Frank the Tank rumbles on
Aiello has 13 TDs in just six games for Pickering Making amends after being made to sit out a year
Give him a football and fullback Frank Aiello just plows through opponents like bowling pins.
At 6- foot- 3 and 255 pounds, he’s so overpowering that his Pickering High School teammates call him “ Frank the Tank.” With 13 touchdowns in six victories, including two in yesterday’s 33- 6 win over Dunbarton for the Durham Region powerhouse, Aiello is taking all his success this year in stride. But a year ago, when Pickering lost in the Metro Bowl final, Aiello was bitter after being forced to watch from the sidelines for the entire season.
His frustrations were levelled initially at the Durham Region athletic association executive who banned him from playing because of transfer- rule violations. Aiello appealed to the Ontario Federation of Schools Athletic Association but to no avail. Both groups were adamant that he switched schools strictly to play football and, in the process, contravened a vague set of rules. A student through Grade 9 to Grade 11 at Archbishop Dennis O’Connor High, Aiello left the Ajax- area school after he found out that there wasn’t enough interest there to form a football team.
This season, Dennis O’Connor is in the 17- team league but with a 1- 4 record. Pickering, on the other hand, could be back at the Rogers Centre on Dec. 8 challenging for Greater Toronto Area bragging rights.
While the Ontario government has no specific rules preventing students from selecting their school of preference, the move by Aiello — according to the provincial governing body for school sports — was a flagrant violation. The OFSAA rule, implemented in 1986, is supposed to stop schools from building sports dynasties and students from transferring for sporting reasons. The rule, frequently tested in the legal courts, has left taxpayers with hefty bills while student athletes have won numerous injunctions allowing them to compete. While Aiello graduated last June, he chose to return to Pickering to boost a few academic grades to help get him to university. He’s looking at Saint Mary’s or St. Francis Xavier.
“ There’s something wrong when students who get expelled are welcomed back to schools with open arms and get to compete in sports,” he said. “ I switched because there was no team at my school and I also wanted to take computer engineering courses not offered ( at O’Connor).”
“I felt they deprived me of playing a year and that wasn’t right,” he said.
“ As for this year, when I got on the field the first time, it felt like heaven.”
Behind a veteran offensive line of tackles Jordan Musceo and A.J. Lazanovski, centre Peter Djuric and guards Jeremy Smith and Josh Bown, Aiello has had his way — often dragging a handful of defenders across the goal line. But head coach John Martini has also incorporated Aiello in the Trojans passing game.
“ He’s strong as an ox and for a kid his size he has exceptional agility,” said Martini.