WPIAL rules Thomas Jefferson QB ineligible, approves 2 South Fayette transfers

By: Chris Harlan
Monday, August 1, 2022 | 2:42 PM

Thomas Jefferson quarterback Luke Kosko, a transfer from Seton LaSalle, was ruled ineligible for the upcoming football season after a hearing Monday with the WPIAL board.

The 6-foot-3, 200-pound sophomore was in the running to start this fall for the Jaguars but instead must sit out the upcoming season.

“The board believed there was enough evidence to say it was partially motivated by athletic intent,” WPIAL executive director Scott Seltzer said after the closed-door hearing.

PIAA rules prohibit transfers for athletic purposes. Thomas Jefferson can appeal the WPIAL decision to the PIAA.

“I respect the WPIAL a great deal and that was their opinion, so we accept it and move on,” TJ athletic director and football coach Bill Cherpak said. “They’ll probably appeal and go from there.”

Seton LaSalle had marked Kosko’s transfer as possibly related to athletics. He enrolled at Thomas Jefferson in May and finished last school year there, Cherpak said. The family previously lived in Bethel Park before moving into the West Jefferson Hills district.

Kosko was Seton LaSalle’s starting quarterback as a freshman, and Marshall already has offered him a D1 scholarship. If he remains ineligible, Kosko could continue to practice with Thomas Jefferson but wouldn’t be allowed to compete for the Jaguars until the 2023 season.

“The biggest growth you have generally occurs between your freshman and sophomore year,” Cherpak said. “He obviously is a mature kid already. He’s grown. He’s a big kid. But he’s 15 years old. That part of it you miss if you can’t play.

“If they try to overturn it, they overturn it. If they don’t, they don’t. He’ll have a good attitude and he’ll move on.”

In nine games at Seton LaSalle, Kosko passed for 817 yards, nine touchdowns and 16 interceptions in what was a turbulent year for the Rebels, who went 3-7.

Seton LaSalle navigated last season with Chris Siegle as interim head coach after would-be coach Mauro Monz was suspended in March 2021 by the WPIAL over recruiting allegations. Tim Storino was hired this spring to replace Siegle.

Kosko wasn’t the only Seton LaSalle player to transfer out since last season.

In separate hearings Monday, the WPIAL cleared two other football players who also left Seton LaSalle. South Fayette juniors Dominic Monz and Matt Boyce were ruled eligible for the regular season, Seltzer said, but both are ineligible for the postseason this fall under PIAA transfer rules.

Dominic Monz is the son of Mauro Monz.

South Fayette can appeal their postseason status to the PIAA.

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 charlan@triblive.com.