Averill Park probes dispute

The 2019 softball season for the Averill Park varsity squad ended Wednesday afternoon. Exactly how things came to a close is the source of contention as an investigation prompted by the families of two senior players and allegations made against coach Ken Bailey are ongoing.

Senior pitcher Jadyn Lee and senior designated hitter Kelsey Mohl decided to quit the team prior to the start of the Section II Class A Tournament.

Kelly Mohl, the mother of Kelsey Mohl, said Thursday she met with Averill Park Superintendent of Schools James Franchini and athletic director Mark Bubniak last week regarding claims they made of verbal abuse toward Jadyn Lee and Kelsey Mohl by Bailey.

Bailey, who has not been suspended as the school continues to investigate the allegations, did not coach Wednesday during the team's first playoff game.

"As of right now, nothing has happened," Kelly Mohl said. "(Bailey) didn't coach (Wednesday) because in the superintendent's words he, 'Didn't want a media circus.' If it didn't get out there the way it did, he still would have been able to be out there on the field coaching for a sectional game."

Franchini and Bubniak both said Thursday they cannot discuss personnel issues with regard to the investigation.

Franchini was able to speak about the decision, made less than two hours prior to Wednesday's game, not to have Bailey coach.

"It was a difficult decision," Franchini said. "We were going to let coach Bailey coach the game, but we didn't want (the media attention) to be a distraction for the girls. I felt it was in the player's best interests not to have him there and let them play the game."

The Warriors were unable to hold a 6-1 advantage in the seventh inning and dropped an 8-6 decision against Troy with assistant coach Dave Pugliese running the...