High School Sports
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Pa. House Passes Bill Allowing PIAA to Split Public, Private High School Playoffs
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The Pennsylvania House on Wednesday voted overwhelmingly in favor of a Centre County representative’s bill that would allow the PIAA to have separate playoffs for public and private high school sports. The bill, introduced by state Rep. Scott Conklin, D-Rush Township, passed with bipartisan support by a margin of 178 to 23. HB 41 now…
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State High Wrestling: Coach Jason Nickal Is Bullish on the Future
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Jason Nickal may be a newer name among Centre County’s high school wrestling coaches, but for anyone with the slightest awareness of local mat endeavors, his name rings a bell. Or maybe a gong or two. That’s because Jason is the father of Bo Nickal, the legendary Penn State alum who captured individual NCAA wrestling…
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Willie Morse: Hall of Fame Comes Calling for State High Legend
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All sorts of commendations and congratulations will go to each person inducted into the Centre Country Sports Hall of Fame this Sunday. And that is altogether appropriate for these remarkable individuals. But from where I sit, there’s one who merits extra attention. He is William “Willie” Morse, a four-year basketball starter for State College Area…
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Settlement With PIAA Allows Pa. Parochial Students Lacking Sports Teams to Play for Public School Programs
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Eligible parochial school students in Pennsylvania must be permitted opportunities to play public school sports under an interim consent order approved by a federal judge on Monday. It stipulates that students at faith-based schools that do not offer a particular sport are eligible to compete for a public school team in their home district. The…
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Previewing Week 1 of Centre County High School Football
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This article originally appeared in The Centre County Gazette. All four local LHAC high school football teams will begin league play on Friday, Aug. 22, while the State College Little Lions will begin their season on Friday with a non-league contest against Gateway High School. Here’s a closer look at the opening week of the…
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Centre County Family Among Plaintiffs in Lawsuit Against PIAA Over Parochial Student Participation in Public School Sports
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A State College area family is among the plaintiffs in a new lawsuit against the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association claiming that its policies unlawfully prevent parochial school students from participating in public school sports. The family and the Centre County-based Religious Rights Foundation of PA — who recently settled a similar lawsuit against the State…
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Conklin Bill to Allow PIAA Playoff Reform Advances in State House
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A state House committee on Monday voted to advance a Centre County legislator’s bill that would allow the PIAA to create separate playoffs for public and non-public schools. The House Intergovernmental Affairs and Operations Committee voted 20-6 in favor of HB 41 sponsored by Rep. Scott Conklin, D-Rush Township, who has advocated for the separation…
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Medlar Field to Host 4 Local High School Baseball Teams for Happy Valley Hardball Classic
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Four local high school baseball teams will take the field on Saturday, April 5 at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park for the second annual Happy Valley Hardball Classic hosted by the State College Spikes. Bald Eagle and Bellefonte will meet in a 9 a.m. matchup, followed by State College vs. Mifflin County at noon, according…
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Can Another Nickal Enhance Happy Valley’s Wrestling Prominence?
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With last June’s hiring of Jason Nickal as head wrestling coach, it seemed to me that State College Area High School had staked a claim to future mat transcendence. Sure, I know it’s dangerous to predict the future even with a stalwart leader like Nickal. There’s a reason why Wall Street firms monotonously say, “Past…
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Crispell Named New SCASD Athletic Director
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State College Area School District is turning to a familiar face to be its next athletic director. The school board on Monday approved Loren Crispell, who has been assistant athletic director since 2017, to succeed the retiring Chris Weakland in leading the district’s athletic department. Weakland is retiring in June after eight years as athletic…