State semi Mercy rules

[Sean Miller Fan]

We talk a lot about the imbalance of HS football teams. Is there any better example than this?

D10 4A Champ Oil City was undefeated and has won games 75-0, 72-0, 61-0, 56-0, and 68-6. Impressive results vs any competition. So, maybe they stand a shot vs TJ? Nope. TJ won 62-0.

Jeannette beat Reynolds 48-12

Central Valley was up 36 early in the 3rd quarter vs Bedord before calling off the dogs and winning 49-20

 

[TheSpecialSauce]

Good! I root for the the WPIAL teams. It seemed like there was a hangover for some teams after winning the WPIAL title at Heinz. Maybe not playing there is keeping them more grounded for the state playoffs.

 

[Burgh15]

As we saw in all of the playoffs this year, sometimes the 4th or 5th best team in the WPIAL would steamroll the best team out of another district. Just how the system is set up.

 

[PittAU]

I think the addition of the two extra classifications has helped our local teams. It has put them against right-sized schools.

 

[pittdan77]

The quality of football in some of the nether regions is awful. It doesn't even look the same. Our local school district won the D5 championship. Only three teams in the classification and one was hot garbage. They got throttled in the first round of states. Doesn't mean you won't get a good team occasionally but generally, most of these schools are just really bad at football.

 

[passedout]

The quality of football in some of the nether regions is awful. It doesn't even look the same. Our local school district won the D5 championship. Only three teams in the classification and one was hot garbage. They got throttled in the first round of states. Doesn't mean you won't get a good team occasionally but generally, most of these schools are just really bad at football.

Grew up in D5. Some D5/6 teams can match up with WPIAL teams. Difference is usually speed. Those outlying schools don't see the speed on a weekly basis. The better teams in D9/10 play teams up in class or go out of state to play quality competition and generally fair better against WPIAL competition.

 

[bayardstreet]

We should install the mercy rule on posters

 

[jtownknowitall]

The WestPAC in D5 might be the worst football conference in the country.

 

[Gunga_Galunga]

Pine Richland with a nice comeback win after digging themselves a huge hole with turnovers. Down 21-0 early and later down 41-26. End up winning 48-44.

 

[Burgh15]

Pine Richland with a nice comeback win after digging themselves a huge hole with turnovers. Down 21-0 early and later down 41-26. End up winning 48-44.

I read they were down 41-19 at one point. That’s a mentally strong team to come back from multiple double-digit deficits.

 

[pittdan77]

Grew up in D5. Some D5/6 teams can match up with WPIAL teams. Difference is usually speed. Those outlying schools don't see the speed on a weekly basis. The better teams in D9/10 play teams up in class or go out of state to play quality competition and generally fair better against WPIAL competition.

I’ve never seen a D5 team that could compete against WPIAL teams. There have only ever been a couple of D6 teams that could ever match up. Tyrone and BG in up years. The old McCort teams? That’s it

 

[Mikefln]

I’ve never seen a D5 team that could compete against WPIAL teams. There have only ever been a couple of D6 teams that could ever match up. Tyrone and BG in up years. The old McCort teams? That’s it

Forrest Hills had a few strong years but agree. D6 coaching legend always talked how different D6 was to D7. He always said "they (the WPIAL) just plays a different level of football."

 

[pittdan77]

Forrest Hills had a few strong years but agree. D6 coaching legend always talked how different D6 was to D7. He always said "they (the WPIAL) just plays a different level of football."

Ahhh, good one. Forgot about those teams. I got to see them first hand and I thought that they were the closest to a WPIAL team I had seen out here.

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

The quality of football in some of the nether regions is awful. It doesn't even look the same. Our local school district won the D5 championship. Only three teams in the classification and one was hot garbage. They got throttled in the first round of states. Doesn't mean you won't get a good team occasionally but generally, most of these schools are just really bad at football.

I'll say. For Oil City to be beating teams 70-0 every week and then lose 62-0 to TJ, who the heck were they playing? Honestly, I doubt Oil City could beat TJ's middle school team 70-0.

 

[Conemaugh]

I’ve never seen a D5 team that could compete against WPIAL teams. There have only ever been a couple of D6 teams that could ever match up. Tyrone and BG in up years. The old McCort teams? That’s it

Richland High School gave Aliquippa a pretty good game in the state playoffs 8 or 10 years ago. Bishop Guilfoyle beat Clairton a couple of years ago in the state playoffs right? Or was that Bishop Carrol? D6 football in general went to the crapper about 20 years ago. Too many dying towns out in the hinterlands, and power football doesn't win anymore. Forrest Hills and Bedford used to be farm boy thumpers. It hasn't seemed to work for them in a while. Wanny pulled some D6 guys to Pitt (johnstown high and Bishop McCort). But I cannot name a D1 recruit from Division 6 since then. Any from D5?

