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Mike White's high school sports chat: 1.16.18
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Mike White
11:02
Here we go. Store is now open for business. Fire away.
Marshall
11:02
A question came up about the Fabulous Five.  If you have great player on a great team that is only getting the opportunity to play around 20 minutes a game because they are blowing everyone out.  Obviously that great player will be putting up less points then perhaps a lesser players that is playing in close games.  How do you and the other writers that select the Fabulous Five balance those things.
Mike White
11:04
It's not all about points. It's about players. If it were just about points, we'd just take the leading scorers. Right off the top of my head, I'll use two years ago as an example. We put Ramon Creighton of Allderdice on Fab 5. He averaged 13 points a game. In WPIAL there is no team that beats EVERYONE in blowouts. Go look at any of past Fab 5's. It's not all about points.
2AFootballFan
11:04
Mike, during the realignment process, any explanation as to why North Catholic got placed in the division they did?  A lot of long travel days for the Trojans.
Mike White
11:07
Yep, lot of travel for some other teams in 3A. I'm not saying I agree with everything WPIAL did, but it looks like in 3A they used a little geography and maybe also some competitive balance. Long, long road trips. This is one of by products with 6A. Plus, it makes it a little hard when you have only two conferences in a class.
John
11:07
How can the WPIAL justify having two conference teams 91 miles apart when Altoona is no longer a member of the WPIAL?
Mike White
11:10
Well, maybe you are talking 3A with Waynesburg and Uniontown. All I would say is this. If you look at Uniontown and I have some figures. Of the other 16 teams in 3A besides Uniontown, nine of them are at least 60 miles from Uniontown. So no matter what, Uniontown was going to have to travel. A few others are at least 40 miles from Uniontown.  As for Waynesburg, 11 schools in 3A are at least 58 miles from Waynesburg. So no matter what WPIAL did, Waynesburg was going to have to travel.
Gcc fan
11:10
Do u think anyone in AA can  beat Sewickley Academy and what do u think about the class A football conferences hands down the Eastern Conference is the toughest
Mike White
11:11
Yes, someone "can" beat Sewickley. They are very good for 2A, but no one is unbeatable. Tonight should be interesting. They play AT OLSH, ranked No. 2. I'm not saying Sewickley won't win WPIAL, but they aren't unbeatable.
High school fan
11:12
I think they should split up Jeannette Clairton and Imani Christian them 3 team are the 3 best in class A other than California no one has a chance
Mike White
11:12
Well high school fan, some want geogrpahy conferences, some want competitive balance. In this case in Class 1A, WPIAL went mostly with geography. I said "mostly"
WPIAL Lifer
11:13
I don't envy the decisions that the WPIAL is faced with regarding football playoffs. Half of the classes now have less than 20 teams which makes a 16-team playoff hard to justify (and downright impossible in 9-team 6A). Here's a suggestion from the peanut gallery: 16-team playoffs for 5A (24 teams), 2A (31 teams) and 1A (23 teams); 8-team playoffs for 6A, 4A & 3A. Let the PIAA brackets then determine how many title games can be played at Heinz. Just so many different factors at play....
Mike White
11:15
That's very likely what they will do, except I'm not totally sure there will be 16 in Class A because league has recognized many first-round games in Class 1A are blowouts with 16 teams. Whole key is PIAA playoffs. One thing I would look for, though, is a 16-team bracket in 5A - and th 5A championship might not be at Heinz Field. Possibility of only three title games at Heinz. Question then is where do you put 5A championship?
demosthenes98
11:15
How will WPIAL football non-conference games work the next two years?  Will teams only be allowed to play other teams in their classification, or what?
Mike White
11:17
It's up to each individual school if they want to play a game in Week 0. School can play whoever they want. Starting in week 1, WPIAL schedules all games, including non-conference. There will be crossover games in conferences. In 6A, there are 9 teams. They need a ninth game. So, WPIAL will schedule them one non-conference game against a 5A team. Tim O'Malley said yesterday no one wants to play Central, Pine or North Allegheny.
Jerry
11:17
Mike - with Jeannette and Serra playing a thriller last week that went into double OT, what do you give both their chances of a deep playoff run this season?
Mike White
11:18
I think they can go far. But Sewickley is still team to beat. Again, will be interesting what happens in Sewickley-OLSH game tonight.
