The sactioning issue is far from settled in PA and surrounding states. This season, many non-PIAA schools have avoided the New York Armory because of the issue. Now, five schools in Maryland are receiving letters of censure for participating in the Dickinson (PA) College HS Invitational on December 17 - a meet that was not officially sactioned for them by the national federation. The issue had an effect on attendence at the January 14 meet, because Dickinson College, according to coach John Hartpence, did not receive sactioning for the meet from the PIAA until a day before the meet, despite making an application a month prior. The delay effectively made it impossible for all but a few MD schools to schedule the meet.
The story in the 1/14 Washington Post – Five Track Teams Face Censure
With Maryland's public school association recently working out a formal sanctioning arrangement with other non-public school associations in the state – similar to what exists in New York state – it appears that PA and other states that do not create these formal agreements between public and non-public groups will continue to be caught in the middle.