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2024 6A State Title PCC vs SJP

Not sure about Harrisburg, but special teams seem to be a mystery almost everywhere. Watch the NFL; there seems to be a braindead penalty on every kick/punt or kick/punt return. Could it be that football players, unlike soccer and hockey, aren't exposed to being creative in open space as often? Football is such a schematic-based sport on O and D (all 11 start in similar locations every play), but special teams require players to react to a new situation almost every time.
There's a lot to what you say. I'd add that especially on punt returns players on the kicking team routinely make a turn just before getting blocked that results in a blocking in the back penalty. Sometimes the turn can be quite slight, and sometimes it's not so much blocking in the back as blocking on the side toward the back--if you know what I mean. There are also times when a flag is thrown when the block in the back happens so far away from the ball carrier that it's almost impossible to imagine the block making any difference.

All that said, I agree that some of the roughing the kicker, holding, and blocking in the back penalties are the result of dumb decisions / poor coaching / carelessness.

2024 6A State Title PCC vs SJP

Not sure about Harrisburg, but special teams seem to be a mystery almost everywhere. Watch the NFL; there seems to be a braindead penalty on every kick/punt or kick/punt return. Could it be that football players, unlike soccer and hockey, aren't exposed to being creative in open space as often? Football is such a schematic-based sport on O and D (all 11 start in similar locations every play), but special teams require players to react to a new situation almost every time.

2024 6A State Title PCC vs SJP

Have to say I was disappointed Harrisburg lost to PCC. I'm a homer for sure but thought despite H-burg being extreme youthful, they'd manage with better team speed and just more athletes. Back in the district, Mansion Park is known as the place Mid Penn go to lose, as tho it's a hex. Things like total ydg edge of 540 to 243 favoring Harrisburg lend itself to that. That's a little reach as PCC had so many short fields.
Was impressed with their Qb and Rb. But far more impressed with the Cougars with almost all the skill back next year; OL Kevin Brown, Rb M. Mickens, Wr Elias Coke, Qb Jaiyon Lewis, losing on a pick in the EZ with seconds on the clock.
Seeing what Harrisburg did against a good but not great PCC team, I imagine SJP handles them easily; 4 scores.

McDevitt QB - Stone Saunders

Not a fan of P-R in any way, but is this kid always like this? Sounds like sort of a punk.

"ALTOONA, Pa. — Outside of a celebratory Bishop McDevitt locker room, Crusaders quarterback Stone Saunders took a victory lap.

“We heard the talk before and we took it personal,” said Saunders, a Kentucky commit. “We came out and we wanted to punch them in their mouth, and that's what we did. ... We pretty much just took their souls from them for four quarters.”

Saunders then took aim at Pittsburgh.

“Aliquippa, you know, they deserve it. They beat us [in the state title in 2021],” Saunders said. “But any other Pittsburgh team, man, I like our chances. And I like our chances against Aliquippa, too. Don’t get me wrong. But, yeah, I think Harrisburg, Philly, I think all of them get disrespected about how they're not [seen as as] physical [as Pittsburgh teams]. And then, you know, we came in and showed how physical we were.”

I guarantee you he's not a punk! He's a good kid but youthful enough to get caught up in it all. You remember that energy right?
Will say all you hear in District 3 from the time you're born is Wpial this and Wpial that. I'd try to cool some of the guys after living in Pittsburgh that there was a period they dominated PA football and could back the boast. Still hear it today. Kid was just thumping his chest.

About the game, I was disappointed in PR's defense trying to stop Saunders and completely forgetting one of the top backs in the state. 240-50 yards with McD dominating the los. Still think Rams are a fine team but mystified they didn't do better with Nazir JD and the number of flags against them.

2024 6A State Title PCC vs SJP

But here’s some rational stats for my pick

Lasalle beat harrisburg 45-7
Sjp beat lasalle 21-14
PCC beat harrisburg 38-33

Using the transitive property, SJP wins this game big

Anyone else have thoughts
if those scores were recent I would say that's a good way to predict the winner

but beating a team in week 2 isn't the same as beating a team in week 13 or much later in the season, remember your Tigers got blown out by Central last year and then turned the tables in the title game, some teams get better and some get worse as the season moves along

I predict SJP wins simply because they are clearly better until proven otherwise, it will be a major upset for Central to win

2024 6A State Title PCC vs SJP

Harrisburg outgained PCC 541-243 in total yards, that's insane. Just goes to show how important special teams are in a big game.
Longest PCC drive of the first half was 42 yards. I believe the other 3 were all under 30 yards. Not to say that PCC wouldn’t have sustained longer drives but it certainly makes it less likely to have drive killing mistakes when you only have short fields.

Also makes the stats a little bit misleading because they can only gain what they need to get in the end zone. But your point is absolutely correct, that game was won / lost on specials.
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2024 6A State Title PCC vs SJP

From my experience, the transitive property really doesn't hold in football, because of differences in style of play leading to "good" and "bad" matchups for teams that can't be accounted for by comparing scores.

I may eat my words, but I don't see why PCC can't make a game of this... SJP's two best players coming into this year are on the bench, the sophomore QB has come along nicely but he's still green, PCC has their own group of P4 studs, a senior QB, highly regarded line, etc... With that said, if SJP plays a clean game I think they win, and maybe comfortably, but a couple of mistakes and I believe we have a game.
I watched the PCC game yesterday. They are loaded with talent. This could be a close one IMO.

2024 6A State Title PCC vs SJP

From my experience, the transitive property really doesn't hold in football, because of differences in style of play leading to "good" and "bad" matchups for teams that can't be accounted for by comparing scores.

I may eat my words, but I don't see why PCC can't make a game of this... SJP's two best players coming into this year are on the bench, the sophomore QB has come along nicely but he's still green, PCC has their own group of P4 studs, a senior QB, highly regarded line, etc... With that said, if SJP plays a clean game I think they win, and maybe comfortably, but a couple of mistakes and I believe we have a game.
West and Roy are both very good, but I wouldn't say they are better than Sacca and maybe not Cam Smith either.

I too think it could be highly competitive. Was PCC looking past Harrisburg? Lots of factors, including the weather, may come into play.

2024 6A State Title PCC vs SJP

But here’s some rational stats for my pick

Lasalle beat harrisburg 45-7
Sjp beat lasalle 21-14
PCC beat harrisburg 38-33

Using the transitive property, SJP wins this game big

Anyone else have thoughts
From my experience, the transitive property really doesn't hold in football, because of differences in style of play leading to "good" and "bad" matchups for teams that can't be accounted for by comparing scores.

I may eat my words, but I don't see why PCC can't make a game of this... SJP's two best players coming into this year are on the bench, the sophomore QB has come along nicely but he's still green, PCC has their own group of P4 studs, a senior QB, highly regarded line, etc... With that said, if SJP plays a clean game I think they win, and maybe comfortably, but a couple of mistakes and I believe we have a game.
  • Like
Reactions: lilromeo

2024 6A State Title PCC vs SJP

But here’s some rational stats for my pick

Lasalle beat harrisburg 45-7
Sjp beat lasalle 21-14
PCC beat harrisburg 38-33

Using the transitive property, SJP wins this game big

Anyone else have thoughts
I'm very skeptical about the relevance of the score of any game played in August to a game that will be played next week.
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