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Mike White's high school sports chat: 01.05.21
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Mike White
11:05
Happy New Year, everyone. OK, that's good on the greetings. Let's go.
Coach Z
11:05
Basketball starting back up again this weekend! Any big boys or girls games on the slate?
Mike White
11:08
Well first coach Z, let me say that schedules are like no other year. Constantly changing. We're trying to get all schedules to Post-Gazette but it is a tough situation. Some ADs are still doing schedules. One of the things changing schedules is teams that will not play opponents who don't wear masks. It's happening. So as of what we know for Friday, no great game. There is Uniontown at Belle Vernon. Shenango at OLSH. USC-Peters game was canceled because Peters isn't playing any team that isn't wearing masks. So USC is hosting Lincoln Park in non section.
Bagger
11:08
Has the PIAA made a decision on whether teams wearing masks were mandatory for the basketball season.
Mike White
11:11
The situation is this: PIAA and WPIAL informed schools to follow Governor's recommendations. That is to wear a mask indoor even for athletes. But it is up to each individual school to decide. Many schools are not wearing masks in competitions. But there are some schools that are requiring masks even in games - and their teams won't play opponent not wearing masks. PIAA and WPIAL has said rule is this: Game canceled in regular season because of mask issue is a "no contest." But if a team won't play a playoff game because of mask issue, that team will forfeit. You got all of that?
Zman
11:11
From what you might be hearing, do you have a sense if a fair amount of the already scheduled games for Friday night will be played or are most teams not through the required practices yet?
Mike White
11:11
With PIAA reducing required number of practices to 10, just about all games will be played Friday.
William of Covfefe
11:11
Mike - Can you provide an update on who will make the playoffs? Thanks!
Mike White
11:14
Everyone. ... I guess you missed news few weeks ago. WPIAL will have open tournaments this year in boys and girls basketball. All teams can participate, regardless of record and games played. So it's one big party and everyone is invited, unless teams don't want to participate. The only other year with an open tourney was 1984. 12 boys teams and 23 girls teams elected not to participate.
Lance
11:14
Hey Mike first off happy new year! Now, I’m excited for the kids to get back into the swing of things with their sports and I know you are as well. I’m not informed on the rule or not but will technicals be given to players or coaches who don’t wear their mask covering their face or will it just be a quick warning?
Mike White
11:16
Well Lance, there is no rule for PIAA or WPIAL basketball that masks must be worn in games by players or coaches. It's recommended that masks be worn on bench by players and coaches. But there is no rule. So there will be no technicals for masks. And if anyone is concerning about mask falling down, maybe they should use ..... ahhhhh .... masking tape. ..... woooo hoooo.
Go Steelers
11:16
Any update on if the wpial finals will be at the pete this year?
Mike White
11:17
Championship sites have not been decided. WPIAL boss Amy Scheuneman said that won't be decided until later. There is still a possibility they will be played at Pete, but if I were a betting man, I'd put my money on them being played at high school gyms.
Lance
11:17
Also, will you personally be allowed attend games or is that a school decision?
Mike White
11:19
Are you talking about media? I think we will but it will be on a school by school basis. We have to check every time we cover a game. But for the games we are planning to cover Friday, our reporters have been given clearance to be there. If we have a reporter and a photographer, that's only two more people. But we will have to social distance and probably have temperature checks. But who really cares about the stinkin' media?
D9Dave
11:19
Do you foresee any issues with the WPIAL basketball committee having to seed the field and determine matchups and who gets byes since the WPIAL has gone to an open playoff format?
Mike White
11:21
No. You seed them the best you can with info you have. I do know this. If a classification has, say, 26 teams, it won't be the No. 1 team playing the No. 26. WPIAL has done a sample bracket for schools. There will be, maybe, six teams that get byes. Maybe the No. 26 team plays the No. 7 team then.
D9Dave
11:21
Can you give me short preview of Mike Mastroianni's Quaker Valley team for this season and their chances to win a WPIAL title?  His teams seem to excellent year after year and he is one of the top WPIAL coaches in my opinion.
