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SJP - Garnet Valley

No one is disputing that garnet valley played their hearts out and had a great season but to think there is an even playing field is insanity as well. You ever wander why prep never has to rebuild or even has down years.
It seems there are several examples of teams that are very good year after year: Southern Columbia, P-R under the previous coach, Coatesville, etc. When was the last time North Penn had close to a losing season? Certainly the quality of the coaching is a factor but not the only factor.

Some people will claim nobody had a chance against SJP even this year when they are obviously playing lots of sophomores. But remember that they lost at home to Milton and to LaSalle in October and that they beat Judge by eight (albeit in a monsoon), Wood with a last minute field goal in a playoff game, and Freedom by three (even if the score was at least a little deceptive). If Wood had gotten a stop on SJP's 4th quarter TD drive, we'd all be agreeing this was a down year for the Prep.
 
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Because when they were competing in state championships no one had an issue. Please keep up.
You mean, you didn't have an issue!
I've heard nothing but complaints for years. It was the PIAA who got the private school under their spell. It's called money!!!
 
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Why would he provide bulletin board material this late in the wk. Sheesh
I just read this article where it quotes GV coach complaining about the boundary/ non boundary thing again. It always pops up this time of year with prep in the semis.

Garnet valley goes for it 4th and 2 from their own 30 and come up a half an inch short. Stop St Joe's though with a missed field goal still 0 0.
Going for it on your on your own 30 that early in that game was very disrespectful to the Prep and probability had a lot to do with the final score.
 
The real issue is that not only are they a non boundary school , but they are a non boundary school that is 100% committed to running a top notch program. There are other non boundary programs that might be able to do what The Prep does ,but you have to be invested in time , money , work ethic, etc to make it work . During one time out early in the game , Prep had 9 coaches on the field huddled with the kids, each one talking to a kid or two about his responsibility during the game. Thats 9 adults giving up their time to coach teenagers probably for very little money , probably 12 months a year , just for the sake of the program.

its Really not that different at GV. Despite being one of the smaller schools in 6a, they have a team of over 100 kids with a massive coaching staff , great facilities, a huge booster program, and 100% backing from the school and community. Other public schools could try the same , but it takes a lot of sacrifice, not only from the coaches, but the kids too to make it all work and not all schools are committed the way GV is. GV and the Prep do not always win because they have better players, they win because they have better programs .

Now when you have 2 good programs like that meet , the ability to recruit then becomes a decided advantage. You could see the Talent disparity on the field. But some people imply that for the Prep , and to a lesser extent GV, that all you have to do is roll the ball out there and it’s an automatic W. There is obviously a lot more to it than just that.
 
Congrats to St Joes Prep and great season Garnet Valley. Honestly the Central League/Delco are the biggest complainers about Catholic and Private Schools and come across as poor losers. Your sub par newspaper gave the Prep extra bulletin board material plus the article itself sucked too. Respectfully.. another point of view
 
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I don't want to get into this debate deeply and don't really want to take a side, but did want to say that although Coach K was initially not a fan of the Public/Private situation and publicly made some comments to that affect in 2014, I have since talked to many of the coaches on the staff as well as parents of players. To a person, the existence of SJP and their success has been one of the reasons for P-R climb to prominence. Every one of them said the same thing - everything P-R did (O, D, weightroom, etc.) was designed to beat SJP. And that elevated the program.

P-R has played SJP 3x.

2014: Down 14 and 21 and had a legitimate shot to beat them in State Finals.
2017: Beat them in state finals with what was possibly best team in history of WPIAL.
2018: Got smoked in state semi-finals where P-R played a bunch of sophomores - who went on to win a state championship in 2020

Game 1: Learned what it took to beat them
Game 2: Beat them
Game 3: Repeat game 1 - learned what it took to be champions.

So I get it when people talk about the issues. But I also think that in the right circumstances, having a powerful opponent that you can aim toward can help elevate you.
 
I don't want to get into this debate deeply and don't really want to take a side, but did want to say that although Coach K was initially not a fan of the Public/Private situation and publicly made some comments to that affect in 2014, I have since talked to many of the coaches on the staff as well as parents of players. To a person, the existence of SJP and their success has been one of the reasons for P-R climb to prominence. Every one of them said the same thing - everything P-R did (O, D, weightroom, etc.) was designed to beat SJP. And that elevated the program.

