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Mike White's high school sports chat: 12.03.24
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Mike White
10:58
Well, it's the final weekend of high school football. State championships Thursday through Saturday at Cumberland Valley. Only two WPIAL teams made it. Last year, five WPIAL teams made it, along with Westinghouse of the City League. But things do go in cycles sometimes. ... And don't forget, basketball gets into full gear this weekend. Limited amount of games in this first week. Now pretty much everyone playing this weekend. So let's talk. Chat now open.
Guest
10:59
How good will Uniontown basketball be this year? Why don’t more of the WPIAL basketball stars stay local? The NIL money is a short term decision in my view. Local stars that stay home have revenue opportunities for a lifetime!
Mike White
11:02
Well, we have them No. 2 in 5A. Uniontown bumped up from 4A. They should be very good. Two starters back plus last year's sixth man. Notorious Grooms already 1,000 point scorer. Cal Winfrey 111 points away from 1,000. A number of other good teams in 5A, though. But Uniontown should be right in the mix. ... As far as local players staying home to go to Pitt and Duquesne? This isn't just a thing that started with NIL. We don't have many power conference guys, but a number of them have gone elsewhere over the years. I don't know real reason. But hey, Beebah Cummings of Lincoln Park stayed home. And hey, Pitt has NIL money. But maybe not as much as say ... Arkansas. And kids are indeed going for the money nowadays.
Guest
11:02
Does Central have a shot against St. Joe's?
Mike White
11:04
Of course they have a shot. Central seems to be playing its best football right now, especially offensively. St. Joe's is very good again. As good as past two years? Hard to say. But they are loaded with power conference guys again. Then again, Central has a few of those guys also. I'll still take St. Joe's, but I think Central can be in game. I think Central QB needs to play his best game of the season and Central needs to run the ball to have a chance. I don't know if Central defense can hold St. Joe's below 4 touchdowns.
Deuce
11:04
Michael….my favorite time of the year…..HOOPS…..frays every where…..nets burning…..Will be at one every night….lookin for you!
Mike White
11:04
Better believe it.
Mr Ed
11:04
What got into the water supply in northwest Pa this year? The Fort Cherry and South Park shellackings shocked me. South Park was a strong, physical team. And I didn’t think any 1A school could hold Matt Sieg under 100 total years. Curious now to watch Central Clarion and Port Allegany on TV this week.
Mike White
11:06
It really is shocking, isn't it? Three District 9 teams had made it to state title games this year - and then two make it - Port Allegany and Central Clarion. And they didn't just beat WPIAL teams, they pummeled them. Port Allegany crushed Fort Cherry and Central Clarion beat South Park, 55-0. I admit I was shocked. Not so much that those teams won, but how much they dominated. Respect goes District 9's way.
Bones
11:06
Butler sleeper in 6a! good win vs Obama.
Mike White
11:07
Yes, Butler is most definitely a team to watch. Carney left and they don't have a so-called "star" player, but Matt Clement will have them certainly competitive. To me, in 6A there is Upper St. Clair, and then a bunch of other teams.
Coach
11:07
How do you think Central will hold up against St. Joes? St. Joes is Central on steroids. Just think if they had a Catholic championship this would be it pretty much every year in 6A.
Mike White
11:08
For sure. If I had to pick, I'd have to go St. Joe's. Are they as good as past couple years? Hard to bet against them. But remember back in 2021 when Mt. Lebanon beat St. Joe's? That wasn't a great St. Joe's team. Good but not great. Had a sophomore QB. This year's team has sophomore QB.
Coach
11:08
Elijah Faulkner not being on the fab 22 was surprising.
Mike White
11:11
It's a tough call. Always kids you can make a case for. But remember, you then have to take someone off and who do you take off? I'm not saying Faulkner doesn't have talent. But let's look at some stats. He has been very good past few weeks, but consider: Through first nine games, he had rushed for 690 yards and averaged 4.6 yards per carry. Wasn't exactly setting the WPIAL on fire. That was considered.
Mr. Right
11:12
Good to see some public schools in state championship games. 2A & 3A only class without a private/catholic school.
Mike White
11:14
Well Mr. Right, half of the 12 teams are private schools - Bonner, Bishop Guilfoyle, Bishop McDevitt, Roman, Central Catholic, St. Joe's. That's not the same percentage of how many private schools are in state. It's the same old story. But PIAA doesn't want to do anything about it. So it's not going to change.
