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Mike White's high school sports chat: 04.28.20
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Mike White
11:02
What is this, week 6 of the stay-at-home order and no sports? So what, we can still talk some high school sports and people keep showing some interest in this chat every week. So if you're good to go, I'm good to go. Let's start.
11:04
This isn't WPIAL recruiting news, but it is Western Pa. recruiting news. McDowell basketball standout Will Jeffress is supposed to announce his college choice at 11 this morning. Hopefully we'll have it at some point in this chat. Pitt seems to have a good chance at landing him. We'll keep checking.
TP
11:04
I was at the Pine Richland Kennedy Catholic state playoff game 2019. I believe you were there too. Wouldn’t it have been interesting if the kid Andrew Kristofic had not left Pine Richland early to go to Notre Dame. Would have been interesting to see if he could’ve neutralized the big O a little bit. What do you think?
Mike White
11:06
Andrew might have helped, but sorry. There was no one in Pa. high school basketball that year who could do much with Oscar. He already had an NBA body. But Kennedy had plenty of other good players. I was amazed many times how little Oscar would touch the ball at some times. Kennedy still wins, even if Pine has Kristofic. By the way, I see Oscar has decided to come back to West Virginia for another year.
Georgia Steeler
11:06
WPIAL sports are full of great young athletes good coaching staffs and super sports enthusiasts. It is very unfortunate that the seniors in all sports had their dreams and goals cut short by the Coronavirus. My hat is off to each and everyone of them.Better days ahead.
Mike White
11:06
Amen.
Martorelli Maniacs
11:06
Mike...your coverage is a beacon of hope in a pretty dismal time. North Hills and Pine in same section this year in football. Who do you think Jack will root for considering the ties to both staffs?
Mike White
11:09
Well, Martorelli Maniacs, you're obviously talking about former North Hills coach Jack McCurry. And Pine is coached by former North Hills star QB Eric Kasperowicz. And remember, Jack is a Richland (before Pine-Richland) grad. I bet he plays neutral. But remember, the field house at North Hills has McCurry's name on it. When someone names a building after you, you tend to have some allegiance there.
Ballin’
11:09
Any word on who the finalists are for the NA boys basketball coaching position?
Mike White
11:10
Nothing new. As I said last week in chat, NA AD Bob Bozzuto now says basketball coach won't be hired until May board meeting. I don't know if it's done to a few finalists, but I imagine the candidates want to get this thing over with, like, right now!!!
TM
11:10
Seems like the last couple of years WPIAL football has not produced the amount of elite recruits it did in previous years. Do you think it is lack of talent, lack of participation, kids specializing in one sport and not playing football? Any or all of these or something else, just looking for your opinion.
Mike White
11:15
"Seems" is not the operative word, TM. It's fact the WPIAL isn't producing major-college recruits like it used to - even 10-15 years ago. The class of 2020 had six Power 5 conference recruits. Six!!!!! That's the lowest ever. Number of Power 5 recruits has been going down. Things do go in cycles and there will be more Power 5 kids in the class of 2021. Probably double figures. But why the fewer big-time recruits? I don't think it's one thing.
11:17
Continuing with football talent level going down in Western Pa., I don't think you can say it's because of participation numbers. I think that's hogwash. Participation numbers are down across the country. And here's the thing: The number of scholarships to Division I football hasn't changed. It's the same number, no matter the number of high school football players. It's just that not as many as those scholarship offers are going to WPIAL kids.
NorthSouth
11:17
Leaving current coaches out of it so no ones feelings get hurt, who were some of the coaches that you loved to interview or report on over the years?
Mike White
11:20
Oh geez, there are so many. Former Aliquippa coach Don Yannessa was truly one of a kind - and still is. I cherished longtime Shaler baseball coach Jerry Matulevic, who I would like to say should be in the WPIAL Hall of Fame. His 1980 team is in WPIAL HOF, but not Matulevic. Guy won well over 500 games in 31 years. He should be in. Nobody quite like Gateway's Pete Antimarino, either. And Northgate's Joe Yavorka was great. I could go on and on.
BOnes
11:20
Let's pretend all HS sports are pushed to January. Couldn't we do Winter Sports in Jan-Feb, Fall Sports in Mar-Apr, Spring Sports in May-June.  All sports have truncated regular seasons like 15 games, but still can get it done...Thoughts?