P-R has played SJP 3x.

2014: Down 14 and 21 and had a legitimate shot to beat them in State Finals.
2017: Beat them in state finals with what was possibly best team in history of WPIAL.
2018: Got smoked in state semi-finals where P-R played a bunch of sophomores - who went on to win a state championship in 2020

Game 1: Learned what it took to beat them
Game 2: Beat them
Game 3: Repeat game 1 - learned what it took to be champions.

So I get it when people talk about the issues. But I also think that in the right circumstances, having a powerful opponent that you can aim toward can help elevate you.
Amen new, well put; everyone needs a target ie a goal, whether that's beating Harrisburg, SJP or Pine Richland. Have to have that.

To me the part least talked about is coaching. That's the great leveler, boundary and non-boundary. Like Coach K, you assess the situation (target) then set about the task (the mission). But you have to have a Coach K for that to happen and an administration that's onboard.
 
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No one is disputing that garnet valley played their hearts out and had a great season but to think there is an even playing field is insanity as well. You ever wander why prep never has to rebuild or even has down years.
How come every other school that “recruits” doesn’t do better? If that’s all it takes why aren’t there others across the state competing?
 
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I hope that wasn't their "A" game .
It was
You mean, you didn't have an issue!
I've heard nothing but complaints for years. It was the PIAA who got the private school under their spell. It's called money!!!
[/QUOTE
Congrats to St Joes Prep and great season Garnet Valley. Honestly the Central League/Delco are the biggest complainers about Catholic and Private Schools and come across as poor losers. Your sub par newspaper gave the Prep extra bulletin board material plus the article itself sucked too. Respectfully.. another point of view
I'm not from Pennsylvania and went to high school in Florida. I moved here in 2008 and just been a fan of all football including high school. I don't care who wins or loses. I also do realize that there isn't an even playing field. I don't have issues with Catholic schools but there are some that have put together these super programs with recruiting. There are some schools that don't ever have down years or have to rebuild seasons because they go out and get the talent. Prep and southern Columbia in football, Roman Catholic and Kennedy Catholic in backetball, and Imhotep in both are a couple teams that come to mind. I don't think it's far to these kids going up against these all star teams out there. I don't have issues with the img's, the mater dais, and the st Joe's preps but play a national schedule not in the state playoffs.
 
I agree they have good coaching so does garnet valley and Mt Lebo. If your this deep in the playoffs you have to have good coaching. The difference is the talent. Sad thing is this is a down year for prep. The talent they brought in is young. They will win it for the next couple years as well. What is it now 9 appearances to Hersey in the last 10 years I think.
 
I agree they have good coaching so does garnet valley and Mt Lebo. If your this deep in the playoffs you have to have good coaching. The difference is the talent. Sad thing is this is a down year for prep. The talent they brought in is young. They will win it for the next couple years as well. What is it now 9 appearances to Hersey in the last 10 years I think.
Eight of the last nine years. They've won six times so far.
 
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Eight of the last nine years. They've won six times so far.
That's insane, I'll guaranteed you they will add 2 more trophies the next 2 years as well. It'll keep going. Just like Imhotep will in basketball. They are national programs playing on a local level.
 
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I promise this isn’t sour grapes. I admire what SJP has built. I said it prior to this season, if they win this year it will be four in a row. With all the sophs they have, they’ll be heavy favorites to repeat the next two years. That’d make six in a row. The outcry from boundary administration and fans may become too much for the PIAA to ignore. I don’t know enough about the laws, procedures and logistics that would need to occur to separate boundary and non-boundary, but I suspect there will be even more pressure on those in power to find a solution. To be clear, I’m not advocating for that; I am just speculating as to what the future may hold.
 
