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Mike White's high school sports chat: 2.20.18
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Mike White
11:00
Good Tuesday morning. Just got back from a little chat with Dwight Clay, who made The Shot that stopped UCLA's 88-game winning streak 44 years ago. Look for Dwight to be featured in our Where Are They Now special in Friday's Varsity Xtra. .... Ok I just turned on the "Open" sign in store. Let's talk.
5A Fanatic
11:00
Aside from Mars' Robby Carmody, who are some of the guards in 5A that you think can make an impact on a potential title run?
Mike White
11:01
Number of good guards on many teams. I can't sit here and name them all. Guards make things go come playoff time.
Paul MacMurdo
11:01
With the new WPIAL alignments, why do you think 3A Section 1's Lincoln Park with a +70 game section win streak, is not moved up to 4A Section 2 with Ambridge, Beaver, Blackhawk, Central Valley, Hopewell, New Castle, Quaker Valley? It seems that it's about time to give the other teams a chance at winning the section.
Mike White
11:02
Pretty simple. Because Lincoln Park's enrollment puts them in 3A. It's up to the school if they want to play up. Not up to PIAA or WPIAL. Obviously Lincoln Park doesn't want to play up.
Call It Like I See It
11:02
Mike, just a fan of 6A Basketball here.  It always seems that Fox Chapel seems to get favorable draws. First, they finish 2nd in their section and end up with the 3 seed.  Now, the latest section alignment looks favorable for the Foxes.  Could this be that their AD is on the basketball committee?  The Foxes have somehow again managed to avoid the northern 6A section.  Chuck Crummie recently insinuated that something isn't right.  Is there something here?
Mike White
11:07
Yes, Fox Chapel getting No. 3 seed caught the attention of many. Committee said because they played so well down stretch. You can debate that all you want. Truth be told, I don't think it was much difference. I had Fox Chapel as No. 5 seed playing No. 4 Pine in quarters. They are playing each other anyway. Yes, Fox Chapel AD Mike O'Brien is on basketball committee.  That is a fact. I know they haven't wanted to play in North section before. Mike O'Brien has told me that. Why? I don't know.  I don't think you can say their section was easier this year than the North. I think they might have been even.
WPIALFan1
11:07
Hi Mike. Can you provide any insight into how the WPIAL chooses a site for a game? Does it just depend on who wants to host? Does a better seed get a shorter trip? Looking at a few games and it doesn't look like the higher seed gets a closer game. Was just curious. I would like to see first two rounds at home sites, but that is just me. Thanks.
Mike White
11:09
Some of the sites sometimes make you scratch your heads. But I will tell you that it's not easy. And no matter what WPIAL does, someone will complain. It's not as easy as picking place in between two schools. Sometimes that place doesn't exist and they pick the place that they think might be best suited to handle the crowd, etc. Higher seed doesn't always get place closer to them. It's very inexact science.
CityKid820
11:09
Do you think Dice would win 6A WPIALS?
Mike White
11:11
They would be right there but I'm not going to say they would definitely win it. Yes, they could win it, but it's not like they are so much better than every 6A team.
Dice Rolls
11:11
I understand the number of 6A schools in the city league but this format to get into the state playoffs makes no sense. 2 years ago Allderdice was ranked 1 in the state and had to travel to play Erie Central Tech to get into the states. They were down two at half. Anything can happen in Erie. This year Dice is ranked in the top ten and have to travel to play Erie Mcdowell or Erie High in Erie. Last year Erie McDowell did come here last year. If Dice wins in Erie they will have to play Altoona in another play in game. That means for Allderdice to win a state title ( which is a long shot) they would have to win 7 games. Wait one second, next year Kennedy Catholic will be 6A  and play in Disrict 10. That means Dice, Mcdowell, Erie High or Kennedy will not make the state playoffs. Oh by the way State college which has 3 teams in district 6 gets an automatic berth in to the states.
Mike White
11:14
Hold on. The brackets for PIAA are made up way in advance of season. Where team is ranked in state rankings has nothing to do with anything - nor should it. So rankings have nothing to do with this bracket. You just said it. Erie team came down here last year. This year it's City League's turn to travel. This happens in football also. They have these subregionals because of the number of teams in a district. I don't have a problem with it. The brackets are made by the number of teams in a district - not by who the PIAA thinks might be good or not good for upcoming seasons.
Pal
11:15
Tell me how many playoff teams will make it from 6A girls next year? I read somewhere, but can't find it now, that only 8 make it, out of 16 teams in 6A Girls. 50% rate!                                                                         
Yet, I think 12 boys teams make the playoffs  in 6A (out of 18), for a 66% clip.  I hope I'm mistaken, but what could be WPIAL's reasoning for large difference?