 

[Conemaugh]

Ahhh, good one. Forgot about those teams. I got to see them first hand and I thought that they were the closest to a WPIAL team I had seen out here.

Yeah, Forrest Hills was really tough for a period 20 years ago.

 

[pittchagg]

Pine Richland with a nice comeback win after digging themselves a huge hole with turnovers. Down 21-0 early and later down 41-26. End up winning 48-44.

That was the 5A state title game IMO. Not too many people gave Governor Mifflin a chance against Pine-Richland, but they’re one of the more impressive teams I’ve seen come out of 5A in District 3 in a number of years.

 

[Indiana Panther Fan]

We should install the mercy rule on posters

This is all SMF has. Can’t take that away. Otherwise he is just an unemployed and single adult in his 40s

 

[pittdan77]

Richland High School gave Aliquippa a pretty good game in the state playoffs 8 or 10 years ago. Bishop Guilfoyle beat Clairton a couple of years ago in the state playoffs right? Or was that Bishop Carrol? D6 football in general went to the crapper about 20 years ago. Too many dying towns out in the hinterlands, and power football doesn't win anymore. Forrest Hills and Bedford used to be farm boy thumpers. It hasn't seemed to work for them in a while. Wanny pulled some D6 guys to Pitt (johnstown high and Bishop McCort). But I cannot name a D1 recruit from Division 6 since then. Any from D5?

Recent scholarship guys out of D6? Andrew Hawkins and Larod Stephens-Howling are the first two that come to mind. Kevin Givens flipped from Pitt to PSU the day before NLI Day a few years ago. He stuck with SF long enough to be on the roster for the Super Bowl. Luke Rhodes from Hollidaysburg played LB at William and Mary (2016) and is currently working as the long snapper for Indianapolis. Signed a nice contract last spring and the kid is a specimen. Kolton McGhee is a kicker that played at BG and is down at WVU. Kid has a cannon of a leg. Exree Loe was committed to Pitt before Pitt kind of lost interest. He's playing at WVU and seeing the field. I probably missed a few. There are a few more kids that ended up making noise from G5 and lower. Brant Clouser (Altoona) played at Villanova and made it to the final cut with the Giants. Played arena 1. John Sikora who went to Central Cambria, I think, and then Slippery Rock. He won an Arena Bowl with the Chicago Rush. I know I'm missing a few. There are also a host of kids that walk-on at PSU. Some come from families who are big donors and others are legit walk-ons. Lot of State College kids.

D5 is a bit more sketchy. I just can't think of any recent kids but I don't know much about the Somerset side. Troy Harris, from Bedford, went to Maine. Had a nice run with them. The Nastasi brothers from Northern Bedford both played D1. Joe was on scholarship at PSU and AJ went to WVU on scholarship. They were both incredible athletes and are 1st and 6th all-time in basketball scoring in PA (both ahead of Kobe but not really the same competition). Joe is best remembered for a fake field goal against Michigan.

I'm sure I missed a few. I had fun sitting and trying to remember these. I'm going to kick myself when I post this because I'll probably remember more and I'm sure someone could jump in and name a few. There are some good football players but they are very few and far between. When I say football is terrible out here, I'm generalizing because I've actually been bored watching some of these games. There are probably several JV squads in the WPIAL that could win the D5 or D6 championships at several of the classifications.

 

[wbrpanther]

We talk a lot about the imbalance of HS football teams. Is there any better example than this?

D10 4A Champ Oil City was undefeated and has won games 75-0, 72-0, 61-0, 56-0, and 68-6. Impressive results vs any competition. So, maybe they stand a shot vs TJ? Nope. TJ won 62-0.

Jeannette beat Reynolds 48-12

Central Valley was up 36 early in the 3rd quarter vs Bedord before calling off the dogs and winning 49-20

And your point, sir?

 

[wbrpanther]

As we saw in all of the playoffs this year, sometimes the 4th or 5th best team in the WPIAL would steamroll the best team out of another district. Just how the system is set up.

The best WPIAL team in each classification is almost always better than Champions from other districts. But I wouldn't go so far as to say the 4th and 5th team would also be better. And once in a while one of those other champs are pretty darn good. Case in point the Bishop Guilfoyle teams a few years back who won 3 strait State titles. I remember them beating a great Clairton team in the State finals and some of the Clairton kids started a fight then refused to shake hands. But those teams certainly are few and far between.