Private needs their own playoffs. Tired of seeing this almost every year. Let public have their own playoffs. By the way, SJP is very young. Mark them up for the next 2 years getting to state. 6 years in a row. depleting my interest in PIAA playoffs
 
I promise this isn’t sour grapes. I admire what SJP has built. I said it prior to this season, if they win this year it will be four in a row. With all the sophs they have, they’ll be heavy favorites to repeat the next two years. That’d make six in a row. The outcry from boundary administration and fans may become too much for the PIAA to ignore. I don’t know enough about the laws, procedures and logistics that would need to occur to separate boundary and non-boundary, but I suspect there will be even more pressure on those in power to find a solution. To be clear, I’m not advocating for that; I am just speculating as to what the future may hold.
I agree 💯 but it's not even all private schools. Let's take Bishop Guilfoyle for example. Yeah they won championships but they also have down years and rebuilding years. Pittsburgh central Catholic is another one. They just lost to a public school 47-7 but you also have private schools that put together these super programs on a national level that never have rebuilding or down years. Imhotep and prep are two of them. That's cool if that's what you want to do and bring in these big recruits but play a national schedule not a local one. Play the img's and the mater dais. Youre bringing in these giant D1 recruits year in and year out. It cracks me up that people are cool with it and defend it on here. I get it that's the direction high school sports is heading. I just read Erie high lost their best basketball player to a private school super program in ohio but play each other. Thats the solution
 
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Lot of thoughts
1. There is no such thing as a “down year” for SJP, at least there isn’t in the traditional sense. They are down this year compared to their own standard of “one of the best five teams in the last 40 years” like they’ve had on multiple occasions in this run (with last year probably being the best) but they’re not “down” in terms of any competitive sense of the word. The difference between SJP and some of the programs listed is range. A down year for SJP is they will have to win tough games to make the state final, and a good year is they will beat the entire field by 3+ touchdowns. For most other “power” schools, the up year is an SJP down year and the down year is they’re above .500 but not a credible threat to get to the state playoffs. That’s not a valued judgment or a statement that they’re doing something wrong, they’re just playing a different game. I said this on another thread, but I think this SJP team has more guys with FBS offers than all of District 11, and that is a “down” year.

I’m sure SJP people feel about this team the way I felt about the 2007 Easton wrestling team that made the the state finals. Incredibly tough, gritty bunch with a lot of kids who got so much better during the year and punched above their weight, won a dual they had no business winning to get a D11 team title, and it was a phenomenal accomplishment to extend the state finals streak to seven years in a “down” year. They also had two multi-time state champs, a 2x Division II NCAA champ, and an Olympian so calling that a “down” team is absolutely ridiculous even if they weren’t as good as the previous decade or so of teams.

2. SJP is exceptionally well coached. Taking elite players and getting the most out of them is a skill, but I think a totally different set of skills than taking whatever you have and getting the most out of kids who aren’t as talented. The priority for SJP and PCC is the former (and SJP does it MUCH better) while the priority is the latter for a lot of the schools they’re competing against. Not everybody can coach elite kids, Tim Rokfen and co. obviously can. I get why you’d send your kid there if he’s elite, and obviously tons of parents every year do too. They’re not going away for that reason.

3. Why doesn’t every school get SJP results because they have open boundaries? It comes down to want to. If a school like that wants to be good at football, they can. But that entails going and getting a coaching staff you think can do it, aggressively finding and courting kids, finding financial aid for them where necessary and making sure admissions is on board, committing to workout schedules and training opportunities, and having total alignment between the football staff and school administration. If you’re willing to do that, there’s no reason not to be awesome in whatever you choose to. Bethlehem Catholic hadn’t finished higher than 6th in the league in wrestling in 30 years, then within two years of a new administration was nationally ranked and haven’t finished lower than third in the state in over a decade. Scott Green went into his Wyoming Seminary interview and said “I can be Blair Academy if you let me” and went from having 6 kids on the team to top 2 in the country in five years. You have to want it, but if you do, only your ambitions stand in the way. Roman Catholic wants to be good at basketball, Kennedy Catholic wants to be good at basketball, Notre Dame wants to be good at wrestling. LaSalle wants to be good at swimming and lacrosse. SJP wants to be good at football, and outside of Imhotep, none of the other schools in their position want it as badly as they do.

4. Geography and culture have a lot to do with it too. Philadelphia is the biggest metro area in the state by a lot. The pool of potential students is so much bigger than ECP, Becahi/Central, PCC, whomever. Every kid can’t go there, but the metro are is 3x Pittsburgh, 6.5x the Lehigh Valley, and well more than that from everybody else. Not every kid can make it work at SJP, but the pool is gigantic.

