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Mike White's high school sports chat: 02.01.22
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Mike White
10:58
I'm back. After a one-week absence, we're ready to roll. Everyone, start your engines.
WPIAL Pigskin
10:58
Looking at Class 4A Boys for Playoffs, Section 2 may have 4 of the top 6 seeds in QV, LP, Montour, and Blackhawk.  North Catholic and Belle Vernon would be the other 2, but really don't think anyone else in the WPIAL is as good as those 6 teams.  You agree?
Mike White
11:00
Totally agree. No one else to put in the top six right now - and I don't see it changing.
WPIAL Pigskin
11:00
I watched Highlands play this weekend and was really impressed.  They had Quaker Valley on the ropes but just couldn't finish the game.  I know they are young this year, but will drop to 4A next season and will have almost all their pieces back.  Have you seen them play this year yet?
Mike White
11:01
I have not, but I know they're pretty good. What they did to Quaker Valley was impressive. Jimmy Kunst really good. Incidentally, did you know Jimmy Kunst is cousin to Gateway's Will Kromka, a pretty good senior player himself? I would think Highlands has to be one of the top teams in 4A heading into next year. But Laurel Highlands also is going to 4A. I think LH probably enters the year No. 1.
WPIAL Pigskin
11:02
To me, WPIAL Class 3A seems very wide open.  I know Ellwood City is good, but they aren't "off the charts" good.  Could see 7-8 teams there actually being able to win a championship there.  Remember, Ellwood was the 11 seed last year and won it all.
Mike White
11:04
Well WPIAL Pigskin, I would agree. I saw Ellwood City Sunday. No, they aren't unbeatable, but they're pretty good. Guards are good and they an inside presence with Joseph Roth. Splash Brothers - Alexander and Joseph Roth - are still (I believe) one of best stories in WPIAL sports. On No. 1 basketball team and also top swimmers. Who does that? Most intriguing team to me in 3A might be Seton LaSalle. Connor Spratt very good.
WPIAL Pigskin
11:04
OK Mike, biggest game of your life...what 3 WPIAL referees would you want doing the game?  There are some good ones out there...want them to get some "pub" too in "Appreciation"!
Mike White
11:06
I'm not even touching that one. No way I'm going to rate officials. I don't even know all their names. But I will give kudos to all of them. Sure, there are some that aren't exactly great. So what. Anyone who does that job deserves a salute -- and thank you. Because there aren't enough of them these days. So, here's to all of you .... ahhhhh .... zebras. Hope more people appreciate you.
Coach O
11:07
New Castle has had a quiet 13-1 season meaning no featured games or marquee matchups yet. They beat Laurel Highlands last year in the playoffs, both teams have almost everybody back, what would be your keys to the game if they meet again this year?
Mike White
11:08
Haven't seen New Castle yet. Saw Laurel Highlands on live stream. Big key I think will be how well New Castle shoots the ball. They're pretty good when they shoot well (who isn't?) but Ralph seems to have the Red Hurricanes hitting stride. It was eye opening to see score of their game against Seneca Valley. Seneca is a decent 6A team.
Hoops Fan
11:08
Football conferences will be released on Friday. When will Basketball sections be released? What is 6A looking like? Will Central go back to the North?
Mike White
11:09
Basketball sections not for a while. Maybe later this month or next month. There will only be two sections in 6A. Here's the choices. Put Central in the North, and have Hempfield and Norwin in the South, or vice versa. I don't know what WPIAL will do.
WPIAL Pigskin
11:09
What game are you hitting tonight?  Doesn't look like any HUGE ones in 5A or 6A.
Mike White
11:10
Gotta do basketball highlights, so will stay close to home and go to a mighty interesting one. It's non-section but is definitely one of the best games of the night. Mars at North Hills. NH undefeated. Mars 15-1.
Hooper
11:10
Morning Mike! Welcome back, missed you last week. For WPIAL basketball playoffs have you heard if they will be using neutral sites for all games like ? Or will the first few rounds be at the lower seeded home court like last year? Lastly thoughts on Leechburg in single A? If they can avoid the section winners early on I think they are a lock to be a semifinalist. Big gap  talent gap between them if they end up at #4 and whoever comes in at #5. Thanks
Pitt bball
11:11
Hey Mike. I had the opportunity to see Bishop Canevin play. Very talented and very well coached. Gino does a great job. I noticed they are bumping to AA after this season. If they were win WPIAL and make a run into the state playoffs would they have the success points to jump to AAA?
Mike White
11:14
Oops. Let's first answer Hooper. WPIAL hasn't said yet what they will do with playoffs and if there will be any home games. Stay tuned on that one. As far as Leechburg, they have some work to do if they want to get a No. 4 seed. I know they are 11-3, but two teams ahead of them in section and Leechburg and Aquinas are tied with two section losses. So a No. 4 seed for Leechburg certainly isn't guaranteed.
