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Mike White's high school sports chat: 10.29.24
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Mike White
11:32
And if I was a billionaire I wouldn't be doing this chat.
Trash league
11:32
Did someone involved with Upper St Clair back over Scott Seltzer's dog or something with their car ? What did USC athletics do to deserve this ?
Mike White
11:34
You can certainly make a point for Pine being seeded No. 1. You can certainly make a point for USC. Pine did beat the No. 1 6A team (Central Catholic) and only lost on the road to the No. 2 6A team (North Allegheny) by 28-21. USC's resume impressive, too. To me, it's almost a coin flip, too.
Smitty
11:34
Is there an update on the Imani situation? How long will the wpial investigation take?
It seems like everyone has an Imani story of them trying to recruit a player. Are those people being encouraged to report info they have to anyone at the wpial office?
Mike White
11:35
I would imagine there would be an Imani hearing coming up soon. As far as someone having info on anything like recruiting, they're supposed to report it to their school's AD or principal. The school then makes the complaint or report to the WPIAL.
Guest
11:35
How did westinghouse drop to 1a is my question? Either way I'm voting for them, their coaches are great role models
Mike White
11:36
Classifications are done by enrollment. Apparently their enrollment placed them in 1A.
Mayor McCheese
11:36
Do you think that the WPIAL committee factored in players who would not play for teams in the playoffs as a factor in seeding?  With Aliquippa having a couple, I wonder if that influenced the seeding some.
Mike White
11:37
Aliquippa will have a few out because of the transfer rule. Namely J.J. Work and Daiveon Taylor. Honestly, I don't know if the WPIAL considered that. But the key player with Aliquippa is Tikey Hayes. Will he be healthy?
Lebo Boy
11:37
We're going to get slaughtered aren't we ?
Mike White
11:38
Easy now, Lebo boy. You only lost I think by a touchdown to North Allegheny earlier.
CV Colt
11:38
If getting destroyed by Ringgold isn't enough to prompt a coaching change at Chartiers Valley nothing will. They just hired a new Super. Can a new Super bring in a new coach or does the school board have to make that call.
Mike White
11:39
Hey, after what Chartiers Valley superintendent did last year to basketball coach Brandon Sensor in not supporting him against a player or parents, I don't know what goes in on that district. Although that superintendent Johannah Vanatta is now at Blackhawk.
Big Papi
11:39
Because of the lack of teams a 6A football WPiAL championship doesn’t feel as big of an achievement as it used to be.
Mike White
11:40
Maybe. But I know whoever has won the 6A title doesn't celebrate any less than the other classes.
Coach A
11:40
Played Sewickley the other week at Rize Sports. 2 6'8 Freshman Centers drop stepping into tomahawk dunks. I remember their JV team lost to CORNELL by 20 last year, and now they might have the greatest JV team in WPIAL history too (6'5,6'6,6'4 IV FRONTCOURT)! I see Cercone is an assistant their now, he's the Beaver County version of Coach Khyree. Congrats Tull family on a well earned WPIAL championship!
Mike White
11:41
Obviously you are a coach? I don't know full story on what has gone on at Sewickley or all of the new kids there and where they're from. Certainly will be interesting to see during season.
5A Way
11:41
Is PR's QB done for the year ?
Mike White
11:43
No broken bones. But still an injury. He didn't play last week (it was only Shaler) and they have a bye this week. So he will have had two weeks off. They think he'll be ready for quarterfinals. They play winner of North Hills and Franklin Regional.
Wild Card
11:43
Wild card by selection committee is a bad idea.  Gateway came in 4th with close games. Didn't get in. USC 8-2 last year was the reason.  Tough for USC but this creates bigger problems.  Plus.......that was an 8 team bracket last year....with 12 no need for the wild card committee.  Take top 4 from each conf.  Sure some left out, but don't finish lower than 4th and you don't have that problem.
