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6A State Championship Blowouts

northalleghenytiger

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Aug 22, 2022
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Here are the state championship scores in 6A since it started in 2016.

2016: SJP-42 PCC-7
2017: PR-41 SJP-21
2018: SJP-40 HBURG-20
2019: SJP-35 CD-13
2020: SJP-62 CY-13
2021: LEBO-35 SJP-17

The average margin of victory in theses games is 27! The closest margin was last years at 18 points. Where are the down to the wire games?

im here to tell you don’t worry, because I’m going to predict that the 6A championship game this season will go to overtime. NA vs SJP. I had a dream that this will occur, and I believe it to be a prophecy.
 
Here are the state championship scores in 6A since it started in 2016.

2016: SJP-42 PCC-7
2017: PR-41 SJP-21
2018: SJP-40 HBURG-20
2019: SJP-35 CD-13
2020: SJP-62 CY-13
2021: LEBO-35 SJP-17

The average margin of victory in theses games is 27! The closest margin was last years at 18 points. Where are the down to the wire games?

im here to tell you don’t worry, because I’m going to predict that the 6A championship game this season will go to overtime. NA vs SJP. I had a dream that this will occur, and I believe it to be a prophecy.
I'm starting to like NAs team and I'm getting behind them with the win against Erie McDowell. I think they do beat a young pcc team this year but anyone against St Joe's will be a big underdog.
 
I'm starting to like NAs team and I'm getting behind them with the win against Erie McDowell. I think they do beat a young pcc team this year but anyone against St Joe's will be a big underdog.
All due respect, NA should still not be in the conversation of the "best in the state" YET. They just have not shown that, yet, for many years. IMO, NA could "win-out" while having some bad opponents with Baldwin this week, and against Norwin. Including Baldwin, the combined record of their first 4 opponents is 4-8. Not saying this is their "fate" but last year, some WPIAL teams started out 2-0 and did not even make playoffs- it is still early.

The two best "measuring sticks" for NA will be PCC and Penn Trafford. If NA beats both of those, then yes, I agree, they will go far- but beat SJP, not sure, but maybe "make it there" sure, reasonable.

As for the blowouts- yea, weird, looks like 14 and 15 were both close, so maybe just a weird trend recently
 
I mean, how many great Big School final games have their been?

1988 Pittsburgh Central Catholic had an 14 play, 82 yard drive to score with 3 minutes left to beat Cedar Cliff
1990 North Allegheny needed a last minute drive to beat Ridley
1993 Eric Kasperowicz has the best 4th quarter ever and leads a ridiculous game winning drive in the final minute for North Hills
1994 McKeesport and Downingtown was 17-14 with the famous goal line stand and McKeesport driving for a touchdown in the final six minutes
1999 and 2000 was the incredible CB West-Erie Cathedral Prep series
2008 Liberty beat Bethel Park in overtime
2011 Central Dauphin won a one score game in the snow
2015 Parkland scored late but couldn't recover an onside kick and Pittsburgh Central Catholic held on

That’s nine good championship games from 1988-2015.
 
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I mean, how many great Big School final games have their been?

1988 Pittsburgh Central Catholic had an 14 play, 82 yard drive to score with 3 minutes left to beat Cedar Cliff
1990 North Allegheny needed a last minute drive to beat Ridley
1993 Eric Kasperowicz has the best 4th quarter ever and leads a ridiculous game winning drive in the final minute for North Hills
1994 McKeesport and Downingtown was 17-14 with the famous goal line stand and McKeesport driving for a touchdown in the final six minutes
1999 and 2000 was the incredible CB West-Erie Cathedral Prep series
2008 Liberty beat Bethel Park in overtime
2011 Central Dauphin won a one score game in the snow
2015 Parkland scored late but couldn't recover an onside kick and Pittsburgh Central Catholic held on

That’s nine good championship games from 1988-2015.
Awesome history Rover! We could add 2014- crazy rally in the 4th qtr- not sure the details, but I think PR had the ball, driving late, but SJP held on for the 47-41 win
 
Awesome history Rover! We could add 2014- crazy rally in the 4th qtr- not sure the details, but I think PR had the ball, driving late, but SJP held on for the 47-41 win
I had that game in my brain as after the 6A split (I started writing these earlier, got away from it, then rushed the last couple). Yes, that’s obviously one of the great championship games, my oversight guys. Also the wrong game to miss when the whole board sometimes feels like SJP or PR supporters.
 
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Sure the final margin of last year's game was 18 points, but SJP was down by 3 midway through the 4th quarter. The last ML TD came after SJP surrendered the ball on downs deep in its own territory with about two minutes left in the game. So ... no blowout.
 
