OT: PIAA Championships preview

[Matt Burglund]

FWIW, the Aliquippa superintendent who has suggested the school might pull out of the PIAA if forced to go to 5A, Phillip Woods, is a former IUP linebacker (1997-98). He was previously the super at Woodland Hills. Good guy.

[iupgroundhog]

I'd like to see Wyomissing win another state title. That's an insanely good program in a relatively small area.

Of course, Wyomissing probably has the resources equal to the largest districts in the state. They've earned it. Well, some inherited it.

[iupgroundhog]

Depends on the location. If they're in a relatively urban area, it might be an option. Some small schools near me are located in areas so sparsely populated that it would be impractical to consolidate them, primarily due to transportation considerations. And most redistricting proposals end up being very controversial.

That all has to be overcome. If you look at rural consolidations, e.g. Clinton County (Lock Haven) and Mifflin County (Lewistown) these consolidations have been very successful. They found a way to overcome the transportation issues and the "bitter rivalries" issues and the end result is a consolidated school that is superior in every way, academically, athletically, extracurriculars than each individual entity ever was. In Lock Haven, Central Mountain (officially Keystone Central SD) encompasses a greater geographic area than any district in PA and they have made it work. The "rivalries" part fades over time. Taxpayers get a lot more for their buck.

[Ship69]

That all has to be overcome. If you look at rural consolidations, e.g. Clinton County (Lock Haven) and Mifflin County (Lewistown) these consolidations have been very successful. They found a way to overcome the transportation issues and the "bitter rivalries" issues and the end result is a consolidated school that is superior in every way, academically, athletically, extracurriculars than each individual entity ever was. In Lock Haven, Central Mountain (officially Keystone Central SD) encompasses a greater geographic area than any district in PA and they have made it work. The "rivalries" part fades over time. Taxpayers get a lot more for their buck.

I live just north of Maryland. County districts eventually have their own issues.

[Fightingscot82]

Mt. Lebanon upsets St. Joe's Prep. Wow.

[jrshooter]

Yinzers made a bit of a statement this weekend. The west won five of six title games, and the WPIAL alone won four.

[Fightingscot82]

Yinzers made a bit of a statement this weekend. The west won five of six title games, and the WPIAL alone won four.

How about little Redbank Valley playing a close game too! I was expecting a blowout.

[IUPNation]

Yinzers made a bit of a statement this weekend. The west won five of six title games, and the WPIAL alone won four.

[jrshooter]

They're fine. I heard yesterday that the WPIAL is the birthplace of football and all things related.

[IUPNation]

They're fine. I heard yesterday that the WPIAL is the birthplace of football and all things related.

Sure. At some point the WPIAL is going to be mostly A, AA and AAA schools at the rate the Yinzerlands is losing high school aged population

[IUPNation]

The City of Philadelphia went 1-2 in the finals this year.

St Joe’s wins its 7th State Title in the last 10 years…

[IUPbigINDIANS]

The City of Philadelphia went 1-2 in the finals this year.

St Joe’s wins its 7th State Title in the last 10 years…

Sad to see Aliquippa lose. Making the 4A state final game in their situation is incredible considering they should be in 1A. Had they won the PIAA may have next tried to move them up to the PSAC.

Pine-Richland was quite a story. They were blown out of the stadium in the opener by a team from Ohio (45-0 if I recall). They made a QB change and caught fire.

[IUPalum]

FWIW, the Aliquippa superintendent who has suggested the school might pull out of the PIAA if forced to go to 5A, Phillip Woods, is a former IUP linebacker (1997-98). He was previously the super at Woodland Hills. Good guy.

Screw him and the WPIAL. Every time the PIAA tries to fix all the problems with the playoff system the WPIAL schools threaten to leave. All the WPIAL wants is their schools to make the playoffs every year. That's why they went to the garbage 6 classes in the first place. Go back to 4 classes and fix this junk!

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Screw him and the WPIAL. Every time the PIAA tries to fix all the problems with the playoff system the WPIAL schools threaten to leave. All the WPIAL wants is their schools to make the playoffs every year. That's why they went to the garbage 6 classes in the first place. Go back to 4 classes and fix this junk!

Six classes has been incredibly awful.

As for the Quips, they aren't going anywhere. The problem they'd have is nobody would schedule them if they didn't have to do so. By being in a conference they'd at least get a guaranteed schedule.

[Ship69]

Sad to see Aliquippa lose. Making the 4A state final game in their situation is incredible considering they should be in 1A. Had they won the PIAA may have next tried to move them up to the PSAC.

Pine-Richland was quite a story. They were blown out of the stadium in the opener by a team from Ohio (45-0 if I recall). They made a QB change and caught fire.

Don't get me started on Harrisburg Bishop McDevitt, the team that beat Aliquippa. They recruit like crazy and should be playing 6A. The cowardly Mid-Penn Conference doesn't even make them play in the top division of the league, so instead of playing State College, Harrisburg, Central Dauphin, etc. each year, they get to beat an assortment of 5A schools 50-0 each year. A couple of years back McDevitt, on the east shore side of the Susquehanna River, snatches a running back from a west shore school, Mechanicsburg. That kid eventually ended up at Penn State. There is a Catholic school located within the boundaries of the Mechanicsburg school district, so it was hardly about a Catholic education.