I hope you’re all happy with yourselves, literally couldn’t think of a worse matchup
SJP 42-14
SJP 42-14
2024 6A State Title PCC vs SJP
- Thread starter northalleghenytiger
- Start date
it is a bad matchup because they are both private school, but if Harrisburg made it I probably would've just watched highlights because I wouldn't be interested in seeing them get a beatdown for the 4th or 5th time in the state final
In an ideal world it would be Harrisburg vs Downingtown west
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
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.
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.
I watched the PCC game yesterday. They are loaded with talent. This could be a close one IMO.
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.
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
That being said if I’m central I’m stacking the box forcing the sophomore qb to make throws
Prep's defense is really good, don't see PCC having much success against it.
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.
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.
Harrisburg likely wins if their special teams wasn’t the worst in the state
How Specials can ALWAYS be an issue is puzzling. It's on their athletes to make a play which they often do in returns but that's it. Can't kick, can't punt, year after year. That's on the coaches.
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.
Speaking of "the Gompers kid", a good amount of the recruiting services have him as the highest rated Sr prospect in this title game. After all these years I've learned to take the rankings and stars with a grain of salt. So as a person who has never seen him play live before and has only read about him, is it reasonable/justified for him to be a higher ranked prospect than the Cam Smith's and Saccas and Isiah Wests from Prep? I dont include Maxwell Roy bc of the injury
Not trying to turn this into a bash or love fest of a HS kid, just genuinely asking of this kid is as good or better than the LBs that will be on the other side of the field from him this weekend
Not trying to turn this into a bash or love fest of a HS kid, just genuinely asking of this kid is as good or better than the LBs that will be on the other side of the field from him this weekend
The rankings are reasonable. Very good player. I’d say all those names are on the same tier. With that being said, SJP line looks humongous. They’ll scheme against him I’m sure
SJP's offensive line is huge, but its defensive line isn't at all--and really never has been. They are very quick and the LBs are outstanding.
Gompers is listed as an athlete on most services. Judging by his highlight film, he seems to be a heat seeking missile on D and also has some good speed and hands to be a legitimate threat offensively. What's his best move for the next level?
His senior year tape on 247 is all world by the way
His senior year tape on 247 is all world by the way
Gompers reminds me of a more athletic version of the various SJP kid who always wears #10.
The guy tweeting was the former Defensive coordinator of Central Catholic. The nickname for the defense was “chain gang” he’d also give each player an individual chain in which they link all of them up before the games as a metaphor for the unbreakable will of the D. Or so I’ve been told
Big difference between within commuting distance of Philadelphia and "all over the east coast."
I believe it was 10 years ago that Prep entered their first final in Hershey against PCC … all the talk was it’s a different level of play, etc and Prep would fold … anyhow, it’s ironic that PCC of any school would make an all star comment … LS would have their way with PCC too
Roxy, It was actually 11 years ago--2013. And, yes, the expectation of most was that PCC would win easily. They were up 10-7 at the half, but SJP dominated in the second half. In
Many college coaches feel special teams are the most important aspect of a team. Coach Paterno used to say the MOST important part of a team is Special Teams followed by Defense then Offense.
At the NFL level they seem hesitant to risk their very best players. Yet, they all recognize the importance of field position and impact FGs have on winning games.
You can break down a game, any game, any level and see the tremendous impact of special teams despite it not being a sexy stat.
