George Guido: PIAA, state Senators to meet next week

By: HSSN Staff
Tuesday, April 17, 2018 | 6:27 PM

A meeting is planned next Tuesday between PIAA executive director Bob Lombardi and members of the state Senate.

The two bodies meet every couple of years on an informal basis, but this year's get-together might have more at stake as the controversy between boundary and non-boundary schools continues to proliferate.

Things hit a fever pitch during the recent basketball playoffs when a female basketball player from Virginia was allowed to transfer back to her native Philadelphia where she finished the season as part of Neumann-Goretti's latest state championship team.

The outcry from coaches and school officials was so loud that the PIAA board of directors suspended protocol at its March meeting and instituted restrictions against in-season transfers who have performed in less than 50 percent of their team's schedule.

Other, earlier transferees face a 21-day, sit-out period before suiting up for their new school.

Here's hoping the PIAA also looks at a date where rosters are frozen late in the regular season to prevent transferees who could circumvent the new rules in time for the playoffs.

Student-athletes to be honored

A number of local student-athletes will be honored at this year's Alle-Kiski Valley Sports Hall of Fame banquet.

The group's 49th induction banquet will be at 7 p.m. May 19, at the New Kensington Quality Inn.

There will be a distinct Freeport flavor to the proceedings. Among the eight hall of fame inductees will be 1964 Freeport graduate Chip Young, who was a major factor in leading the Yellowjackets to their first WPIAL title game berth in 1963.

Young later played for William & Mary College.

Also, the girls volleyball team, reigning PIAA champions, will be recognized. Others who have been invited include:

• Nick Gizzo, Fox Chapel, Valley News Dispatch Offensive Football Player of the Year

• Austin Kemp, Freeport, VND Defensive Football Player of the Year

• Jared Demore, Springdale, VND Boys Soccer Player of the Year

• Kaylee Comperatore, Freeport, VND Girls Soccer Player of the Year

• Ben Beale, Freeport, VND Boys Basketball Player of the Year and Cager Classic West MVP

• Romello Freeman, Highlands, Cager Classic East MVP

• Alex Jones, St. Joseph, Cager Classic West MVP

• Olivia Fusaro, West Shamokin, Cager Classic East MVP

• Mikayla Lovelace, Leechburg, VND Girls Basketball Player of the Year

• Issac Reid, Kiski Area, Courage Award and PIAA wrestling champion

Another player or two may be added, and coach Diane Geist of the state champion Knoch girls volleyball team will be on hand to represent her team.

Tickets are $30 and will not be sold at the door.

For tickets, contact Steve Meanor 724-224-6767 or Skip Beal at 724-337-6282.

Armstrong honorees

Some familiar faces will be among the student honorees at the 47th annual Armstrong County Hall of Fame induction banquet.

That event is set for 4 p.m. April 29, at Freeport's Laube Hall.

The Armstrong organization has been honoring a male and female athlete from county high schools for a number of years.

Here's a list of this year's honorees:

• Apollo-Ridge: Brenna Murray and Kyle Fitzroy

• Armstrong: Kenzie Lasher and Dawson Porter

• Freeport: Sarah Lipniskis and Ben Beale

• Karns City: Sydnee Markle and Nolan Riley

• Leechburg: Mikayla Lovelace and Christian Hack

• West Shamokin: Olivia Fusaro and Curt Slagle

Banquet tickets are $25 and can be obtained by contacting Dennis Wolfe at 724-882-3557.

Jayhawks to Harrisburg

Though belated, the WPIAL and PIAA football champion Jeannette Jayhawks spent Tuesday in Harrisburg, receiving honors at the state capitol.

Jeannette was originally slated to make the trip in February, but bad weather prevented that foray.

The Jayhawks received a proclamation sponsored by state legislators Ron Marsico (R-105th, Dauphin County) and Justin Walsh (R-58th) whose district contains Jeannette.

State Sen. Kim Ward (R-39th) hosted Jeannette as the players and coaches got a tour of the capitol building chronicled on Jeannette Athletics' Twitter account.

George Guido is a Valley News Dispatch scholastic sports correspondent. His column appears Wednesdays.

Tags: Apollo-Ridge, Armstrong, Fox Chapel, Freeport, Highlands, Kiski School, Leechburg, Springdale, St. Joseph, West Shamokin