Mike White
11:17
Four teams from every section make it - boys and girls. What's wrong with that? There are two sections in girls and three in boys. That's why there is a difference in number of playoff teams. There are only 16 teams in 6A girls. Kind of hard to make three sections out of that. You would have two 5's and a 6?
FAN
11:17
Mike, thoughts on 6A match-ups this weekend?  Any idea when WPIAL will release sites and game times?  Best game- Fox vs. Pine? PCC vs. Penn Hills? Seems to be some really intriguing match-ups...  If I may recall, the teams with byes last year really struggled in quarterfinals... Do you see a repeat pattern? These teams have sat for 12-15 days...
Mike White
11:20
No idea when WPIAL will release quarterfinal sites. ... Yes, 6A playoffs are most interesting. Said all year that there are 8-9 teams that could make to a championship. With so much balance, you are going to have interesting playoffs. Some teams with byes did not win last year. Some did win. I don't think you can use a bye as an excuse. Teams can scrimmage other teams. They can simulate it to a game. Some may like a bye. Some might not. Some complain about it. Some do not. People like taking 12 teams to playoffs. Well if you're going to like that idea, then you have to have byes.
High school fan
11:21
I know it's to early right now but who do you think the 8 best teams are in class A football and class A playoff should be lot better with only 8 playoff teams
Mike White
11:22
Haven't really thought too much about it. It's basketball playoffs. But it's pretty safe to go with - in no order - Jeannette, Clairton, Imani, OLSH, Rochester. ... And yes playoffs will be better with only 8 teams. Lot of tomato cans made it in past. Not any more.
High school fan
11:22
If Jeannette wins Friday night do you think they can beat olsh
Mike White
11:23
No. Absolutely no chance. They should forfeit. It's like the Washington Generals against the Globetrotters. ... C'mon, man. Of course they have a chance.
Clairton fan
11:24
I think with class A only taking 8 teams is good and bad because I think the same 8 teams will make the playoffs almost every year and u get these teams the will miss playoff because the are in a tougher conference will use Springdale as a example the will prob never get in the playoff because they're sitting behind Jeannette clairton and imani just me I think 12 teams would if been little better
Mike White
11:25
I agree with you wholeheartedly. I had thought 12 would be OK and give a bye to top four. But that would mean four weeks of playoffs. That would mean the title game wouldn't be at Heinz. And WPIAL wants four games there.
WWH
11:25
section one 6 A had a surprising tough opening round.  butler and seneca both lost and pine richland had a very tough win against a bethel park squad that was just slightly above average.  Even USC gave A much better Penn Hills a big scare.  Does this give even more credence to the predictions that this is the most wide open and balanced brackets in a long, long time.
Mike White
11:26
Yep, that's what everyone has said. USC and Bethel are not bad teams. Decent teams. And just goes to show that there is not a really, really strong team in 6A.
Call It Like I See It
11:26
Why hasn't NA hosted any playoff games?  Too much bad warmup music or is the WPIAL retaliating for them throwing Phil Jurkovic out of a playoff game earlier this fall?
Mike White
11:27
WPIAL brass says NA doesn't want to host games. Why? I don't know. AD hasn't given me an answer yet. But the place was used for loads of games in past. I'm sure NA booster clubs and others who worked the games can't be real happy. But I don't know reason from NA yet.
Mike
11:28
Will the 6A teams that get a bye be allowed to schedule a game that week like non-playoff teams do now?
Mike White
11:28
I don't know answer to that.
11:29
I'll take Monessen.
Hshoopsfan
11:29
Who do you have winning, monessen or Imani?
Mike White
11:29
I'll take Monessen.
hoop fan
11:30
I read your articles about North Catholic's coach Dave Long a few weeks ago.  Is he coming back next year?  If not, who would be a fit for that job?
Mike White
11:30
I don't know his status for next year. If he doesn't come back, I think Mike Tomlin or Joey Porter will be the new coach.
Jinx
11:30
How soon till we know the sites for 6A games?
Mike White
11:31
No idea. Up to the WPIAL. Probably by tomorrow.
Jinx
11:31
Next year how many teams from 6A will make playoffs? 4 out of 6 seems watered down
Mike White
11:33
In basketball?? Yes four from each section. But if you're going to take four from every other section in every other class, it's hard not to take four from 6A. Other classes have six-team sections. And if you're going to take four from seven-team sections, why not six? I don't have a problem with it. Not hurting anyone.
This guy's blind ^^^
11:34
How is traveling all the way to Connelsville in anyone's best interest?
Mike White
11:34
Well Connellsville has to be in someone's section. What, do you want them thrown out of the WPIAL because someone doesn't want to travel there?
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