High school basketball: Lone Peak transfer has hoops eligibility denied

Despite the panel's decision, Ron Mika said the transfer had been beneficial to Eric.

"We've already made the adjustment to fix a problem that needed to be fixed," Ron Mika said.

When contacted after the panel's decision, Ron Mika said he was unsure what their options were.

"I don't know what the options are or what we'll do," he said.

There were four other hearings Wednesday morning and only one student athlete was granted eligibility.

Riley Otteson was allowed to transfer from Lone Peak to American Fork. Otteson is a pitcher for the varsity baseball team, and was granted eligibility under the hardship rule.

Otteson had been living with his grandmother, who resides in Lone Peak's boundaries, since eighth grade after his parents were arrested for dealing drugs. His mother asked her mother to take custody of Otteson while she and her husband dealt with criminal ramifications, as well as the other aspects of turning their lives around.

"It's a bad tale," said attorney Troy Walker. "They were bad people; they were doing bad stuff; they were involved in drugs at every level."

But in 2004, the couple married and began to put their lives on the right track, he said.

"These people are amazing in the way they've turned their lives around," said Walker, noting that they now lecture on the dangers of drugs. "They have a family unit now that's cohesive and doing well."

He moved into his parents' home and has transferred schools. The panel granted him eligibility.

Senior Austin Terry was denied a hardship waiver in transferring from Fremont to Roy, and another student was denied a fifth year of eligibility after his parents held him back a year due to medical issues.

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