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High school notebook: WPIAL survey results no surprise

5 min read
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Two weeks ago, the WPIAL sent an online survey to all 137 schools regarding the highly debated, and constantly discussed issue of separating boundary and non-boundary schools.

The four yes-no questions on the survey were:

  • As a school district, we believe schools without geographical boundaries have a competitive advantage over schools with established geographical boundaries.
  • Do you feel the existing PIAA Transfer Rule, PIAA By-Law Article VI, Transfer, Residents, and Recruiting, is functionally effective in controlling transfers that might result in a competitive advantage?
  • Attempting to create competitive balance, would you be in favor of separate tournaments for schools that have established geographical boundaries and for schools without geographical boundaries?
  • Does your district favor an expanded classification approach for all sports, to include those with an individual component, or are you satisfied with the expanded classification approach being applied to team sports only?

Care to take a guess how the 108 schools that responded answered those questions?

Eighty-six percent (93 of 108 schools) said they’re in favor of separate tournaments, 97 schools said that those without geographical boundaries have a competitive advantage and 82 felt the transfer rules are not effective.

These weren’t necessarily shocking answers to WPIAL officials, but to the degree that they heavily favored separating boundary and non-boundary (private, catholic and charter) schools in postseason play was.

The hotly debated issue really sparked controversy in late March, when a Neumann-Goretti girls’ varsity basketball transfer, who played the entire season to that point in Virginia, was made eligible for the state playoffs. Neumann-Goretti eventually went on to win their fourth consecutive state title.

The WPIAL sent out the survey in response to superintendents demanding changes to the “law” the PIAA, which is ultimately in charge of making the decision, is following and it hinges on legislative issues.

However, when the switch from four classifications to six was made, also a PIAA decision, it was to create a more even playing field in terms of schools playing other teams with more comparable student enrollment.

Playoff bound: Several local high school baseball and softball teams have already qualified for the WPIAL playoffs, scheduled to begin the week of May 14.

Two local teams, Mapletown softball and West Greene baseball, ended long postseason droughts after clinching berths earlier this week. The last time the Maples made the WPIAL playoffs was in 2008. The Pioneers have to go back more than that, last qualifying for postseason play in 1993.

The other local softball teams that already know they will be playing in mid-May include: Canon-McMillan, Trinity, Belle Vernon, Waynesburg, McGuffey, Chartiers-Houston, Bentworth, Beth-Center, Monessen, West Greene and Carmichaels.

In baseball, Canon-McMillan, Peters Township, South Fayette, Ringgold, Belle Vernon, Charleroi, Waynesburg, Carmichaels, Chartiers-Houston and Monessen have qualified.

Recruiting news: A handful of Burgettstown High School athletes recently committed to college. Four football players, including Blue Devils’ starting quarterback Ryan Lounder, are playing at the next level. Lounder is attending Washington & Jefferson College, Jarred John committed to California University, Austin Safreed to Fairmont State, Josh Noce to Westminster and Jacob Schrockman to W&J. Burgettstown basketball player Garrett Dahns committed to Penn State Greater Allegheny.

  • Beth-Center recently had two football players and a pair of volleyball players commit. The Bulldogs are sending two linemen, Tim Trump and Anthony Herman, to Wheeling Jesuit and Marietta, respectively. Multi-sport athlete Kinlee Whited is playing volleyball at Pittsburgh-Johnstown, and Kennedy Kuhns committed to West Virginia Wesleyan.
  • Peters Township High School senior quarterback Jake Cortes decided to go to Pitt to play quarterback as a preferred walk-on. Cortes, who also was interested in Penn and Cornell, passed for 1,782 yards and 17 touchdowns in his senior season for the Indians. Conor Pederson, a wide receiver for PT, committed to Case Western Reserve University for basketball.
  • Washington High School wide receiver and defensive back Dan Walker Jr. picked up two more offers, one from the University of Cincinnati and one from Robert Morris University. The transfer from Brookwood High School in Georgia also has offers from Louisville and Temple.
  • Bentworth High School soccer player Mitchell Loughman signed to play for the West Liberty men’s soccer team. Loughman, a three-year starter, played defense and as a midfielder to lead Bentworth to three straight WPIAL playoff appearances.
  • Ringgold High School girls soccer player Rylee Bove chose Penn State Behrend to continue her career.
  • California High School volleyball player Ina Helmick will play at Saint Vincent College.

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