News & Notes of Interest in H.S. Football & Basketba
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THE CHOPS
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News & Notes of Interest in H.S. Football & Basketba
PAZZAGLIA QUITS, BUT DOESN'T RETIRE:@ One of Pennsylvania's most successful high school football coaches is stepping down. He may not be retiring.
Frank Pazzaglia, one of six state high school coaches with "300" or more career victories, has resigned at Valley View High School in Lackawanna County.
Pazzaglia's teams had a record of 317-107-8 in 38 seasons. Along the way, Valley View won the 1992 P.I.A.A. Class (AA) championship with a 15-0 record, five Eastern Conference titles and 12 league titles.
A graduate of Blakely High School, which eventually became part of the Valley View school system, Pazzaglia had only four losing seasons. Two came in 2004 and 2005, leading the Valley View school board to open the position after the 2005 season.
Public outcry, and some negotiating by Pazzaglia, allowed the 65-year-old to coach one final season. This season's team went 7-4, losing in the District #2 Class (AA) quarterfinals to Wyoming Area, 37-29. Wyoming Area plays Lakeland on Friday for the District #2-(AA) championship.
While he is leaving Valley View, Pazzaglia may not be leaving coaching.
"I may entertain future coaching opportunities if and when they become available," Pazzaglia said.
Pazzaglia was an assistant coach at a New Jersey high school and at Blakely before becoming the Valley View coach.
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CONSOLIDATION PENDING:@ The Archdiocese of Scranton has recommended that four Catholic high schools in Luzerne County be merged into one for the 2007-08 school year.
Bishop Hafey, Bishop Hoban, Bishop O'Reilly and Seton Catholic would form a new school that has yet to be named.
The result would mean numerous changes in league schedules that are currently set through the 2007-08 school year.
In addition, the current schools would have to withdraw their current P.I.A.A. memberships once they close, and the new school would have to submit a new enrollment figure. That would occur in the middle of the P.I.A.A.'s two-year classification cycle, possibly affecting P.I.A.A. postseason qualifying in some sports.
P.I.A.A. assistant executive director Melissa Mertz said the withdrawal of the four schools wouldn't affect, for now, the number of qualifiers each district earns.
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POPE, DOTY CHOOSE SCHOOLS:@ Two of the state's best-known high school basketball players have made their college choices.
Aliquippa's Herb Pope, a 6-foot-9 forward, plans to attend New Mexico State, which is coached by former NBA player Reggie Theus. Pope chose New Mexico State over Texas, Oklahoma, Maryland, Pitt, Connecticut and Louisville.
Germantown Academy star Caroline Doty plans to attend national women's power Connecticut, even though she still has two high school seasons remaining.
"I've been checking out schools for three years," said Doty, who has yet to play her junior season in high school. "When I went to UConn, I just had a gut feeling that it was the place for me. When you think of UConn, you think of basketball."
Doty has been pursued by UConn, Tennessee, Maryland, Notre Dame and Penn State. She averaged 14.3 points per game as a freshman and 13.8 as a sophomore.
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W.P.I.A.L. FINALS AT DUQUESNE:@ The W.P.I.A.L. (PIAA District # 7) basketball championship games will be held at Duquesne University's A.J. Palumbo Center in 2007 and 2008.
The W.P.I.A.L. talked with both Duquesne and Pitt about hosting the basketball championships and sought a two-year commitment for the available dates.
W.P.I.A.L. executive director Tim O'Malley said Duquesne made that commitment while Pitt's Petersen Events Center could not.
The 2007 W.P.I.A.L. games will be played March 2-3.
THE CHOPS
Frank Pazzaglia, one of six state high school coaches with "300" or more career victories, has resigned at Valley View High School in Lackawanna County.
Pazzaglia's teams had a record of 317-107-8 in 38 seasons. Along the way, Valley View won the 1992 P.I.A.A. Class (AA) championship with a 15-0 record, five Eastern Conference titles and 12 league titles.
A graduate of Blakely High School, which eventually became part of the Valley View school system, Pazzaglia had only four losing seasons. Two came in 2004 and 2005, leading the Valley View school board to open the position after the 2005 season.
Public outcry, and some negotiating by Pazzaglia, allowed the 65-year-old to coach one final season. This season's team went 7-4, losing in the District #2 Class (AA) quarterfinals to Wyoming Area, 37-29. Wyoming Area plays Lakeland on Friday for the District #2-(AA) championship.
While he is leaving Valley View, Pazzaglia may not be leaving coaching.
"I may entertain future coaching opportunities if and when they become available," Pazzaglia said.
Pazzaglia was an assistant coach at a New Jersey high school and at Blakely before becoming the Valley View coach.
_____________________________________________________________________________
CONSOLIDATION PENDING:@ The Archdiocese of Scranton has recommended that four Catholic high schools in Luzerne County be merged into one for the 2007-08 school year.
Bishop Hafey, Bishop Hoban, Bishop O'Reilly and Seton Catholic would form a new school that has yet to be named.
The result would mean numerous changes in league schedules that are currently set through the 2007-08 school year.
In addition, the current schools would have to withdraw their current P.I.A.A. memberships once they close, and the new school would have to submit a new enrollment figure. That would occur in the middle of the P.I.A.A.'s two-year classification cycle, possibly affecting P.I.A.A. postseason qualifying in some sports.
P.I.A.A. assistant executive director Melissa Mertz said the withdrawal of the four schools wouldn't affect, for now, the number of qualifiers each district earns.
_____________________________________________________________________________
POPE, DOTY CHOOSE SCHOOLS:@ Two of the state's best-known high school basketball players have made their college choices.
Aliquippa's Herb Pope, a 6-foot-9 forward, plans to attend New Mexico State, which is coached by former NBA player Reggie Theus. Pope chose New Mexico State over Texas, Oklahoma, Maryland, Pitt, Connecticut and Louisville.
Germantown Academy star Caroline Doty plans to attend national women's power Connecticut, even though she still has two high school seasons remaining.
"I've been checking out schools for three years," said Doty, who has yet to play her junior season in high school. "When I went to UConn, I just had a gut feeling that it was the place for me. When you think of UConn, you think of basketball."
Doty has been pursued by UConn, Tennessee, Maryland, Notre Dame and Penn State. She averaged 14.3 points per game as a freshman and 13.8 as a sophomore.
_____________________________________________________________________________
W.P.I.A.L. FINALS AT DUQUESNE:@ The W.P.I.A.L. (PIAA District # 7) basketball championship games will be held at Duquesne University's A.J. Palumbo Center in 2007 and 2008.
The W.P.I.A.L. talked with both Duquesne and Pitt about hosting the basketball championships and sought a two-year commitment for the available dates.
W.P.I.A.L. executive director Tim O'Malley said Duquesne made that commitment while Pitt's Petersen Events Center could not.
The 2007 W.P.I.A.L. games will be played March 2-3.
THE CHOPS