That doesn't mean there aren't great games! The thing I find most interesting as I'm working on stuff with old brackets is how many times the "championship" game happens in earlier rounds. Here are some of the 4A years where the team that won convincingly in the finals had a real test somewhere along the way.

1992: Cumberland Valley needed a field goal with 1:38 left to beat Harrisburg 10-7 in the District 3 championship, where a loss would have knocked them out of the 4 team state playoff bracket. Beat Upper St. Clair 28-12 in the finals.

1995: Penn Hills took a 20-0 lead on Upper St. Clair in the WPIAl finals, but USC got the ball at their own 9 with a chance to tie in the fourth quarter - they drove 80 yards before Penn Hills forced a fumble to end the game. Penn Hills killed Lower Dauphin in the state final.

1997: CB West needed to come back from a 21-6 deficit against Centarl Dauphin in state quarterfinals - they tied it with 1:58 left then won with a touchdown in overtime after a CD field goal. They destroyed Upper St. Clair in the final 47-22.

2001: Neshaminy blocked a punt for a touchdown and a 72 yard kick return in the second half, then held onto a 25-19 lead over Cumberland Valley with a red zone stop in the final minutes to win in semifinals. They beat Woodland Hills 21-7 in the state final.

2002: Parkland avenged a regular season loss with a 14-11 win over Bethlehem Catholic in the D11 finals with an 87 yard fourth quarter drive. They beat Woodland Hills 35-12 in the finals.

2005: McKeesport held Bishop McDevitt to 174 yards of offense and held the ball for 34 of 48 minutes in a 14-13 state semifinal win. They beat the living tar out of Liberty the following week.

2006: Upper St. Clair won the WPIAL championship with a 11 play drive capped with a game winning touchdown with 58 seconds left to beat Penn Hills. Again, they beat the living tar out of Liberty in the state final.

2007: Pittsburgh Central Catholic and Gateway is one of the greatest WPIAL championships games of all time, with PCC nearly blowing a 28-13 lead in the final minute when Gateway scored, recovered an onside kick, and scored on a hook-and-lateral to force overtime. But a bad snap on an extra point in overtime gave PCC a 35-34 win. They shut out Parkland in the state final.

2009: LaSalle got one of the greatest kicks in state playoff history with a 38 yard field goal in four inches of snow and stopped Easton at the 15 on the final drive with an interception at the goal line to win 17-14 in state quarterfinals. They handled State College 24-7 in the finals.

2012: North Allegheny held onto a 21-14 lead in the fourth quarter against Woodland Hills with a goal line stand from the two, where they stuffed Miles Sanders four plays in a row in WPIAL finals. They beat Coatesville in the state finals 63-28.

2013: St. Joseph's Prep, playing with their backup quarterback, took the air out of the ball and grinded out a 10-7 win in the District 12 championship over Frankford. They blew out Pittsburgh Central Catholic 35-10 in the final.

Obvioulsly in the six class era you have SJP and North Penn in 2016 (semis), SJP and PCC in 2019 (semis).
 
Sure the final margin of last year's game was 18 points, but SJP was down by 3 midway through the 4th quarter. The last ML TD came after SJP surrendered the ball on downs deep in its own territory with about two minutes left in the game. So ... no blowout.
That doesn't mean there aren't great games! The thing I find most interesting as I'm working on stuff with old brackets is how many times the "championship" game happens in earlier rounds. Here are some of the 4A years where the team that won convincingly in the finals had a real test somewhere along the way.

1992: Cumberland Valley needed a field goal with 1:38 left to beat Harrisburg 10-7 in the District 3 championship, where a loss would have knocked them out of the 4 team state playoff bracket. Beat Upper St. Clair 28-12 in the finals.

1995: Penn Hills took a 20-0 lead on Upper St. Clair in the WPIAl finals, but USC got the ball at their own 9 with a chance to tie in the fourth quarter - they drove 80 yards before Penn Hills forced a fumble to end the game. Penn Hills killed Lower Dauphin in the state final.

1997: CB West needed to come back from a 21-6 deficit against Centarl Dauphin in state quarterfinals - they tied it with 1:58 left then won with a touchdown in overtime after a CD field goal. They destroyed Upper St. Clair in the final 47-22.

2001: Neshaminy blocked a punt for a touchdown and a 72 yard kick return in the second half, then held onto a 25-19 lead over Cumberland Valley with a red zone stop in the final minutes to win in semifinals. They beat Woodland Hills 21-7 in the state final.

2002: Parkland avenged a regular season loss with a 14-11 win over Bethlehem Catholic in the D11 finals with an 87 yard fourth quarter drive. They beat Woodland Hills 35-12 in the finals.

