Agreed w Rover, there of lots of great games, some in semis, but, tiger- yes maybe 6A is different. But why?
Some of this comes down to enrollments, and the factor of "bigger schools." In a previous post, I said "no one plays-up" in 6A, but someone said, apparently PCC is "playing up?" I was not aware of that, but I don't think it is true:
The WPIAL’s largest classification officially is getting smaller next season in football and basketball.
tribhssn.triblive.com
Also- in this article (recent-2022), there is a bogus statement by WPIAL director:
“Our enrollments really aren’t changing, but the other side of the state is certainly increasing,” WPIAL executive director Amy Scheuneman said.
That is just wrong, WPIAL has been shrinking since the 1980's. Two quick examples- Butler and Hempfield Area- both used to have 7-8 thousand kids, now each have like 5 thousand. that has led Hempfield to be terrible for 20 years, and led Butler to even leave the WPIAL, plays "only exhibition games" and not eligible for PIAA playoffs- they left cuz they could not "keep up with the big dogs" like PCC, Lebo, SV and NA in the last 10 years.
Now- several big things have happened state-wide, unless I am off-base in the last 20 years- 1) PIAA added the Philly Catholic Schools, 2) the overall Philly area population has grown over the last 30 years, and 3) the overall population in some areas of PA, like WPIAL has decreased. Geez- even in just 5 years- with the same "six Levels" for 6A. In 2017, there were 14 WPIAL Football schools. Now, for WPIAL, there are only 5, FIVE, that is the very definition of "shrinking population" compared to the rest of the state. And, again, reduces any "impressiveness" of winning 6A Football in WPIAL- 5 years ago, a school had to be "better than 13 teams" and now, you gotta be only "better than 4 teams" then you enter State playoffs- maybe more likely to get crushed in a "blowout?"
Now, the last thing, that no one ever talks about, that makes 6A different, and a reason that a place like PR did NOT chose to "play-up." And I'm guessing very few, maybe zero schools "play up to 6A by choice." Every other level is set, by "enrollment brackets" like between 200 and 400 boys in their HS. What makes 6A UNIQUE is they only have a minimum. some of the schools state-wide have crazy big numbers. 6A may have "all schools above minimum 500 boys" but NO MAXIMUM- some have like 1200 boys- and GROWING. So, by nature of "no maximum" maybe that leads to some 'more lopsided" talent in 6A, more so than other levels, and maybe "more blowouts?" This IS about SJP, but not always. A 3A team might play against a school that is "20% bigger than their HS." But a 6A school, could play against a school that 2-3 times as big- 300% bigger!!
