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Mike White's high school sports chat: 09.03.24
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Mike White
10:58
Beautiful day outside, isn't it? Feeling a little more like football weather this week, although it's supposed warm up later in week again. But speaking of heat, let's get some hot chat going.
TM
10:58
I know it is early, but any conferences standing out to you as going to be fun to watch once conference games start? To me the 5A Allegheny Six might be the Conference to watch.
Mike White
11:00
Yes, TM. I'd probably say the 5A Allegheny Six is best conference in WPIAL, at least in terms of depth of quality teams. But 5A overall is really good. Big East Conference is really good, too, with Penn-Trafford, Woodland Hills, etc. I really like the Western Hills in 3A - ar at least the top three. Central Valley, Avonworth, Beaver are top three teams in that conference and ranked 1-2-3 overall in Class 3A.
Coach Dooney
11:00
Hello. Really enjoy the sports chat for a number of years now. What is the cut off from 6A to 5A in terms of total boys in grades 9-11? Seems like most 5A teams could compete in 6A. I wish the WPIAL would do a 5A/6A conference for WPIAL championship & the team that goes the farthest/wins the ship goes to state 5A & then 6A
Mike White
11:03
Hey coach Dooney. Well, thank you for the kind words about the wildly popular chat. I actually enjoy doing it. As far as enrollment cutoffs. First off, they are based off students in grade 9-11, but it's last year's grades 9-11. Not this year. PIAA realigns every two years. The cutoff for football schools in 5A is 424-619 (boys in grades 9-11 last year). Smallest 5A football schools in WPIAL are South Fayette (424) and Shaler (448). South Fayette was one over the cutoff. There really isn't anyone in 5A close to 6A cutoff. 6A is 620 and up. Top three closest to 6A are North Hills (586), Woodland Hills (585) and Fox Chapel (561).
11:06
Getting back to Coach Dooney. There are a lot of people, including myself, who would like to see something done with 5A and 6A. Would be so much more interesting with 5A and 6A together. You could even break them out before playoffs. But really, 5A does play 6A in non-conference games now. Here's one of the problems: A lot of 5A schools don't want to play biggest 6A schools. I don't know if 5A schools would ever agree to competing in WPIAL playoffs with 6A schools.
Coach Dooney
11:06
Looks like it’s NA vs Central in 6A WPIAL Championship this year. With Norwin as the dark horse to maybe make it. I wonder if Norwin makes it to the championship game will they get their home locker room if they are the away team? All 6A getting beat by 5A teams.
Mike White
11:09
Ahhhh, more from coach Dooney. Yes, Norwin is 2-0 for first time in 10 years. Interesting non-conference game Friday against Latrobe (5A), who is trying to go 5-0 for the first time since 2005. I've said it before. Class 6A is kind of boring. At least they have seven teams now instead of five past few years. Even though Central is 0-2, I still don't see anyone stopping NA and Central from getting to championship. And it will probably be that way most years. And yes, North Allegheny and Norwin are both 2-0. No other 6A team has won a game. That says a lot.
Disgrunted fan
11:09
Why is Mt. Lebanon football so bad post 2021???? I’m sick of it
Mike White
11:12
They just aren't on the same level as Central and NA. And they weren't for some other years until Bob Palko came along. But they were .500 in regular season the past two years. That's not horrible.
Mr Ed
11:12
I’m not going to criticize WPIAL for this because I understand in theory their rationale for scheduling non conference games but some teams I think got overloaded with heavyweights. McKeesport for example, four in a row of Peters, TJ, Belle Vernon, and Upper St Clair? I mean, Tigers are a really good program, but c’mon.
Mike White
11:16
I totally agree with you. I think it was good that the WPIAL started making non-conference matchups themselves, as opposed to a blind draw. At least that's what they claimed they would use. The league making non-conference matchups against teams that might be somewhat similar was a great idea. It has made for some very good matchups. But I hear you that some teams really have it rough. I saw where McKeesport coach Matt Miller commented Friday about the schedule that he doesn't know who he made mad at the WPIAL. Good line.
ChrisG.
11:16
There seems to have been quite a shift in high school sports coverage over the past few years. Today, it seems that the majority of articles and features are only about kids who are projected to play in college. Could this type of coverage be one of the many factors that plays into a decline in high school sports participation?
Mike White
11:22
Totally disagree with you. I think you're way off base. So you're basically saying that a decline in high school sports participation has something to do with kids not getting publicity? Please. That's ridiculous. Under your thinking, a kid might choose not to play a sport because he doesn't think he will get publicity. You say the majority of articles and features are only about kids who are projected to play in college? Well, there are tons of kids from WPIAL who play in college at many levels. We at the Post-Gazette cover high school sports the way we have for ages. Sure, we do a preseason series in football called Blue Chip Chat, which is on top players, a lot of the best players. But we've been doing that series for ages. And yeah, it's no coincidence that often times the best players around are the ones going to Division I colleges. But we have many, many stories throughout the school year on athletes who aren't future Division I college players.