2005: McKeesport held Bishop McDevitt to 174 yards of offense and held the ball for 34 of 48 minutes in a 14-13 state semifinal win. They beat the living tar out of Liberty the following week.

2006: Upper St. Clair won the WPIAL championship with a 11 play drive capped with a game winning touchdown with 58 seconds left to beat Penn Hills. Again, they beat the living tar out of Liberty in the state final.

2007: Pittsburgh Central Catholic and Gateway is one of the greatest WPIAL championships games of all time, with PCC nearly blowing a 28-13 lead in the final minute when Gateway scored, recovered an onside kick, and scored on a hook-and-lateral to force overtime. But a bad snap on an extra point in overtime gave PCC a 35-34 win. They shut out Parkland in the state final.

2009: LaSalle got one of the greatest kicks in state playoff history with a 38 yard field goal in four inches of snow and stopped Easton at the 15 on the final drive with an interception at the goal line to win 17-14 in state quarterfinals. They handled State College 24-7 in the finals.

2012: North Allegheny held onto a 21-14 lead in the fourth quarter against Woodland Hills with a goal line stand from the two, where they stuffed Miles Sanders four plays in a row in WPIAL finals. They beat Coatesville in the state finals 63-28.

2013: St. Joseph's Prep, playing with their backup quarterback, took the air out of the ball and grinded out a 10-7 win in the District 12 championship over Frankford. They blew out Pittsburgh Central Catholic 35-10 in the final.

Obvioulsly in the six class era you have SJP and North Penn in 2016 (semis), SJP and PCC in 2019 (semis).
I hear what you are saying but I want a close finish. Take last years 5A final for example. PT beat Imhotep 17-14 in OT in an instant classic. Why can’t 6A have that tightness. And apparently, everyone on this forum except me thinks St. Joes will dominate everyone. So that will be 8 years and no close finals.

I also get that their are close games before the championship, but unfortunately those are not broadcasted across PA. So no one will see them.
 
All due respect, NA should still not be in the conversation of the "best in the state" YET. They just have not shown that, yet, for many years. IMO, NA could "win-out" while having some bad opponents with Baldwin this week, and against Norwin. Including Baldwin, the combined record of their first 4 opponents is 4-8. Not saying this is their "fate" but last year, some WPIAL teams started out 2-0 and did not even make playoffs- it is still early.

The two best "measuring sticks" for NA will be PCC and Penn Trafford. If NA beats both of those, then yes, I agree, they will go far- but beat SJP, not sure, but maybe "make it there" sure, reasonable.

As for the blowouts- yea, weird, looks like 14 and 15 were both close, so maybe just a weird trend recently
No body's at SJP level but NAs my favorite in the west now. The win last week against McDowell is their quality win. I don't think this NA teams a great team either. Not even close to Mt Lebo of last year but 6A is down this year. Pcc is young and I believe a year away from being great.
 
I hear what you are saying but I want a close finish. Take last years 5A final for example. PT beat Imhotep 17-14 in OT in an instant classic. Why can’t 6A have that tightness. And apparently, everyone on this forum except me thinks St. Joes will dominate everyone. So that will be 8 years and no close finals.

I also get that their are close games before the championship, but unfortunately those are not broadcasted across PA. So no one will see them.
I think a lot of the 6A finals has to do with the success formula forcing teams up and down that has made for a lot of close finals. The formula works for 5 classifications but not 6A.
 
2012: North Allegheny held onto a 21-14 lead in the fourth quarter against Woodland Hills with a goal line stand from the two, where they stuffed Miles Sanders four plays in a row in WPIAL finals. They beat Coatesville in the state finals 63-28.
was that Miles? I thought he was taken away on a stretcher earlier in the game?
 
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:


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!!
 
That doesn't mean there aren't great games! The thing I find most interesting as I'm working on stuff with old brackets is how many times the "championship" game happens in earlier rounds. Here are some of the 4A years where the team that won convincingly in the finals had a real test somewhere along the way.

1992: Cumberland Valley needed a field goal with 1:38 left to beat Harrisburg 10-7 in the District 3 championship, where a loss would have knocked them out of the 4 team state playoff bracket. Beat Upper St. Clair 28-12 in the finals.

1995: Penn Hills took a 20-0 lead on Upper St. Clair in the WPIAl finals, but USC got the ball at their own 9 with a chance to tie in the fourth quarter - they drove 80 yards before Penn Hills forced a fumble to end the game. Penn Hills killed Lower Dauphin in the state final.

1997: CB West needed to come back from a 21-6 deficit against Centarl Dauphin in state quarterfinals - they tied it with 1:58 left then won with a touchdown in overtime after a CD field goal. They destroyed Upper St. Clair in the final 47-22.

