Cornell, Sto-Rox merge proposal for girls basketball is shot down

-SPORTS-

By Elizabeth Perry

Sto-Rox directors unanimously voted down a proposal from officials at the Cornell district asking to combine the two neighboring school district’s girls’ basketball teams.

Cornell Superintendent Aaron Thomas reached out to Sto-Rox Superintendent Megan Van Fossan with the proposal to merge the teams because they were both small, and because his district didn’t want their team to have to drop out of the Western Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic League.

The Sto-Rox board’s decision has left Cornell’s team of four girls in limbo, according to Cornell Athletic Director William Sacco.

The proposition would have left Sto-Rox students wearing Cornell uniforms, all the practice would take place at Cornell with the Sto-Rox district stuck with transporting their students, said Ken Hohman, Sto-Rox director.

“They wanted to have their cake and eat it, too,” he said.

Sacco said he spoke with Steve Bressler, sports director for Sto-Rox, about co-oping the teams. Cornell has had a great deal of success co-oping their football team with Nazareth Prep, Sacco said.

“As of right now we are just in limbo,” Sacco said.

The Cornell district has also approached Moon Area about a cooperative arrangement for the teams, but has yet to hear back, Sacco said. Moon’s Athletic Director, Ron Ledbetter, could not be reached for comment.

Though he was in favor of the plan to work with Sto-Rox, Sacco said he understood why the proposal might not have passed.

“I know a lot of times you feel you don’t want to lose your identity,” Sacco said.