Narrow vote keeps alive potential overhaul of PIAA competitive-balance rule

By: Chris Harlan
Wednesday, October 12, 2022 | 2:12 AM

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MECHANICSBURG — The PIAA competitive-balance rule was originally created to measure postseason success and transfers, but that formula could change significantly this winter.

As written now, football and basketball teams that have success in the state playoffs and also add transfers are promoted to a higher classification as a way of limiting programs that reload year after year. But four years after the rule was first adopted, the PIAA board is one step away from a major overhaul.

The board on Tuesday tentatively approved a plan that eliminates the transfer element from the formula entirely, leaving success as the only metric, and expands the rule to include all team sports.

However, the board was sharply divided, narrowly voting 14-13 in favor, so there’s no guarantee the proposal passes again in December on a third and final vote.

“The selling point (for changing the rule) has always been: ‘Why are you treating football and basketball different?’” PIAA executive director Bob Lombardi said. “They were the two sports that people were grousing at the most (in 2018), so that’s where we put our attention first. … But there’s been a groundswell from the schools asking, ‘What about all team sports?’”

The PIAA also tried to address complaints that some football teams were winning multiple state titles and weren’t moved up because they didn’t add three or more transfers, the threshold for promotion under the rule.

However, Tuesday’s vote showed there is some resistance to this change.

“What I think has happened is, now that it includes all team sports and it’s success only, some of the ADs are feeling pressure from their schools who are saying, ‘Hey, we’ve got a successful program. We’ve worked hard. Why are you punishing us?’” Lombardi said. “I don’t think it’s a punishment. It’s a balance thing because people are tired of the same folks winning every time.”

The most popular target for criticism in recent years was Southern Columbia football, which won the PIAA Class 2A title six times in seven years. But the Tigers didn’t have three or more transfers, according to the PIAA, so they avoided promotion to 3A again this fall.

So, in order to move up more teams, the PIAA has decided to eliminate the transfer element entirely. Under the new proposal, if a team accumulates six success points in a two-year cycle, that team moves up one classification — no questions asked.

Under the current rule, teams can appeal their promotions for a variety of reasons — often to argue who should and should not be considered a transfer. If the new proposal is approved, teams can appeal their promotion only if the PIAA miscounted their success points.

A team earns four success points for reaching the PIAA finals, three for the semifinals, two for the quarterfinals and one for the first round.

“I believe the competition formula has done exactly what the membership asked of it four years ago,” Lombardi said. “It has worked. I think (the change) will work if they let it run its course.”

The new rule also would eliminate any ambiguity in situations where teams are already playing in a higher classification. Aliquippa football successfully avoided a promotion to Class 5A this fall by arguing that the team already was playing up two classes voluntarily.

The Quips said the current rule didn’t specifically address their situation

The proposed rule change says any team that accumulates six success points will automatically move up one classification “regardless of that school’s enrollment numbers.”

Chris Harlan is a TribLive reporter covering sports. He joined the Trib in 2009 after seven years as a reporter at the Beaver County Times. He can be reached at charlan@triblive.com.

Tags: Aliquippa