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Mike White's high school sports chat: 11.01.22
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Mike White
10:54
OK, we'll get started a few minutes early. Football playoffs start Friday. Championships in other sports this weekend. Good time of year, and how about this weather? So let the shine in on this chat. Let's go.
Coach15
10:54
What 2-3 teams will "surprise" (being overlooked at this moment by MOST), & make a deep run in the playoffs, or possibly even make state championship game?
Mike White
10:57
I don't know about making state championship game, but ... It wouldn't surprise me if any of the four teams won 6A, although it would surprise me if Canon-McMillan won it. 5A has a number of good teams. Look at No. 4 and 5 seeds, Gateway and Upper St. Clair, they could win it. In 4A, McKeesport dropped all the way down to 5 seed after losing to TJ, but McKeesport could win it. It's hard to call a No. 2 seed a sleeper, but Avonworth is really good and not many people are talking about them. In 2A, No. 3 seed Sto-Rox is really good. In 1A, it
10:58
Sorry, to continue. In 1A, it's hard to see anyone beating Canevin.
Coach15
10:58
What would be a STATE CHAMPIONSHIP match up you'd love to see play-out this year, & why?
Mike White
10:59
Wouldn't it be maybe the story of the year if Westinghouse got to the state finals? Don't know if it can happen, but I think they can play with any 2A WPIAL team and also Farrell, which knocked them out of PIAA playoffs last year.
Old Quad West
10:59
Good morning Mr. White!  Don’t look now but Lebo quietly picking up momentum.  Young and inexperienced team starting to put it together after a very tough schedule in which they were very much in every game. Plus, just last week had 2 returning starters back fromfrom injuries since week zero.  Seems like a different team than 2 months ago and
Mike White
11:02
They're finally scoring points. 41 and 31 past two weeks. I know they were hit hard by injuries this season. They are nowhere near as good as last year. No one expected them to be. But Class 6A doesn't have an overwhelming team and they're already in the semifinals. So it would be no surprise to see them in the final.
J$Money
11:02
Just want to get your opinion on Butler football winning its court decision to be eligible for the District 10 playoffs.
Mike White
11:07
I see both sides. I see Butler wanting to give their kids a chance to play for a championship. But hey, they chose to leave the WPIAL for football only. Still in WPIAL in other sports. And I understand why they left. But I don't blame the WPIAL and PIAA one bit for their feelings. If you look at it from a WPIAL team's view: What if Butler would beat McDowell and somehow make it to PIAA semifinals to face WPIAL champ. I don't think it will happen, but what if they did? So a team is in WPIAL for all sports except football, and they leave because they can't compete in WPIAL. And then they make it to state playoffs in football while other WPIAL teams that are better are sitting at home? Does that seem right? Not to me it doesn't, but that's just my opinion. Basically, you leave a league because you know you can't compete in just that ONE SPORT. Then you might make state playoffs because you come through easier league.
11:08
Back to the Butler thing. What if, say, Hempfield wanted to leave the WPIAL in football and play in District 6 for football only. Then they'd have a much better shot at making PIAA playoffs. Would you be OK with that?
Anon
11:09
Do you realize the coverage bias that you have towards football and then basketball? I understand that’s what has all the fans but your a high school sports reporter not a football or basketball reporter. Soccer teams played in the semis last night but you didn’t cover any games. Just a little roundup section on it. It gets old that the PG doesn’t cover soccer, volleyball, baseball or softball the way it covers the big two.
Mike White
11:13
Thank you for your comments and you certainly are entitled to your opinion. Heck no we don't cover soccer and volleyball the way we cover football and basketball. But sorry, it has nothing to do with bias. It has to do with what we believe has the most interest. Yes, I cover football and basketball heavily, because we have some other people who cover soccer and volleyball and other sports. But I do occasional soccer story or some other sport. We pick athletes of the week from other sports besides football and basketball. So please don't insinuate we don't cover other sports. And we cover baseball, softball and track heavily in the spring.
11:18
Also, right now some high school sports workers are on strike at the Post-Gazette and we don't have the staff that we did before. That has affected coverage, even football. But again, it's not bias. We don't have an unlimited staff. We don't have unlimited space in the paper. We have to pick and choose what we think has the most interest. Sorry, but I don't see 3,000 to 4,000 fans at a regular season soccer game or volleyball game - or even baseball or softball. Like you see in football. We now see numbers on how much every story is read. Stories on soccer and volleyball, etc., is not even close to football and basketball. It's no knock on those sports or the athletes in those sports. I know they work hard, too. But we have to use our resources where we feel is best. Let me ask you this. Look at any newspaper around the country and their college coverage. Do they cover college soccer, volleyball, baseball and others as much as they cover football and basketball? No. Why? Because the interest isn't the same.
YURM
11:19
Mike, are the Shady Side Bulldogs going to get a win Friday night?!?
Mike White
11:19
Tough to say. Both teams are decent. I don't think either is overwhelming. Pick 'em game, maybe? But I'll go Shady Side.
JP’ezee
11:20
What a great atmosphere at the Aliquippa vs Central Valley game on Friday night. You truly could feel the electricity in the air! With coach Lyons suffering his first loss in a 30+ contests, do you see this team bouncing back and making a run in the playoffs? Quip-CV part 2 or will McKeesport, Thomas Jefferson, or Laurel Highlands make a run? Thanks!
