Mike White's high school sports chat: 10.27.26
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Mike White
11:02
The final week of the regular season and what an ending there is in store. I bet the WPIAL regular season has never had so many big games to end a season. It's unbelievable. Kudos to WPIAL czar Vince Sortino and his fortune telling ability, scheduling games on the final weekend that match top teams in the conference. I mean, there are 9 games matching teams undefeated in conference. EIght others with undefeated team in conference vs. team with 1 loss. Incredible. Never seen anything like it.
By the way, WPIAL will release playoff pairings Saturday afternoon. KDKA radio will have pairings release show.
11:03
OK, on to chat. Let's go!
BC Fan
11:03
I get the allure of Acrisure but playing on a 10-15k seat turf field for the WPIAL championships makes a lot of sense. Could play all 6 there on different days and weekends.
Mike White
11:05
Well BC Fan, that is indeed the debate. As I wrote last week, polling 10 players and coaches, some still would want the games at Acrisure, despite the crowd size. Many kids still want to play there, just because it's an NFL stadium. But I also understand wanting to play at Riverhounds news stadium when it is built. My idea for the first year or two is to split them up. Play three and three. Four games in one day at Acrisure is nice in a way, but it's too much.
BC Fan
11:05
Any update on Mike Warfield?
Mike White
11:06
No, Aliquippa superintendent nor coach Warfield are answering any messages. I don't know if this is true, but sources told me two weeks ago that he would be out 14 days. That would put him back for Friday's game against Hopewell. Just a coincidence, I guess that he's back in time for the big one.
Vinny Salvucci
11:08
Most competitive playoff field? 1A, 3A, or 5A?
Mike White
11:11
Hmmmm. That's a tough call, Vinny. I think you'd have to throw 4A in there, too. I mean South Fayette, Montour, McKeesport, New Castle, Blackhawk. And what if Kemon Spell is full strength? Honestly, right now I can't pick one. I wouldn't say 5 just because I think Pine-Richland is ahead of everybody. After them, it's certainly competitive.
Coach Nickerson
11:11
Biggest regular season surprise and biggest disappointment?
Mike White
11:13
I don't do "biggest disappointments." I just don't think to throw those labels on high school kids. Not good. Biggest surprise? I might have to go Ligonier Valley. I mean, there are some teams that weren't good last year and had good starts to season, but couldn't keep it up. But Ligonier Valley was 1-9 last year and is now 8-1. That's pretty good turnaround.
Mr Ed
11:13
Tough to get a gauge on Westinghouse with the schedule they play. Do you think they are near the level of their two state championship game teams and would be on equal footing in a matchup vs Seton or Canevin?
Mike White
11:15
Mr. Ed, I think Westinghouse is really good this year, and yes I think they are as good as two teams that played for state titles. They have a few future Division I players. That DLine is awesome. But we can't see Westinghouse play the WPIAL champ unless both get to the state finals. That's because Westinghouse will play through the eastern side of the bracket in Class 2A, while the WPIAL champ plays through the western side. Southern Columbia, which beat Westinghouse in two state finals, is on eastern side. Southern Columbia would meet Westinghouse in the PIAA quarterfinals. So it will be a tough road for Westinghouse.
Coach Nickerson
11:16
Does Penn Trafford or USC have enough to beat PR?
Mike White
11:18
Of course they have a chance. I haven't seen Penn-Trafford on tape or in person. I have watched the other two either in person or on tape. Pine-Richland is certainly the No. 1 team. What they did to North Hills Friday was impressive. As good as Oobi Strader and Khalil Taylor were against North Hills, the difference was line play. Pine's lines dominated North Hills' lines. Smacked them. Strader is such a tough player to handle. He's a decent passer, but his running and scrambling ability sets him apart on the high school level.
Fb fan
11:19
Who do you see as the 5a wild card teams?
Mike White
11:25
Top three teams make the playoffs and there will be three wild card teams. If everything goes as planned with who the top three teams in each conference, I would go Trinity-Bethel winner, Armstrong (if it beats Penn Hills) and Gateway, in no particular order. But what if, by chance, Peters would beat TJ. Not saying they would. But Peters would then have wins over TJ and West A, but losses to Trinity and Bethel. What would you do then?
Rifleman
11:26
Any idea what the top 2-3 districts where Central Catholic pulls most of their players from?
