Mars’ Michael Carmody faces 2-game suspension for WPIAL championship actions

By: Chris Harlan
Monday, March 2, 2020 | 11:49 PM

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Mars senior Michael Carmody, one of Western Pennsylvania’s top athletes, faces a possible two-game WPIAL suspension for his actions in the Class 5A boys basketball championship.

The WPIAL scheduled a hearing for Wednesday.

The 6-foot-6, 290-pound Notre Dame football recruit was called for an intentional foul in the third quarter Friday night after hitting a Laurel Highlands player with an elbow. After the game, Carmody confronted an official and then kicked a basketball toward Laurel Highlands players as they celebrated at Petersen Events Center.

Mars lost 52-51.

The Planets missed a contested layup at the buzzer, and Carmody wanted the official to call a foul.

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The WPIAL sent a disciplinary letter to Mars administrators Monday, associate executive director Amy Scheuneman said, but the content of the letter was confidential. In response to that letter, Mars requested a hearing with the WPIAL board to appeal, she said.

Mars athletic director Scott Heinauer confirmed Tuesday that the WPIAL letter imposes a two-game suspension on Carmody. If that discipline stands, the basketball team would be forced to play the first two rounds of the state playoffs without Carmody, who averages 19 points and 19.5 rebounds.

The Planets (19-6) open Friday against Elizabethtown (19-9), the seventh-place team from District 3.

The intentional foul call had a impact on the championship game. Mars led by seven points when Carmody pulled down a rebound with 1 minute, 57 seconds left in the third quarter. Before passing the ball, Carmody turned and hit Laurel Highlands freshman Rodney Gallagher with his right elbow.

After Gallagher made two free throws, Laurel Highlands maintained possession and scored again, cutting the Mars lead to three. Rob Carmody, who’s Michael’s father, said after the game that his son didn’t intentionally hit Gallagher.

“I thought Michael secured the rebound, got smacked (by Gallagher) and turned,” Rob Carmody said Friday. “And when he turns, people fall. Michael did not throw an elbow. If Michael throws an elbow, then there’s damage done.”

Rob Carmody said the officials should have called a common foul, at most, not an intentional foul. The officials did not eject Michael Carmody.

“He’s a strong dude,” Rob Carmody said. “If he throws an elbow and hits you in the face, you’re probably not getting right back up.”

After Gallagher stood up, Carmody approached and the two shook hands.

“I’ve never played against a kid that big before,” Gallagher said. “Him on the football field is probably vicious.”

Staff writer Kevin Gorman contributed.

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.

Tags: Mars