5. You also have a huge Catholic school culture in the suburbs that doesn’t exist anywhere else in the state that creates competiton with other schools, but also makes it way more if a normal option to not go to your public school. This is the biggest difference between SJP and PCC, Catholic school is just not a normal thing in PIttsburgh suburbs

6. SJP benefits from the insane open enrollment high school process in Philly that has everybody looking for best individual options rather than be pipelined to a school - all of the neighborhood schools are schools of last resort that everybody is trying to apply out of anyway, whether that’s the magnet public’s, charters, or privates. Everybody in the city limits is already primed to look for options in a way that isn’t normalized anywhere else. Again, this isn’t a valued judgment, just reality on the ground.

7. Now getting to the self serving argument - I wish there was more variety in brackets. I’d love to see how D11’s best stack up with the best in D1, D3 and really anybody else but SJP. I think our statewide perception would be totally different if we didn’t have to play SJP in the first round every year. Hell, throw us in with the D group, we’d beat up State College every year if you let us rather than watch them walk to the final four all the time.

I’m sure I have more, but that’s what I think I can synthesize from this thread. Again, this isn’t meant to flame SJP, it’s an incredible program and as sick as I am of them winning all the time, I can’t help but respect that they’ve built.
 
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Well put rover and I 💯 agree with what you are saying but I think prep needs to play other schools with those advantages the img's, the st John's, the John Bosco's etc... Not garnet valley or the Mt Lebos. I also agree with you that this is a down year for prep as well. Watch out for them for the next 2 years.
 
District I football is weak because administers do not care. Why should they, 16 team playoffs and District I get to be the automatic semifinalist every year regardless of the ability of teams.

Schools only care about making playoffs. Playoffs should be limited to 8 teams. League champ makes the playoffs and rest of spots filled by the point system. District I should play District 11 and the winner gets to play district 12 winner. Those who have no chance of making the playoffs can play on thanksgiving.

District I schools are only want to win 6 games so they can say they made the playoffs. They all are looking to play easy teams within in the district. Ther was a time when Downingtown played Malvern, Prep. Ryan, C.B.West played PCL teams , Easton, Cumberland Valley, C,B East played LaSalle, Holy Cross, NJ, Whitehall and beat them all. To get better you have to play up not play down.

Teams in District one forfeit games and season. 6a teams with 30 players.

District I champion could not beat District 11 teams, Or, Inter ac, and private Schools in NJ like Hun, Peddie.

St. Joe Prep is not the main problem for district I, but they are the main problem for LaSalle, Wood and the rest of the PCL.
 
They do play those teams.
You are missing my point. They do play those teams, compete and beat some of those teams but those national high school programs need to play each other and set up a playoff system between one another. Do it by regions. St Joe's has no business playing garnet valley or north Penn or any other school in pa. Same with Roman and Imhotep in basketball.
 
Lot of thoughts
1. There is no such thing as a “down year” for SJP, at least there isn’t in the traditional sense. They are down this year compared to their own standard of “one of the best five teams in the last 40 years” like they’ve had on multiple occasions in this run (with last year probably being the best) but they’re not “down” in terms of any competitive sense of the word. The difference between SJP and some of the programs listed is range. A down year for SJP is they will have to win tough games to make the state final, and a good year is they will beat the entire field by 3+ touchdowns. For most other “power” schools, the up year is an SJP down year and the down year is they’re above .500 but not a credible threat to get to the state playoffs. That’s not a valued judgment or a statement that they’re doing something wrong, they’re just playing a different game. I said this on another thread, but I think this SJP team has more guys with FBS offers than all of District 11, and that is a “down” year.

I’m sure SJP people feel about this team the way I felt about the 2007 Easton wrestling team that made the the state finals. Incredibly tough, gritty bunch with a lot of kids who got so much better during the year and punched above their weight, won a dual they had no business winning to get a D11 team title, and it was a phenomenal accomplishment to extend the state finals streak to seven years in a “down” year. They also had two multi-time state champs, a 2x Division II NCAA champ, and an Olympian so calling that a “down” team is absolutely ridiculous even if they weren’t as good as the previous decade or so of teams.

2. SJP is exceptionally well coached. Taking elite players and getting the most out of them is a skill, but I think a totally different set of skills than taking whatever you have and getting the most out of kids who aren’t as talented. The priority for SJP and PCC is the former (and SJP does it MUCH better) while the priority is the latter for a lot of the schools they’re competing against. Not everybody can coach elite kids, Tim Rokfen and co. obviously can. I get why you’d send your kid there if he’s elite, and obviously tons of parents every year do too. They’re not going away for that reason.

