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Mike White's high school sports chat: 12.26.23
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Mike White
11:37
To "What Gives." There is someone on here just about every week hating on USC, usually about Junko. Or why doesn't this team or that team win. It get sold. I don't know. They seem to do pretty well in a lot of sports. Heck, football team was in WPIAL title game a year ago. Girls hoops has been in WPIAL final last few years, right? Basketball team won a WPIAL title a couple years ago. Baseball team was in WPIAL championship in 2022. Is that not winning? Most schools would love to have it so bad.
What a mess
11:40
Lebo Football gets NOBODY in the all conference team. Its a dumpster fire.
Mike White
11:41
Well, they were in a conference with two teams loaded with talented players - NA and Central. Was not a great year for Mt. Lebanon. Didn't they have some injuries to good players. They did have five players make second-team all-conferecne. And a dumpster fire? Good lord. They just went undefeated, won a state championship and beat St. Joe's Prep TWO YEARS AGO!!!!!
Sports Guru
11:41
Will we ever see you at a hockey game Mr White ???
Mike White
11:41
No.
JP
11:42
When will the conference alignments for next year be released?
Mike White
11:42
Probably in January.
old school
11:42
where would you put the wash high hoop teams with brian davis that won state title and had the long winning streak?
Mike White
11:44
I loved those teams. They won either 52 or 53 in a row, which tied for WPIAL's longest winning streak at the time. For their own level, that is obviously one of the greatest runs in WPIAL history. The one team with Brian Davis was superb, that had the Popeck brothers. As I said, a couple of the best teams at their own level, but not among the best in history of WPIAL for any level.
Hoopz
11:44
Mike have you seen Gateway and Franklin Regional boys play?  do you think they are legit contenders in 5a?
Mike White
11:45
Have not seen them yet. But they have opened eyes this year. Great job by Alvis Rogers because that team that went to WPIAL semifinals last year lost some players. But 5A is loaded with quality teams. I'm not saying a 5A team will win states, but 5A has probably 10 teams that could be ranked in top 5.
Sports Guru
11:45
interesting question but do you think seton and Canevin should combine to form South Catholic ?
Mike White
11:46
Would certainly be interesting and I never thought about it. But I like the idea. Question is: Does diocese like the idea?
Eternal fan
11:46
Mike---can Uniontown basketball challenge Lincoln Park this year. Probably two of the better teams in WPIAL regardless of class
Mike White
11:47
I agree. Uniontown has almost everyone back from team that lost to LP in state semis. LP crushed them, though. I think maybe Uniontown can challenge them.
Tom
11:47
How does the 6’11” kid from Montour, find his way to Montour from his home country?  Seems a little shady.
Mike White
11:51
Here's the story. I've already written it. He came from Senegal a few years ago. Went to First Love in Washington, Pa. Was supposedly living with other players in Trafford. First Love shut down. According to Montour coach Bill Minear, the players were then told to leave the house. The kid had nowhere to go. He wanted to stay in U.S. Someone in Montour who knew his situation decided to take him in. If he wasn't a basketball player, would they have taken him in? Don't know. But that's the story.
Pucks
11:51
Why won't you go to a hockey game ? Why don't you list the standings in the PG page ?
Mike White
11:53
There's a lot of sports where we don't list standings. Plus, hockey has its own web page with PIHL that lists standings. Plus, we have someone who covers hockey for us - Keith Barnes. Yes, I'm a high school sports writer. Does that mean I have to go see every sport? Just because someone is a cook does that mean he has to eat every single food?
Tommy
11:53
Been hearing of teams in the south leaving the WPIAL.   Uniontown, Con'ville, Laurel Highlands, Ringgold.   What do those schools gain by doing that?
Mike White
11:54
Connesllville already decided to leave. We reported that. Ringgold coach sad they are not leaving. Uniontown hasn't been in WPIAL for a few years. Don't know about Laurel Highlands.
Coach O
11:54
Happy New Year Mike. Thanks for the tremendous coverage, particularly the last year or so while short handed. Here’s hoping you can figure out a way to restart the podcasts at some point in ‘24.
Mike White
11:55
Why thank you, Coach O. Very nice of you to say. Yes, the Podcasts were great to do. But without some of the people on strike, I don't feel like one-man podcasts are all that good.
Local pride
11:57
Speaking of great WPIAL teams,  how about Uniontown of th emid 1960's?Given the level of competition I don't think there's anybody who can match Uniontown winning streak in the 1960 when WPIL basketball was at its absolute Zenith with great teams every year.
They won 58th St., and two state titles in the mid 60s.
And the irony is that the 58 game-winning streak was preceded by streak of around 38 only to be broken by one of the biggest upsets in WPIL history when Uniontown lost in the state semifinal to Norwin and John Naponic at the Pitfield house one game before the state finals.
Have they not been upset in that game? They would've had an incredible winning streak of almost 100 straight games in that era. Incredible
Mike White
11:59
Yes, as I mentioned above, Uniontown teams in 60s have to be mentioned with great teams. But to correct you, Uniontown did not win 58 in a row. They won a WPIAL record 53 in a row, which was later tied by Washington in the 1980s and broken by OLSH a few years later. The 1963-64 team had two future NFL players in the starting five, another future NFL player on the bench and also a star player who spent seven seasons in the NBA, once averaging 20 points a game? How many WPIAL teams do you think can say that.
Playoffs
11:59
So is the WPIAL/PIAA planning to fix the mess it had in the playoffs for Football soon or will they be ok with screwing good teams over ala USC while dumpster fires like Mt Lebanon get in ?
Mike White
11:59
I think they are thinking of possible new plans that might put 6A and 5A in hybrid conferences in regular season. We shall see.
12:00
Well that's it for now, everyone. Thanks. Yes, we still did this over the holidays and will pick right back up next Tuesday at 11 a.m. Happy New Year. Everyone, be good.
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