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Mike White's high school sports chat: 09.08.20
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Mike White
11:00
Well, football season in Pa. begins Friday. This will certainly be a season like no other because of COVID-19. So much we can talk about, so let's start talking. Store is now open.
Iron-man
11:00
I'm surprised Central came back so highly rated in the state after being hit by graduation on the OL and DL. Will anyone like CM and SV compete in 6A other than Central and NA?
Mike White
11:03
Post-Gazette state rankings come out later this week. Central will definitely be in top 5. Central has question marks because a number of top players graduated, and star DLineman Elliot Donald decided not to play because of COVID-10 concerns. That's certainly a loss. But five other starters return on defense. Eddy Tillman is back at RB and you know how Central loves to run the ball. As for state rankings, you have to realize that in 6A no St. Joe's Prep, no Archbishop Wood (moved up from 5A), no Downingtown West.
11:05
Getting back to the state rankings in 6A, St. Joe's Prep and Wood are in the Philly Catholic League, but Catholic League and Public League will not be playing this fall because of coronavirus. St. Joe's and La Salle are talking about possibly playing an independent schedule. But that wouldn't put them in PIAA playoffs. So, some teams that would be highly ranked are not ranked.
fatboy
11:05
Wolf just announced that restaurants can operate at 50% if certain rules are followed.  I hope this is a sign that things will start to loosen up for schools and sports.  Will PIAA follow adjust as new recommendations come from the govs office or will they keep to their plans?
Mike White
11:08
PIAA has to follow Gov. rules if it's and order from the Gov. The Gov. "recommended" that no sports be played until Jan. 1. But that left the decision up to the PIAA to make. They don't have to follow a "recommendation." But what is totally absurd is now restaurants can take 50 percent occupancy, but school sports have an indoor gathering limit of 25 inside. Explain that one. Maybe - with heavy emphasis on maybe - someone in Gov. office will wise up and do something with this indoor gathering limit of 25, so school sports such as girls volleyball can at least function a little better.
hoop nerd
11:09
Will high schools be limited to just a varsity team to keep roster sizes down to comply with COVID restrictions?
Mike White
11:10
No. You can dress as many as you want. But that limits others than can be in stadium. Many schools are dressing their full roster for home games. But schools with bigger rosters are taking maybe 40 players to home games. A travel squad, so to speak. But teams are still having JV games and junior-high teams.
Running Girty's
11:10
Can you explain the transfer rule regarding penalties for a transfer after a certain year? No playoffs for a transfer after their Soph year?
Mike White
11:13
That rule was put into effect few years ago. If you transfer after starting a sport in sophomore year, you are ineligible for playoffs at your new school - unless you meet criteria for a waiver. A family move because of a job is one reason. But it's in PIAA rules that you can't transfer just because a school drops a sport, unless that sport was dropped for financial reasons. Rightly or wrongly, that's the rule.
Fast Eddie
11:13
Should their be an asterisk next to the state champ (if there is one) since not all of the teams who are eligible to play are participating?
Mike White
11:15
No. You won a state championship with all the teams that are participating in the state. You are still the best among teams that are participating. Everyone knows the situation, but let's not get into this "asterisk" stuff.
fatboy
11:15
Has there been any talk of protests taking part at high school games this season?  Does the PIAA or WPIAL have a stance on it?
Mike White
11:18
The stance is this. PIAA put out a guideline earlier this summer that if a team has to cancel a game because of COVID in the regular season, it's declared a no contest but each district can rule on it. Any cancellation of a postseason game is a forfeit. WPIAL has said they will consider games "no contest" for now, but this is really a gray area that needs to be clarified. Because some of the games already postponed are conference games. They could affect playoffs. WPIAL wants teams to try and reschedule games, which is possible if a team has non-conference games. WPIAL has said it will meet in late September to decide on what to do with postponed games. So, stay tuned. Issue hasn't been resolved yet.
jordan
11:18
I was really surprised to see in your article earlier this week that volleyball has surpassed basketball in girls participation.  Did you see that coming?  Thoughts on why that took place?
Mike White
11:22
That's nationally. I know people around Western Pa. don't realize that girls volleyball is pretty popular. And participation in girls basketball, at least in Western Pa., has declined. I did a big story on this maybe 3-4 years ago. A number of WPIAL schools have had some trouble having enough players for JV games in recent years. They postpone JV games. There is no 9th grade girls basketball in the WPIAL any longer. There was only a couple 9th grade teams a few years ago. I don't know why this is, but girls basketball participation has declined in Western Pa. It's odd because Div. 1 talent in Western Pa. has been on the high end.
get off my lawn
11:22
Will you start to see sports get cut in high schools like they were cut in college to save money?  Without the big revenue grab of the gate during football season something has got to give.  I hope my school taxes don't make up the difference.