 

[Mikefln]

Recent scholarship guys out of D6? Andrew Hawkins and Larod Stephens-Howling are the first two that come to mind. Kevin Givens flipped from Pitt to PSU the day before NLI Day a few years ago. He stuck with SF long enough to be on the roster for the Super Bowl. Luke Rhodes from Hollidaysburg played LB at William and Mary (2016) and is currently working as the long snapper for Indianapolis. Signed a nice contract last spring and the kid is a specimen. Kolton McGhee is a kicker that played at BG and is down at WVU. Kid has a cannon of a leg. Exree Loe was committed to Pitt before Pitt kind of lost interest. He's playing at WVU and seeing the field. I probably missed a few. There are a few more kids that ended up making noise from G5 and lower. Brant Clouser (Altoona) played at Villanova and made it to the final cut with the Giants. Played arena 1. John Sikora who went to Central Cambria, I think, and then Slippery Rock. He won an Arena Bowl with the Chicago Rush. I know I'm missing a few. There are also a host of kids that walk-on at PSU. Some come from families who are big donors and others are legit walk-ons. Lot of State College kids.

D5 is a bit more sketchy. I just can't think of any recent kids but I don't know much about the Somerset side. Troy Harris, from Bedford, went to Maine. Had a nice run with them. The Nastasi brothers from Northern Bedford both played D1. Joe was on scholarship at PSU and AJ went to WVU on scholarship. They were both incredible athletes and are 1st and 6th all-time in basketball scoring in PA (both ahead of Kobe but not really the same competition). Joe is best remembered for a fake field goal against Michigan.

I'm sure I missed a few. I had fun sitting and trying to remember these. I'm going to kick myself when I post this because I'll probably remember more and I'm sure someone could jump in and name a few. There are some good football players but they are very few and far between. When I say football is terrible out here, I'm generalizing because I've actually been bored watching some of these games. There are probably several JV squads in the WPIAL that could win the D5 or D6 championships at several of the classifications.

Brian Riley was going to go to USC but elected to not go to college and got a job for some reason. Shadow went to WVU. Tank went to Furman. I forget where Alexander went but he was big time get. Stef Djordjevic went to Cal Poly, many say he could of went to Pitt or Boston College but he was always a FCS type of guy. Seriously a 5'10 white boy cornerback? Maybe he could of got the job done in college, though.

 

[FallingRun84]

Wilmington Area HS, District 10, holds it own over many, many years. Going to play Southern Columbia in the states, again, this year. SC is very dominate. Not many D1 players produced. IIRC the Burns boys were the last ones (Chris and Derrick)

 

[Mikefln]

Wilmington Area HS, District 10, holds it own over many, many years. Going to play Southern Columbia in the states, again, this year. SC is very dominate. Not many D1 players produced. IIRC the Burns boys were the last ones (Chris and Derrick)

Wilmington used to be in the WPIAL, same as Farrell and Sharon. Basically the only true power in D10 that is truly D10 is Erie Cathedral Prep. The other D10 power teams as I stated are former WPIAL powers and I think they still have that WPIAL mentality more than a D10 mentality.

 

[CMUandPitt]

IIRC, didn't a D5 school upset Clairton recently? I remember it being a huge upset, and there was some vaguely racial stuff at the end of the game. Berlin maybe?

 

[pittchagg]

The best WPIAL team in each classification is almost always better than Champions from other districts. But I wouldn't go so far as to say the 4th and 5th team would also be better. And once in a while one of those other champs are pretty darn good. Case in point the Bishop Guilfoyle teams a few years back who won 3 strait State titles. I remember them beating a great Clairton team in the State finals and some of the Clairton kids started a fight then refused to shake hands. But those teams certainly are few and far between.

Yeah, this is especially true at the higher classifications. In 5A and 6A, it’s pretty much the WPIAL, then District 1 and District 12 in Philadelphia, District 3 in Harrisburg/York/Lancaster/Reading, and the WPIAL. There are a handful of individual teams elsewhere (Cathedral Prep and McDowell in D10, State College in D6, Bethlehem Liberty, and maybe one or two others in the Scranton/Williamsport area that I’m forgetting), but for the most part you’re looking at a team from one of those districts.

 

[wbrpanther]

Yeah, this is especially true at the higher classifications. In 5A and 6A, it’s pretty much the WPIAL, then District 1 and District 12 in Philadelphia, District 3 in Harrisburg/York/Lancaster/Reading, and the WPIAL. There are a handful of individual teams elsewhere (Cathedral Prep and McDowell in D10, State College in D6, Bethlehem Liberty, and maybe one or two others in the Scranton/Williamsport area that I’m forgetting), but for the most part you’re looking at a team from one of those districts.

Pa has a strange geographical makeup with the large rural area in the middle. Altoona was a big power back in the day but there rarely is a large school that can contend in the State playoffs.

 

[pittchagg]

Pa has a strange geographical makeup with the large rural area in the middle. Altoona was a big power back in the day but there rarely is a large school that can contend in the State playoffs.

