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Mike White's high school sports chat: 02.11.25
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Mike White
10:56
It's a most wonderful time of the year. The WPIAL basketball playoffs start Thursday. Personally, it's my favorite time of the high school sports year. Again, just to me, there's nothing better than the semifinals of the WPIAL and also the state playoffs, especially in the larger classes. Gyms are packed. Electric atmosphere. Love it. But with the brackets set and the seedings decided, surely there is a lot to chat about. So, let's go.
Mr. Right
10:56
Hello! What do you think of Seneca Valley football coach hire? Seems to be a good fit. Lacks coaching experience but I guess playing in NFL makes up for it?
Mike White
11:01
OK. We'll start with a football question. You're talking about Donnie Barclay, who was hired last week. Honestly, I don't know Donnie at all. But he has been an assistant at Seneca Valley for a few years and then last season at Pine-Richland. So it's not like he hasn't coached. Just hasn't been head coach. Seneca Valley alum and used to help protect Aaron Rodgers. Was an OLineman four years with Packers. Played at WVU. Hire is OK with me. He's familiar with WPIAL football and has coached in larger classifications. How will he be? Who really knows when a new coach is hired, especially an assistant coach. But he's certainly familiar with Seneca Valley, WPIAL. Seems like a good fit.
Mr. Pizza
11:01
What’s your favorite pizza place to go in the north hills?
Mike White
11:03
And second question about pizza? OK. No basketball talk yet. Not that anyone cares, but I don't have a go-to place. I like a number -- Monte Cello's (buffalo chicken), Mandy's, Roma - and can't forget Sir's every now and then. And gotta like the Caliente that just opened. OK, is that enough free plugs?
Mr. Pizza
11:03
Any go to spots you like to frequent or look forward to going to for a bite to eat before reporting somewhere?
Mike White
11:03
Usually Mrs. White's kitchen in the White House.
Dr. Dish
11:03
Fab 5 seems pretty set at this point; Robbins, Sledge, Wallace, Carmichael, and Schacter. Any others up for consideration?
Mike White
11:06
Huh. It's far from set. Yes, there are others up for consideration. You're missing some easy ones. And wou wouldn't by chance be a relation to a Schachter, would you?
Mr Ed
11:07
Latest state rankings 5 WPIAL boys/girls teams were ranked #1 with couple others second. Do you think that’s an accurate reflection of how WPIAL will fare at states? Five or six champs would easily be best WPIAL showing since six classifications.
Mike White
11:09
I haven't seen much in way of state rankings this year. But I would say five or six would definitely be the max. I would expect maybe 3 or 4. Boys would be 2 at the most.
Commissioner
11:09
Hopefully you can help me make sense of the boys 6A bracket. Why are teams playing their same section teams in the first round? Butler finished 8-6 in section and 15-6 overall and is seeded 7 while Mt Lebanon was 9-5 in section and 14-7 overall and seeded 6th. Butler beat section champs Kiski and Bishop Canevin, city league champ Allderdice, and playoff qualifier Indiana and finished 6-1 in the 2nd half of section play after an injured starter returned. Why is Norwin seeded lower than North Hills? Admittedly, North Hills played a very tough schedule but finished 6-8 and 7-15 overall while Norwin was 6-8 and 10-11. Lebo now plays section foe Norwin while Butler plays section foe North Hills. If both higher seeds win, they each play another section foe in the next round. Lebo would play Imani whose gym doesn’t have enough seating capacity so it would be a neutral site. Mt. Lebanon’s AD is on the pairing committee. I’ll let your readers be the judge. Thank you
Mike White
11:15
I don't have much problem with anything the WPIAL did in the boys brackets. Although I would agree with you that it does make you scratch your head a little about the first-round matchups of three games involving section teams. I know with a field of only 11 teams it's hard to avoid section matchups. But like you said, a case could definitely be made to have Butler seeded higher. And I know the WPIAL has, in the past, moved a team or two to avoid first-round section matchups. It's not the biggest thing, but maybe you'd like to see a little variety when it comes to playoffs and section teams meeting in first round. Again, it's not the biggest deal, but all they would've had to do is switch Butler and Mt. Lebanon as the 6 and 7 seeds and then you would've had them against opponents from other section. Then, the only game with two section teams playing wou'dve been Seneca Valley and Woodland Hills.
Mr Ed
11:15
In highly probable championship matchup Aliquippa- South Allegheny based upon SA strong performance in some non conference games looks like they are legit threat to Quips?
Mike White
11:15
South Allegheny is good. I would be very surprised if we didn't see an Aliquippa-South Allegheny final.
Local College
11:15
Mike! With Pitt Duquesne and Rmu all pretty average in their conferences, I don’t understand why none take a shot on the top talent in the area. Zion Moore, Schacter, Carmichael, etc can all play at that level? At least RMU?
Mike White
11:19
Please. The three players you mentioned are not ACC players. I will just touch on Carmichael. Really like him as a player. He's a victim of the way recruiting is nowadays because of the transfer portal. Years ago, I think he would have a lot of D-2 offers and maybe a few low D-1s. There is question about his size, but years ago someone at low D-1 might have taken a chance on him. What people don't realize is he's extremely athletic.
