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Mike White's high school sports chat: 3.13.18
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Mike White
11:00
Happy second round of the PIAA. NCAA is two days away. A good time. Let's get started.
WPIALBud
11:01
Hey Mike. Public vs. private has been discussed over and over, but I want your opinion on something. Do you ever see a protest happening when a public vs. private square off? Union and Kennedy play tonight, and could you ever see a team like Union just refuse to play? Walk out? Sit on bench? I think it'd be an interesting case study to see how PIAA or one of the district handles it.
Mike White
11:03
WPIALBud, sorry but I really have no idea if anyone will choose not to play. Don't know if anyone would go that far. I can't get in their heads. There was a school in, I believe, California a few years ago that said it was refusing to play some schools because of similar circumstances. So could it happen here? I guess.  Maybe that's what it will take for someone to really prove a point.
Hoops guru
11:03
I've heard that ralph blundo does a lot of things off the court for the kids he coaches...is blundo the best coach in western pa and is new castle basketball the best program in western pa?
Mike White
11:07
I'm not going to sit here and say Ralph Blundo is THE BEST coach in Western Pa. He certainly is one of the best. What he does for those kids can't be understated. And yes, he does a lot of things off the court for them. He's the perfect coach for that place. I don't know if anyone could fit any better. People should marvel at the job he does there.  But there are a number of good coaches in Western Pa. I don't think it's fair to say Ralph is THE BEST. But never mind the coaching, I just wish he could just get me the recipe for the pasta sauces at Pagley's in New Castle.
Stack56
11:07
Mike last season I told everyone in the section that I sat in in Hershey that Pine Richland was good enough to beat Reading or at least give them a game I was right and I feel the same way about the bottom half of the lower 6a bracket. I do not think the Eastern Teams are better than the Dice Pen Hills or State college maybe better than Pine Richland but I'm not so sure about that either. Your thoughts.
Mike White
11:10
Was no surprise that Pine gave Reading a battle last year. You weren't the only one who thought that. I don't think 6A in the east is tremendous this year. No team like Roman Catholic that beat Allderdice two years ago. But there are still really good ones in east. Plymouth-Whitemarsh vs. Roman in second-round game tomorrow. That is in the western half of the bracket. Some believe that is the state championship game. I also believe State College and WPIAL teams can "play" with anyone in the 6A bracket. But I don't see them winning it. Just not good enough.
Stack56
11:11
Mike I know you have seen Westinghouse at least twice. All 6 of their defeats have come against 6a and 5a schools Allderdice 3xs Franklin Regional, Carrick and Obama. Do you think they have a chance to make it to Hershey? Don't forget they beat New Castle at New Castle.
Mike White
11:15
No, Westinghouse has no chance. They should put the balls away, call the PIAA and just forfeit. ... C'mon, man. Here we go again. "Do they have a chance?" Of course they have a chance. They are a pretty decent team and James Ellis is one of the best-kept secrets in the state. What are the percentage of chances that Westinghouse makes it to Hershey? Maybe 50-50. They play Lancaster Mennonite tonight. Won't be easy but they have a chance. Then they would likely play Lincoln Park. That would be an interesting one. I will say this. Having City League teams like Westinghouse, Allderdice and Carrick making noise in the state playoffs makes these playoffs a lot more interesting.
Call It Like I See It
11:16
In what class of boys do you see the WPIAL having all its teams eliminated first?  I think there is a good possibility that 6A WPIAL basketball could be over on Wednesday night.
Mike White
11:17
Well, that's not exactly going out on a limb when you consider there are only two WPIAL teams left in 6A (Penn Hills and Pine-Richland) and they both have tough games Wednesday. Penn Hills vs. Allderdice and Pine vs. State College. Yes, I could see both of them losing. It wouldn't be surprising, either, if both won.
Pal
11:17
I think NA girls still get to state final (even without Martindale) bc they are deep and well coached and can shoot...You?
Mike White
11:18
Martindale a big loss but yes NA still has an excellent chance to make it to Hershey. TIe me down and make me choose, and yes, I would say they make it to Hershey.
Will
11:18
Do you know if Penn Hills/ Allderdice will be a tough ticket?
Mike White
11:19
No idea, but I doubt it. Baldwin a good-sized place.
FireAway43
11:19
Mike, going back to the Blundo comment, I think most coaches do a lot for their players outside of basketball, and most people do not realize it. Coaches with less success than Ralph, even at a place like NC, still provide for their players and parents will still complain!
