JotCast | Mike White's high school sports chat: 12.02.25

Mike White's high school sports chat: 12.02.25

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Mike White

10:56

It's snowing out, but let's have some hot talk. State championships Thursday through Saturday. Who is player of the year now around here? Basketball has started. Signing day for football is Wednesday. Who will sign Matt Sieg? Let's talk.

Mr Ed

10:56

This is a premature question given they have one more big game to play, but in terms of lower classification teams(1-2A when four classifications, 1-3A now) is Avonworth one of the most impressive you have seen? They haven’t mercy ruled everybody like Steel Valley but they beat 4A champs and TJ decisively. What strikes me is how many different kids on that team can beat you. Lot of times dominant high school teams have one “go to” player.

Mike White

10:57

Avonworth is really, really good. I think better than last year. Agree that so many kids can beat you. Even the Jones kid at receiver. Watch him. Defense pretty good also. It's a rematch of last year's stitle game. Northwestern Lehigh is really good again. But I'll take Avonworth this time.

Wpial dude

10:59

What is the most memorable reaction you ever got from a kid when you told him he made the fab 22? Any kid ever cry? How do they normally react?

Mike White

11:01

No, I've never had a kid cry. Had some that are very thankful. Pine-Richland's Oobi Strader tweeted this year that it has been a goal since he was a little kid to make the Fabulous 22. Most memorable reactions were with basketball Fabulous 5. Mt. Lebanon's Geoff Kestler made it. He was on vacation with his family in another country. His dad flew him back early just to be in the Fab 5 picture. Pete Sauer, whose dad was the president of the Pirates, was in Bradenton for spring training. He flew in to Pittsburgh. Took the Fab 5 picture and then flew back to Bradenton. You can say well he had the money to do that. But he didn't have to.

11:03

I remember longtime Blackhawk baseball coach Bob Amalia (God rest his soul) when I told him his daughter made the girls basketball Fab 5. He said, "Mike, I'm crying." Those reactions are pretty neat. We did an all-time Fab 22 in 2020. Just of the years from 1980-2020. Here's what former Central Catholic and NFL QB Marc Bulger had to say. Pretty revealing: "“I have jerseys from Johnny Unitas, Dan Marino and Jim Kelly on the wall, [in my basement] But that framed Fab 22 page is front and center.” Enough said.

Panther Fan

11:04

You are probably the only person in the world that can answer this question. What is the record for tackles in any WPIAL game? Discussion came up with a group of friends after watching 5A game at Acrisure where the kid had 22 tackles- seemed like 32!. In following WPIAL Football closely for more than 30 years, We could not remember anyone having more than 20 in a single game.

Mike White

11:05

No idea. And no one has what the record is. Heck, people are so different in keeping tackles at the high school level. You're talking about James Spratt, who had 22 tackles in the WPIAL 5A final. Great performance. But yes, I've heard players having 20 tackles before. But James had n unbelievable playoff run.

Psu

11:05

Would you have picked terry smith to be penn states head coach when bob Palko is on the staff?

Mike White

11:05

I don't know. I definitely would've looked around, though, to see who else might have been interested. Terry should be a candidate.

Recruiting Ram

11:06

There are 3 kickers listed on PR’s roster. You’re really telling me that we went for two because no one could make an extra point? No chance we went for two because DOCTOR ledonne is too smart for his own good.

Mike White

11:06

No idea bout Pine kicking depth chart. Wasn't on my list of things to track this season.

PGH basketball

11:06

Do you think Dice has any chance to take down Obama this year? After seeing their game vs Montour and how Obama fought with butler and LP I don’t think they have a chance

Mike White

11:07

Yes, I do. Obama has all starters back, but Allderdice will be good again. Lukas Stead (last year's City Player of the Year) hasn't played yet for Allderdice. He certainly makes a difference. But for now, we have Obama ranked No. 1 in the City League.

…….

11:07

Hey mike, what were your thoughts on the Imani vs noon game? Is it a down year for Imani or is Moon legit?

Mike White

11:08

I was not there and didn't watch. So I really have no opinion. Sure, Moon is a team to watch. Transfer of Jackson Bauman in helped immensely.

Fab 22

11:08

Looking back on your career, who would you say are kids you regret not making the fab 22? I was looking at old ones and was surprised Justin Watson didn’t make it

Mike White

11:11

You can always point to kids who didn't make it and make a point for them. Do we always make the right picks? No. It's easy to sit back years later and say this kid should've made it. Justin Watson was a very good receiver. Should he have made it? Maybe. Maybe not. I always say it's easy for people to say this guy and that guy should've made it. But then who do you take off. It's to say now Justin Watson should've made it. But nobody - and I mean NOBODY - was thinking Justin Watson would be an NFL receiver coming out of South Fayette. And anybody who says they thought he would be is full of it.

pops

11:13

Interesting start to the boys basketball season. Imani gets smack by moon and LP appears to have reloaded with not only the pratt brothers but also Frye from Imani. How did that transfer go under the radar? He is easily one of the top sophs in the wpial.