2001: Neshaminy blocked a punt for a touchdown and a 72 yard kick return in the second half, then held onto a 25-19 lead over Cumberland Valley with a red zone stop in the final minutes to win in semifinals. They beat Woodland Hills 21-7 in the state final.

2002: Parkland avenged a regular season loss with a 14-11 win over Bethlehem Catholic in the D11 finals with an 87 yard fourth quarter drive. They beat Woodland Hills 35-12 in the finals.

2005: McKeesport held Bishop McDevitt to 174 yards of offense and held the ball for 34 of 48 minutes in a 14-13 state semifinal win. They beat the living tar out of Liberty the following week.

2006: Upper St. Clair won the WPIAL championship with a 11 play drive capped with a game winning touchdown with 58 seconds left to beat Penn Hills. Again, they beat the living tar out of Liberty in the state final.

2007: Pittsburgh Central Catholic and Gateway is one of the greatest WPIAL championships games of all time, with PCC nearly blowing a 28-13 lead in the final minute when Gateway scored, recovered an onside kick, and scored on a hook-and-lateral to force overtime. But a bad snap on an extra point in overtime gave PCC a 35-34 win. They shut out Parkland in the state final.

2009: LaSalle got one of the greatest kicks in state playoff history with a 38 yard field goal in four inches of snow and stopped Easton at the 15 on the final drive with an interception at the goal line to win 17-14 in state quarterfinals. They handled State College 24-7 in the finals.

2012: North Allegheny held onto a 21-14 lead in the fourth quarter against Woodland Hills with a goal line stand from the two, where they stuffed Miles Sanders four plays in a row in WPIAL finals. They beat Coatesville in the state finals 63-28.

2013: St. Joseph's Prep, playing with their backup quarterback, took the air out of the ball and grinded out a 10-7 win in the District 12 championship over Frankford. They blew out Pittsburgh Central Catholic 35-10 in the final.

Obvioulsly in the six class era you have SJP and North Penn in 2016 (semis), SJP and PCC in 2019 (semis).
If we look at the champions of 6a playoff runs

2016: St. Joes prep (6 games)
Beat Roman Catholic 45-7 (mercy rule)
Beat Lasalle 35-14
Beat Northeast 44-6 (mercy rule)
Beat parkland 38-17
Beat North Penn 35-25 (close game)
Beat PCC 42-7 (mercy rule)
Point totals 239-76

2017: Pine Richland (6 games)
Beat Norwin 49-14 (mercy rule)
Beat NA 49-25
Beat PCC 42-7 (mercy rule)
Beat State College 49-21
Beat Manhiem Township 28-7
Beat SJP 41-21
Point totals 258-95

2018: St Joes prep (6 games)
Beat Roman Catholic 38-0 (mercy rule)
Beat Lasalle 23-13
Beat Northeast 49-14 (mercy rule)
Beat Freedom 42-14
Beat Pine Richland 37-0 (mercy rule)
Beat Harrisburg 40-20
Point totals 229-61

2019: St Joes prep (5 games)
Beat Lasalle 52-7 (mercy rule)
Beat Northeast 43-26
Beat Nazareth Area 45-24
Beat PCC 31-24 (OT)
Beat Central Dauphin 35-13
Point totals 206-94

2020: St Joes Prep (2 games)
Beat Souderton 51-43 (mercy rule)
Beat Central York 62-13 (mercy rule)
Point totals 113-56

2021: Mt. Lebanon (5 games)
Beat NA 28-17
Beat PCC 47-7 (mercy rule)
Beat Erie McDowell 47-14 (mercy rule)
Beat State College 49-28 (mercy rule)
Beat SJP 35-17
Point totals 206-83

Throughout all these games, their have been about 4 that seem to have been solid. The rest are blowouts. I believe it is imperative we go to 5 classifications.
 
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1. Butler is not playing "exhibition" games. The WPIAL allowed them to move into District 10 for football only. Last year they played in the PIAA playoffs, lost in the first round to McDowell. This year the WPIAL blocked them from participating in the playoffs, still a legal battle on going.
 
1. Butler is not playing "exhibition" games. The WPIAL allowed them to move into District 10 for football only. Last year they played in the PIAA playoffs, lost in the first round to McDowell. This year the WPIAL blocked them from participating in the playoffs, still a legal battle on going.
kinda seems like semantics- Butler football is "independent" meaning they have "no conference or division" for football, imo non-conference and "exhibition" kinda mean the same thing. I understand why they left, but sure will be a shame if they go 8-2 and cannot go to any playoffs- I don't fault WPIAL, it's a weird precedent to set, seems to me, allowing HSs to go seek other "divisions"
 
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