Gorman: Multiplying a hoops issue

We can go round and round on the problems that persist within PIAA athletics, but one has proof on paper.

Make that the scoreboard.

Private schools are dominating girls basketball to the degree that they're making a mockery of our championship events.

We saw record blowouts in back-to-back days at the PIAA finals last weekend in Hershey, with Neumann-Goretti beating Seton-La Salle by 45 points in Class AA and Vincentian beating Old Forge by 48 in Class A.

Private schools have dominated the WPIAL girls basketball finals in Class AA and Class A to a ridiculous degree.

In Class AA, private schools have won the past five WPIAL titles and 11 of 16 since 2000, with nine runners-up. The last public school to win was Jeannette in 2010.

In Class A, private schools have won the past nine titles and 12 of 16 since 2000, with 10 runners-up. The last public school to win was Monessen in 2006.

The PIAA hasn't crowned a public-school champion in Class AA girls basketball since Karns City in 2000. That's 15 consecutive titles won by private schools.

How do we fix this trend?

With multiplication.

If the PIAA used a multiplier to determine enrollment for private schools, it could help level the playing field.

Multiplying enrollment figures by 1.8 would move six of the 11 WPIAL Class A schools, including Vincentian, up to Class AA. It would also move four of the five WPIAL Class AA teams (excluding Bishop Canevin) to Class AAA, where there are no private schools competing.

And, most important, it would give public schools something they haven't had in years.

A fighting chance.

Kevin Gorman is a staff writer for Trib Total Media. Reach him at kgorman@tribweb.com or via Twitter @KGorman_Trib.