Iup basketball

[EyeoftheHawk]

I think MC's football stadium is a hidden gem. Great setting.

I used to love the old Saltsburg High School stadium. It was really cool at night.

While we're on the topic ... do you think it's a matter of time until River Valley joins the WPIAL? I know Ligonier Valley hasn't fared too well but it sure seems to me RV is gearing up to leave.

I’m not sure what RV is gearing up to do. They’ve got a maverick superintendent down there that doesn’t seem to care what people think ranging from trying to pull out of the ICTC to pushing aside the sitting head football coach to bring in another maverick, Ed Dalton. My understanding is he made a comment similar to “I didn’t build a multi-million dollar football stadium to go 8-3 every year.” If it were a college I guess I’d get that but apparently he’s lost track of what high school athletics is supposed to be about. He’s not alone I suppose.

The WPIAL for River Valley would be a bad idea, much like it was for Ligonier Valley. Ligonier had a great football run that gave them a false sense of who they are in the long run. Their most recent teams wouldn’t win the Heritage Conference. They just had a unique run of talent that eventually washed out like it does in most small schools. They’ve been average to below average in their other sports. Now they’re in the WPIAL with zero chance to win consistently.

River Valley has had good runs in girls basketball recently, been above average but not great in football, and awful in several other sports. They’re the biggest school in the Heritage and have the best facilities (oddly don’t have a true home baseball or softball field), but having fancy stuff doesn’t make you dominant. If they join the WPIAL, they’re going to have to travel to find a fit for small school conference play and they’ll lose all of the traditional rivalries. Ligonier didn’t really have those historic rivalries in the Heritage/Appalachian Conference so it was different. River Valley will become almost irrelevant in Indiana County if they go to the WPIAL in my opinion.

[EyeoftheHawk]

I think MC's football stadium is a hidden gem. Great setting.

As far as setting goes, it’s the best in the Heritage in my opinion. If they got turf and expanded the visiting side bleachers it would be one of the best small schools stadiums in western PA with that great view from atop the hill. Other cool stadiums are West Shamokin for its setting and overall layout and Northern Cambria with its nostalgia and being tucked into town. Fun place to play.