Mike White
11:22
Totally agree, FireAway43. You are exactly right. I know that is true. Ralph is tremendous but I'm not going to say one person is THE BEST. Bill Cherpak football coach at TJ made a comment to me a while ago that I always remember. He once told me that there are a lot of really good coaches around but just don't have the talent  that others have, so you don't hear as much about them. True. And many coaches do a lot of great things for their kids.
High school fan
11:22
Is angelo reeves best freshman in wpial/state???
Mike White
11:22
No. But a freshman with loads of potential. Like him a lot.
Will
11:23
If Union somehow beats Kennedy, what do we call the book and/or movie?
Mike White
11:23
Wake up. You're dreaming.
UJ
11:23
Hi Mike, Do you know if an athlete ruled ineligible by the WPIAL because of a sports related school transfer retains eligibility if he/she just returns to the old school?
Mike White
11:24
No, you can't do that. People have thought about that. You can't run away from a ruling or discipline and be eligible somewhere else. That's in PIAA by-laws.
11:26
Just FYI. WPIAL players in The Dance? I have Devin Wilson (Va Tech), Julian Batts (LIU), Cam Johnson (UNC), Jarrod Simmons (Penn), Johnny David (Kentucky). Am I missing anyone else?
11:28
Coaches - John Calipari and Sean Miller?
WPIALHoopsFan
11:29
What are you’re thoughts on QV Hickory tonight? Seems like a toss up
Mike White
11:31
I would probably tend to agree. I haven't seen Hickory but they are obviously good. Absolutely crushed Belle Vernon, a WPIAL semifinalist. Hickory beat Lincoln Park earlier this year and lost to Penn Hills early in season by I think 9. That shows they are obviously pretty good. Quaker Valley is good also. But I agree, I think it will be close.
Anthony Kobus
11:31
Thoughts on one of FRanklin Regional's best seasons ever?
Mike White
11:34
Steve Scorpion did a great job in first year as coach. He inherited a pretty good team. Making it to WPIAL final for the first time since late 90s. I don't know why, but they really had trouble scoring in postseason. They were a physical team that seemed to defend well. I didn't see them until postseason. They had size but in three times I saw them they seemed to lack playmakers - guys who could make their own plays. That said, I don't think a lot of teams in WPIAL have those guys. But hey, they made it to WPIAL final and gave Mars a game. They must have had someone. Steve believes this wasn't a one-year wonder either.
11:35
Trinity and Mars a good game tonight, but I really think Highlands and Carrick interesting. Carrick hasn't made quarterfinals since 1990? I think they will give Highlands a game.
George
11:35
The NA girls game tonight with Altoona should probably be a semi final game.  NA won twice the first time by 1 point and the second by around 12.  The winner of this game will probably be in the finals.  Altoona is big and strong, they have been ranked highly in the state all year.  Sometimes winning the WPIAL doesn't give you the easiest road in the state brackets.
Mike White
11:36
George, you are right. Sometimes winning WPIAL doesn't make it easy. But that's the way it is when you have preset brackets. And that's the way it is when there aren't that many 6A schools in the western half of the state - boys or girls. Heck, next year, many of the Harrisburg area teams (District 3) will play through the western side of the bracket in boys and girls in 6A.
WWH
11:43
where to find week in high school sports with sarah spencer and you
Mike White
11:43
We did it last Thursday. It was embedded in some stories. Previewed the first round.
Vincentian fan
11:44
Does Vincentian have the weapons to go all the way in the state?
Mike White
11:45
I think there is zero tolerance policy with most schools and weapons.
11:46
Ha ha. I'll be here all week. Tip your waitresses. Try the veal. .... On the serious side, Vincentian is in Class A. Kennedy Catholic is in Class A. Enough said. There will be no trip to Hershey for Vincentian.
Big fan
11:46
What's the state playoff game to see tonight in the Pittsburgh area?
Mike White
11:49
I'm going to Highlands-Carrick at Gateway. Also Mars and Trinity at Moon. That should be interesting. Mars and Trinity met in semifinals and it was certainly "chippy." I won't mention names but there was one particular player who did more talking on the court than the PA announcer that night. Never shut his mouth. Will be interesting to see if that happens again tonight. Trinity coach Tim Tessmer said his team got too caught up in the "other stuff."
11:54
Well, time to sound off. Lunch at Panera with the Mrs. is waiting. We'll do this again next week Tuesday at 11.
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