LeboKid
11:14
Good morning, Mike. Are we beginning to see enough of an outcry from districts/ADs to form separate leagues for Catholic/private institutions and public schools? And what are the barriers to doing so? There must be considerable financial implications at play. Thanks in advance.
Mike White
11:17
You're talking about the group of 1A, 2A and 3A ADs that are going to ask the WPIAL to not put private, Catholic, charter schools in their sections or football conference because they don't want to play them. I can tell you that WPIAL exec. director Amy Scheuneman said this topic will be discussed soon with concerned ADs. But nothing will happen for this next two-year cycle. It's too late. As far as process, it would have to go to board of directors for a vote on this. In my opinion only, WPIAL will listen, like Amy said. But it won't happen.
Ricardo
11:18
Great to see Ellwood City's Wolverines in the photo for this stream.  Been many years since EC has produced a sports team to match what they've had the past two years.  Do you see anyone who can top them on their way to the WPIAL title?  If not, do you know enough about the rest of the state competition to have a feeling for ho far they can go?
Mike White
11:20
Of course Ellwood can be beat. They aren't the '72 Miami Dolphins. Not saying Ellwood WON'T win the title, but Seton LaSalle, Washington (with the venerable Ron Faust),  South Allegheny. They're all decent. But I do like Ellwood's team.
JG
11:21
Mike, if you're looking at your crystal ball to seeding, how would you forecast 6A Boys ending up acknowledging games still remain over the last 2 weeks?  Which team do you think comes out of 6A-Section 2 or will there be a tie?
Mike White
11:23
Well, seeing that Bethel, USC, Mt. Lebanon are all tied for first in Section 2, I would say yes there is a chance of there being a tie. They all have four section games left. Honestly, I don't know who is the best team. I have seen them all play. If you hold me down and make me choose the champ, I'll go Upper St. Clair. But it's not like I feel overly confident in that. I think the top three seeds in Class 6A for playoffs are set, barring major collapses by these teams. It's North Hills 1, and Fox Chapel-Central Catholic 2-3, but I don't know what order yet.
WPIALGuy
11:23
Mike, I know you deal with the public/private conversation a ton, but I would truly like to hear your input on a solution, if you feel there is a solution? If no solution, is that due to lack of effort or is it just going to be this way, and we all need to be quiet. Thanks for all you do for HS Sports.
Mike White
11:24
The only "solution" that would make a lot of public school people happy is separate playoffs for the two. But there
To finish earlier response. Pigs will fly before the PIAA has separate playoffs, no matter what some ADs want.
Scott
11:25
What team has been most surprising this year in 6A?
Mike White
11:26
I'm not dodging your question, but I don't know if I'd put "most surprising" tag on anyone in 6A. Maybe people didn't think North Hills would be "this good." But North Hills isn't unbeatable, either.
goirishlee
11:26
Sure miss your weekly boys and girls state rankings for  basketball.  Any chance of seeing them again?
Mike White
11:27
We don't do them, goirishlee. We just do football. Many years, someone else has done state rankings and we've picked them up. But not this year.
Jim Colony
11:27
Any word on who has applied for PR or Mars football jobs?
Mike White
11:28
Yes, Jon LeDonne of Penn Hills is one of the top candidates for Pine-Richland job.
Coach O
11:28
Read your article on Laurel girls BB coach “resigning”. Another successful coach apparently run off by parental machinations. I respect privacy of employees and districts not making public reasons for coach’s dismissals but at some point considering they are significantly funded by taxpayer dollars when parents are behind it I’m starting to believe the public deserves more transparency from them. What are your thoughts?
Mike White
11:30
That's a mysterious situation. Even superintendent said it was not misconduct. I will tell you I was gold by a few sources something to the effect that he "sat the wrong player." But that one is a mystery. Then again, I have no doubt some parents were complaining. Of course, they complain everywhere.
WPIAL Pigskin
11:30
seemed like a great weekend of hoops up at Montour.... some great performances and a great matchup to end it off between BC and BV
Mike White
11:31
Yes, I was there Sunday for much of the day. Five of the six No. 1-ranked teams in WPIAL were in event over two days. And all five won.
Mike Rozier
11:31
Is Danny Holzer the right pick for USC AD or should they have brought in someone else ? He's a busy guy now as it is, isn't being the AD going to stretch him even thinner and hurt quality elsewhere ?
Mike White
11:32
What? Then why is it OK for football coaches to be ADs? There are plenty of them. The guy is pretty well-respected at USC and around the WPIAL. And it was a 9-0 vote to give him a five-year contract. They must think a little differently than you.
hoops north
11:32
Going to try to get over to watch NH and Mars.  Surprised Mars is 15-1 after losing the last Carmody.  Any thoughts on the Planets.
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