Budget Concerns Lead to Sto-Rox Diamond Cuts

By: HSSN Staff
Monday, July 1, 2013 | 5:10 PM

School district budget cuts have led to Sto-Rox High School dropping its baseball and softball programs for the upcoming school year. While the district is looking for a co-op with another school district for both programs, returning baseball and softball players can either move to another district, attend a private school or just not play next spring.

Officials said there was talk about eliminating the entire athletic department before a proposal to just drop the two spring sports was passed on an 8-1 vote by the school board. Also part of the district wide cuts were eight teaching jobs and the school librarian.

The decision is a stunning blow to what is one of the top softball programs in the district. Bill Palermo is the winningest softball coach in both WPIAL and PIAA history.  He led the Vikings to one state championship and WPIAL Class AA titles in 1985, 1986, 1989, 1993 and 2006 plus five straight Class A championships from 2000 through 2004. Palermo retired after this 2013 season in which Sto-Rox finished 13-4 during the regular season and were upset in the WPIAL Class A First Round by the Shenango Wildcats 7-6 in 8 innings.