[Buckskin86]

Clock's ticking on Shaw's case
District meet begins Tuesday; injunction hearing is scheduled for Wednesday.
By Mark Gokavi

Staff Writer

Sunday, May 18, 2008

Lowell Draffen wants it made clear.

"Trotwood-Madison doesn't have to cheat to win," the school system's superintendent said in the face of an ongoing Ohio High School Athletic Association investigation. "We can win without that. I want us to do what is right, and I want us to follow all the guidelines."

Whether Trotwood followed guidelines involving transfers, registration and residency ? and did it without recruiting ? is central to an inquiry that started last fall.

While there are 13 allegations being explored, the centerpiece has become the residency of senior standout sprinter Michael Shaw, who transferred to Trotwood from Alter midway through his junior year.

The OHSAA declared Shaw ineligible earlier this month, though he said he didn't know why he was being held out until last Monday.

"I don't know everything about the situation," Shaw said Friday night, May 16. "It's new to me and my parents. I knew before the Roosevelt (track meet) that (Trotwood-Madison officials) said I couldn't run, and I was upset about that, but they never really told me why.

"On Monday, I got the whole gist of why I couldn't run. It doesn't make any sense to me, but hopefully it will be settled through the court.

"I just want to run."

Clock's ticking on Shaw's case