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Wednesday, April 24, 2024 | 7:03 PM
Christopher Horner | TribLive
PIAA executive director Bob Lombardi at the PIAA basketball state championships on Thursday, March 23, 2023 at Giant Center in Hershey.
Aliquippa’s request for a preliminary injunction against the PIAA will need a third day of testimony, but that day won’t come for a few weeks.
The hearing in a Beaver County courtroom was paused Wednesday with PIAA executive director Bob Lombardi on the witness stand and will resume May 17. Common Pleas Judge James Ross tried to find an earlier date that worked for both sides, but couldn’t because of multiple schedule conflicts.
Aliquippa is asking the judge to reverse a PIAA decision that’s moving the football team into a higher classification for the next two seasons under its competitive-balance rule.
The court heard Wednesday from Aliquippa’s final two witnesses, athletic director Jennifer Damico and superintendent Phillip Woods. They detailed the financial and logistical hardships that moving to Class 5A would cause the school and discussed an Aliquippa community they described as more transient than most.
Lombardi, the PIAA’s first witness, testified about the creation and evolution of the competitive-balance rule. He was being questioned by Aliquippa attorney Tina Miller when the court reached the end of its day. Lombardi will continue his testimony when the hearing resumes.
This story will be updated.
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 [email protected].
Tags: Aliquippa
