PENNSYLVANIA INTERSCHOLASTIC ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION

DISTRICT II

 

Frank Majikes, Chairman   Tom Jenkins, Vice Chairman                   Mike Ognosky, Secretary           Frank Victor, Treasurer

Wilkes Barre AVTS                              Wayne Highlands SD                 Montrose Area School Dist        District II Treasurer

P. O. Box 1699                       474 Grove Street                         80 High School Road                   1113 Johns Street

Wilkes Barre, Pa.  18705     Honesdale, Pa.  18431                Montrose, Pa.  18801                   Hazleton, Pa.  18202

 

MINUTES OF MARCH 18, 2009 MEETING

@ SCRANTON HIGH SCHOOL

 

Meeting was convened at 4:30 p.m. by Chairman Majikes

 

ITEM 1            Chairman Majikes called the meeting to order at 4:30 p.m.  

 

                        Absent but accounted for: Frank Victor, Danielle Adams, Dino Galella

                       

ITEM 2            A motion was made by Ray Lowery, seconded by Jim Higgins, to approve the minutes of the February 18, 2009 meeting. All Ayes

 

ITEM 3            In Frank Victor’s absence, Chairman Majikes reported that all of the accounts for the recently completed Winter Championships’ season have yet to be reconciled.  Frank Victor will present a complete report at the April meeting.

 

ITEM 4            At 4:39 p.m., Chairman Majikes opened the hearing regarding the recent forfeitures of two District II Basketball Championship playoff games by Lakeland High School.  In attendance at the hearing representing Lakeland were Superintendent Dr. Margaret Billings-Jones and Principal Joe Hanni.  At 4:44 p.m., the hearing was declared closed at the request of Lakeland due to the personnel matters regarding the issue. 

 

                        At 5:19 p.m., the hearing concluded and the District II Committee moved to executive session for deliberation.

 

                        At 5:54 p.m., the District II Committee meeting reconvened in open session and the following motions were made:

 

                        A motion was made by Mike Ognosky, seconded by Frank Galicki, that the District II Committee found Lakeland in violation of the PIAA Constitution and By-Laws, Rules and Regulations, with the forfeiture of two scheduled PIAA interscholastic basketball contests between Lakeland – West Side CTC (boys’) and Lakeland – Blue Ridge (girls’) in the recently conducted PIAA District II Basketball Championships. All Ayes

 

                        A motion was made by Mike Ognosky, seconded by Tom Jenkins, to publicly censure Lakeland High School for their actions in allowing the forfeits.  All Ayes

 

                        A motion was made by Mike Ognosky, seconded by Jay Starnes, to impose a probationary period on all athletic programs of the Lakeland High School, effective immediately, and through the 2009-2010 school year, with the following conditions:

 

a.)    All Lakeland athletic teams will remain eligible for competition in all District II sponsored championship events;

b.)    The administration of the Lakeland High School will submit a detailed, written report to the District II Committee at the April 15, 2009 District II Committee meeting outlining the measures that have been established in order to prevent a reoccurrence of this situation;

c.)    The administration of the Lakeland High School will submit a follow up report at the August, 2009 District II Committee meeting evaluating the measures put in place during the Spring Championships season and outlining any modifications that have been put in place as a result of that evaluation for the 2009-2010 school year;

d.)    The administration of the Lakeland High School will submit a letter of apology to both West Side Career and Technology Center and Blue Ridge High School, for the forfeitures of those contests and any disruption that has caused for those two schools (with a copy sent to the District II Chairman);

e.)    The Lakeland School District will reimburse the District II Treasury for the cost of the 6 basketball officials assigned to the forfeited contests, totaling $408.     

 

ITEM 5            At 6:04 p.m., Chairman Majikes opened the hearing regarding the recent incident that occurred during the Old Forge/Carbondale Area 9^th grade game played at Old Forge High School that resulted in the termination of the contest during the third quarter of the game.  In attendance at the hearing representing Carbondale Area were Principal Joe Farrell, Athletic Director Eric Larson, and 9^th Grade Basketball Coach Larry Gabriel III.  In attendance representing Old Forge were Principal Mike Cole, Athletic Director Deb Pepsin, Varsity Boys’ Basketball Coach Al Semenza, and 9^th Grade Basketball Coach Bill Butler.  Also present was Ed Kuniegal, one of the two PIAA basketball officials assigned to the contest.  With the agreement of all parties, the hearing remained open.  Written testimony was presented by both schools as well as both officials in the contest – Ed Kuniegal and John Castagnaro.  Following the presentation of the materials, the committee asked a number of questions of the representatives present and, at 6:53 p.m., the District II Committee adjourned to executive session for deliberations.  At 7:22 p.m., the meeting was reconvened to public session and the following motions were made:

