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Rob Gronkowski's new favorite football play just might be the reverse. Gronkowski, a native of Williamsville who is one of the nation's top high school football recruits, will play his senior season for Pittsburgh-area power Woodland Hills after the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association Thursday reversed a ruling by one of its districts.
The PIAA's board of appeals overturned Monday's decision of the Western Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic League, which ruled that Gronkowski would be ineligible for the football season at Woodland Hills because it found that there was athletic motivations for his transfer from Williamsville North.
"The board of appeals voted unanimously to reverse the District 7 [also known as the WPIAL] decision and make Rob Gronkowski eligible," PIAA executive director Bradley R. Cashman told The Buffalo News by phone from his home in Carlisle, Pa. "However, they did impose one game of ineligibility which would parallel the suspension he received at Williamsville North, a disciplinary action taken in regards to an instance that occurred this past summer."
According to Cashman, Rob Gronkowski testified to the five-member board that he had received a five-day, in-school suspension from Williamsville North. Several sources told The News that Gronkowski's suspension stemmed from a vulgar e-mail sent from Gronkowski's e-mail account to that of a North teacher.
Representing Gronkowski - a 6-foot-6, 250-pound tight end who has narrowed his choices to Arizona, Maryland, Clemson, North Carolina, Ohio State and Syracuse - at the appeal was Pittsburgh attorney Craig Lee. Woodland Hills athletic director and football coach George Novak, Woodland Hills principal Margaret Boden, Gronkowski and both of his parents testified at the hearing.
Cashman could not elaborate on why the board overturned the decision: "[District 7] made their decision based on the best information at that time. The board of appeals is a completely different board from completely different parts of the state."
Rob Gronkowski and his father, Gordon, were unable to be reached for comment.
North coach Mike Mammoliti said Gronkowski could have returned to North if he had lost his appeal. His practices with Woodland Hills would have made him eligible at North, albeit with the one-game suspension.
"We've been planning on him being gone for the season," said Mammoliti. "If he were to have been back, it would have just been a bonus."
e-mail: kmcshea@buffnews.com