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Mike White's high school sports chat: 01.20.26
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Mike White
10:56
Well it's freezing outside, but how about some hot high school talk. Chat store is now open. Fire away.
Todd
10:57
6A girls basketball must really be down this year.  The number 1 ranked team, Norwin, was blown out by a good South Fayette team, and last night the number 4 team Pine-Richland struggled to beat Mars.  I guess there won’t be a state title contender in 6A from the WPIAL this year.
Mike White
10:58
I've said before - even on this chat - that WPIAL 6A girls basketball is down this season. It's not that the teams are all bad. But there isn't an overly strong team, compared to years past. And I think the scores have proven this. I don't know who I would pick to win it all. Definitely do not see a state championship contender this year. But hey, might make for some interesting WPIAL playoffs.
11:01
But back to Todd and WPIAL Class 6A basketball. Please don't judge a team on how they fare against South Fayette. I know you said South Fayette blew out Norwin -- and they did. But what South Fayette is doing in the WPIAL this year is unreal. They have only one loss - and it was to Miami Country Day, a Florida team that has only one loss and is ranked No. 2 in Florida. And consider what South Fayette is doing in the WPIAL. The team has played 13 WPIAL teams and its average margin of victory for those games is 40.3 points. I said before and say it again. If they keep this up, win a WPIAL and win a state, the team could go down as one of the best in WPIAL history. But you have to do it in the playoffs first.
HsFan
11:01
Good luck to seeding 6A after the top 3. Some things will clear up, but it’s quite a cluster right now.
Mike White
11:03
Totally agree. New Castle, Upper St. Clair, Central Catholic clearly the top three. After that, pull names out of a hat. Look at Section 1. After New Castle, four teams are tied for second and two others are one game back. I don't know if by the end of the season if it will be any more clear. Maybe just a little.
Dan
11:03
What do you think of the Kemon Spell recruiting saga? Is it an NIL issue or something else?
Mike White
11:06
It definitely has become a "saga." It's hard to say what he's thinking because he isn't talking too much to the media. But some have predicted he will go back and commit to Penn State. Who knows? I also don't know how much NIL has to do with it, but you can bet it has something. It's the recruiting world of 2026. By the way, speaking of Spell and McKeesport, there was a lot of talk that McKeesport might not bring Matt Miller back as coach. Well he's coming back.
SOUTH PARK FAN
11:06
BOYS HOOPS LOOKS GOOD I'M CAUTIOUSLY OPTIMISTIC!!!!!!!!
Mike White
11:08
South Park first place in section, big game Friday against Seton LaSalle. Scarff and Hochendoner one of WPIAL's top 1-2 punches. Why wouldn't you be optimistic? Plus, South Park is in 3A and 3A isn't exactly loaded with great teams.
Ryan
11:08
Who wins tonight’s Game Kiski or Indiana Go Kiski
Mike White
11:08
Indiana.
HsFan
11:08
Had TJ’s success surprised you? I thought they’d be good, but I didn’t anticipate them being top 2 in 5A.
Mike White
11:10
I feel the same as you HsFan. I thought they'd be pretty good (Dom DeCicco always has them competitive), but I certainly didn't expect 15-1. Players must be eating a lot of that Cherp's Chicken in the cafeteria.
WPIAL sports Fan
11:10
When do the WPIAL football schedules come out for 2026?
Mike White
11:10
Probably not until March.
Larry
11:10
Who’s ur prediction for the championship game in 3a 5a and 6a
Mike White
11:10
I'm not going there. I'll wait until regular season ends.
Larry
11:11
Any chance Quaker valley wins 4a?
Mike White
11:13
No. No chance at all. They should just decline a playoff spot, go home and get ready for baseball and track, and eat cookies after school. C'mon, man. Of course, there's a chance. They're 11-3, first place in section. Only three sections in 4A and you'd have to consider them in the hunt. Right now I'd say Knoch and North Catholic look like the top two teams, but they aren't unbeatable.
Larry
11:13
central and usc I bet are gonna play again in playoffs. Should be a great game
Mike White
11:14
If season ended today, they'd be seeded 2-3. That would put them on same side of bracket for meeting in semifinals. So yes, decent chance they meet again.
Mr Ed
11:14
Who would you say typically are the best student sections you see at the BB games? In terms of turnout and boisterous?
Mike White
11:15
Honestly, I can't answer that. Not one sticks out in my mind. For some big games, student section turnout is good and they make some noise. I was at Central-USC game last Friday. Good student turnout as usual for USC and Central brought a good number of students. That was a really good atmosphere for a regular season game.