Mike White
11:23
Magic Mike. Without a doubt one of the best coaches. Has over 500 wins. They are our No. 1-ranked 4A team. Adou Thiero is back. Averaged 15 a game last year and made all section. 6-5 Markus Frank is back. Averaged 17. They will fill in around those two. But QB should be good again.
Shrimp
11:23
Teams were to be to shut down for three weeks, but there were teams who were running practices at private facilities and residences with coaches present.  To keep things fair should the WPIAL or PIAA take action if they were notified of these unsanctioned practices?
Mike White
11:26
Yes, I heard the same thing. I'm sure some teams found a way to have a practice at private facility. Were coaches present? I don't know - and can't prove it. Should the WPIAL or PIAA take action? No. The school should. But that would mean the school would have to 'fess up and the parents and coaches would have to 'fess up. Not likely to happen. Plus, they can all get around it by saying, they were voluntary workouts to come.
Coach Z
11:26
Is the decision to take just district champions to the state playoffs a done deal or is that something the PIAA will reevaluate as the season goes on?
Mike White
11:27
Done deal. Only district champs will go to PIAA playoffs - in all winter team sports. They did same thing in fall sports.
dugx14
11:27
Do you have a favorite high school football venue ?
Mike White
11:28
I like a lot of places. But still will take North Hills' Martorelli Stadium. We surveyed all WPIAL coaches in 2019 to name favorite place for a game. Woodland Hills' Wolvarena was first and Martorelli second.
dugx14
11:31
Agree, the absence of a track at Martorelli gets you close to the field.
Mike White
11:32
Yes, but there's more than that. Field sits in a valley. Almost like a fog or haze hangs over field on night games. Rowdie Rooters on hill. Great atmosphere.
WPIALJUNKY
11:32
I seen LH(5A)bball transferred in Keondre Deshields(uniontown)and Brandon Davis(first love) along side Rodney Gallagher. Repeat wpial champs? States?
Mike White
11:33
So, you "seen" Laurel Highlands has transfers. Great. Well, I "saw" the same thing and did a story on it a month ago. They're supposedly pretty good for sophomores and will most certainly make Laurel Highlands a contender again. But 5A has a number of pretty good teams this year. We have New Castle ranked No. 1.
11:37
Well, if you just go by statistics, they are one of the best 1-2 combos in years. The Post-Gazette was the first to keep scoring statistics for the entire WPIAL in the 1979-80 season. Since then, only two teams have had two players who both averaged more than 22 points in the regular season. Last year, DiMichele and Spadafora became the third. Does that say enough? Spadafora is a senior who will go to West Liberty. DiMichele is a junior. Great shooter.
Zman
11:37
Do OLSH’s DiMichele and Spadafora rank pretty highly in the category of best 1-2 combos  on a team you have seen over the years?
Mike White
11:38
Sorry, I answered your question before I posted it. Answer above.
Pizza man
11:46
Have you ever chosen a game to cover based upon a nearby restaurant you wanted to eat visit?
Mike White
11:47
No, but if there was a school in Market Square downtown, I would cover all their games next to Ruth's Chris.  Or maybe, a South Side school and go to Archie's for wings.
rmason
11:50
What are your thoughts on Doughboy’s Pizza in the rocks? Gotta be top 5
Mike White
11:51
Never been there. But maybe they could send me some free pizzas to try -- and then I could decide whether to cover a Sto-Rox game.
Baller time
11:51
Are there any basketball players who are playing football in college next year that have chosen to enroll early due to the weird basketball season with covid restrictions and shutdowns?
Mike White
11:52
Not that I'm aware of. Peters Township's Donovan McMillon is enrolling early at Florida for football and not wrestling. But that didn't have anything to do with COVID. He had planned to probably do that.
11:55
OK that's about it for now. We'll do it again next Tuesday at 11. We'll finally have some games in.
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