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Mike White's high school sports chat: 11.19.24
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Mike White
11:00
I smell Acrisure Stadium. .... 4 WPIAL title games there this weekend. Some pretty good ones. 1A might be the most intriguing 1A matchup in a long time. ... Two WPIAL titles were decided last Saturday. ... State playoffs are going on for some. ... Basketball season starts next Friday. ... So let's talk.
Jeff S
11:00
What a matchup in 5 A...rematch from last year....  I see alot of players are getting D1 looks at Peters.  I have seen the qb play several times.   Do you think he will get a few d1 offers.  Tough kid
Mike White
11:01
You're talking about Nolan DiLucia of Peters. I don't know. Have to wait and see. I don't know if he'll get FBS offers. I know he was visiting I believe Pennsylvania (FCS).
REBEL4LIFE
11:01
Mike- Nice to see the resurgence of Seton La Salle.  The program has not been stable in many years.  South Park looks  to have some talented players up front and a good sophomore RB.  What's your outlook?
Mike White
11:02
Seton definite favorite. They have so many weapons. I would be shocked if Seton loses. Seton was 0-10 two years ago. Not sure how they turned it around so fast. Dropping down one class certainly helps some.
4A Basketball
11:02
I've talked to a lot of different coaches in the area about 4A basketball.  Like you everyone seems to list different teams, but the one team that all the coaches mention is Knoch.  What do you know about them?
Mike White
11:04
They should be good. They have, I think, all five starters back. I think four were sophomores last year. Jackson Bauman, son of the coach, made all-section. They have a 7-footer in Zane Pacek. 6-7 Derek Lang also started last year. Lot of people back from a decent team last year.
Dev Whitt
11:04
In all of your years covering HS sports, what are 1-2 attributes the most successful HS coaches have? Also, does it vary by sport? Boys/Girls?
Mike White
11:05
Players. That's always first and foremost. Haven't seen a really good coach yet without at least some good players. Many other attributes. I believe one is demanding, hold kids accountable. And energy and enthusiasm.
Pete
11:05
Since aliquippa has banned you, you should keep their players off the fab 22.  Is tikey even deserving this year?
Mike White
11:07
C'mon. Can't hurt kids because of superintendent's actions or beliefs. That wouldn't be right. And yes, Tikey is certainly deserving. I knw he missed some time with injuries, but I think he still played enough to warrant it. Had almost 1,000 yards and averaged almost 9 yards a carry.
Popsicle MAN
11:07
Orange or Red White and Blue? Bill Cherpak is coming for you, Clearfield!!!
Mike White
11:08
Ahhhh.... OK. Whatever you say.
Rich elitist
11:08
In my day peters was our homecoming game.  Now they are beating my panthers on a regular basis.  Can Junko be shown the door now?
Mike White
11:09
Alert. Ridiculous comments have started on this chat.
Skeptical
11:09
10 titles in 20 years for Cherp.  Thats a lot.  Coaches say it’s the jimmy and the Joe’s, well how does TJ keep getting the Jimmy’s and the Joe’s?  Is it a coincidence neighboring schools like Ringgold and Baldwin always stink?  How often does TJ get their players, we know they stole Jordan Mayer from Ringgold.  It needs to be investigated how seemingly the same schools every year for decades keep getting the players as if there is “something in the water” in those districts
Mike White
11:10
Sorry, but I think if you look back over the years, there haven't been many transfers into TJ. Unless they come before 8th grade.
WPIAL FAN
11:10
Fort Cherry vs Clairton has to be the best 1A championship in a while. Overall, I feel like this week's matchups are very good on paper.
Mike White
11:13
I'll be honest. Many years the Class 1A final at Acrisure (Heinz) is not a great game. Maybe the morning start time has something to do with it. It's not that the teams are bad, but it often seems ragged. But this one, in my opinion, shapes up as one of the most intriguing Class 1A matchups in decades. Think of it: Fort Cherry QB Matt Sieg, statistically, is doing things very few QBs in WPIAL history have done. He likely will be the WPIAL all-time leader in yards offense by the time he's done. Then you've got Clairton, whose defense has allowed only two TDs all year. Whoa, Nellie. This could be a good one.
JP
11:13
Watched the 4A and 6A games on NFHS and it was not good. The feed kept freezing and going out and the production was third rate. I expect better from something I paid for.
Mike White
11:14
I heard many of the same comments. I don't know what to tell you. But I do know people weren't all too happy. This week's games are all on KDKA Plus.
