OT: D1

[EastStroud13]

All the WPIAL has to do is have a weighted power point system in which the regional rivalries in, say, 5A/6A can be maintained with weighed strength points in order to determine state playoff qualification, which is a common practice in other states (I can't speak to other PIAA districts, however). The WPIAL's long standing arrogance ranks right up there with Art Rooney II's (mis-)management of the Steelers over the past couple of seasons, the latter of which is reflected in how poorly the Steelers have been playing on the field. The WPIAL either adapt to the times or suffer long-term misery at the PIAA playoff level.

Weighted points systems are already being applied in most of the eastern districts. D12 is the only exception. D1's system is pretty flawed because it's based purely on wins and classes, but D2/3/4/11 use the same system and it accounts for strength of schedule much better.

[ctrabs74]

North Catholic was founded in 1939. It was an
all boys school until the 90s. Until building a new campus in the 2010s they were on Mt Troy on the North Side/ Shaler border. The name change also was not popular with alumni but a good part of that new campus and it's football complex happened with help from the Rooney family. They used to play football at North Park. When my dad went in the late 60s they played at what's now Cupples Stadium.

Yeah, I had a massive brain cramp and forgot all about Pittsburgh North Catholic. It's been too long since I really stopped paying attention to WPIAL football.

[Fightingscot82]

The only "North Catholic" I can recall is the former Northeast Catholic High School (which was known at North Catholic, at least athletically) at Kensington and Torresdale in Philadelphia. I keep forgetting about Pittsburgh North Catholic...

Pittsburgh North Catholic was originally named after Cardinal Wuerl when the school moved to Butler County before the name was dropped in 2018 amid a grand jury investigation.

North Catholic was founded in 1939. It was an
all boys school until the 90s. Until building a new campus in the 2010s they were on Mt Troy on the North Side/ Shaler border. The name change also was not popular with alumni but a good part of that new campus and it's football complex happened with help from the Rooney family. They used to play football at North Park. When my dad went in the late 60s they played at what's now Cupples Stadium.

[IUPNation]

The only "North Catholic" I can recall is the former Northeast Catholic High School (which was known at North Catholic, at least athletically) at Kensington and Torresdale in Philadelphia. I keep forgetting about Pittsburgh North Catholic...

Pittsburgh North Catholic was originally named after Cardinal Wuerl when the school moved to Butler County before the name was dropped in 2018 amid a grand jury investigation.

With all of the talk about the Philadelphia Catholic League ruining the PIAA....those complaining don't seem to know the PCL has contracted quite a bit over the years.

When I was in high school back in the stone ages...the PCL was one league with two divisions (North and South)

There were 17 Catholic High Schools in the league then. There were 4 other Diocese HS that did not join the leauge...Archbishop Kennedy in Conshohocken...was merged with Kenrick in 1993..and that school was merged with St. Pius in 2010 to form the current Pope John Paul HS in Royersford. The aforementioned St Pius X in Pottstown. Lansdale Catholic in Lansdale and who is now a member of the PCL and Bishop Shanahan formerly of West Chester now on a new campus in Downingtown.

Of the 17 open in my day in the PCL only 12 still remain.

PCL North
Bishop Kenrick - Norristown (closed...in the process of being torn down for new homes)
Bishop McDevitt - Wyncote (Closed)
La Salle - Wyndmoor (Open)
Archbishop Wood - Warminster (Open)
Bishop Egan - Fairless Hills (Open...was consolidated with it's Sister school...Bishop Conwell...now called Conwell- Egan)
Cardinal Dougherty - Northeast Philadelphia (Closed) ....was once the largest Catholic High School in the world
Father Judge - Northeast Philadelphia (Open)
North Catholic - Northeast Philadelphia (Closed)
Archbishop Ryan - Northeast Philadelphia (Open)

PCL South
Archbishop Carroll - Radnor (Open)
Monsignor Bonner - Upper Darby (Open..merged with it's sister school Archbishop Prendergast...now Bonner-Prendergast)
Cardinal O'Hara - Springfield Delaware County - (Open)
St. James - Chester (Closed)
West Catholic - West Philadelphia (Open)
St. John Neumann - South Philadelphia (Open - merged with it's sister school St. Maria Goretti...now Neumann-Goretti)
Roman Catholic - Center City Philadelphia, oldest Catholic HS in US (Open)
St. Joe's Prep - North Philadelphia (Open)

[ctrabs74]

Within the WPIAL, North Catholic is going to be the next power. The seeds are already planted.

The only "North Catholic" I can recall is the former Northeast Catholic High School (which was known at North Catholic, at least athletically) at Kensington and Torresdale in Philadelphia. I keep forgetting about Pittsburgh North Catholic...

Pittsburgh North Catholic was originally named after Cardinal Wuerl when the school moved to Butler County before the name was dropped in 2018 amid a grand jury investigation.

