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Mike White's high school sports chat: 11.09.21
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Mike White
11:39
No one has their eyes shut to Seneca. I think they started three sophomores last year. They will certainly be competitive. With any kind of coaching from Kevin Trost and assistant Joe Frank, that team should challenge the Philadelphia teams for a state championship.
11:43
About the earlier question on kids transferring, etc. It's going on a lot right here in WPIAL. That Sto-Rox team has many transfers the past two years. And Imani Christian looks like it might take the transfer trophy home in basketball. The big 6-9 freshman who has offers from Pitt and LSU was at Bethel Park last year as an 8th grader. He was going to go to Baldwin, but ended up at Imani. Funny. After he went there, three Baldwin players transferred to Imani. Gee, I wonder what the reason was for that?
Billy
11:44
What’s up with these 3+ hour drives for these state playoff games on a weekday? I understand home field advantage but why have they stopped using neutral sites over home games ?
Mike White
11:44
Are you talking soccer?
Ghost of Joe Moore
11:44
Mike, who do you think has the best OLine in WPIAL?
Mike White
11:44
Moon.
4A Basketball Fan
11:44
We just saw consolation games in soccer to determine placement in the PIAA tournament. It's done in spring sports too.
So I'm back on my campaign to have the WPIAL run playback tournaments in basketball like the other PIAA districts, most notably Districts 1 and 3, which are the other two large PIAA districts besides WPIAL. Host teams are higher seeds, no neutral sites, no game managers.
This follow-the-leader format in the WPIAL is a relic of Chuck Heberling's administration, when seeds 5 and higher were considered unimportant.
Playing follow the leader and going by chalk, an 8-9 seed has a better chance of qualifying for the PIAA tournament in brackets that take 5 WPIAL teams than 5-6-7.
In 2019, Pennridge made the 6A championship game after playing back through District 1 to qualify as a 4 seed.
Mike White
11:45
You're preaching to the choir here. I agree that playback games should happen in basketball. But the WPIAL feels differently.
TheRocket
11:45
I do remember that halftime HORSE competition!  The one who surprised me the most was Paul Westphal.  He had a shot where he jumped and grab the support pole of the backboard and made it, or something crazy like that.  Pete Maravich was something else, imagine if the family stayed in Pittsburgh!
Mike White
11:46
Yes, I remember Paul Westphal. I remember seeing Ice Gervin for the first time in that Horse also. Pistol was an Aliquippa kid. Imagine if he stayed there. Did you know this? His Dad, Press, was once Baldwin's coach?
11:48
And the best Pistol Pete shot was him taking a few dribbles on the right side, grabbing the ball with his right hand, throwing it over his left shoulder, catching it with his right hand, and then doing a reverse layup on the left side with his right hand. Nobody can do it the first time you show them. It's an automatic letter in HORSE when I use it.
Billy
11:48
Is the false address school a certain beaver county school?
Mike White
11:49
I don't know which school you are referring to. Yes, I'm sure it happens in Beaver County. But if you are referring to  Lincoln Park, remember they are a charter school. Anyone can go there, no matter where they live. And they don't have to use a fake address.
TheRocket
11:49
Wow, never knew that about Press, but can you imagine if Pete ended up at Pitt or Duquesne, especially the Dukes in that era.  Would have been glorious.
Mike White
11:50
Actually in late 60s and first few years of 70s, Duquesne was probably better than LSU.
Billy
11:50
ephrata at moon, west a and montour at Bradford. That’s.
Mike White
11:51
I know doesn't make sense. But that's what PIAA has been doing for a while. I don't see them stopping, either.
1A Football Fan
11:51
A lot of interesting matchups this week in 1A. All Big7 vs Eastern Conference as the Tri-County South disappoints once again. I like some upsets this week. OLSH to beat Clairton, Leechburg to beat Cornell and Springdale to beat Rochester... thoughts?
Mike White
11:52
I think one of best matchups is in 2A - Laurel at Serra. That's a really good one. None of those above would shock me all that much, except maybe if OLSH beat Clairton.
TheRocket
11:52
Not much talk here today on the goalie/Mars situation.  Armstrong gave a wrist slap as punishment, should have made team forfeit, message would be received loud and clear
Mike White
11:56
Armstrong won't revel punishments. The players are the least to blame. Actually, I don't think at all. They're concentrating on playing. It's all the adults who are to blame, especially the security guards and the parents of Armstrong players and anyone adult associated with Armstrong hockey association. From what Mars coach told me, he asked game officials to do something. I guess they didn't think it was their jurisdiction. But there were so many adults who were wrong in this situation that it's disgusting. If I was in charge of anything at Armstrong, I would've thought of having those kids attend the next Mars game and give an apology to that girl face to face, even on the ice. And if they didn't, they get suspended from school. Let's see how tough and boastful and manly they would've been then.
11:58
Kids do stupid things. I did stupid things at that age. But this was way beyond stupid. It's up to adults to teach them and hold them accountable. Doing this all these years, coaching basketball at junior high level for many years, I see too many parents who just don't hold kids accountable. Come to think of it. I see school administrators who don't hold kids accountable, either.
Ghostof ArtBernardi
11:58
What do you see as the "next big thing" in WPIAL sports?  Meaning, where's the growth these days?  Lacrosse seems to be more prevalent, and I keep seeing field hockey get ink.  Are more schools looking to sponsor bowling or rifle?
Mike White
12:00
No, not field hockey. That sport isn't growing with teams, I don't think. Lacrosse has certainly grown. Rifle as the next big thing? C'mon, man. Let's shoot down that idea right away.
Super Genius
12:00
Mike, I have heard that you have been trying to be more like me!  Please get your own gimmick!!!
Mike White
12:01
Is this you, Mark Madden. You know we go way back and I am honored that you would participate in my chat. Could we maybe meet for wings at Archie's tonight or tomorrow, have a Paul Zeise grilled cheese and you could give me some more pointers on how I could become more like you. It's my goal.
12:03
OK, that's a wrap. Enjoyed the time. Same time - 11 a.m. - next Tuesday. And if you see a female hockey player, say something nice to her this week.
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