Stack56
11:18
Mike I know it's only Tuesday but who do you like in the big Westinghouse vs Allderdice game Friday night?
Mike White
11:19
Haven't seen The House and 6-11 James Ellis yet. But it's good to see a little resurgence with some teams in City basketball. The House, Carrick having some of best seasons in school history. I'll go with Allderdice in a close one against Westinghouse.
Jim
11:19
I thought that the schoonmaker kid from Washington could of maybe picked up a pitt offer and played there, or is that too far of a stretch?
Mike White
11:19
Good player. No knock against him. But I think the MAC is a good level for him.
Wpial hoops
11:21
Do you think section 1 in 5a boys is the most competitive ? Trinity and McKeesport are both solid and the lower teams competing for a playoff spot such as LH and W. Mifflin are solid. They both can play w anybody, LH beat Latrobe and WM has kept it close w quality teams like CWNC and Gateway
Mike White
11:22
No, I do not. Section 1 is OK, but no way I'd say it's the most competitive. That section has a few bad teams also. West Mifflin can't score. Ringgold and TJ are not good. The Char Valley-Moon-Mars section isn't as strong as last year. I don't think any section in 5A is great this year. 5A isn't as good as last year.
Mixmaster
11:22
Is Dan Petcash the best player on Pine Richland?
Mike White
11:24
Might be best basketball player. I don't know if there is another WPIAL junior whose game has gone up so drastically from one season to the next. But I'd never pass on taking Phil Jurkovec in any sports game.
Stack56
11:25
Mike I know Football is king and you did a weekly segment on Starkey and Mueller are they going to have you on to talk basketball? Some of us in Western PA enjoy  basketball talk. I wish there was more.
Mike White
11:26
Funny you ask. Most likely starting a basketball segment either this week or next week on The Fan. Tentatively Thursdays.
Tony
11:26
Lebo, good?
Mike White
11:27
Pretty good. Not great. No size. Bunch of guards who press and trap everywhere and shoot lot 3's. Joe David playing a style I don't know if I've ever seen him play. But it's working.
WPIAL Lifer
11:27
Biggest game of regular season in 1A girls this Friday: West Greene at Winchester-Thurston, non-section 1vs2. Any plans this Friday Mr. White?!?
Mike White
11:27
Yes, I have plans. But they don't include West Greene-Winchester Thurston.
Stack56
11:29
Tony Lebo plays at Allderdice tomorrow night should be a good one
Mike White
11:30
Yes, Dice plays Westinghouse Friday and Mars Monday.  Without a doubt, some interesting games.
Big Mac
11:30
Does Canon Mac boys bball after years of underperforming have a shot at Section or WPIAL titles?
Mike White
11:33
Underperformed last year?? Made the WPIAL quarterfinals. Gave Pine-Richland a game. I don't think that's underperforming. Big Macs are 10-1 this year. One game behind Lebo in section. I don't think there is a runaway favorite in 6A this year. Penn Hills has to be the favorite right now. But I think things are pretty open. No WPIAL team has chance of winning state title in 6A but the WPIAL playoffs should be interesting because of the balance. No great team. But number of decent teams. Lebo at Canon-Mac next Tuesday.
WPIAL Lifer
11:33
Oh well...too far down the food chain! Still, should be good game and potential finals preview. Switching gears....any insight on the college-level potential for Cali Konek now that she's local again?
Mike White
11:33
Have not seen her this year. Definitely Div. 1. Already a few offers. Not high Div. 1, though.
WPIAL North
11:34
Ambridge vs. Quaker Valley tonight. Huge matchup. Ambridge tough to beat at home especially if they shoot like they did against NC. Hilzendeger has infinite range on his shot.
Mike White
11:36
But game is at Quaker Valley. Ambridge resurgence under the venerable Mark Jula. He's Ambridge grad. Quaker Valley has one of best coaches in WPIAL even if a lot of people don't realize it - Mike Mastroianni. I'm anxious to see Hilzendeger. But I'm going QV. In fact, I'm going QV all the way to a WPIAL title. if you're going to QV tonight, get there early. Might be worst place for parking in all of WPIAL. Gotta go to that neighborhood parking.
WPIAL North
11:37
Mother nature always plays a role in spring sports. Amazing how much it is affecting basketball though! Some teams will have three or even four section games in a week. Union plays section games on three consecutive days (from weather combined with the Holy Family bussing fiasco)
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