Brother Mike
11:14
Mr. White - surely you will have an Imani question. Rumor is they are starring at a suspension & coach will be suspended for a season or 2.Certainly they deserve everything they have coming (previous infractions for football shouldn't be forgotten). But lets not pretend they are alone.Sewickley is seeing an influx of talent and has some new major $$$'s to play with that brought in a former NBA player and D1coach.Now they are taking a page out of the Kennedy Cath playbook and bringing in men from other continents... They should leave WPIA &play prep. & finally why do you give Lincoln Park a free pass all the time? I know you hold the coach in high regard but lets "report" facts - LP is a PUBLIC CHARTER School playing with tax payers $. their charter is for "performing arts". it is well known that the kids on the squad aren't all from the Midland area, take cyber classes and show up for practices... Doesn't pass the smell test.
Mike White
11:17
Brother Mike. All I can tell you about the Imani situation is this. We had a reporter Keith Barnes at WPIAL board meeting yesterday. Board met in executive session for a while. The public part of the meeting lasted only a few minutes. Imani or Baldwin football (who also is accused of recruiting) was not brought up in public part of meeting. Keith was told matters might be addressed at December meeting. I know. What are they waiting for, right? I don't have an answer on where this is headed.
11:22
This is more in answer to Brother Mike about Sewickley. Yes I have heard Sewickley has had some kids come in. When? I'm not sure. This is one I think has to play out. Not sure if the WPIAL has ruled on any of these kids. But I have been told by numerous coaches who saw Sewickley in fall that their JV is ridiculous and their varsity, with some of the JV players, is really good also. And they have players, like, around 6-7 or 6-8. As for Lincoln Park, why do you say we give them a free pass? We've reported on their kids who have been ruled ineligible over the years. And yes, it has been reported many times that they are a public school. Does the system stink? You betcha. Honestly, in some of these cases, it's ridiculous. But until the PIAA wants to change, there won't be much change. And will the WPIAL do anything? I guess we still have to wait and see.
Norman Dale
11:22
Which game should be the most competitive this Saturday? Which game is most likely to be a blowout?
Mike White
11:23
I like all the matchups. I'm not saying it will be a blowout, but Seton could roll. But maybe South Park's defense will keep them in it. Clairton and Fort Cherry really interesting. So is Avonworth-Central Valley and Pine-Richland vs. Peters. Pretty good slate of games.
Legacy
11:23
would you say the legacy of Jack Mccurrey is enhanced since North Hills hasn’t been a top team since he left?  While the legacy of Eric Kasperowitz took a hit because PR hasn’t missed a beat without him?
Mike White
11:30
What McCurry did was impressive. One of best coaches in WPIAL history. But North Hills was starting to slip a little in his final few years. 4-5 and 6-4 his final two years. They have certainly been competitive, but haven't been able to get postseason success. Jon LeDonne has done excellent job at Penn Hills, but I think you need to take Eric K. on his time there. Four WPIALs. Two states. Pretty impressive. While Jon LeDonne has also been impressive, doesn't mean what happened to Eric K. was right.
Jumper
11:30
Any rumors on the PIAA vs PA legislation meetings?  Catholic/Public league possible?  Transfer laws changing?
Mike White
11:30
Nothing.
Football Dude
11:31
Westinghouse vs. either Clairton on Fort Cherry next weekend in at PIAA semifinal.  In your opinion, are the House a favorite against either WPIAL squad?
Mike White
11:34
Need to set it right. Westinghouse plays Bishop Guilfoyle in PIAA quarterfinals this week. Even if Westinghouse wins, they will NOT meet WPIAL champ (Fort Cherry or Clairton) in PIAA semifinals. Westinghouse is on the eastern side of the bracket. If Westinghouse would win, it would play winner of Muncy and Delone Catholic. The Clairton-Fort Cherry winner will play in semifinals against winner of Wilmington and Port Alleghany.
Great job
11:34
I'd like to congratulate for the great job the PIAA officials and the WPIAL did last Friday helping Peters win. Couldn't stop USC with seeding them wrong so they let the officials do it. Well done everyone. Well done
Mike White
11:34
I put a box of tissues in the mail to you.
Biased refs
11:34
So explain to me how Peters, by my count got ONE penalty called on them last week. In a 48 minute game. Played by HS kids. Seems like the fix was in
Mike White
11:35
I don't know. I wasn't there.
TJ
11:37
Who in your opinion are the top 5 TJ football players during the cherp era?
Mike White
11:39
Wow. That's a really good question. Hard question, too. Hard to do off the top of my head also. Real quick, in no order, I'd go probably Tyler Reed, Chase Winovich, Lucas Nix, Dom DeCicco. 5th one, what about Devin Danielson, Jon Drager? And hey, Dan Deabner and Shane Stump were our Post-Gazette Players of the Year. They weren't great college prospects, but top-notch high school players.
Todd
11:39
Can central beat st Joe?
Mike White
11:40
Yes, but I don't know if they will. St. Joe's would be the favorite. But Central better worry about State College first.
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