Mike White

11:19

You're talking about Malcolm Frye. I did not know he was now at Lincoln Park. Yes, I guess he was at Imani last year. There is Josh and Jeremiah Pratt who also transferred in to Lincoln Park. Then there is freshman Amaizen Straughters. He went to Connellsville through eighth grade. Talented player. He's now at Lincoln Park. But hey, we all know a kid from Connellsville who decides to go a school all the way in Midland had absolutely nothing to do with basketball, right? The more things change, the more they stay the same with Lincoln Park. But hey, at least they aren't getting players from other countries like Sewickley Academy has brought in.

pops

11:19

The kid that transferred to imani last year from north hills (demis?) that got a lot of attention in the pg and even a questionable D1 "offer" seems to have disappeared. Did he transfer again or his he no longer on the team? I watched the imani game at geneva and other than the point guards no one else stood out. Are they going to regret moving up to 6a this year? They don't seem to be as talented as last year and the coaching doesn't seem to be effective with lesser players.

Mike White

11:19

He is still with the team. He was at KDKA media day Sunday night.

smitty

11:20

I was looking at a few team's basketball schedules and noticed there are a lot of teams who will have played 2 or 3 games before other teams who have not played one. It seems like an advantage to former. Why don't more teams try to play at least one game in the first week?

Mike White

11:20

Couple years ago PIAA let basketball teams start a week earlier if they wanted. Some choose not to. I don't think it's a big deal either way.

Marcus the great

11:21

I saw avonworth basketball changed their schedule and cancelled a few games early in the season. That doesn't seem fair to the teams that they cancelled with. I understand that they probably are short a few football players but oh well. Don't schedule games early if you know your roster depends on football guys. Play with the guys you have. Thoughts?

Mike White

11:22

Avonworth has a ton of football guys in basketball. You can't not schedule games in basketball the first or second week of the season just because you "think" your football team is going to be good. These basketball schedules are usually two-year things. Yes, Avonworth knew football would be good. But did they know this good? Avonworth asked teams to move games. Some schools complied. Some could've said no. I saw West Allegheny played Avonworth this weekend. They apparently said no.

Wpial

11:22

What team is better: 2023 North Allegheny or 2025 PCC?

Mike White

11:23

I think we have to wait and see what happens Saturday night.

Marcus the great

11:23

I watched the new revamped lincoln park team. The rowan kid wasn't there? Did he transfer out?

Mike White

11:23

Have no idea about a Rowan kid.

Pcc

11:23

PCC will have their hands full with lasalle. Lost the first matchup 23-6. 6 points simply won’t cut it with 3 “big time” o-linemen. Thoughts on the game?

Mike White

11:26

Of course, Central will have their hands full. La Salle is really good. So is Central. When they played the first time, it was first game for Central soph. QB Owen Herrick. He struggled big time. Was 8 of 30. Got sacked. Hung onto ball too long. He's improved greatly. But La Salle has seasoned QB in Gavin Sidwar. Missouri recruit. Thrown for over 8,000 yards. Also No. 1 player in state in WR-DB Joe O'Brien, going to Notre Dame. Keys are QB play, Central's secondary and Central better be able to run the ball with some success.

Wpial

11:26

Were you the guy who said that this years pine team would be the best wpial team in the past 10 years or was that some other numbskull

Mike White

11:26

I never said that.

doug

11:26

Hey Mike. My question for you is why are 1a athletes so under looked. Ben hays ran for almost 2,000 yards and I have been told he has 0 college offers or interests. I understand it’s 1a ball but you can’t tell me a college program won’t even look at him for special teams?

Mike White

11:28

Pretty simple. Colleges apparently don't think they're good enough. Ben Hays could maybe get a spot at at D-3 program. He was really good player. But I'm sorry, you have to look at where he played. The Tri-County South isn't exactly the Allegheny Six of 5A.

11:29

Do you know how many tackles Spratt had against McDevitt? Peters hung tough. 180 yards in penalties against McDevitt played a big role. McDevitt's qb was very accurate. I didn't think Centeral Catholic was competitive with LaSalle when I saw them play early in the year. I think LaSalle has a tall receiver that is ranked the best player in the state, but they didn't really even have to target him much in that game. I've been to Central's last 2 games and they've improved a lot. Herrick can sling it but too bad he doesn't have the receiving talent they had the past 3 years...Gonzalez, Gompers, and Sullivan (that's Penn State, Duke, and Michigan now). How do you see the rematch playing out?

Mike White

11:30

See above post. I talk some about Central game and address some of your points. As for Spratt, I think he had over 20 again.

PGH basketball

11:30

Also when will the kdka release their basketball games of the week schedule?

Mike White

11:31

Some time this week.

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