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Mike White's high school sports chat: 11.25.25
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Mike White
10:56
Well the WPIAL football championships are complete. How 'bout that Peters Township game? Unbelievable comeback. Six WPIAL champs are in semifinals this weekend. But guess what? Basketball starts Friday. So let's talk. Fire away with any questions.
QuakerQrew
10:57
Quaker Valley's Mike Mastroianni sits at 595 wins heading into this basketball season.  Do you think he'll get to 600 wins before the start of the New Year?
Mike White
10:58
OK, we start off with basketball question. Well, QV should be one of the top teams in 4A and they have seven games before Jan. 1 - Windber, Richland, Farrell, Brentwood, Ambridge, Shaler and Avonworth. I'll say yes he gets 600 before New Year.
SewickleySpecial
10:58
Actually hearing Sewickley Academy basketball may play up next cycle to 5A or 6A.  With all the international "grant" students they have there is no reason they shouldn't be playing 6A ball.
Mike White
10:59
I'm hearing the same thing from some coaches. Won't know for sure until PIAA releases teams playing up in December. I ask is there a reason why WPIAL hasn't looked into this program with players from other countries? Who knows. Maybe they did.
VikingsPower
10:59
Any word if Central Catholic is going to continue playing 6A football (and basketball) as they have numbers that say 5A in both sports.  What about Pine-Richland?  Gonna stay in 5A Football or move up?
Mike White
11:01
Nothing official but I would bet they stay up in 6A in both. If they would drop down to 5A in football, they would be criticized to no end, just because they get so many players from many places.
LopesUp
11:01
Do you know if Avonworth has any transfers that would bump them up to 4A next cycle?  If they win this weekend in the semifinals they will have too many success points.  At this point, 4A may be easier (at least in the WPIAL) than 3A anyway.
Mike White
11:02
Avonworth will stay in 3A. If they win, they will have enough success points to move up. But they're not even close to having the required five transfers in two years to move up. They have had one in the past two years. Avonworth wins with home-grown kids.
11:03
Speaking of playing with home-grown kids, was interesting to hear Peters Township star Reston Lehman comment after beating Pine-Richland. He said Peters Township guys have been playing together since elementary school, not like Pine-Richland players.
WPIAL sports Fan
11:04
Have you heard of any head football jobs opening up for 2026?
Mike White
11:04
I only know of Ambridge. I'm sure there are others.
Retired Zebra
11:04
Unanimous 1ST Team AC in best WPIAL Conf.  Leads best D (PT) in TK/TFL/Sacks.  Leads WPIAL with 45 playoff tackles (3 games) including school record 22 vs invincible PR (PA #1).  Have 22 kids outplayed James Spratt THIS year?
Mike White
11:07
James Spratt very good. Picking the Fab 22 not an easy thing. Of the final 5-6 players on it, there are probably 20 others to put on it. By the way James Spratt does not lead team in sacks and tied for lead in tackles, according to Peters stats. I will have a feature story on him in the next day or so.
HsFan
11:08
Rank the 6 WPIAL teams on how likely they are to win the state. I say: 1. Avonworth, 2. Clairton, 3. Quip, 4. PT, 5. PCC, 6 SLS.
Mike White
11:08
I would put Avonworth first and after that, it's a crap shoot. But Northwestern Lehigh, which beat Avonworth in last year's title game, is undefeated again.
Dale Flohr
11:09
Good morning Mike. I was fortunate enough to travel with Coach Dan DeRose this AAU season as he took some McKeesport players onto his AAU team. I was very impressed with how he goes about his business of coaching and mentoring. I have two questions. Do you believe that Coach DeRose can change the culture for basketball at McKeesport? They have a senior loaded team, can they contend for a section title? Thank you.
Mike White
11:10
He's won just about every place he's been. I'm sure McKeesport will be competitive.
Finals
11:10
In my opinion, having the finals the week before Thanksgiving helped with some attendance. I know there is no control over the calendar, but people be busy during da holiday, Mike
Mike White
11:10
I don't know. I give up trying to figure out WPIAL football attendance. I just know people don't go to playoff games like they used to.
Guest
11:10
No question,just a comment. Your broadcast of the Pine Richland game was very enjoyable. The knowledge you have with these high school kids is amazing. It’s the way sports should be-fun! Loved every minute of it.
Mike White
11:11
Well thank you very much, Guest. Very nice of you. Working with Pomp is great. He makes it easy. And with me doing this for more than four decades, I hope I at least have some info in this cranium that can be put to use at some point.
