Scholastic notebook
PIAA Oversight Council wants one-year extension The PIAA hoped it would be in the clear when its state-created Oversight Council was scheduled to dissolve in March.
The council’s word to the PIAA: not just yet.
The group charged with reviewing PIAA operating and management procedures passed a motion Tuesday to extend its life for up to one year.
The Council cannot do this unilaterally, but needs an act of the General Assembly to override the law that created the Oversight Council and provided for its dissolution if the PIAA met 13 government-mandated guidelines.
The PIAA is in compliance on 10 of 13 mandates, but still needs final Oversight Council approval on the three remaining standards that were enacted into law two years ago. The PIAA, through Board president Walter J. Blucas, claims it is in full compliance.
The Oversight Council, along with the nonpartisan state Legislative Budget and Finance Committee, which last week released a report criticizing several PIAA policies and procedures, believes that the PIAA still needs to measure up in certain areas.
They include compliance with accounting recommendations, game official evaluations and new rules prohibiting the recruiting of players.
The two state senators on the Council, outgoing chairman Sen. James Gerlach, a Chester County Republican, and Sen. Gerald LaValle, a Beaver County Democrat, both made it clear the General Assembly wants continued oversight of the PIAA.
A 1998 state Senate investigation revealed several flawed practices in the 89-year-old PIAA.
Many Council members noted the PIAA’s progress in several areas, including changes in the championship site selection process that inflamed senators Robert C. Jubelirer of Altoona and Robert J. Mellow of Lackawanna County.
Jubelirer was outraged when the PIAA moved its football championships from Altoona to Hersheypark Stadium in 1998. Hershey hosted the championship games the last four years and will begin a new three-year contract next month.
Mellow shared Jubelirer’s anger over the site change, and was unhappy with the organization’s handling of finances, its accounting practices and inconsistent policies relating to game officials. The two senators said their offices were pelted with complaints about the PIAA, prompting them to call for the statewide hearings in 1998.
The PIAA adopted almost all the changes mandated by the state, but retained executive director Brad Cashman and associate executive director Robert Lombardi. The two recently signed new contracts that will pay Cashman $115,000 per year and Lombardi nearly $100,000 per year.
NEARING A RECORD: Clear-field running back Dave Richards is nearing the state record for touchdowns in a season. But if he is to match or break the 1991 record of 48 by Schuylkill Haven’s Jason Killian, he must do something no team has done this season.
And that’s score a touchdown against Perry.
Perry’s 54-0 victory over District 10 Class AAA champion General McLane marked the first time a Pennsylvania team has won its first 12 games by shutout.
Richards enters the PIAA quarterfinal game with 45 touchdowns following a five-touchdown effort in a 41-12 victory over District 6 champion Indian Valley.
Richards, a senior, is one touchdown ahead of Parkland’s Austin Scott. Parkland plays undefeated Central Dauphin in the PIAA Class AAAA quarterfinals.
OUT OF GOALS: Emmaus scored a national record 188 goals in field hockey this season, but none in the game that counted most.
Central Bucks East’s 1-0 victory over Emmaus in the PIAA Class AAA championship game ended Emmaus’ run of 53 straight victories.
CB East also avenged a loss to Emmaus in last year’s PIAA championship game. It was East’s first PIAA title in the sport since 1986.