John
11:14
Will Beaver win 4a hoops
Mike White
11:14
I would not say they are the favorite, but I really like Brady Mayo and they could make some noise.
Ryan
11:14
how Do You Think The mars Basketball team will do this season with the New Coach i think they will have a Good Season
Mike White
11:15
They lost a lot. But Rob Carmody left a good program out there. They'll be fine but I think with a number of newcomers, it will be a little bit of let's wait and see.
Pittfan
11:15
Hi Mike. Are college athletes required to attend class anymore?
Mike White
11:17
Well they are SUPPOSED to. But we all know that at some places, there is not good maps for the players to find the classrooms. With the transfer portal and 5th adn 6th year guys, I don't know what the story is with older guys who transfer. They are supposed to do some kind of schooling, aren't they? Even if it is minute.
Guest
11:17
Which major sport do you think the WPIAL is strongest in compared to other parts of the state? Football/Basketball/Baseball
Mike White
11:20
Hmmm. Good question. I don't have a count of PIAA titles by district, but I might say baseball first, but maybe equal to football. Basketball definitely third.
Hooper
11:20
Great story on Lucas Stanley! Kid can shoot the cover off the ball. His Dad and brother scored 1,000, but so did his first cousin, Craig Hannon, the original clip! A basketball family for sure!
Mike White
11:21
I forgot about Craig Hannon. Good guy. He was on team that went to state finals. He still stays in touch with me sometimes by e-mail. Still follows hoops here.
11:24
Just a little FYI. Tomorrow is PIAA board of directors meeting. They will most likely pass some new parameters for competitive-balance rule and teams that have to move up in class. Likely, rule will be passed that says more need "success points" are needed to move up in class. Teams will have to go to state championship one year, and at least state semifinals the next year, in order to be bumped up. But they will also need to have a minimum amount of transers - five in football and two in basketball.
11:25
Also, PIAA will likely take out part of competitive balance rule where it used to state that teams couldn't use health and safety as reason to "NOT" move up. Aliquippa used that claim. Then PIAA put in rule where teams couldn't use it.
Cranky
11:25
To be clear, I do not think kids should be penalized for leaving a non boundary school to return to their home district. The question I have is how does Peter Kramer leave SSA and go to Hampton and be benched for the playoffs, yet Maggie Spell returns to her district and does not. I am glad she came play all season, it just seems like a lack of consistency .
Mike White
11:27
No doubt the inconsistencies are hard to figure. I agree. The thing is, you don't know the reasons given in these closed hearings. Could financial sometimes be a reason? Yes. But you have to prove you had financial hardship and that was reason you left private school. I'm just saying it's hard to make a blanket judgment on these cases without knowing what was said in hearings.
Central
11:27
If central catholic beats SJP, are they now considered the best wpial team ever?
Mike White
11:28
Please. Can we be real here?
Sjp
11:30
2017 pine, 2021 Lebo, and now 2024 PCC. Let’s roll!!!!
Mike White
11:30
We could go on and on.
X
11:31
Friday was a tough day in Altoona for this WPIAL fans. Fantastic coaching by Lampeter Strasburg against TJ...went from 12 yards total offense in the first half to 2 td's with 3 minutes left in the thrid quarter.  And they shut down TJ running game in the second half.  TJ lost an offensive lineman very late in the game the week before. I think that loomed large.  Cherp mentioned moving Shep Turk to the side they were running...it worked for a half.  Injuries loom large.
Mike White
11:31
Black Friday for WPIAL teams. 1-4. Only winner Avonworth. And Fort Cherry and South Park got spanked.
Guest
11:31
WPIAL took lumps in States Good Luck to Central and Avonworth
Mike White
11:33
Yep, as I said above Black Friday for WPIAL. But please let's not rush to judgment and say WPIAL is no good. Last year, 5 WPIAL teams in finals and City League Westinghouse. In 2021, 5 WPIAL teams. Only two teams making it has happened before since 6 classes came in 2016. In 2018, only 2 WPIAL teams made it.
TheFlats
11:33
2004 Central team, which was Art Walkers last year, is the best ever.  Could have beat 1987 North Hills in the morning, then 1993 North Hills in the afternoon
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