Oct 14, 2013 3 min read

The family of Washington High School football player Zach Blystone has decided not to pursue its case against the PIAA to restore his eligibility.

Joe Francis, the family’s attorney, said the move was made in “the best interest” of the players on the team. He said he will ask to have a preliminary injunction – that permitted Blystone to play as the legal process continued – vacated.

The move comes three days after the Washington School Board decided at a special meeting not to permit Blystone to play for fear of possibly having to forfeit games if the Blystones lost their legal fight. Earlier in the week, the board had decided to support Blystone.

“After considering everything, and even though we feel that we could get a favorable ruling (today) to keep the injunction intact, we realize the school district said Zach can’t play until the appeals court makes a final ruling,” Francis said. “Taking into account that could last a few weeks, or even until the season is over, the family felt it was in their son’s best interest not to pursue this any longer.”

Because Blystone played in the Oct. 4 game against Brownsville, the PIAA could force Wash High to forfeit that game. If that happens, the Prexies would probably finish in second place in the Class AA Interstate Conference and still have a first-round home playoff game.

“The family was afraid that Zach would face further ineligibility, and they were afraid that the kids on the football team would be unfairly punished for any victories Wash High would accumulate while (Zach) was deemed to be eligible,” Francis said.

Blystone, a 6-3, 265-pound junior lineman, has been denied eligibility three times – once by the WPIAL and twice by the PIAA – after transferring from Charleroi High School to Washington in August. At each of the three eligibility hearings, those boards decided Blystone’s transfer was made for athletic intent.

Blystone’s family received a preliminary injunction from Common Pleas Judge John F. DiSalle Oct. 4, just hours before the Prexies played Brownsville in a conference game.

A hearing had been set for 1 p.m. today to determine whether the injunction should be made permanent. The PIAA threatened to appeal and, if successful, force Wash High to forfeit every game Blystone played in.

Francis said he was in touch with Alan Boynton, chief counselor for the PIAA, and asked about the eligibility status of Blystone and the status of Wash High’s result against Brownsville.

“I asked for a concession to not strip Washington High School’s victory in the game Zach played in,” Francis said. “I also asked that they not pursue any action against the family. The attorney agreed to some of my suggestions, but he could not guarantee that the victory would not be stripped.”