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Mike White's high school sports chat: 4.3.18
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Mike White
11:03
Good rainy morning. Well, basketball is over. Spring sports are starting, but will they ever play because of rain? I just turned on the "open" sign. Store now open for questions.
Dorian Henderson
11:03
How do you about the new transfer rules the PIAA is considering.  I think they're missing the boat. They need to make d12 enforce the rule we already have.  It's not the year they tranfer. Its the transfer period.
Mike White
11:07
Dorian, I somewhat agree with you. Too many districts, especially Philadelphia, do not enforce transfer rule and view it differently. That is a problem. The proposed new rule would make kids ineligible for POSTSEASON ONLY if they transfer after their junior year. I don't know if that will deter many, but at least it's a step. However, so many transfer before senior year. PIAA director Bob Lombardi would've liked to see it pushed back a year earlier, where it would affect transfers after sophomore year. The thing is, they are not telling an athlete they can't play. They are not barring an athlete from playing. They just can't play in postseason. I have my doubts if the PIAA board of directors will have it in them to pass this rule. We'll see. But the rule does nothing to address what people complain about most - public vs. private/Catholic schools. But I don't think the PIAA will step foot down that road.
Bill
11:07
With the winter sports season officially over, who will be the top boys basketball teams in 4A next year? It is an interesting classification.
Mike White
11:08
I don't think 4A was tremendous this year, at least in terms of depth of quality teams. It might be even worse next year. New Castle loses a ton, but Ralph Blundo will still make them good. Quaker Valley loses Coletrane Washington and a few others. I'd have a hard time right now picking five teams to rank next year in 4A.
5A Fanatic
11:08
When will the Boys/Girls All-Section players be published?
Mike White
11:09
Due to state championships being pushed back and a few other things, we had to push back publishing all section teams to Sunday, April 15.
5A Fanatic
11:09
Any early predictions on the teams/players in Boys 5A to next year to watch for?  Moon has most of the key players back.  Penn Hills and Woodland Hills should make some noise too.   Thanks for the great coverage this year!
Mike White
11:13
5A should be pretty decent as far as more depth of quality teams. Mars loses Carmody, but has three starters returning in Recchia, Mike Carmody and Caruso. As you said, Penn Hills and Woodland Hills move down. Penn Hills lost a lot, but still should be a contender. Woodland Hills has a few players back. Franklin Regional lost a lot, but still should be decent. But could the No. 1 team heading into next year be Highlands? Two good sophomores return in Johnny Crise and Luke Cochran. Moon also should be good. Ryan twins and point guard is back. No size with Moon, though. 5A should be pretty decent next year.
JoeDel
11:13
We hear a lot about private/charter school transfers...what do you think will happen with public to public school transfers? Should they be held to the same standard as the non-publics? We've got to be kidding ourselves if we don't think that's happening...agree?
Mike White
11:14
Public to public will fall under same rules. There won't be separate rules for public schools. Yes, they transfer public to public for athletic reasons also.
WpialLifer
11:14
When will the Fab5 come out for boys and girls?
Mike White
11:14
We had to push things back. The Fab 5 will be published Sunday, April 15. And no, I'm not telling who is on it.
Jamie
11:14
Do you think OLSH has a chance at winning the WPIAL and PIAA in basketball next year?
Mike White
11:16
Of course, they have a chance. Heck, they lost in the WPIAL and state finals this year and there wasn't a senior on the team. I'm just going to get crazy and say that makes them have a "chance" next year. It will be them and Sewickley, which has almost everybody back also.
Guy
11:16
Top teams in AA going into the 2018 basketball season?
Mike White
11:16
Ahhh, how about OLSH and Sewickley again. OLSH didn't have a senior, as I just stated. Sewickley loses one starter.
Bimbo
11:16
Top players in 2A boys hoops next season??
Mike White
11:17
The starters on OLSH and Sewickley. OLSH's Donovan Johnson and Sewickley's Isiah Warfield already have Division I offers. Duquesne has offered both.
joeyd
11:18
Mike it seems like high school talent in philly, New Jersey,Ohio on a different level than western Pennsylvania in basketball, football not so much? Why difference in sports?