[ctrabs74]

There was an original plan that some in the WPIAL had proposed that would have actually kept all the schools in their original classifications the same, and then there would be some creativity to figure out who advanced to reach the state playoffs. Given that they would have 2 additional classes. That never happened though. It was mostly because of when the state playoffs would start compared to when all classes would play the WPIAL championship.

All the WPIAL has to do is have a weighted power point system in which the regional rivalries in, say, 5A/6A can be maintained with weighed strength points in order to determine state playoff qualification, which is a common practice in other states (I can't speak to other PIAA districts, however). The WPIAL's long standing arrogance ranks right up there with Art Rooney II's (mis-)management of the Steelers over the past couple of seasons, the latter of which is reflected in how poorly the Steelers have been playing on the field. The WPIAL either adapt to the times or suffer long-term misery at the PIAA playoff level.

[Bart]

But aren’t they being forced up because they get transfers? Isn’t the lack of transfers why Southern Columbia isn’t forced up?

Transfers and winning move a team up every two year. Southern stays down because of no transfers.

[Fightingscot82]

Different breed of player. They dress like 20 kids and literally pummel 4A schools. It's amazing.

It's the culture from the time they are in kindergarten.

I think people who truly value high school football at such a high level they're willing to move there or live there in spite of the struggles. The PIAA only seems to get concerned about recruiting & transfers when they're high school kids. If a 7th grader moves from Rochester to Aliquippa, nobody flinches. Even if he's projected to grow into a 5-star player frame.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

But aren’t they being forced up because they get transfers? Isn’t the lack of transfers why Southern Columbia isn’t forced up?

I think there's also a clause about winning so many WPIAL titles and they move you up.

Aliquippa would win Class A games in the WPIAL by 100 points weekly.

If it was up to the WPIAL the Quips would be in the PSAC lol. While an incredible story, they are making a mockery of schools 4-5 times bigger than them.

[IUPNation]

Different breed of player. They dress like 20 kids and literally pummel 4A schools. It's amazing.

It's the culture from the time they are in kindergarten.

But aren’t they being forced up because they get transfers? Isn’t the lack of transfers why Southern Columbia isn’t forced up?

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Where is Alliquippa getting these players. Is there something in the wooder there that makes them superior foosball players?

Different breed of player. They dress like 20 kids and literally pummel 4A schools. It's amazing.

It's the culture from the time they are in kindergarten.

[IUPNation]

No, Aliquippa isn't recruiting. One quarter of the school district is below the poverty rate. Its economically depressed and has been for decades. Its an old steel town along the river. The school district isn't great either. On the state exams, only 4% of students are proficient in math and only 19% in reading. Nobody's moving there for academics.

NA is huge. 8,000 students. The only school districts larger in the WPIAL are Butler and Pittsburgh city schools. There are roughly 1,000 boys to choose from in grades 10-12 before you consider the kids of coaches and pro players who move to the district when they move to Pittsburgh. There's no sense of community or knowing all your classmates, but it’s a really nice place to live. The only real crime is your neighbor getting a DUI or your friend's dad committing some white collar offense at work. NA has a 6% poverty (probably mostly seniors) and math & reading proficiency rates of 81% and 91%.

Where is Alliquippa getting these players. Is there something in the wooder there that makes them superior foosball players?

[IUPNation]

If people really care about "best team in the Commonwealth", just have the champ of the top public and private class play each other at the end. I'd venture to guess people have seen that the best team is going to be one that collects talent from a wide net, though. If it wasn't SJP, it'd be someone else like La Salle, Roman, Imhotep, etc. It's a power vacuum that will be filled by someone, and SJP just happens to occupy that role right now.

Actually that is an idea and it’s been done already..actually it’s done now.

For years before state playoffs even existed, the winner of the Philadelphia Public League met the winner of the Philadelphia Catholic League for the City Championship. Now it’s just the District 12 title game.

So yeah..why not have a State Title Game for each level Public vs Private…

[Ship69]

If there are separate tournaments...then nobody can claim to be the best team in the Commonwealth.

It's then back to the days when the WPIAL crowed about being the best but there were teams not in the PIAA that said think again....

But North Allegheny could win 8 in a row and nobody would question their advantages.

I'm not exactly sure what the best team moniker means when you're playing by different sets of rules. It's sort of like a guy getting a five-yard head start in the 100-yard dash and then proclaiming himself the best at the 100-yard dash. Depends on what the ground rules are.

[Ship69]

If people really care about "best team in the Commonwealth", just have the champ of the top public and private class play each other at the end. I'd venture to guess people have seen that the best team is going to be one that collects talent from a wide net, though. If it wasn't SJP, it'd be someone else like La Salle, Roman, Imhotep, etc. It's a power vacuum that will be filled by someone, and SJP just happens to occupy that role right now.

Public and private school champions played in New Jersey for years. I haven't checked recently to see if they still do that.