TodayHigh School Sports: A very questionable decision
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Article RatingA few items worth mentioning while wishing our loyal readers, subscribers and your families a Merry Christmas.
JUST MOVING THE PROBLEM
It’s no secret that the District 12 champion has been less than competitive in the PIAA football playoffs.
That will change with the dawn of the 2008 season when the Philadelphia Catholic League schools join the Public League occupants that currently comprise District 12.
At the Class AAAA level, the Public League champion has been routed every year but one in the state quarterfinals. The district’s first year in the PIAA playoffs, 2004, saw Easton slip past George Washington, 15-10. Since that game, the Quad-A representative from District 12 hasn’t been close, losing by an aggregate score of 121-33 in three games.
Starting next fall, the District 12 champion, likely a Catholic League team, should be more competitive, which is good, but that isn’t the problem.
While the Catholic League schools should alleviate one blowout in December, another matchup in the commonwealth’s largest classification that screams mercy-rule has cropped up on the other side of Pennsylvania.
There have been whispers for months that Mid-Penn Commonwealth members Altoona and State College, from District 6, will be moved into a sub-region with teams from Districts 10, 9 and 8 for the postseason.
The survivor of that sub-region is expected to be paired with the WPIAL (PIAA District 7) champion in the state quarterfinals on the same weekend District 3-AAAA is playing its championship.
The two winners would meet in the state semifinals a week later.
Here’s the problem with that: Unless recent history changes, the quarterfinal involving the new sub-region teams will rarely be close.
According to the Erie Times-News, one of the teams that would have been in the new sub-region — Erie Cathedral Prep, the three-time defending District 10-AAAA champion — opted to play to its classification, which is AAA, for football and baseball over at least the next two years, leaving Erie McDowell as the lone Quad-A school in District 10.
The following are the teams that will battle for the right to play the WPIAL champion: Altoona (8-3 in 2007), State College (6-5), McDowell (6-5), Alderdice (7-5) and DuBois (2-8).
Is the winner of this group of mediocre teams really worthy to call itself a state quarterfinalist?
Probably not.
To delve a little deeper in history, it’s been seven years since a District 6 or 10-AAAA school beat the WPIAL champion.
Outside of State College’s 28-20 loss in 2006 to Upper St. Clair in the PIAA semifinals — the Little Lions were District 3-6 Class AAAA champions — the WPIAL has had its way with 6 and 10 champions.
In seven games since 2000, the WPIAL winner has won its state playoff games against a District 6 or 10 team by an average score of 39-6.
With the lack of Quad-A schools in the west, the WPIAL should open its 16-team bracket to McDowell, DuBois and Alderdice. (The Times-News also reported that McDowell is expected to ask District 10 for permission to join the WPIAL for football and baseball). If those three qualify, let them in. Start the tournament the same weekend District 3, which should be allowed to keep Altoona and State College, begins its Quad-A playoff and have the winners meet.
In this scenario, the final eight teams playing in Pennsylvania at the Quad-A level might just be the best eight for once.
LOGGING LOTS OF MILES
When the Cedar Cliff wrestling team makes the trek to suburban Pittsburgh on Friday, it’ll seem like a drive around the block.
Last weekend the Colts ventured to the Reno Tournament of Champions in Nevada.
Compared to that distance, heading to Canon-McMillan High School for the 41st Annual Powerade Tournament is a stone’s throw away.
But the competition will be just as tough.
Part of the 42-team field will be Colonial Forge, Parkersburg and Central Dauphin, the Class AAA state champions in Virginia, West Virginia and Pennsylvania, respectively.
To make the action a little more exciting, the four-time defending Class AA champion in Virginia, Christianburg, will also be competing.
On the individual level, six returning Powerade champions, seven returning silver medalists and 20 individual state champions will be in action this weekend.
Welcome back to Pennsylvania, guys.
