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Mike White's high school sports chat: 11.21.23
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Mike White
10:51
Well, it's Thanksgiving week, more WPIAL football championships, PIAA playoff games, the Fab 22 coming out Thursday - and basketball games start next Friday. So we need to get rolling with this chat --- RIGHT NOW! ... How long before I get a question about how good Allderdice basketball team is ... and did Central get outcoached?
Coach O
10:51
How does PIAA decide playoff sites? Specifically, in the case of Westinghouse. First they play a Somerset area team at Somerset, then Central Clarion at Clarion, now Farrell at Farrell. I mean, the House is a district champ too. Shouldn’t at least one of those games be in Pittsburgh?
Mike White
10:53
They rotate home teams from one year to next -- and through quarterfinals. You ask about Westinghouse. You weren't complaining last year when Westinghouse played Chestnut Ridge at Cupples in District 5-8 semis, Central Clarion at Cupples in PIAA first round and Farrell at Cupples in PIAA quarters. As I said, they rotate home sites, until the state semis. Then it's neutral.
Beaver County Fan
10:53
Your thoughts on the potential for three of the four WPIAL titles up for grabs this weekend coming to Beaver County? It's like the old days of four classifications when Beaver County teams routinely ruled the WPIAL Championship day.
Mike White
10:54
Wooooo hooooo for Beaver County. Everybody at once --- "We believe ..... We believe in Beaver County ...."
Jeff
10:54
4A - Prediction that my team McKeesport will finish  the job. Aliquippa is a great program with a storied history but the Tigers are on a roll and will prevail
Mike White
10:59
McKeesport certainly has a chance to win. Wouldn't surprise me. Game will be decided up front and running game. I can't go against Aliquippa. Not until they lose one of these. Also, watch for Aliquippa to maybe complete a big pass play. Will McKeesport's lack of passing come into play?
Jeff
11:00
3 A - Avonworth needs a rally cry to topple Belle Vernon and Quinton Martin....................how bout winning one for Barry Johncour ? Duke's Father and long time coach ! Go Lopes
Mike White
11:01
Barry Johncour is still coaching QBs and Avonworth. I love that story. He's now 80. Duke says his dad still argues with him about some things.
HSFan
11:01
If Braylon Johnson is eligible for the playoffs, do you think that Moon becomes the substantial favorite in 5A?
Mike White
11:01
I think they might be the favorite even if he doesn't play in the playoffs. Moon is good.
Jeff
11:01
2 A - Beaver Falls knocks off Steel Valley ? This is a red hot team and they will finish the job !
Mike White
11:02
Wouldn't surprise me. But Steel Valley is good. And now they have Donald Barksdale playing QB. Whole key to the game is Beaver Falls against the run. Remember last year's title game? Steel Valley won without completing a pass. Attempted only one.
FifthAve
11:02
Mike, Central had at least 5 kids starting on defense either committed to P5 programs or with offers (Speca, Sullivan, Gatten, Yuhas, Moon), plus a freshman reserve who is also starting to get noticed (Thompson).  How does the defense get shredded like that twice in big games (PR & NA)?  Bad coaching schemes or maybe somewhat overrated (Speca I think is better suited for a lower level program)?
Mike White
11:06
OK, I'm going to play the other side. North Allegheny has really good players on defense also. Couple FBS guys and other really good guys. They got "shredded" for 50 and 41 points by Central. I agree with you, Central's defense did not come through. But I'm telling you, North Allegheny is good. All through the year when people would say Central would walk away with the title, I would say, "Don't forget about that team out in Wexford." Remember, NA had many players back from last year's team and Logan Kushner destroyed Central. Yes, NA line did a good job but Kushner made plays himself also. But Central had "the" team this year and didn't get it done. Don't sell NA short. They have quite the team also.
LeboKid
11:06
Good morning, Mike. Besides the obvious - win more games - what can Pitt do to stem the tide of recent recruiting losses, particularly to Penn State? Yes, recent wins with reeling in Cam Lindsey and Julian Dugger, but Terry Smith continues to cement his position as the top WPIAL recruiter, and things got more difficult for Pitt with Bob Palko landing at PSU. You speak with a lot of high school coaches, do they believe that Pitt is doing enough locally to keep the best kids at home? Many thanks, Mike.
Mike White
11:09
Well, I would start by saying this. There aren't all that many big-time players for Pitt and Penn State to get any more in WPIAL or City. But Penn State is getting most of them in recent years. I will say this. I never hear from coaches about a Pitt assistant coach who is THE recruiter in Western Pa. You hear Terry Smith's name a lot. Terry has a good rapport with some coaches in Western Pa. and seems to be an excellent recruiter. Penn State has been getting some of the top players for ages in Western Pa. This isn't something new. There just aren't as many of them. And if there are maybe 6 big-timers and Penn State gets maybe three, it makes Pitt look bad. But I really think a key for Pitt is how they recruit "outside" Western Pa. And more importantly, how they develop players once they get them. And they sure do need a QB.
TM
11:09
How does PIAA determine who gets homefield advantage for quarterfinal games? NA is at home, but Peters Twp. has to go to Erie. At what point do games go to neutral site?