Mike White
11:23
Bones, this has been talked about. I say if that has to be done, do it. I think you could spread it out even more. Finish spring sports in mid-July. Iowa plays state baseball championships in mid-July. I hope this doesn't have to happen and I'm not going to predict. Personally, I wish people would stop predicting things three or four months down the road because things could be so different -- good or bad. Go backward four months. Could anyone have predicted we'd be where we are today. So let's stop predicting. I think we will have a better idea of things come mid-June.
Zman
11:23
Forgive the non high school question but what are your thoughts so far on Jordan documentary? I loved the part where after being retired for a year he cam back to beat the rookie in one on one. That guy was seriously competitive to put it mildly.
Mike White
11:25
Tremendous. I don't think I've seen the part yet about him being retired for a year. The stories the other night about Rodman and the Pistons were tremendous. One other thing that this thing should do is show younger people exactly how good Jordan was. The highlights are amazing. They make you remember how good this guy really was. A lot of people in 20s and younger don't realize.
Coach Z
11:25
With golf opening back up it got me thinking...Who is the most successful golfer to come out of the WPIAL?  Did Arnold Palmer win any WPIAL gold?
Mike White
11:27
Arnold Palmer won two PIAA titles for Latrobe High School. So I don't think we need to go further in trying to figure out who is the most success golfer from the WPIAL. If it wasn't Palmer, then it has to be Sean or Danny White.
Coach Z
11:27
With so much uncertainty out there right now.  Obviously this is a major hypothetical but if fall sports were to be cancelled.  Could you see high school football being moved to spring? If so how would that look with other spring sports being played at that time.
Mike White
11:29
Coach Z, we addressed this above. I would hate for that to happen. But hey, I think you have to think about it. If it has to happen, go for it. Ask any high school football player, would you rather have no season or play a shortened season in March or April? I think you'd know the answer.
11:30
I know some workers at some schools - not teachers - are being called back to work in a few weeks.
BB Fan
11:30
Mike, so glad your here. Who are your picks in basketball next year in 5a and 6a girls and boys?
Mike White
11:33
BBFan, I think Upper St. Clair boys go into next year No. 1 in 6A. 5A should be interesting. You know New Castle will be 5A next year and they have most of team back? Laurel Highlands will have Rodney Gallagher and I think Penn Hills will be good again. Mars pretty decent also. For girls, it's pretty easy. North Allegheny goes into next year No. 1 and Chartiers Valley has four sophomore starters returning.
Coach Z
11:33
With July 1 being the earliest teams can workout and practice.  Do you think we see any summer basketball leagues or camps in the area this year?
Mike White
11:33
Very doubtful.
Coach Z
11:33
Who has the best home high school golf course in the area?
Mike White
11:34
Well, some teams play at country clubs. Hard for me to say what's the best country club. But no one uses Oakmont.
Coach Z
11:34
What are your thoughts on the Peters coaching hires?
Mike White
11:37
Happy for Bob Miles. He did a lot of winning at Trinity girls and for whatever reason, the school board got this idea to get rid of him. One of those school board decisions that is really hard to understand. As for new Peters boys coach Joe Urmann, good guy. Wish him well. Peters has had some talent over years. Tough section, though.
11:38
Hey about that Will Jeffress announcement. Pitt is it!!! Nice video by Jeffress. Really good pickup for Jeff Capel.
11:41
Jeffress rated highly, but is he ready to have a big impact next year at Pitt? Hard to say. I would say let's give him a chance to develop more before putting huge expectations on him. Remember, he was only a junior, but he reclassified and will graduate early. He still had one more year left at McDowell. Gotta like his body and athleticism, though. And getting Jeffress looks good for Pitt.
Pitt Panther
11:41
Heard Julius Page might be applying for high school hoop jobs? Not sure of its a rumor or fact but figured you would know. Thank you
Mike White
11:41
Sorry, but I don't have any idea.
Hoop Junkie
11:41
NorthA hire a basketball coach yet? How about Avonworth, Ambridge, Baldwin?
Mike White
11:42
Again, North Allegheny will hire next month. Avonworth has not hired anyone yet. Baldwin has interviewed, but has not made hire. No idea on Ambridge.
Dee
11:42
Any update on the NA HC basketball job?
Mike White
11:42
See above questions.
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