Leading off today: A question for the folks at the PSAL central office: Could you be so kind as to remind why it is that you guys bother with a rulebook?

   This week's development confirms my suspicions that anarchy may be preferable to what passes as law and order in the would of New York City athletics.

   What happened, you ask?

   Well, The New York Post reported this week that (just barely) former Bishop Ford forward and future Big East/ACC prospect Kamari Murphy was cleared by the PSAL to play basketball for four-time defending champion Abraham Lincoln. The news came from Department of Education spokesperson Margie Feinberg.

   Murphy -- all 6-foot-8 of him -- transferred just last week and was granted eligibility on Dwayne "Tiny" Morton's squad after the eight practices required by the league.

   Speaking of rules, the paper points out that Rule 3.2 of the PSAL’s Student-Athlete Eligibility Rules and Regulations on the PSAL official site states: "If a student was on a team’s active roster in a sport in any high school (public, parochial or private), that student may not participate in the same sport during the same season, for any other team."

   A PSAL investigation determined that Murphy wasn't on Bishop Ford's active roster as of Dec. 4. Never mind the fact that he participated in seven scrimmages with the team.

   CHSAA and Bishop Ford president Ray Nash told the paper the decision was "mind-boggling." He noted Murphy is on Bishop Ford's roster in the league media guide and was on the Falcons' active roster as of Dec. 1.

   "When a kid leaves during the season and is eligible a week later, what kind of message does that send to kids?" Nash asked. "I don't think they uphold their role of being educators, but that's only my opinion."

   Let's be honest here. Whether the organization is the PSAL, CHSAA or the NYSPHSAA, there are transfer situations every season of the year that leave a strong stench. So no holier-than-thou attitudes should be tolerated.

   But, c'mon. This one's ridiculous. Either you have a rulebook or or you don't.

   First set of rankings: The New York State Sportswriters Association released its first set of boys basketball rankings tonight, with Rice (Class AA), Jamesville-DeWitt (A), Collegiate (B), Voorheesville (C) and South Kortright (D) holding down top spots.

   In a game between ranked teams from Western New York last night, Class B No. 5 Lancaster St. Mary's scored a 60-54 home win over Class D No. 2 Maple Grove with big efforts from three sophomores in the Monsignor Martin-ECIC Challenge. Nate Meyers scored 12 points, Rashaad Rogers added 11 and Jake Denz recorded 10 rebounds. Chris Secky finished with a game-high 20 points for Maple Grove.

   The MMA-ECIC Challenge continues tonight with a heavyweight matchup between Class AA No. 5 Niagara Falls and Class A No. 2 Buffalo Nichols. Tipoff is 8:30 p.m. at St. Mary's. Niagara Falls won their matchup last season 57-56.

   More boys basketball: Fifth-year varsity player Aaron Davis became North Tonawanda's career scoring leader with 21 points in a 57-47 win over Grand Island. Davis has 1,308 career points, breaking the mark of 1,303 by fifth-year NT coach Erik O'Bryan. Davis, a senior, is also the school's scoring leader in football.

   A name to remember: In Section 4 girls basketball action last night, Franklin eighth-grader Jordan Beers scored 40 points to help beat Edmeston 65-50.

   Beers, who scored 12 points in the fourth quarter, finished 17-for-20 from the free-throw line.

   "She made quite a few tough baskets," Edmeston coach Melanie Mumbulo told The Daily Star. "We put her

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on the foul line way too much, obviously."

   Last week, Sidney's Danielle Gravel scored 40 points on the strength of 10 three-pointers in a 74-70 loss to Harpursville .

   Sweet 16: Before this week, there had been 15 New Yorkers who had won state player of the honors from Gatorade more than once. And now Mary Cushman has become No. 16.

   The Irondequoit senior, who has signed a letter of intent with Maryland, was selected the girls volleyball player of the year for the second straight season and is in the running for national player of the year honors.

   The five-year varsity standout owns the school records for career kills (1,456) and aces (237).    Sachem's Nicole Kaczmarski won three straight girls basketball awards beginning in 1997, making her New York's only three-peater.

   Championship coach retires: Shelly Collins, coach of two-time defending NYSPHSAA girls volleyball champion Victor, has announced her retirement from the sport after 23 seasons. She will continue to coach softball.

   Collins also coached the Blue Devils to the 2003 state Class A crown. Her career record is 418-90.

   "Twenty-three years is a long time to be a varsity coach in two sports," Collins told The Daily Messenger. "I thought, with the eight seniors in this years class, that this was a fitting group to end with. I just felt that the time was right. I definitely wanted to go out with this years seniors."

   Looking ahead: NYSSWA rankings in ice hockey will begin next week, and West Genesee is shaping up as a contender for top honors in Division 1. The Wildcats are 8-0 with a 47-7 scoring differential following a 4-1 victory over Liverpool last night. Senior captain Ryan Michel scored once and added a pair of assists.

   West Genesee, which already owns a 6-0 win vs. Massena, takes on North Country power Potsdam (2-1-1) in a non-league game Saturday.

   Consolidations shot down: Voters in the Corning-Painted Post school district Tuesday said no to a $174.4 million project that would have eventually consolidated Corning East and West high schools into one.

   A majority of voters (4,604-3,247) supported the plan, but the totally fell 107 votes short short of the required 60 percent approval. Officials had said local taxes would not have been affected because state aid and other sources would have covered the cost of the renovation and reorganization, which would have closed seven buildings.

   Meanwhile, an 882-469 straw vote in Brocton put an end to the process for possibly consolidating with the Fredonia school district. Fredonia voters strongly supported moving forward, but the measure needed to pass in both.

   Former AD inducted: Ex-Fairport athletic director Dave Martens was one of 12 people inducted into the National Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association’s first Hall of Fame class yesterday in Dallas.

   "I felt very honored to be identified with a group of very talented athletic administrators around the country,” Martens told The Daily Messenger. "There are a number of athletic administrators that deserve awards at the highest level and just to be a part of them is an honor."

   Martens retired in 1991 after 18 years as AD at Fairport. He previously coached at Rushford and Brockport.

   "He’s been a great mentor to me," former Fairport football coach Don Santini said. "He just did a great job and I’m proud to call him my friend."