Mike White
11:29
Well Rifleman, every school has to give roster to PIAA. Private schools put what districts players are from. I was able to get Central's roster that the PIAA has. Of the 64 players on the roster, 21 are from the city. No other district has more than three, but the 64 kids come from 32 different districts. Does that tell you something? And of the starters from the first game, they were from 17 different districts. City had the most with six. North Hills and Seneca Valley next with two.
Chi
11:29
Your thoughts on the Fc and Wash high game this week?
Mike White
11:30
One of the many big games this week. Still scratching my head at that hiccup Fort Cherry had vs. Monessen early in the season. This game comes down to one thing. Can Washington stop Fort Cherry's running game? I'll take Fort Cherry.
State Bracket
11:30
Interesting caveat is that Westinghouse will have to play the east side of the PIAA bracket and potentially play southern columbia in the quarterfinals
Mike White
11:30
Read above. I pointed that out.
Bruno Sammartino
11:30
Miss the days when coaches would drive to Greentree with two vcr tapes to find out playoffs seedings on a big screen. I heard some coaches would give blank tapes or the wrong games. Any good stories from that era?
Mike White
11:32
I don't know about blank tapes, but yes I think wrong games. Or foggy film. So much better nowadays. What I was always amazed at was that room at Greentree Marriott  was packed with all kinds of people. That's where playoff pairings were put on big screen. I was always amazed at how many coaches would come in there from the hotel bar with beer bottles in hands. Great look.
Steeltown
11:32
Mike, will Montour likely get one of the wildcard spots should they not be in first or second place in the parkway?
Mike White
11:33
Most definitely.
Smith
11:33
Every year I hear upper st Clair or some other team from the south (of course not counting peters) is going to give pine a run for the championship. Seriously until they play a tougher non conference schedule, like pine won’t happen
Mike White
11:34
Well Peters did give Pine a run. In fact, they beat Pine. Pine is on a good run now and I'd be shocked if they don't win it. But many people thought the same thing last year and look what happened. Although there isn't another 5A team out there like Peters last year.
Mr Ed
11:34
Couple PR questions for playoffs brings up to me the second half of last year’s championship game against Peters. One of strangest things I’ve seen in years of watching WPIAL championships. Up 19-0 at half, total dominance and then pfft with all those playmakers and talent. Damndest thing.
Mike White
11:34
I researched it. Biggest second half comeback in history of WPIAL championships.
A Band Fan
11:35
Congratulations to all 17 of the marching bands that competed at the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Marching Band Association (PIMBA) Championships before a capacity crowd at Gateway and to the 11 bands that competed at the Tournament of Bands Chapter 8 Championships at Penn-Trafford last Saturday. First place bands at Gateway were Norwin in Class 4A, Fox Chapel in 3A, Deer Lakes in 2A and Mars in 1A. Winners at Penn-Trafford were Woodland Hills in Class 4A, McGuffey in 4-Open, East Allegheny in 2A, Penn-Trafford in 2-Open and Serra Catholic in 1A. Their hard work deserves a shout out.
Mike White
11:35
I agree. So consider this a shoutout to all those teams.
They done
11:35
Have the Ringgold people stopped whining yet ? They cry than a baby with colic. Here's a solution. Don't have just a one dimensional offense. Or better yet, put the game away on your own when you had one of the multiple chances. Don't leave it up to the officials
Mike White
11:36
Are you talking about the fumble call? Well, that was a tough one to take. But c'mon, man. Fans cry everywhere. At every level.
Regarding Smith
11:38
Peters beat Pine last year and Moon gave Pine a game in the semifinals??
Mike White
11:39
Yes, they did for a while. Final was 34-24. I'm not saying Pine is unbeatable. Nobody is (except maybe Central Catholic). But Pine is definitely a favorite. Besides they loss to Central, Pine has defeated every team by 33 points or more. No one else in 5A can come close to saying that. Pine has proved they're really good.
Central-City league
11:39
Must be no coincidence how bad most of the city league teams are with Central having 21 city league players, but who can blame them for wanting to play there compared to cupples at 3:30 pm
Mike White
11:40
Yes, Pittsburgh Public Schools loses players to Central Catholic. No doubt. Then again, kids in the city have been going to Central for ages. And it used to be more of them. I think what bothers people more is all of the suburban districts that Central gets players from.
Anon
11:42
Could Char valley get a home playoff game???
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