Public vs. Private: PIAA executive director defends association’s combined playoff structure

Sewickley Academy players celebrate with their trophy after winning the PIAA Class 2A Boys Basketball Championship against Old Forge at the Giant Center in Hershey on March 20, 2026. The Panthers defeated the Blue Devils 52-36.

Old Forge School District Superintendent Dr. Christopher Gatto has sent multiple letters to the Pennsylvania High School Athletic Association (PIAA) regarding the competitive imbalance between public and private schools.

Now brought to light is the response the PIAA had to Gatto’s first letter sent after the Old Forge Blue Devils (Penn.) boys basketball season ended back at the Pennsylvania high school boys basketball state championships last month when they lost to Sewickley Academy (Penn.) in the AA title game.

PIAA executive director Mark E. Byers on March 31st responded to Gatto’s letter, defending the association’s combined playoff structure.

“PIAA, the other 49 state high school athletic and activities associations, and the school district of the District of Columbia, are members of the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS), which has also addressed these issues. As has been found nationally, there are no easy solutions,” Byers said in the letter sent in response to Gatto. “Of the 46 NFHS Member Associations that are comprised of both public and private schools, 41 operate their championships similar to PIAA in a combined manner. Some due to legislative intervention like PIAA, others choose to operate in this fashion.”

I appreciate your interest in this complex and difficult issue. The primary obstacle to substantial reform is the language of the existing legislation. Should you desire to effectuate substantial change, you may want to consider contacting your legislator and seeking an amendment of Section 511(b.1). Absent such change, we will continue to regularly assess the situation and seek means to best ensure competitive equality within the scope of the law.”

Byers added in the letter to Gatto that all member schools, public and private, are treated equally when it comes to the PIAA’s rules and regulations. The executive director notes that though all schools are handled on the same level by the association, getting the same outcomes isn’t possible based on the current structure that’s been decided by state law.

Four out of the six Pennsylvania high school boys basketball state championships were won by private schools this past 2025-26 season.

“All PlAA-member schools are treated equally, are subject to the same policies and procedures and rules and regulations, and have the same responsibilities,” Byers added. “They may participate in PIAA’s programs to whatever extent they like, and voluntarily determine the nature and scope of their own athletic programs. While PIAA-member schools are treated equally, achieving the same results of outcome is impossible, undesirable, and contrary to a structure based on competition.”

Public, private and Charter schools are similar in many ways, but also have various differences, the most important of which, from the standpoint of athletics, is that public schools draw from a legally defined geographic area (although they may admit tuition students from outside the school district), and private schools draw from any area selected by them. Of course, PIAA recognizes that there exist other distinctions between public and private schools which may impact upon athletic competition. Addressing these distinctions without violating the statutory and equal protection rights of all our members has long been a significant challenge.”

Gatto has decided to continue the dialogue with the PIAA with a response to Byers’ letter back regarding the imbalances and points to Pennsylvania House Bill 41 and Senate Bill 1253*.* The two bills take aim at reforming Pennsylvania high school sports by separating public (boundary) and private/charter (non-boundary) schools in PIAA state playoffs to create a more balanced overall system. The bill has already passed a committee vote and has moved to the House of Representatives for further review.

Sewickley Academy (26-1) proved themselves of being one of the top teams in the Keystone State, with the Panthers checking in at No. 24 according to the latest Pennsylvania 2025-26 High School Boys Basketball Massey Rankings. Old Forge finished as the state’s No. 151st ranked squad with a 21-7 record.

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