 

                        Given that this is the second incident involving the Old Forge athletic program in the past 8 months that has required a hearing of the District II Committee, and, given that there were violations of PIAA Constitution and By-Laws, Rules and Regulations, as it pertains to athletic courtesy and ethics toward visiting schools, coaches, and game officials; a motion was made by Mike Ognosky, seconded by Jim Marcks, placing the Old Forge athletic programs on probation, effective immediately, and continuing through the 2009-2010 school year.  The Old Forge High School administration is required to appear before the District II Committee at the April 15, 2009 meeting and present a plan to control and monitor the environment and atmosphere of all interscholastic athletic contests hosted by Old Forge in regard to ensuring the safety of all contestants, spectators and game officials.  All Ayes

 

A motion was made by Mike Ognosky, seconded by Bill King, to publicly censure Old Forge for their failure to comply with the rules and regulations of the PIAA in order to ensure a safe environment for an interscholastic athletic contest.  All Ayes

 

A motion was made by Mike Ognosky, seconded by Frank Galicki, to publicly censure the Old Forge Boys’ Varsity Basketball Coach for his inappropriate behavior in confronting a PIAA basketball official in violation of the PIAA By-Laws pertaining to the Code of Ethics in High School Athletics.  All Ayes

 

ITEM 6            SPORTS REPORTS:

 

§         Baseball (Frank Majikes):  Frank Majikes presented the proposed format for the upcoming 2009 District II Baseball Championships.  A motion was made by Tom Jenkins, seconded by Frank Galicki, to approve the format as submitted.  All Ayes

§         Softball (Dino Galella):  In Dino’s absence, Frank Majikes presented the proposed format for the upcoming 2009 District II Softball Championships.  A motion was made by Jay Starnes, seconded by Don Kanavy, to approve the format as submitted.  All Ayes

§         Lacrosse (Frank Majikes):  Frank Majikes presented the brackets for the 2009 PIAA Lacrosse Championships to be conducted this spring.  District II Lacrosse programs will be included in a sub regional with District XI.

§         Girls’ Soccer (Vito Quaglia):  Vito Quaglia presented the brackets for the 2009 PIAA Girls’ Spring Soccer Championships.  District II will have two representatives in the tournament in AA and one representative in AAA.

§         Boys’ Tennis (Joe Lalli):  Joe Lalli presented the proposed format for the upcoming 2009 District II Boys’ Tennis Championships.   A motion was made by Maureen Williams, seconded by Mike Costanza, to approve the format as submitted.  All Ayes

§         Track and Field (Danielle Adams):  In Danielle’s absence, Frank Majikes announced the following dates for the District II Championships:  Junior High (May 9^th @ Hanover Area), AAA (May 12^th @ Scranton Memorial Stadium, AA (May 14^th @ Scranton Memorial Stadium).  He also announced that all information for this year’s entrees will be completed on line and coaches will have the seeds emailed to them as well as available on the website.  There will be no seeding meetings this year.

§         Boys’ Volleyball (Maureen Williams):  Maureen Williams announced that the District Championships have been tentatively scheduled for May 18-21.  Details will be forthcoming.

§         Football (Tom Jenkins):  Tom Jenkins reviewed with the committee the six classifications proposal that will be considered at the upcoming PIAA State Committee meeting.

 

ITEM 7            Chairman Majikes reviewed a number of informational items with the District II Committee regarding the upcoming agenda at the PIAA State Committee meeting to be held this weekend at Penn State during the Basketball Championships.  Information discussed included:

 

§         The State Committee will consider two different proposals for two classifications in golf. 

§         The State Committee will consider a raise in the dues for the 2009-2010 School Year that will increase the dues for a High School membership by $200 and a Junior High School membership by $100.

§         The Pennsylvania Department of Health in conjunction with the District Committees will sponsor a PIAA Tobacco Free Initiative.  A presentation will be made at the April District II Business Meeting.

§         It has been announced by the PIAA State Executive Director Brad Cashman that District II member school Berwick has been chosen as one of seven section winners of the “National High School Spirit of Sport Award” given by the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHSA).  Berwick’s high school baseball team was nominated by Brad Cashman and was selected by the NFHSA National Spirit of Sport Award Selection Committee as the Section 2 recipient.