By Mike White
The critics of Catholic/private/charter schools in Pennsylvania high school sports have been many in recent history. And you can now add to the group a few coaches of WPIAL schools in PIAA basketball championships this weekend.
Five teams — three boys and two girls — from the WPIAL all lost to Philadelphia Catholic League teams this weekend and the average margin of defeat in those games was 20 points. A few coaches of the WPIAL teams weren’t shy about making their feelings known about what they perceive as an uneven playing field between public and Catholic/private/charter schools — and they are calling for the PIAA to address the subject. They believe there should be separate playoffs for public schools and all other schools.
Boys coaches Ralph Blundo of New Castle, Mike Mastroianni of Quaker Valley and Nick Lackovich of Aliquippa all lost to teams from the Philadelphia Catholic League and their teams lost by 15, 25 and 18 points.
The complaint from coaches, fans and even administrators is that public schools can take only students from within their geographical districts. Meanwhile, Catholic/private/charter schools don’t have geographical boundaries and can take students from anywhere.