Butler football players high five fans in the student section prior to kickoff of Friday's homecoming game Oct. 8, 2021 at Art Bernardi Stadium. Seb Foltz/Butler Eagle

BUTLER TWP — The Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association denied Butler’s appeal regarding its eligibility for the District 10 football playoffs during a virtual hearing Wednesday afternoon.

Butler requested its hearing with the PIAA after District 7, better known as the Western Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic League, informed the school district last month that the Golden Tornado football team wouldn’t be eligible to compete in the District 10 playoffs. Butler football has been an associate member of District 10 for the past two years and played in that district’s Class 6A championship game last season.

The Butler Area School District is considering legal action against the PIAA and WPIAL.

“We’re not sure the WPIAL has the authorization to make this ruling in the first place,” said Thomas Breth, the solicitor for the school district. “By-laws and policies need to be filed. There are a number of legal issues here.”

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