3. Why doesn’t every school get SJP results because they have open boundaries? It comes down to want to. If a school like that wants to be good at football, they can. But that entails going and getting a coaching staff you think can do it, aggressively finding and courting kids, finding financial aid for them where necessary and making sure admissions is on board, committing to workout schedules and training opportunities, and having total alignment between the football staff and school administration. If you’re willing to do that, there’s no reason not to be awesome in whatever you choose to. Bethlehem Catholic hadn’t finished higher than 6th in the league in wrestling in 30 years, then within two years of a new administration was nationally ranked and haven’t finished lower than third in the state in over a decade. Scott Green went into his Wyoming Seminary interview and said “I can be Blair Academy if you let me” and went from having 6 kids on the team to top 2 in the country in five years. You have to want it, but if you do, only your ambitions stand in the way. Roman Catholic wants to be good at basketball, Kennedy Catholic wants to be good at basketball, Notre Dame wants to be good at wrestling. LaSalle wants to be good at swimming and lacrosse. SJP wants to be good at football, and outside of Imhotep, none of the other schools in their position want it as badly as they do.

4. Geography and culture have a lot to do with it too. Philadelphia is the biggest metro area in the state by a lot. The pool of potential students is so much bigger than ECP, Becahi/Central, PCC, whomever. Every kid can’t go there, but the metro are is 3x Pittsburgh, 6.5x the Lehigh Valley, and well more than that from everybody else. Not every kid can make it work at SJP, but the pool is gigantic.

5. You also have a huge Catholic school culture in the suburbs that doesn’t exist anywhere else in the state that creates competiton with other schools, but also makes it way more if a normal option to not go to your public school. This is the biggest difference between SJP and PCC, Catholic school is just not a normal thing in PIttsburgh suburbs

6. SJP benefits from the insane open enrollment high school process in Philly that has everybody looking for best individual options rather than be pipelined to a school - all of the neighborhood schools are schools of last resort that everybody is trying to apply out of anyway, whether that’s the magnet public’s, charters, or privates. Everybody in the city limits is already primed to look for options in a way that isn’t normalized anywhere else. Again, this isn’t a valued judgment, just reality on the ground.

7. Now getting to the self serving argument - I wish there was more variety in brackets. I’d love to see how D11’s best stack up with the best in D1, D3 and really anybody else but SJP. I think our statewide perception would be totally different if we didn’t have to play SJP in the first round every year. Hell, throw us in with the D group, we’d beat up State College every year if you let us rather than watch them walk to the final four all the time.

I’m sure I have more, but that’s what I think I can synthesize from this thread. Again, this isn’t meant to flame SJP, it’s an incredible program and as sick as I am of them winning all the time, I can’t help but respect that they’ve built.
Lots of good points well-put, Rover.

Just two comments in response:

1) It's not true that, other than 2020 because of Covid, the Prep has ever waltzed to a state title without difficult playoff challenges.

  • 2013--Close games against Frankford and Neshaminy. Down at the half against PCC
  • 2014--Close games against Parkland and P-R
  • 2015--Lost to LaSalle in PCL championship
  • 2016--Close game against NP
  • 2017--Close game against Coatesville and lost to P-R in final
  • 2018--Close PCL title game against LaSalle.
  • 2019--Close game against PCC
  • 2021--Close game against Wood in PCL semi and close game against Freedom.
I get it that the fact that SJP has been to Hershey in 8 of the last 9 years is more pertinent than the margin of some of the victories that got them there, but it's also quite possible that without a coaching edge and without some luck (the illegal motion non-call against Parkland in '14, the fumble by the NP QB late in the game in '16, and the PI call in the Prep's TD drive late in the game against PCC in '19) at least a couple of those Hershey appearances would not have happened.

2) In light of what many have written here, isn't it amazing that if the Prep hadn't managed to come back from 8 down in the 4th quarter against Wood (including the last minute field goal) some might be debating whether SJP was the second or the third best team in the PCL this year--and there would be no debate that this was a real down year for SJP?
 
Lots of good points well-put, Rover.

Just two comments in response:

1) It's not true that, other than 2020 because of Covid, the Prep has ever waltzed to a state title without difficult playoff challenges.

