I'm a Prep grad. What I find amazing is that you seem to think it's a crime that they took the field against G-V when eight days earlier they played a team (Freedom) ranked below G-V and beat them by all of three points. And all of last week there were many on here, not Prep people, saying G-V should the favorite. And of course the Prep lost to a public school (Milton) earlier in the season.
SJP - Garnet Valley
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It is a crime. You have an all star team playing a regular high school. Tulla let me ask you this and answer me honestly. Does prep have an unfair advantage and takes full advantage of using it? I don't want a long explanation trying to sugar coat it. This is a yes or no question. BTW that public school that you mentioned that beat prep by 1 td is a top 20 program in the country and plays a national schedule. Those are the teams prep should be playing, other football factories.
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They have a clear advantage in being able to enroll students from across the Philadelphia area. Whether that is an unfair advantage depends on your perspective. North Penn has an advantage over most of its opponents in having quite a few more students. As Roxy pointed out, nearly all pubic schools--certainly the suburban ones--have better and much more convenient facilities than the Prep has. That's an advantage, but neither of these public school advantages seems unfair to me.
I would agree that the Prep's geographical advantage is bigger than, say, the advantages nearly all public schools have with respect to facilities and the absence of any academic standards that would exclude certain potential students or prevent current students from being able to participate on a team. (I'm not saying all Prep students have to be candidates for the National Honor Society, but I am saying they have to achieve and maintain an academic standard that would not be a requirement for students in public schools to be "in good standing," i.e., able to play on a school team.)
What do you want SJP to do? Leave the PCL, where it's been a member since the league started about a century ago? Do you want the PCL to leave the PIAA because every PCL school recruits all its students, including, obviously, all its student-athletes? Do you want the PIAA to set up a separate classification for non-boundary schools, which may make no sense at all outside the Philly area? (Be careful what you wish for--consider the Jersey example.) Do you want the PIAA to exclude all non-boundary schools, including charter schools and all the (mostly very small) Catholic schools scattered around the state? Or do you want the PIAA to exclude only the PCL after inviting them in less than 15 years ago, even though the PCL, as far as I can see, hasn't done anything it wasn't doing when they entered the PIAA? Or do you want the PIAA to exclude just the SJP football program, even though it does nothing different from what LaSalle, Wood, Roman, O'Hara, PCC, Erie Cathedral, Bishop McDevitt, Shanahan, etc. are doing?
That was a very long yes. If they want to play other PCL schools that fine and keep a national schedule but there in no way prep should be playing in the piaa playoffs or playing regular high schools. I get it you are a prep grad and you are defending them. I'm not a prep hater. I'm not hating the player I'm hating the game and the game allows for prep to get away with this. They bring in top notch D1 athletes year in and year out.
Here’s a thought. Garnet Valley is smacking around Marple, Springfield, Radnor, Lower Merion to name. Few. Garnet finally gets by Coatesville after 4 tries who obviously came into the D1 semi totally unprepared. IMO It’s surprising Coatesville was this far in the playoffs and maybe a statement about District 1. My point is maybe the a Central should change its football scheduling to have 6As play each other and allow GV to schedule more non leagues from D3 (Harrisburg) or D11 (Freedom) or D12 (Prep). Wasn’t all the hype how much GV was going to put up on the Hawks?
SJP is doing nothing different than they have done for the last 70 years as it relates to drawing students. They also have done nothing different in football for the last 30 years. Prep has been in PCL long before you came along. PIAA made a huge push for PCL and here we are. What’s naive is continually comparing them to IMG. You don’t like it, that’s fine. They draw kids within an hours drive, if that. They have no field on campus and a very limited weight room. What they do have are players that know there is a huge commitment and coaches with the same mindset. They are committed to winning. The goal is the same every year - win PCL, win district, win state. As stated previously, they lost two games and were close to losing a few more. Those 5am off-season workout and challenging games to start the year are likely the difference between winning the few other games and losing them. Ask yourself this - if I were a good football player, why would I go to the Prep when they have no fields, limited resources and strict academic expectations? There’s no doubt that having an extended boundary is an advantage but there is a variable offset with the other factors. If certain commentary is naive, then other commentary sounds very whiny.
You guys are absolutely crazy if you don't think prep recruits football players. It cracks me up the way you defend and make excuses for prep. It is what it is. They have great teams but own up to it and face the reality of the situation. You guys get so defensive when the obvious is brought to your attention. They 💯 recruit their football players.
Some Prep supporters have recognized on the board the unique advantages they have.
Where I'll step in is when people say how bad other teams and districts are because they can't compete with them. Who can!? It's an ABSURD comparison. I think we all know teams like Pine Richland are an anomaly.
Camp Hill and Bermudian Springs can't compete with Harrisburg and McDevitt either. And never will.
