District, families frustrated with WPIAL scheduling conflict

A small system like Allegheny Valley School District gets really excited when its sports teams do well.

There are several marquees in Springdale cheering on a pair playoff-bound teams.

"Oh, we're more than thrilled that we have two teams in the playoffs!" said school board member James Gaschler.

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However, Gaschler told Channel 11 there's one important person who has to choose between those teams: soccer star Logan Panza, who is also the kicker for the Springdale football team.

"He's fundamental to both teams,” Gaschler said.

The football team is scheduled to play in the first round of the WPIAL playoffs on Friday night, and the high school boys’ soccer team is scheduled to play its WPIAL championship game at the exact same time.

"It should be his choice,” said football parent April Green. “I feel that since he's a senior, he should go with which one he has more of a love for."

But other parents and administrators feel he shouldn't have to choose and the Western Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic League should have done a better job of scheduling.

Channel 11 spoke with WPIAL executive director Timothy O’Malley over the phone.

"It's unfortunate, but every year at this time, teams are conflicted,” he said. “It happens every year because soccer and football play on the same day, and if they changed the schedule for Springdale, it would cause conflict for another school."

"Those kids deserve to have a championship class experience and we can't provide that for them if we have to choose,” Gaschler said.

O’Malley says this could also be a problem for girls’ volleyball and soccer on Saturday, but it's just how the schedule goes.

Cox Media Group