When the WPIAL ruled Farrell High basketball standout Iren Rainey ineligible earlier this week, forcing the Steelers to forfeit 13 games and dashing their playoff hopes, it apparently made its decision on the basis of two factors.

Because Rainey, who last played at Oak Hill Academy in Mouth of Wilson, Va., didn't enroll at Farrell until early September, nearly two weeks after the Aug. 28 first day of classes, school officials were mandated by PIAA rules to do two things: 1) obtain a sign-off from the principal at Oak Hill Academy, where Rainey was previously enrolled; and 2) petition the WPIAL to gain his eligibility.

Whether simply an administrative oversight or not, Farrell officials never attempted the latter. It appears, however, they did attempt the former, although with absolutely no success based on remarks from Oak Hill Academy officials who talked to The Herald Thursday.

Dennis Green, Oak Hill's Director of Academics, never did sign off on a form that, for the most part, would have been used by Farrell to indicate that Rainey's transfer wasn't for athletic intent. It's difficult to say what would have happened even if Green had signed the form, based on the fact that Farrell nonetheless failed to petition the WPIAL anyway.

"I would have signed off on something if it pertained to Oak Hill," Green, who is Oak Hill's equivalent of a high school principal, said. "The form we were sent did not pertain to us, because we are not in the Virginia High School Athletic League and we're not a public school. ... I talked to the Farrell principal (Charles Sanitate) and told him that. We even wrote Farrell a letter stating how we deal with students coming and leaving here. The letter wasn't acceptable to them."

At least not in the way it appears Farrell would have needed to satisfy the PIAA requirement regarding principal-to-principal sign-offs.

Green said he had a conversation with Sanitate as recently as Tuesday, indicating Farrell officials are still trying to obtain the form, perhaps in hopes of bolstering their case in a Feb. 8 hearing before the PIAA Board of Appeals.

Green admitted he couldn't recall exactly when Farrell made its initial contact to get the sign-off, but added that "the first time I saw the form on my desk was a couple weeks ago. And I passed it along to the director of admissions and the (school) president."

Farrell, he continued, sent him a second form "just yesterday (Wednesday)."

Green didn't say whether the school would sign it, even at this late date.

"One of things I was asked to do was sign off on (a form saying) that his transfer wasn't for athletic intent," Green said. "I don't know that. How would I know that? I was asked a question I couldn't verify. I know when he came here and left here. And we would release his transcripts. But the way I read this form, I couldn't sign it."

Unless, Green added, he was instructed to do so by school president, Dr. Edward Patton, who said he wasn't aware of any form submitted by Farrell that had "asked for or had anything to do with athletic intent."

It might not matter, as Patton indicated it would be very unusual for any Oak Hill Academy official to sign off on a form such as Farrell needed.

"If anything is stated on a form that makes us make a decision on why a student transferred, then we wouldn't sign that," Patton said. "We wouldn't sign that (kind of a form) because that makes it appear that we're the ones that have to know (why a student transferred.) ... Any students who transfer, even within the state of Virginia, for any reason, that's out of our hands. And we would not write letters to try to influence the eligibility or lack of eligibility of that student. That's up to those (organizations) who have to determine that eligibility."

As for Rainey, Patton said he was an academically sound student who chose not to return to Oak Hill Academy.

"We think Iren's a fine young man," Patton added.

Patton also indicated he did sign a form, just not the form.

"I signed a form as head of the school, but it really doesn't say anything, except us agreeing that Iren is no longer a student at Oak Hill and that he did not return to Oak Hill Academy because he wanted to graduate from a public high school. There was nothing said about basketball at all, just that he wanted to graduate from a public high school, not a boarding school. It's a free country and I feel people have a right to move either way."

Farrell officials must be hoping the PIAA feels the same.

Farrell Superintendent Richard Rubano didn't return a call from The Herald seeking comment.