Leading off today: The Florida High School Athletic Association voted unanimously yesterday during an emergency session to reverse its April decision to cut games from high school schedules.

   The move came two days before a federal court in Jacksonville was to begin hearing a lawsuit filed by six parents of girls who participate in FHSAA-sanctioned sports. The lawsuit claims that the FHSAA violated Title IX by not including football and cheerleading in a June dcision to pare back varsity sports schedules by 20 percent.

   "What we did in April we thought at the time was the right thing to do, and what we did today, we think at this time, is the right thing to do,'' FHSAA executive director Roger Dearing old The Miami Herald. "We certainly don't want to do anything that violates Title IX."

   The FHSAA is expected to ask in court tomorrow that the lawsuit be dismissed. There could be rough waters ahead for the organization if its lawyers do not convince the court that the case is now moot. The U.S. Department of Justice recently filed an amicus brief on behalf of the female student-athletes stating that the case "involves serious allegations of intentional discrimination against female student-athletes in violation of Title IX."

   Yesterday's FHSAA decision allows school districts to govern schedules, meaning local schools can still opt to cut back schedules from the maximum of 10 games in football and 25 contests in other sports.

   Gatorade names AOY award winners: Quarterback Garrett Gilbert of Austin (Texas) Lake Travis High and girls basketball star Skylar Diggins of South Bend (Ind.) Washington High were voted the Gatorade national high school athletes of the year this week.

   The two had already been selected as the national players of the year in their respective sports and were among 12 finalists for the AOY honor.

   Gilbert was 895-for-1,370 for 12,535 yards and 136 touchdowns in his career, breaking the state yardage mark of recent Texas Tech standout Graham Harrell. His other honors thus far include Parade player of the year and USA Today offensive player of the year.

   Diggins, a guard, averaged a state-best 29.0 points per game with 6.3 rebounds, 6.2 assists and 5.4 steals a game for the state runners-up. The McDonald's All-Ameri-

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can finished her career with 2,790 points, third in Indiana history.

   Aviles to Florida: Having just come off a stellar junior season, Suffern pitcher Aviles has given an oral commitment to play baseball for the University of Florida, The Journal News reported.

   The 6-foot-5 right-hander was 6-0 and struck out 77 batters in 46 innings as a junior, also attracting the notice of Clemson, North Carolina and South Carolina. He is coming off a fracure of his pitching hand this summer.

   With his size and ability, Aviles is considered a prospect for next summer's pro draft. "If I have a good opportunity in the draft to play Major League Baseball, I'll have to consider it," he told the paper. "That has always been my goal."

   Gators coach Kevin O'Sullivan is a native of Goshen, Orange County.

   Extra points: Jen Clayton, a rising senior at Suffern, earned the long jump bronze medal at the sixth annual IAAF World Youth Championships in Bressanone, Italy. Clayton jumped 19 feet, 10 1/4 inches to earn one of Team USA's 16 medals. . . . Penfield's Yarik Merkulov won the New York State Amateur today at Ravenwood Golf Club in Victor. Merkulov placed second in the spring at the NYSPHSAA championships as a junior.