Mike White
11:20
Well this isn't a new thing. Those areas have had better basketball talent than Western Pa. for decades. This all started in the late 70s and early 80s. But what are the reasons Philly has more talent? This isn't the only one but Philly has loads more people than Pittsburgh. Thus, more players. What I can't understand, though, is the lack of big-time players that come out of Pittsburgh City League. Then again, there are only six City League schools. Throw in Central Catholic if you want as a city school, but most of their players I would say don't come from the city.
HS Sports Fan
11:20
Has the WPIAL ever considered moving to a Power Points system for postseason qualification and seeding? Some PIAA districts already use a similar system.
Mike White
11:20
No they haven't.
WpialFan
11:21
Fab5 Release date?
Mike White
11:21
Sunday,, April 15.
Dartman
11:21
Will Disc Golf or Wiffle Ball be a HS sport ever? If so, which first and when do you think.
Mike White
11:24
Yes, I believe Wiffle Ball will be in the WPIAL next year. I will be the commissioner of the league and games championship games will be played in my back yard, where I will be the all-time pitcher and dominate the way I used to with my sons and other neighborhood kids with my curveballs that fell off the table. Tim O'Malley will umpire games in my back yard. Any kind of wiffle ball bats will be allowed but balls have to be the official Wiffle ones with the holes on one side. There will also be a WPIAL home-run derby before the title games with winners being anyone who can hit into Bob Stevens yard.
wpial fan
11:25
Is baseball one of the most underrated sports in the wpial? Every where I look there are many d1 recruits. If you look at PR alone they have 3 with Laneve, Wood, and Johnson. Then right down the road Mars has Anderson, Bednar, and the Craska brothers. Not to mention Austin Hendrick is ranked the number one sophomore in the country. Seems like it is a baseball talent gold-mine around here compared to other sports.
Mike White
11:28
I did a story on this last spring about Western Pa. baseball. Yes, it is very good for northern climate. Heck, we have had a No. 1 draft pick in each of the last three drafts - with ties to WPIAL. Ian Happ, Alex Kirilloff, Brendan McKay. Pretty impressive. And yes, we do have a number of kids go Division I, but I think you have to realize the competition to get on a Division I baseball team isn't anywhere near as strong as basketball.
Dartman
11:28
Should there be JV playoffs for sports
Mike White
11:29
I doubt it. Not worse idea, but would cost money and school athletic budgets already are hurting. Plus, kids who are on JV have opportunities for playoffs with the varsity. Should there be maybe 9th grade playoffs????
WWH
11:29
saw olsh and sewickley in wpial semi finals.  both teams are well coached and loaded with talent.  Believe thy have the talent to compete up several sections the next few years.  Won.t happen though as moves up have to be for two years I believe.
Mike White
11:31
Classifications already are set for next two years. OLSH and Sewickley will continue to be in 2A. They will still be in the same section also. So some really good games to look forward to.
billyh
11:31
Generic question... what school do you think in the wpial has the best athletes overall combing all sports?
Mike White
11:32
Geez, that's hard to say. But if you look at just what school usually wins the most WPIAL titles, it would have to be North Allegheny. I know we did a story maybe 5-6 years ago where North Allegheny had the most state titles of any team in Pa.
11:34
5A Fanatic, hold on. You are correct. My bad. Highlands is indeed in 4A next year. Forgot about that. So I would say they would be the No. 1 team heading into the season in 4A. Thanks for point that out to me again.
5A Fanatic
11:34
Thanks for answering my questions.  I thought Highlands was moving down to 4A?  Also, would you consider the Ryan twins and Recchia as some of the key players to watch next year? I thought they were some of the better underclass guards.  Real good on offense and defense.
Mike White
11:35
5A Fanatic. Yes, the Ryan twins and Recchia are nice players. They aren't big-time college prospects but nice high school players.
PA Sports Guy
11:35
You put out an interesting stat the other day about multi-sport athletes. Being a former multi-sport athlete and intercollegiate athlete, I understand the value that there comes with playing multiple sports. Why have we seen this shift for kids to become one-sport athletes only over the last decade? In your opinion, how influential have parents, HS coaches, and club/AAU coaches been in this process?
Mike White
11:39
Yes I did put out the stat that almost every player in the Super Bowl played another sport in high school and around 60 percent played three. I think basketball is different than football. Many basketball players are specializing more, rightly or wrongly. Specialization is a subject that's too big to address in this chat. Coaches are influential in specializing because of the year-round stuff nowadays. Parents are to blame also. So many unrealistic expectations and many think their kid is better than he/she is.
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