11:24
More to Chris G. Just look at one of the athletes of the week this week. It's Julian Dahlem of Upper St. Clair. He's not a big time college recruit. But we made him athlete of the week. Here's the bottom line: Kids and teams who get publicity usually do well and win. If you think your kid isn't getting enough notoriety or enough respect, then get in line. And that line is plenty long.
Basketballl
11:24
Been hearing a lot about Knoch Basketball this off season.  Just saw their schedule, playing Moon, Central York, Bishop Gilfoyle and Belle Vernon to name a few.  Have any insight on them
Mike White
11:27
I have no idea about Knoch's basketball schedule. If you say it's good, I'll take your word. But yes, Knoch basketball has been rising the past year or so. 15-11 last year and they played a lot of young kids, like Lang and Bauman. Then there's 7-foot junior Zane Pacek. Definitely a team to watch this season.
Brian
11:27
Went to montour moon game. Montour was dominate in the QTR or so of action. Very impressive!
Mike White
11:28
Yes, Montour is good again. If the QB Hopper plays well, they are going to be hard to beat.
Guest
11:29
Could u see new castle winning over 5-6 games?
Mike White
11:31
Well, they're 2-0. Red Hurricanes have been really down past few years. Could they win five games? Possible. I mean, they play Highlands, Yough and Knoch next three weeks. You would think they could maybe get another win or two. But then conference play starts. Remember, that means Montour, Aliquippa and West Allegheny. That's tough. Then Ambridge and Blackhawk. If they win two of the next three, then I say they can get to five wins and maybe, just maybe, six.
Craziness
11:31
Have you ever seen in all your years of covering HS sports the kind of craziness with weather and other matters like last Friday night ?
Mike White
11:31
Ahhhh, yes. It seems like almost once a year there is a night where games are delayed by lightning and some postponed. This wasn't unusual.
Colts Corral
11:32
Can Chartiers Valley FINALLY win this Friday versus Indiana ? And why would the WPIAL schedule games with teams so far apart geographically ?
Mike White
11:33
No. Char Valley "can't" win. They should cancel the buses and stay home. Here we go again. First time this year with a question about "can" a team win. Of course they can win. Indiana isn't exactly Aliquippa.
Clamenza
11:33
Mike, please settle a debate. When in a mercy rule situation, which team should be substituting first? The winning team calls off the troops or the losing team waives the white flag?
Mike White
11:34
I don't really have an opinion who should sub first. I just know that there are still coaches out there who just never get it and are throwing the ball with two minutes left in the game and up by 50 points.
Coach Nick
11:34
I’m interested in watching new castle vs highlands this week. Should be a very good game for new castle to see if they are back on track coach mo already looks very good.
Mike White
11:35
I touched on New Castle a question or two ago. Highlands is decent, but conference games will really tell about New Castle.
Big question
11:35
Is Hellmann gonna be good to go for Friday for USC ?
Mike White
11:36
I prefer Hellman's on all of my sandwiches. Wooooo hoooo. I'll be here all week. But hey, did you ever think, if Upper St. Clair QB Ethan Hellman had a sister and she married standout Beaver player Brady Mayo, would she then be "Suzie Hellman Mayo." .... Wooo hoooo. Tip your waitresses. Try the veal.
11:37
But to answer the question about USC QB Hellman. He got a concussion last week. I don't really know if he'll be back this week.
WPIAL Fan
11:37
Any early thoughts on 4A two weeks in? Montour seems to have talent all over the place at the skill positions.  The game with Aliquippa should be interesting.  TJ looks like they may also be back after a few "down years" for their standards.
Mike White
11:39
Touhced on Montour a little earlier in chat. They're very good. Biggest question was how would they replace QB Jake Wolfe. Hopper seems like a capable replacement. TJ got a nice win last week against Central Valley. I don't think this is a great TJ team, but you never should count them out.
Bobby
11:39
Losing to St. Frances is one thing ok I understand that. Losing to Pine Richland a local PUBLIC school team I don’t understand that. I know they have in the past and Pine is a great program but come on Central supposedly has the best players around right? Or is their coaching staff frauds? If they lose to Woody High this week I think all the players should go back to their home schools and get a tuition refund because that’ll be ridiculous.
Mike White
11:40
Yeah, OK. You do know Pine practices and has football players, too, right?
Rebels
11:40
Glad to see the Seton LaSalle Rebels back on the map!! Great win against Canevin!
Mike White
11:40
Seton now No. 1 in 2A. They have some players and a move down to 2A should benefit them.
Overly Curious
11:40
Hey Mike! Considering what happened down the street from the Wolvarena last week, at what point do you make a decision to stop covering the game and start covering the news if something like that occurs at a game you are staffing?
Mike White
11:44
Well, I think it depends on a number of factors. Was the game stopped for good? Was someone hurt? Did the game start back up? You're there to cover the game. But heck, if there is a shooting maybe in the stadium, then of course you write about the news that there was a shooting in the stadium. I seriously doubt if there was a shooting in a stadium that any game would be started back up. So of course you're going to write about the shooting, probably with a little help from the news side of reporters. But I don't think you can say one size fits all for some situations.
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