Mike White
11:11
Nowadays it's rotated by class every year in quarterfinals. Remember last year, Pine-Richland played Cathedral Prep at home in quarters and North Allegheny went on the road. This year, it's reversed. Peters Township, 5A champ, is on the road at Cathedral Prep and North Allegheny at home vs. McDowell. The semifinals are at neutral sites.
TW
11:11
Had the opportunity to go to the Bishop Canevin vs Ft. Cherry game last Friday…..The Sieg kid and his quickness was amazing to watch….cuts on a dime…his size may be a factor in schools making judgement on him as he is not of great size.  Superb baseball player as well.
Mike White
11:13
Matt Sieg excellent athlete. I know he's playing Class 1A. But I saw him live this year. He simply runs away from some pretty good athletes. Remember he ran something like a 10.7 in track. His speed has been proven. I love his story, playing four sports and bringing attention to Fort Cherry. Seems like a really good kid, too. I'm not so sure he'll be a QB at the next level. Has some distance to go as a passer to be a big-time QB prospect. But he could be maybe a DB or even receiver. Reminds me of Derek Bochna, great RB years ago at tiny Mapletown. Started at DB for 3 years at Penn State and also played baseball. Sieg also is a really good baseball prospect also.
HSFan
11:13
maxpreps has Lincoln Park ranked 20 among traditional schools in the country. From a talent perspective where would you rank them among previous WPA teams?
Mike White
11:15
They have two really talented players. Since there have been rankings (maybe 25 years), Meleek Thomas highest-rated player ever from here. Brandin Cummings really good, too. Where do they fit among great WPIAL or City teams? I'm not ready to go there yet.
Thomas
11:15
So pitt played on Thursday night, steelers are on the road, why couldnt those 5 and 6A games been at Acrisure Saturday and on local tv?   Its pathetic for an area steeped in high school football glory to not have those games at the stadium and on tv.   Even this coming weekend was in question for a while.   WPIAL is a joke!   PIAA too, where are the states at, Lancaster community rec field?
Mike White
11:20
OK, we'll go through this again for the 900th time. The 5A and 6A playoffs have to be done a week earlier because WPIAL champ plugs into state quarterfinals. Four other WPIAL champs plug into state semifinals. That's why WPIAL 5A and 6A title games were last week. As far as Acrisure, there is no way the WPIAL is going to pay twice to go into Acrisure. Steelers might give them a break, but it is still a huge expense. So the WPIAL has decided to play four games at Acrisure instead of just two. Although I think it might be better off to play 5A and 6A at Acrisure and put the other 4 at high school sites. You'll have better attendance at 5A and 6A than the other four combined.
Frank S.
11:20
You hear of this Matt Scott kid from Brashear? Saw him play ball last weekend at that new Rize Sports facility, kid is a stud
Mike White
11:20
Sorry, no idea about him. Is he new?
Johnny Football
11:20
Which game/games are you most looking forward to this weekend?
Mike White
11:21
They're all pretty good matchups. You have some star players, you have two rematches of last year's games, you have a game with two undefeated teams. And you have Aliquippa against McKeesport. Good storylines. I won't pick any game over the other.
Central
11:21
With all the hype central catholic got this season, are they the most overhyped team in wpial history? People were calling them the GOAT wpial team, and they didn’t win anything
Mike White
11:22
People on this chat in previous weeks were sometimes asking is Central one of the best teams ever in WPIAL? I always said, let's wait for the season to play out before we go there. They did have loads of talent, but you have to win titles to be considered among best teams.
Hoops Fan
11:22
I know this is up north, but what happened that Kennedy Catholic shut down their boys basketball program?
Mike White
11:23
I have no idea. I would imagine not enough players.
Hoop Nation
11:23
very intrigued about 3a hoops, seems like no clear cut favorite. Who are the teams to watch
Mike White
11:26
You said it. No dominant team. If you like parity, you'll like 3A. Deer Lakes won title last year. They have some back. But hard to come up with top five. Watch the section with Mohawk and Neshannock. Shady Side could be decent. Don't forget OLSH. Hard to pick top five.
Sam Bloom
11:26
Is Allderdice the Western PA basketball equivalent to Central Catholic football? Both seem to have a strong grip on the culture.
Mike White
11:27
Ahhhhhh, finally the Allderdice basketball weekly question about how great Allderdice basketball is. I don't even know how to reply to this. Let's move on.
Chris
11:28
Girls Hoops- teams to watch this year?
Mike White
11:30
We have our girls basketball preview coming in Sunday paper. Along with boys. There's Norwin, USC, NA, North Catholic, Blackhawk. Usual teams. Watch Quaker Valley also with Thiero. Younger sister of Adou, who by the way is now starting as a sophomore for John Calipari and Kentucky and doing lot of good things. Good to see. He's 6-8 or 6-9 now. I remember when I think he was maybe 5-11 as a junior at Quaker Valley.
Hoop Nation
11:30
6a hoops seems like lots of seniors left multiple high level teams. Is Butler a sleeper with them returning Carney and Littlejohn
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