Altoona had their best year in a while this year, and even beat State College in the state playoffs for the first time in years. Both Altoona and State College play in the Mid-Penn, though, against the 6A Harrisburg area schools like Cumberland Valley, Central Dauphin, Harrisburg, and Carlisle. The Mid-Penn Commonwealth is a pretty high-quality 6A division, right up there with the WPIAL’s quad conference 6A division. All of those schools end up playing in the D3 playoffs, while State College and Altoona play in the D6 playoffs, where there are only three or four large schools. State College is often a pretty good team, but they usually end up being just not quite as good as the WPIAL team they end up playing against in the state quarterfinals.

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

Pa has a strange geographical makeup with the large rural area in the middle. Altoona was a big power back in the day but there rarely is a large school that can contend in the State playoffs.

Its really like 3 different states:

SW PA is a funky midwest/East Coast/Southern mix of all its own. Central PA is Pennsyltucky and Eastern PA is NJ.

 

[Somerset Panther]

I’ve never seen a D5 team that could compete against WPIAL teams. There have only ever been a couple of D6 teams that could ever match up. Tyrone and BG in up years. The old McCort teams? That’s it

Berlin beat Clariton a few year back. Should have beaten the them The year before that too. In 2014–15 Somerset made it to the state semi finals before getting thrashed by one of the Bishop schools from Philly that recruited kids from three different states. Forest hills had some really good teams in the early to mid 90s that did some damage, and Brandon Bailey Who quarterback some of those Forest Hills teams from the 1990s for his dad has done a nice jobAt Richland high school in Johnstown. Overall though, your point is well taken.

 

[steelcurtain55.]

That was the 5A state title game IMO. Not too many people gave Governor Mifflin a chance against Pine-Richland, but they’re one of the more impressive teams I’ve seen come out of 5A in District 3 in a number of years.

in terms of execution and unforced errors, Pine/GM was one of the worst games I've seen by big schools in the playoffs - ever.

I'm a huge fan of both schools and coaches. That game was very uncharacteristic for both programs.

 

[pittzap]

We talk a lot about the imbalance of HS football teams. Is there any better example than this?

D10 4A Champ Oil City was undefeated and has won games 75-0, 72-0, 61-0, 56-0, and 68-6. Impressive results vs any competition. So, maybe they stand a shot vs TJ? Nope. TJ won 62-0.

Jeannette beat Reynolds 48-12

Central Valley was up 36 early in the 3rd quarter vs Bedord before calling off the dogs and winning 49-20

TJ is going to beat Jersey Shore by the same margin. No idea how they made it to the finals. My high school played Jersey Shore growing up. They have no chance.

 

[USN_Panther]

Recent scholarship guys out of D6? Andrew Hawkins and Larod Stephens-Howling are the first two that come to mind. Kevin Givens flipped from Pitt to PSU the day before NLI Day a few years ago. He stuck with SF long enough to be on the roster for the Super Bowl. Luke Rhodes from Hollidaysburg played LB at William and Mary (2016) and is currently working as the long snapper for Indianapolis. Signed a nice contract last spring and the kid is a specimen. Kolton McGhee is a kicker that played at BG and is down at WVU. Kid has a cannon of a leg. Exree Loe was committed to Pitt before Pitt kind of lost interest. He's playing at WVU and seeing the field. I probably missed a few. There are a few more kids that ended up making noise from G5 and lower. Brant Clouser (Altoona) played at Villanova and made it to the final cut with the Giants. Played arena 1. John Sikora who went to Central Cambria, I think, and then Slippery Rock. He won an Arena Bowl with the Chicago Rush. I know I'm missing a few. There are also a host of kids that walk-on at PSU. Some come from families who are big donors and others are legit walk-ons. Lot of State College kids.

D5 is a bit more sketchy. I just can't think of any recent kids but I don't know much about the Somerset side. Troy Harris, from Bedford, went to Maine. Had a nice run with them. The Nastasi brothers from Northern Bedford both played D1. Joe was on scholarship at PSU and AJ went to WVU on scholarship. They were both incredible athletes and are 1st and 6th all-time in basketball scoring in PA (both ahead of Kobe but not really the same competition). Joe is best remembered for a fake field goal against Michigan.

I'm sure I missed a few. I had fun sitting and trying to remember these. I'm going to kick myself when I post this because I'll probably remember more and I'm sure someone could jump in and name a few. There are some good football players but they are very few and far between. When I say football is terrible out here, I'm generalizing because I've actually been bored watching some of these games. There are probably several JV squads in the WPIAL that could win the D5 or D6 championships at several of the classifications.

Pitt DB Antuan Reed? Don't think I spelled that correctly...

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

TJ is going to beat Jersey Shore by the same margin. No idea how they made it to the finals. My high school played Jersey Shore growing up. They have no chance.

My guess is a 4A team from out East would be competitive.