Mike White
11:24
Doubt it. You're not talking about a half million dollars here or multi millions. And hopefully, it's not more than a year. Yes, schools will have to cut some corners with something, but it won't be cutting sports.
Food for thought
11:24
Who would win: Clubber Lang vs Drago?  Fight in a neutral country.
Mike White
11:25
I think I'd go with James "Buster" Lang, former Post-Gazette high school sports writer from years ago.
D9 Dave
11:26
Are some games being moved in football from the traditional Friday nights because of a shortage of officials?
Mike White
11:27
WPIAL said two weeks ago that they do not know of any games that have been moved yet because of this. We have not been made aware of any, either. But schools have been asked to consider moving a game to possibly alleviate issue. I don't know of any yet.
Wink
11:27
Did spring coaches get paid even though their season was cancelled?
Mike White
11:28
That was up to each individual school - and believe it or not, I did not poll every school on this. But I know of at least some schools that paid their coaches.
Captain Chaos
11:29
What do you think will happen if the state senate passes house bill 2787, which essentially gives school districts power to determine their own sports parameters, including spectator numbers.  The house has already passed it with a huge majority....enough to overturn a veto should Wolfe go that direction.  The bill could pass the Senate this week....
Mike White
11:31
Second vote in Senate is scheduled for today and third and final vote could be tomorrow. If it passes by 2/3 majority, it is "veto proof." That means Gov. Wolf could veto it, but House and Senate have authority to override it. At least that's how it has been explained to me by House Rep. Mike Reese, who sponsored bill. Could this all happen by the end of the week? Well at the pace that some political things happen, I would say that's unlikely. But I don't pretend to understand politics.
caddie
11:31
Is playing golf the most underrated sport in high school?  Free golf and great courses?
Mike White
11:32
I wish I did it. Think of it, while football players go and knock heads at practice, golfers go and maybe practice putting. Ha ha.
Shy guy
11:32
Who made the ultimate decision on PR choosing to not "play up" in 6A?  Do players and parents have a say or is it all up to the AD and coach?  As a senior I would want to play the same teams I did my previous 3 years.
Mike White
11:34
It's up to a school in general. Sometimes the AD and coach decide. Sometimes superintendent and school board gets involved. Differs from school to school. But how in the world can you criticize Pine-Richland for playing 5A. That's where their enrollment says they play. And listen. Look at 5A in WPIAL this year. It's loaded. Many good teams. It won't be easy for Pine.
D9 Dave
11:34
District 9 is using a bubble concept where schools are playing within a 4 county area to reduce travel but in doing so it is requiring the larger schools in the district such Bradford and St. Marys to play each other twice; home and away.  I know this would be difficult if not impossible in the WPIAL but wanted to hear your thoughts about a bubble concept for high school sports?
Mike White
11:36
Sure, you could do it. Because you can do anything. But no, I wouldn't like it for the WPIAL. I mean, let's think of this. If North Allegheny had to play at Canon-McMillan, are they more at risk than they would be playing, say, Shaler? Because Canon-McMillan is in Washington County. Let's not get ridiculous. It's not like they're getting on a plane and traveling over state lines.
Keyboard hero
11:36
What will homecoming look like this year?  Are schools ditching it completely or are they planning on making it virtual?
Mike White
11:38
Have no idea. We shall see. No one might be home at homecoming. But you will still see senior nights and probably homecomings. You just might not see students there. So it really won't be a homecoming. So, no homecoming dances??? Sorry.
Captain Chaos
11:38
Mike.....My understanding is that the governor has 10 days to sign or veto it.....so he could at the least tie this up for another 10 days after it passes the Senate.  But do you think school districts will open the gates to a percentage of stadium capacities?
Mike White
11:40
Yes, you are correct. And yes, if it somehow passes, some schools definitely would open up stadiums to more people. I saw high school games on ESPN two weeks ago with many people in stands - and not even social distancing much. I'm not saying to do that. But if a stadium holds 3,000 why the heck can't they have maybe 500 fans? If outbreaks do occur because of this, then stop it.
Jock Sutherland
11:40
Girls volleyball is popular in western PA.   In area I live it is the most competitive girls team to make the past few years.  Lots of clubs play in the area.  Two big club tourney at convention center each year.   Pitt and PSU draw great crowds.  National championship
Mike White
11:42
Yes, I just said earlier that people don't realize how many girls play volleyball in Western Pa., and that talent is good. But Pitt drawing great crowds? Easy there, Jock. Yes, for big matches last year. But not generally great.
Hi
11:42
Will PIAA or Wpial weigh in on the renaming issues for school mascots that are Native American influenced?
Mike White
11:42
They have not. And I think that has to be up to each individual school.
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