  • 2013--Close games against Frankford and Neshaminy. Down at the half against PCC
  • 2014--Close games against Parkland and P-R
  • 2015--Lost to LaSalle in PCL championship
  • 2016--Close game against NP
  • 2017--Close game against Coatesville and lost to P-R in final
  • 2018--Close PCL title game against LaSalle.
  • 2019--Close game against PCC
  • 2021--Close game against Wood in PCL semi and close game against Freedom.
I get it that the fact that SJP has been to Hershey in 8 of the last 9 years is more pertinent than the margin of some of the victories that got them there, but it's also quite possible that without a coaching edge and without some luck (the illegal motion non-call against Parkland in '14, the fumble by the NP QB late in the game in '16, and the PI call in the Prep's TD drive late in the game against PCC in '19) at least a couple of those Hershey appearances would not have happened.

2) In light of what many have written here, isn't it amazing that if the Prep hadn't managed to come back from 8 down in the 4th quarter against Wood (including the last minute field goal) some might be debating whether SJP was the second or the third best team in the PCL this year--and there would be no debate that this was a real down year for SJP?
Those were all really great high school football teams. Teams that only come around once in a long time for some of those programs. It's a shame we couldn't of seen what some of those schools could of done had they not had to play prep. Im not a prep hater. As they say don't hate the player hate the game. I just think they need to change the game.
 
Those were all really great high school football teams. Teams that only come around once in a long time for some of those programs. It's a shame we couldn't of seen what some of those schools could of done had they not had to play prep. Im not a prep hater. As they say don't hate the player hate the game. I just think they need to change the game.
If I hear correctly, you would want prep out of PIAA to play a separate power school schedule ? Everyone else would play in a boundary sanctioned PIAA? Wouldn’t the boundary system favor certain areas?
 
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Lots of good points well-put, Rover.

Just two comments in response:

1) It's not true that, other than 2020 because of Covid, the Prep has ever waltzed to a state title without difficult playoff challenges.

  • 2013--Close games against Frankford and Neshaminy. Down at the half against PCC
  • 2014--Close games against Parkland and P-R
  • 2015--Lost to LaSalle in PCL championship
  • 2016--Close game against NP
  • 2017--Close game against Coatesville and lost to P-R in final
  • 2018--Close PCL title game against LaSalle.
  • 2019--Close game against PCC
  • 2021--Close game against Wood in PCL semi and close game against Freedom.
I get it that the fact that SJP has been to Hershey in 8 of the last 9 years is more pertinent than the margin of some of the victories that got them there, but it's also quite possible that without a coaching edge and without some luck (the illegal motion non-call against Parkland in '14, the fumble by the NP QB late in the game in '16, and the PI call in the Prep's TD drive late in the game against PCC in '19) at least a couple of those Hershey appearances would not have happened.

2) In light of what many have written here, isn't it amazing that if the Prep hadn't managed to come back from 8 down in the 4th quarter against Wood (including the last minute field goal) some might be debating whether SJP was the second or the third best team in the PCL this year--and there would be no debate that this was a real down year for SJP?
I laugh when I remember during the early years the PCL competed for state titles,,I believe the Thomas Jefferson /Archbishop Wood { ,which TJ beat up Wood ,}, the Commentators,,one of which was Ross Tucker, stated at least District 12 now knows what it takes to compete at the state level. It appears a few schools took it to heart and did what was required LOL.
 
If I hear correctly, you would want prep out of PIAA to play a separate power school schedule ? Everyone else would play in a boundary sanctioned PIAA? Wouldn’t the boundary system favor certain areas?
I don't think they need a separate boundary system. I just think certain schools like prep in football, Roman and Imhotep in basketball that are able to bring in these major D1 talent year in and year out need to play other similar schools. There's a lot of schools that already do that.
 
Here we go again. I guess we need the refresher course.
1) PIAA practically begged the PCL to join the process
2) Prep has played out of state games for close to 30 years now, maybe longer!
3) Prep envies the facilities of virtually every public school
4) Prep has established a mindset, a mentality if you will, that they will work to be the best - off season conditioning is at 5am! At 5am!!!!!!
5) Prep does not get every best player, as stated above, they have a ton of committed coaches and every position is very coached up
Some of these other schools should follow SJP model (PR did) - schedule incredibly difficult games for out of conference in beginning of year and test yourself. The irony is that the better programs there are the theater, crew and rugby. The school is not solely focused on football, but success has created its own vacuum. And as football wanes, this will continue to be more so the case.
 