Footballfan
11:15
I know it’s hoops season.  But some big hires happened in football last week. What do you think? Any time frame on Lebo? Any names for the jobs that just opened?  In-house candidates?
Mike White
11:17
Eric Kasperowicz to North Hills was the biggest. Also last week Dan Bradley hired at Ambridge (left Ellwood City), Trevor George hired at Blackhawk (left Riverview). I don't know when Lebo will hire and I don't know any names. Mt. Lebanon also needs an athletic director. John Grogan retiring after school year.
Coltfan
11:18
Surprised to see CV Colts retire a basketball players # like 9 months after final game. What's the rush? Must have retired TJ's the day after season ended.
Mike White
11:20
You're talking about Chartiers Valley retiring jersey of Jayden Davis in December. Yes, I don't know if I've ever seen that before, either. He just graduated in June. Not saying Jayden wasn't very good player, but that is kind of quick. By the way, Davis is a freshman at Point Park. Playing 13 minutes a game, averaging 4 points.
Sully
11:22
How good are the Jeannette Jayhawks boys team.
Mike White
11:24
Jeannette is, in a word, good. In two words, real good. Remember they beat Sewickely in the WPIAL semifinals last year and won the WPIAL. I think 4 or 5 starters return from that team. I really like Markus McGowan. Kymon'e Brown very good also. Sewickely obviously is good and has lot of size but Jeannette-Sewickley final would be real interesting. I think it happens.
Lee Smith
11:24
When do the unfilled out brackets come out for WPIAL basketball?
Mike White
11:24
Don't know what you mean "unfilled out brackets?"
Bill
11:25
Can any 3A team take down Mohawk? They beat #2 Quips by 11 a couple weeks ago.
Mike White
11:28
Yes. They are very good but not unbeatable. Only loss to Central Catholic. I think they are the best team in 3A. That's why I ranked them No. 1 at the start of the season. Fadden and Wrona are a really good 1-2 combo. Love Fadden's story. One of best stories in WPIAL this year. Plays five sports. Just went over 2,000 points. Only second football player to have a career with 1,000 receiving yards, 1,000 rushing yards and 1,000 passing yards. He isn't a big-time college prospect. But with that resume, don't you think he should be a legitimate candidate for athlete of the year in WPIAL?
Lee Smith
11:28
When do we get the brackets without teams on it.
Mike White
11:29
For the WPIAL, there aren't so-called "brackets without teams on it." WPIAL has no idea how many teams will be in playoffs in every classification because of ties for playoff spots. If two teams tie for a playoff spot, and they split head-to-head, both teams enter the playoffs. It's that way for even a three-way tie if they all split head-to-head. So for WPIAL, there are no pre-determined brackets because of possible ties in section.
scottmonaco
11:29
mike big pitt fan here why isnt pitt football in running for these local kids in portal
Mike White
11:32
Maybe they are in the running, but just haven't landed any. Number of things go into it. I don't know how much money has played into some decisions. But you have to look at how Pitt hasn't landed many WPIAL kids in recent years. So maybe it doesn't change even when they transfer.
Common Sense and Geography
11:33
I'd like to see WPIAL go back to Chuck Heberling's philosophy of using "common sense and geography" in setting up sections. There's no law that says all schools in a conference or section have to be of the same classification.

Taking away "geography" has destroyed rivalries. One mere example: Natural rivals Montour, Moon Area and West Allegheny are all 5A but play in three different baseball sections and have some travel.

Common sense. How about taking history into account and putting teams into similarly competitive sections regardless of classification?

Can be done. Football, take every team into the playoffs, starting in Week 9. Let teams opt out if it's a bad season; District 10 does this. Might have to make an exception for 6A schedule. Basketball, take everyone except opt outs. Start a week earlier.

Instead of giving reasons why it can't be done, let's think of why it can! This could restore rivalries and fix competitive balance.
Mike White
11:37
I agree that a number of geographical rivalries have been ruined. But six classes is partly to blame for that. WPIAL has tried to go some with "competitive balance" in making conferences. And more teams like that. When football conferences come out in March, I think there's a chance you could see smaller conferences, so that teams have more non-conference games. And the WPIAL will try to use competitive balance for non-conference games. And sorry, no way you take all football teams to the playoffs.
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