley. The standout defensive back has college offers from Pitt and Akron.

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 Catholic, Western Beaver