If Mount Lebanon loses to St, Joe's it not a fault, it's the result of an accepted PIAA policy. Change the policy of call Mount Lebanon what they would be; the Public School State Champion....and be done with it!
I agree that prep have an advantage Bc they can bring kids in outside of a boundary. The answer is yes. Can you also agree that GV have an advantage over other boundary schools? It’s no way they walked through d1 ,mercy rule every wk, and we don’t see the advantage there. They have better facilities , more money , and alumni support than the teams they play, but since it’s within a certain boundary it’s should be fine. Does Gv have an advantage over upper Darby , Bristol , or Chester?
GV does have clear advantages. Didn't know that was a point of contention. Harrisburg High has advantages over others because of good coaching.
Maybe I missed your point. What does Darby, Bristol and Chester have to do with the topic of Private vs Public?
Point is ,if we’re pointing out advantages why limit it to just one? The schools I mentioned could complain about their disadvantages and have a clear case. Or does one advantage outweigh others ?
Haus… Weren’t you one of the posters who indicated how many points GV was going to put up on the Prep? 🤨
the prep's dline was smaller than GV's reynolds. we're comparing this team to img?
He said GV and Lebo will beat them this year Bc of the chink in their armor. Also feels strongly about pcl but he didn’t elaborate.
I never said GV would win but I did say I thought they had a shot being that garnet valley was senior heavy and they had a once in a decade team, plus being that a sjp's recruits were all young but in the end talent wins football games. Talent which sjp can go out and get. Scary considering this is a down year for prep. What until all these recruits are upper class man.
I don’t understand how people continue to defend private schools that recruit. They need to have their own playoffs and It’s ruined my interest in PIAA playoffs. I thought this was finally the year a public could win. GV tore through district 1 and mercy ruled coatesville. Then get blown out by a young SJP prep team. Not interested in seeing SJP in state the next 2 years again. 9 state championships in 10 years.
Nobody from the Prep, including me, has denied the school recruits. It recruits all its students because, as a private school, it has to, and it especially recruits students who show a particular aptitude in certain areas--including football. Where things stand now is that many kids in 6th, 7th, and 8th grades--and occasionally in other high schools--seek out the Prep. Before too long, I'm sure, the retirement of one or more coaches, the hiring of a great new coach at school x or y, the decision of a few really good players to go to school z rather than to the Prep will cause the tide to change. That's OK. The school will remain essentially pretty much the same.
If the PIAA decides to do something that separates private or non-boundary schools from public or boundary schools what I don't want to hear is what we heard from some NP supporters in 2003--"If the Prep and NP played ...." or "The Prep wouldn't be able to handle the long and torturous PIAA playoff journey ..." I'm pretty sure that this year we'd be hearing, "The Prep couldn't handle G-V's dynamic offense ..." Look at some of the ratings that had G-V ahead of SJP. What might happen is what has happened in Jersey: the gap between private and public schools has widened.
It's very possible that in the next couple of years the gap between Imhotep and other 5A schools is greater than the gap between SJP and the other 6A schools. In fact, I think it's likely that this week Imhotep wins by a wider margin than SJP does--if SJP wins at all. Will we hear the same calls for Imhotep to be removed from the mix of public schools?
There should be.I saw the Strath Haven-Imhotep game. Strath Haven didn’t have a chance from the start of the game
La Salle follows the same rules that the rest of the PCL follows. They were also invited in by the PIAA. Then how in the world did North Alleghany defeat those nasty over-advantaged La Salle players in 2010? It's called playing the game!!
Prep is dedicated to having a national football program. They go out and get the major D1 recruits so they can have a superior football program on a national level. They are no different then Imhotep or roman in basketball. If you want to believe all preps success is just because all these unbelievable athletes all just decide to attend there go right ahead. Any way you try and sugar coat it or church it up it's still called recruiting.
Cherry picking games for a upset story 11 years ago? There will be an occasional public over private upset here and there. We know that. Just want an even playing field in PIAA playoffs
So do you want all non-boundary schools out of the PIAA or in a separate classification--all PPL school (including Imhotep), PCC, Bishop Canevin, Serra Catholic, all PCL schools, ACC, etc.? Or is it really just D12 (PCL and PPL) you're concerned about?
Never gonna happen. As has been stated a million times the bourder issue exists. But what also has been stated is the amount of money spent by the community for those public schools. Nice stadiums, weightrooms, booster clubs. Upper Dublin had one of the finest athletic facilities in the state (until Hurricane Ida). Where did that money come from? My taxes!! Not upset about it, that's the way it works. My true point is get over it and play the game. Even playing field my azz!!
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Yes, they should have their own playoffs. If GV can mercy rule Coatesville in the D1 championship…and then get blown out by a young SJP. It’s clear the private/public gap has widened even larger. Not interested in seeing SJP or whoever roll the D1 championship again for the next 2 years
This is one thing that always struck me. In 2017 and 2018, their DL was not big at all. (In 2014 IIRC they were pretty big) Had one kid in 2017 going to Army that was 280 or so. The rest of 220-250 - even the interior kids. They are coached up and play hard.