Mike White
11:47
I don't think it's a bad idea. I think what a lot of the complaint is they have a tiebreaker system that breaks three-way ties, but they ignored it for seedings and wild cards. Gateway, Kiski Area and Latrobe finished tied for fourth in the Big East. I know Gateway was 3-7, but two of losses in past few weeks were by flubs on extra points. And in the tiebreaker system, Gateway was fourth, Kiski Area fifth and Latrobe sixth. But Latrobe got the wild card. Some say, "Well Latrobe beat Gateway." Well, bright ones, Kiski Area beat Latrobe --- and Gateway beat Kiski. And Latrobe lost four of its final five.
Spinner
11:47
Mike, do you know the most impactful athletes who will be ineligible for the postseason because of the transfer rule? I believe a few important players for Aliquippa are affected. Possibly a starting lineman for Pine. This will definitely change things a bit.
Mike White
11:48
Yes, I named Aliquippa's J.J. Work and Daiveon Taylor above. I'd have to think of any other impactful players.
PLAYOFFSbaby
11:48
Which 1st round matchups are you most looking forward to or are the most intriguing in 1A-5A?
Mike White
11:49
Moon-Penn Hills, Franklin Regional-North Hills, Highlands-Southmoreland, Waynesburg-South Allegheny, Belle Vernon-McKeesport, North Catholic-Deer Lakes.
Mr Ed
11:49
Interesting note you had on budding star frosh QB at Hopewell James Armstrong, 6’ 3” 210 already. Wow. Been hearing a lot about him. Do you know if he plays basketball also?
Mike White
11:50
I have not talked to him. But I'm told he is a basketball and baseball player also, and supposedly is very good in baseball.
LeboKid
11:50
Good morning, Mike.  5A playoffs look like another rock fight with so many tough teams in the hunt.  What are your thoughts on the potential for a St. Clair - Peters rematch in the finals?
National Cat Day
11:51
Mike today is National Cat Day. What is your favorite feline mascot ?
Mike White
11:51
Ahhhh, no chance. That's because USC and Peters are on same side of bracket. They would meet in the semifinals.
11:53
On National Cat Day, my favorite cat is Greg Gattuso, former Penn State player, Seton LaSalle, Duquesne U head coach, now coach at Albany. We called him "Big Cat." As far as my favorite, my family had a cat for a few years named "Kobe." Really good cat. Had hops, just like real Kobe. Saw Kobe the cat once sneak up on a bird feeder in our back yard about 6 feet off the ground, jump up and get a bird. Seriously. What hops.
Spinner
11:53
Not sure why everyone from USC is so upset. If they got the 1 seed they would be set up for a rematch with Bethel in the semis. Now they likely have a rematch with Peters. Either way it’s a tough matchup. Do you agree? Not much of a difference!
Mike White
11:53
Yes, I agree.
Jack o lantern
11:53
I was watching fall league basketball games over the weekend and a few coaches got a technical, one in particular got ejected. It got me thinking, can the wpial levy punishment for incidents in those games?
Mike White
11:53
No.
Jack o lantern
11:53
Correct me if I’m wrong but kids only have 4 years to play a sport after starting 9th grade.
i saw a few 7th and 8th graders playing in high school fall basketball games. Is that legal?
Mike White
11:58
Fall or spring games dont' have those rules. Here's the rule, part of it is new. A student is ineligible if they have "reached the end of the student’s fourth consecutive year (8th consecutive semester or the equivalent) beyond the 8th grade year, without regard to the student’s period of attendance." In other words, if you repeat 8th grade, that counts as one of your high school years, even if you don't play. Or a student has "participated in six seasons beyond the sixth grade or four seasons beyond the eighth grade in any sport."
Protocol
11:58
Who determines if a coach is brought back ? Is it the school board or the Superintendent ? Does the Superintendent have any say ?
Mike White
11:59
Superintendent and school board. Some places the school board can do what they want, regardless of what superintendent wants.
Arthur V
11:59
Steel Valley was preseason favorites in 2A and after a couple losses early are now on a 7game win streak leading to a 4 seed.  Was it injuries to key players or just bad matchups.  Arguably the most explosive RB in the WPIAL with Barksdale!
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