Barry
11:19
Afternoon Mike, i desperately hope that the wpial and piaa revamp these sections after next year. Some are balanced and some are not. Granted it has brought some positives with some great games, there’s been way too many negatives to go with it like travel time for example. Spread it out per county and giving the private schools their own section would be in my opinion the best but I want to hear and respect whatever you will have to say. Thanks Mike!
Mike White
11:24
There have been unbalanced sections for years, as far as competition. It's that way in a number of sports. The gap between the haves and have nots has widened in the past 10-15 years for whatever reason - and that goes in a number of sports. The WPIAL has said in the past year that it is making sections more on competitive balance. So there might be more travel. Look at football. Some teams are from far apart and are in the same section. Six classifications have caused a lot of this. This ain't your father's WPIAL any more.
Seriously ?
11:24
That Colin or you or somebody would seriously pick Mt Lebanon to win 6a shows me once and for all you or Colin are on the Mt Lebanon payroll or neither of you have watched a moment of Basketball this season. They might not get past Norwin let alone will the WPIAL. Absolutely mind bogglingly ridiculous prediction
Mike White
11:25
Well Seriously, maybe you need to read. That story and prediction was made by colleague Colin Beazley. Not me. Do I agree? Absolutely not. I never would've predicted that, but that's his opinion. I'll stick with Upper St. Clair.
Ryan
11:25
what do you think about the regular Season Kiski Had the Cavaliers Hoops Team looked good
Mike White
11:27
Very good season. Section champs. Coach Smith did a nice job. I think there is some question about the strength of the section, but so what. They're still section champs. I think one of the reasons for the No. 8 seed was the question about the section, but also because Amaree Gonzalez is not eligible for the playoffs.
WPIAL
11:28
4A seems to be the most competitive class this year. Will we see the bracket upended by double digit seed QV?
Mike White
11:31
Never count out a Mike Mastroianni team. I think QV can make some noise, but I wouldn't expect them to win it.
Baldwin Fan
11:31
Lets go Highlanders!!! Do you think baldwin can do it??
Mike White
11:32
No, they can't. They should forfeit now. They're only the No. 2 seed overall and have one loss overall. So what in the world would make you think they have a chance to win it? You're crazy.
All WPIAL
11:32
If you’re saying Montour’s section was best like the committee did with the seeding, do you think it makes sense for all of those teams to have to play each other?
Mike White
11:33
But at least they're not playing in the first round.
2A
11:34
I can't say I was a fan of Neshannock getting a 4 seed in the 2A playoffs. They had two losses all year, with one of these being at OLSH and another to a good Grove City team out of D10. I understand Jeanette having only 2 losses to GCC, but a section champ should get more respect IMO
Mike White
11:34
I understand what you're saying, but maybe the committee truly felt Jeannette to be the No. 3 team. Never mind who won a section.
40stripes-retired
11:34
Hi Mike.  Great game Saturday at NC.  Canes come back from fifteen down in the fourth quarter to edge the Quips by one.  Quips went cold in the fourth and the Canes turned up the defense.  Both teams will be heard from in the playoffs.  Quips, I know, you ranked the Quips highly all year.  They will be tough to beat in 3A.  Canes will make some noise in 6A, possibly winning the WPIAL.  But can't count out USC, Lebo and Imani.
Mike White
11:35
Yes, wounded like a really good game. And I'll go out on a limb and say that you can't count out Upper St. Clair.
TM
11:36
5A boys playoffs should be fun, not sure about competitive first round games, but should be some good matchups in the quarterfinals and on. Who is your 5A sleeper team?
Mike White
11:38
Char Valley is good. All guards, but good. Anxious to see Gateway vs. Moon in first round. Gateway has one of the most underrated players in McCrommon. Don't forget about Moon and Peters also. 5A is definitely good, as far as depth of pretty good teams.
Pairings
11:38
So do they change the pairings committee every year or is it essentially once you're on you have to quit to get off ? Seems like they should switch it up every year for fairness sake
Mike White
11:38
People can be on it for a number of years. I don't know if I like changing it totally every year.
4a bracket
11:40
What do think of how they seeded 4a Avonworth losing 2 games in second half of section.  Knoch playing probably one of most difficult non sections games but couldn’t come up with win against north. Beaver who have they really played?  Do they really take in consideration strength of schedule?
Mike White
11:42
I have no problem with 4A. I know Knoch played a good schedule. But c'mon. Beaver's section had Avonworth and Central Valley. That's pretty good. Beaver beat a Grove City team that is pretty good in District 10. Beaver lost to Baldwin by 9. Beaver beat Neighborhood Academy. I know Neighborhood is Class 1A, but they can play with just about anybody in any class. And Beaver beat Avonworth, which was No. 1 for most of the season. I have no problem with 4A seeding.
WrestleMeThis
11:42
Hi Mike. More of a vent than a question I guess. Much like basketball, the high school wrestling landscape is now dominated by non-boundary schools. Bethlehem Catholic has won the PIAA AAA title multiple years in a row. In AA, boundary schools have little chance against Faith Christian Academy and Bishop McCort. The disparity continues with no help in sight from the PIAA. Ugh.
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