Here we go again. I guess we need the refresher course.
1) PIAA practically begged the PCL to join the process
2) Prep has played out of state games for close to 30 years now, maybe longer!
3) Prep envies the facilities of virtually every public school
4) Prep has established a mindset, a mentality if you will, that they will work to be the best - off season conditioning is at 5am! At 5am!!!!!!
5) Prep does not get every best player, as stated above, they have a ton of committed coaches and every position is very coached up
Some of these other schools should follow SJP model (PR did) - schedule incredibly difficult games for out of conference in beginning of year and test yourself. The irony is that the better programs there are the theater, crew and rugby. The school is not solely focused on football, but success has created its own vacuum. And as football wanes, this will continue to be more so the case.
For those who have never been around a Prep pre-game, it's like going to an eagles tailgate party. That's how they roll. Wood is similar. I don't remember ever seeing public school parents tailgating (not that they don't). I'm not sure if it's policy or parents prefer to show up before game time due to schedules. To me, it's a different environment for them. Their alumni support is second to none. I've never seen that in public schools. Yea, ever so often you see alumni at public games, but not like private. They're a family. It's the same at Penn St. It's just a different look at one reason why they have success.
 
Here we go again. I guess we need the refresher course.
1) PIAA practically begged the PCL to join the process
2) Prep has played out of state games for close to 30 years now, maybe longer!
3) Prep envies the facilities of virtually every public school
4) Prep has established a mindset, a mentality if you will, that they will work to be the best - off season conditioning is at 5am! At 5am!!!!!!
5) Prep does not get every best player, as stated above, they have a ton of committed coaches and every position is very coached up
Some of these other schools should follow SJP model (PR did) - schedule incredibly difficult games for out of conference in beginning of year and test yourself. The irony is that the better programs there are the theater, crew and rugby. The school is not solely focused on football, but success has created its own vacuum. And as football wanes, this will continue to be more so the case.
Here's your fresher course. All that may be true but prep also brings in their talent. They are just like img, Bosko, or st Thomas Aquinas. Unlike other schools prep never has to rebuild or has down seasons. I'll tell you why because they go out and get the talent. Are there that many naive people on this board. I get you are a prep fan but to think it's an even field you are very naive.
 
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Here's your fresher course. All that may be true but prep also brings in their talent. They are just like img, Bosko, or st Thomas Aquinas. Unlike other schools prep never has to rebuild or has down seasons. I'll tell you why because they go out and get the talent. Are there that many naive people on this board. I get you are a prep fan but to think it's an even field you are very naive.
I don't know anything about St. Thomas Aquinas, but I know the Prep is quite unlike IMG in that it draws its all its students/players from within commuting distance of Philly whereas IMG gets students from anywhere and everywhere and houses them in dorms. They also have different academic standards.

You make it seem that the Prep just goes out and "brings in" whatever talent it wants/needs. In fact, it has to compete with LaSalle, Roman, Wood, N-G, and other PCL schools, with Imhotep for Philly players, with a few Catholic schools in south Jersey, and of course with a range of public schools. Its success no doubt helps attract potential students/athletes, but there have been many players it has tried to get to come to the Prep who have gone elsewhere for one of many reasons.
 
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I don't know anything about St. Thomas Aquinas, but I know the Prep is quite unlike IMG in that it draws its all its students/players from within commuting distance of Philly whereas IMG gets students from anywhere and everywhere and houses them in dorms. They also have different academic standards.

You make it seem that the Prep just goes out and "brings in" whatever talent it wants/needs. In fact, it has to compete with LaSalle, Roman, Wood, N-G, and other PCL schools, with Imhotep for Philly players, with a few Catholic schools in south Jersey, and of course with a range of public schools. Its success no doubt helps attract potential students/athletes, but there have been many players it has tried to get to come to the Prep who have gone elsewhere for one of many reasons.
They do, you don't make it to 9 state championship in 10 years because you don't bring in the talent. Prep almost beat img 2 years ago and last year I think they beat any high school team in the country including all those football factories. Is everyone on this board a prep grad or something. How can you defend this or think this is remotely fair. You think prep should be taking a field with garnet valley? There are some naive people on this site.
 
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