Allegheny Six
11:12
Peters was TESTED all year in the Allegheny 6. Peters played full games all year. Pine did not. To me, that was the difference. Pine thought that they would cake walk to a win after halftime
Mike White
11:13
I think everyone thought they would stroll to a win at halftime. You may have a point about Pine not being in close games. I think Peters out-toughed them in the second half. Biggest play was Neupaver's long run for TD. That jumpstarted Peters.
Beaver County Fan
11:13
I see that Blackhawk is looking for a new football coach again (
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Do you know if Jake Wickline got fired or did he resign? And what has happened to that once-great program? At one time Blackhawk was dominant, not just in the WPIAL but statewide.
Mike White
11:13
Have no idea about Jake Wickline situation. But Blackhawk football has really fallen, hasn't it? It happens.
Athletic Intent
11:13
Anyone else find it hard to believe that an affluent 5A school only has one kicker capable of kicking extra points & has to recruit someone from the soccer team midweek thus  leading to the head coach being weary to use them in the WPIAL final? Sounds like it’s an easy excuse for your own hubris which led you to run the swinging gate 2pt conversion you ran at Penn Hills when you legitimately did not have a kicker. Pride cometh before the fall…
Mike White
11:15
Sorry athletic intent. I don't know many teams who have two decent kickers. Hey, don't blame the kickers. You're up 19-0, totally dominating the game with two quarters to go. And they did nothing the rest of the game. Don't blame the kicking.
X
11:15
I thought Central Catholic improved quite a bit since I saw them early in the year.   They found another receiver in #14.  Herrick threw the ball very well and the line gave him a lot of time.   He had at least 2 dropped.  Last year was a great game against Harrisburg.  How do you see this one playing out?
Mike White
11:16
Harrisburg is really good. Was close game last year in semis. I expect it to be close again, but I expect Central to win again. But it wouldn't surprise me if Harrisburg won.
Red and White
11:16
I coached Spratt in MS.  Always toughest kid on the field. "Best 22" - Film/Stats say Yes.  Likely 1st Team All State.  "FAB 22" Maybe - PG usually favors Hype and Rep over performance.  Not a knock on PG - they are in the business of selling papers.  Spratt's old school/ blue collar game may not be "Fab" but he made 22 Fab tackles hunting Timmons/Oobi/Taylor/Mac at Acrisure
Mike White
11:19
Yeah, we pick certain kids on Fab 22 to sell papers? Please. No matter who we pick, someone is going to be ticked off. That's OK. That's the nature of all-star teams. Just because you didn't make the Fab 22, doesn't mean you aren't a good player. We don't pick enough kids from small schools. ... We pick too many QBs. ... We don't have enough QBs. ... More players from big schools should make it over small schools. ... The complaints are many and no matter what you do, you're not going to please everyone. And we're not trying to. Just do the best we can, talk to many coaches, get various inputs and pick the team.
Mr Ed
11:19
Mike, couldn’t the argument be made that Central football would actually be increasing their schedule difficulty by moving down to 5A? Peters, Pine, USC, etc would give them more of a challenge at top of the class than 6A teams outside of NA who they could still play in non conference. Those  5A teams regularly beat 6A in non conference games.
Mike White
11:20
They might be but people would still take shots at them that they should be in the largest class.
The Truth
11:20
Peters is a great program. Well run. Well coached. Great character and discipline. The class of their conference. Upper St Clair is the opposite. Mike Junko is a mediocre coach, and if USC was in the situation PT was in on Saturday they'd have folded like a cheap suit. That will always be the difference between PT and USC. Plack steps up when the lights are the brightest, Junko melts when it counts the most.
Mike White
11:20
I take it you don't belong to the Mike Junko fan club.
paullochrane
11:22
mike, any chance springdale dynamos make playoffs next year
Mike White
11:23
So you're saying there's a chance? Well, they've been 0-9, 0-9, 1-9 and 0-10 the past four years and have low roster numbers. So I'll go out on a limb and say they won't make playoffs next year.
States
11:24
Quips play Twin Valley... I have never even heard of that school let alone it being good in anything. Any info?
Mike White
11:25
Twin Valley first time ever in state playoffs. They're from Berks County in the east. They have a running back Drew Engle who will play lacrosse at Army. Tough kid. Has close to 4,000 yards. But I'll take Quips.
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