I compare sjp to fighting when they had testosterone replacement therapy. Did the sport allow it and were they breaking rules no but was it fair no.
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Copied from another poster on another board but spot on…. Certain whiners on here after there team gets beat. Sickening and getting old.
When is District 1 football going to step up and play with the Big boys? District 1 has 1/3 of the 6A schools in the entire state-(32 schools) Same with 5A-(25 schools) Yet every year you see D1’S 6A and 5A Schools come up empty. Why? Many of these schools have incredible facilities and resources. Several have 1000+ boys in the school, are the best athletes not playing football at these schools? It should not be hard to find10-20 good football players in schools that should be churning out stud football players. Are the elementary and Jr football numbers down? Where are all the great coaches? You can’t tell me a Mike Pettine or a Jim Algeo would not be able to compete against the rest of the State in today’s world . Would love to hear some feedback on this.
When is District 1 football going to step up and play with the Big boys? District 1 has 1/3 of the 6A schools in the entire state-(32 schools) Same with 5A-(25 schools) Yet every year you see D1’S 6A and 5A Schools come up empty. Why? Many of these schools have incredible facilities and resources. Several have 1000+ boys in the school, are the best athletes not playing football at these schools? It should not be hard to find10-20 good football players in schools that should be churning out stud football players. Are the elementary and Jr football numbers down? Where are all the great coaches? You can’t tell me a Mike Pettine or a Jim Algeo would not be able to compete against the rest of the State in today’s world . Would love to hear some feedback on this.
Comparing Prep to IMG is asinine. I’ll provide some more insight, over a third of that team is legacy players, meaning a father, uncle, grandfather is an alum. They are going there whether the team is good or not. There isn’t enough room for every good player to go there. It’s a serious program and maybe more schools should follow if they want to be better. And since you felt compelled to lob a passive-aggressive comment about the church, Reality is the pubs would not allow for the regimen required to play there, think about that. Parents would roast the school board if a coach called for 5am practices. Reference the PR thread for that. Frankly, Prep hasn’t changed, program has been the same as mentioned previously. What has changed is the player development on a lower level and the amount of kids actually playing the sport. It puts Prep in more of a vacuum for those players. Yes, Prep will make any player aware of their football program, as they always have. As stated earlier, in 03 all you heard was PCL couldn’t handle the gauntlet. Well now we all know it is arguably the best league in the state and if PIAA wants to remain relevant, then the PCL will be in play. If PIAA moves in a different direction, then so be it.
That’s all the biased private school defenders have is calling us whiners. have seen it not just in here but on Twitter and elsewhere.
There’s a reason this private/public talk has been going on for 10+ YEARS! it was magnified this year by the D1 champion who steamrolled D1 to then get blown out by SJP. Y’all can’t see it
There’s a reason this private/public talk has been going on for 10+ YEARS! it was magnified this year by the D1 champion who steamrolled D1 to then get blown out by SJP. Y’all can’t see it
It does recruit all students but it also goes after students that are unbelievable football players. The 4 and 5 star recruits. How many D1 recruits did last year's team have. It was something like 12. I'm ok with prep recruiting all they want but I'm not ok with them competing in the piaa playoffs. Play other schools similar to yourself. Play other PCL schools and play your national schedule and yes Imhotep does the same thing. It's no secret around the state.
They develop top notch D1 athletes. When they enter as freshman at 13 years older they aren’t D1 athletes.
So it’s private school’s fault the d1 bully got bullied ? They had no issue until then. Had the outcome been different the rumblings would’ve went away for a yr. Freedom is a public school that hung with sjp. How was that possible ? This yr GV mercy ruled team with far less resources and support. Is that too unfair? Chester will never have the resources of GV. Should they not been in the same league ?
middletown, judge, wood X 2, lasalle, freedom are all a mix of public and catholic schools that beat or looked like they belonged on the field with the prep this year. but because a gimmick offense from D1 got destroyed we have to hear everyone complain about this. pathetic.
Who cares, but don’t even equate size. 5’7 190 lineman does NOT start on the Prep! I heard and saw this a few weeks ago because the kid made a good play but thought If they play the Prep he’ll go up against guys 5-6 inches and more, taller and 50-60 lbs heavier, most likely a D1 guy and smart. It’s not even close. We should just accept it as it is, most of us knew the outcome weeks before at just watching the talent and style of play. Not a good matchup on a few battlefields.
Like I said. Contain the corners and you contain Reynolds and GV. Oh wait.. they have a passing game! GV never had a passing game. It was easy for Prep just waiting for the run. Sorry but Reynolds was difference maker. If you read the Delco Times from smith to George to McCaffery you think Delco football would beat the Eagles. Lol