Mike White
11:21
Without a doubt, CV will be back. Hey, they led, 24-14, at halftime. I'm not saying Aliquippa's running game didn't run over CV in the second half, but I would like to have seen what happened if CV's Brett FitzSimmons didn't get hurt and only carry twice in second half. Not saying CV would've won, but it would've been a different game, I think. By the way, FitzSimmons said he will be fine when Central Valley plays its first playoff game next Friday. They get a bye this week, which should help him heal.
Fresh Prince of O'Hare
11:22
After seeing the atmosphere at Freedom on Friday night, put me in the camp of playing the WPIAL championships at high school stadiums
Mike White
11:24
You can make a point for both ways. I agree the atmosphere in the championship game at a high school stadium is great. But I've been on the field for championships at Heinz, er, Acrisure. There can be a good atmosphere there also. The kids love it. Now the Class 1A and 1A games can be practically empty. But for the larger classes, the way that place echoes, it's still pretty cool. I go either way on it. But if you're supposed to be doing this for the kids, and if you can do it financially, I say play at Heinz.
Iron men
11:24
Dominating win for the iron men did you expect this
Mike White
11:25
You're talking about Steel Valley. Not a surprise against Serra. Hey, Steel Valley is good. In two words, really good. They're my pick to win it all and I think Cruce Brookins should maybe be in the conversation for player of the year.
Pickles
11:25
I love you Mike please give me one more chance. What would it take you for another chance
Mike White
11:25
Stay out of my life you gross thing.
Johnny boy
11:27
Why do you think sto rox didn’t get the nod over beaver falls. Sto played a harder schedule
Mike White
11:29
Not totally sure. Yes, Sto-Rox did play Steel Valley and Avonworth. But lost to both. But I don't know if there's a gigantic difference in their conferences. Besides, in this case it doesn't matter one bit between 2 or 3 seeds. It's not like if they meet, one gets to play at home. It really is meaningless.
You know me
11:29
Did you see the Clairton article thoughts about it do you think they deserved a Home game
Mike White
11:34
I did. The Eastern Conference didn't get much love. But I can't say I fault the WPIAL committee much. Hey, Clairton did lose to OLSH and did lose to Rochester, a fourth-place team. I think Leechburg (also of Eastern Conference) is decent, too, but they got No. 13 seed. Then again, they did lose to all of the three decent teams they played and beat 2-8 Shenango by only 42-35. Should the past mean anything? Sometimes it does. But I don't have a big problem with Clairton getting No. 9 seed. Big thing is. They can prove WPIAL wrong on the field.
rscottpro
11:34
Good morning Mike. Two takes on the 5A playoffs. Not sure why a 3-7 team is in the playoffs as a wild card. That is stupid. Second, why is 8-2 USC on the road at 7-3 Gateway? The WPIAL needs to work on credibility. I still think USC takes it to the Gators as we match up well with speed vs speed.
Mike White
11:38
This has been explained in numerous articles. But I'll do it again. Class 5A has three conferences. The three third-place teams in the conference are alive for two wild cards. All three third-place teams - North Hills, Penn-Trafford and Peters Township - tied with 3-2 conference records. Next tiebreaker is Gardner Points. I'm not going to explain them. But Penn-Trafford and North Hills had more Gardner Points. North Hills was 3-7 but Gardner Points only take into consideration conference. North Hills beat a Penn Hills team with three conference wins. Peters did not beat a conference team with three wins. Thus, North Hills had more Gardner Points. I agree. It's a bad system to use for wild cards and teams from different conferences. Because you're preparing apples and oranges. I think the WPIAL football committee should just pick the wild cards - or use some kind of power points system where all games are counted, even non-conference. WPIAL football chairman said to me that something probably needs to change.
Wpial master
11:38
Who do you have winning each classification (please don’t say every one seed)
Mike White
11:39
It's hard to go against the No. 1 seeds, but I never pick all No. 1 seeds. I'll take Central Catholic, Pine-Richland, still can't decide between Aliquippa and Central Valley, Belle Vernon, Steel Valley and Bishop Canevin.
Mapletown
11:39
Will you ever respect the mighty maples get on the bandwagon we Will surprise you
Mike White
11:41
Go for it. We put you at No. 5 in this week's rankings. It's a case of "show me." Yes, you can win this week's game, no doubt. Great season by Mapletown. Congrats to them and coach Messich. A good guy and good for kids. But it's hard to believe in teams from that conference when they basically have done nothing in playoffs for years and years.
Coach q
11:41
Serra Washington rematch last matchup  was decided by a controversial call for Serra. Who do you think we will come out on top this time.
Mike White
11:41
Pick 'em game. I'll go Serra.
Which is it ?
11:41
W hat is more difficult to figure out ? Quantum Mechanics or the Gardner Point system ?
Mike White
11:43
Actually Gardners are very easy. Here you go: Only conference games are counted. A team gets 10 points for every win of a defeated team. So if South High beat East High, and East High finishes with a 3-3 conference record, then South High gets 30 points. You simply add up Gardner Points. If there is still a tie, you go to point-differential system, where you get up to plus-10 points for a win and minus-10 for a loss. But the Gardner Points are easy.
Weeds
11:43
Who is the one team in 5A that is lying in the weeds and ready to surprise teams ?
Mike White
11:44
There are a number. Said all year that 5A is the best, as far as depth of quality teams.
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