District 1

[HSFB99]

After following the Pine Richland saga and getting to know a bit about the program, could a District 1 school replicate (or come somewhat close to replicating) that success? I know a District 1 6A school winning a state championship is probably a long shot, but could any of them win the District title two years in a row? Or three out of four?

North Penn and Coatesville strike me as the obvious answers considering they’ve had nice runs. Are there any other schools that could accomplish this? If so, who has the resources (consistent talent, numbers, administrative support, facilities, etc) in place to accomplish this?

 

[new2pa]

I thought Coatesville's class with Ortega, et. al. would be the one to put them on a run.

 

[bucksftball]

I started to write some things out about the top District One programs but instead of starting arguments as to what each team's deficiencies might be which could keep them from a run, let me state the obvious instead:

32 teams play 6A football in D1... every year, when you look at the Downingtowns, Coatesville, North Penn, Garnet Valley... Pennridge if they have the program turned around, and then the teams that can make up the middle of the pack, where they won't threaten but can give a top team a good game, Neshaminy, Souderton (obviously the current champ), Perk Valley, CB West and South, and I'm sure others that I'm missing...

Point is that after a long season you need to win 4 more just to win the district, there are a lot of big schools that could put good talent on the field in any particular year and enough other teams that will make you play them for at least three quarters and you have a formula that makes it very hard for one team to get on a long run. If anything it's now a district that's more distinct for its parity than anything else. A lot of good / very good teams each year but no one program that can pull far enough ahead to win the 8-12 straight playoff games in the district to put a streak together.

Without going into detail, I don't think there is a program that matches depth of talent with depth of coaching.

 

[HSFB99]

I agree with that assessment Bucks. I guess that’s what I am getting at; in a vacuum, which programs should be competing to win it every year? Or as you put it, who consistently has the depth of talent but not the depth of coaching?

 

[RoverNation05]

Here are the five seasons before Kasperowicz and his first year at Pine-Richland
2013: 5-5
2012: 4-5
2011: 4-6
2010: 3-7
2009: 3-6
2008: 4-6

To my knowledge, there wasn’t a huge population boom in the PR school district (they dropped from 6A to 5A), and they didn’t go absolutely transfer crazy. Point being, I don’t think there is anything special in the water at Pine-Richland circa 2014 that suddenly made it the most talented school district in Pennsylvania. If a District 1 program hires the right guy, streamlines the program/boosters/administration/strength staff, and has enough athletes to pick from, they absolutely can be a perennial state power. Now, if it was as easy as typing that, then everybody would do it. But there is nothing inherent that makes Pine-Richland capable of that in a way that North Penn, Pennsbury, the Downingtowns, etc. wouldn’t be.

 

[new2pa]

Coach K took over in 2013. They changed things schematically dramatically on offense in 2014. He took over as DC in 2017.

Continuing your chart

2014: 15-1 Lost to SJP in finals
2015: 10-2 lost to PT in WPIAL semis
2016: 7-5 Lost to PCC in WPIAL semis
2017: 16-0 State Champs, beat SJP
2018: 11-3 Lost to SJP in state Semis
2019: 10-2 Lost to PCC in WPIAL finals
2020: 11-0 State Champs, best ECP

 

[HSFB99]

That’s fair Rover. It seems we all go back to finding the right guy to steer the ship, although Pine Richland has some clear advantages over some District One teams. Are the private schools pulling the top players out of North Penn, Neshaminy, Pennridge, Pennsbury, etc.? It’s certainly a different dynamic than existed in yesteryear. Of course, geography plays a large role (eg on average I assume it’s more likely a kid in a lower/central Bucks school will attend a private school than a kid in North Penn’s district).

 

[bucksftball]

Here's my perspective in Central Bucks, with my slant towards West. West loses kids every year to LaSalle / GA. Probably 2-3 "potential" starters per class. If you look at that as just the upper classmen, that could be 5 starters. Even if they aren't standout starters they add depth or the ability to have more players playing one way. If West really was going to make a run those players would have to stay home. In the Traina family, older brother goes to West then Harvard (academics) then the younger brothers (basketball) go to GA. One is now playing for Lehigh and the other still at GA. Two Division 1 basketball players out the door. McFadden girls go to West and are very good track athletes, brothers (track and football, including a twin of one of the girls) go to LaSalle. There are plenty of others... every year.

At CB East, they lost Russo at QB then Longino at QB. Two more D1 guys to private schools. The CB schools just don't have the program depth to survive those kinds of losses. If one of them were able to have a few quality classes in a row and put together a few nice seasons, maybe more of them would stay and they could build on that. Certainly Friday nights in Doylestown, even if it's not like in the heyday... is a great environment to play in and any of the CB schools provide top notch academic opportunities so that part of the equation is a non-issue.

 

[lilromeo]

Here's my perspective in Central Bucks, with my slant towards West. West loses kids every year to LaSalle / GA. Probably 2-3 "potential" starters per class. If you look at that as just the upper classmen, that could be 5 starters. Even if they aren't standout starters they add depth or the ability to have more players playing one way. If West really was going to make a run those players would have to stay home. In the Traina family, older brother goes to West then Harvard (academics) then the younger brothers (basketball) go to GA. One is now playing for Lehigh and the other still at GA. Two Division 1 basketball players out the door. McFadden girls go to West and are very good track athletes, brothers (track and football, including a twin of one of the girls) go to LaSalle. There are plenty of others... every year.

At CB East, they lost Russo at QB then Longino at QB. Two more D1 guys to private schools. The CB schools just don't have the program depth to survive those kinds of losses. If one of them were able to have a few quality classes in a row and put together a few nice seasons, maybe more of them would stay and they could build on that. Certainly Friday nights in Doylestown, even if it's not like in the heyday... is a great environment to play in and any of the CB schools provide top notch academic opportunities so that part of the equation is a non-issue.

I agree with your assessment and include the success of archbishop Wood also. CB West with Rowan as their coach may be able to build the program back. This may sound crazy for now , but if West would schedule and be competitive or beat the likes of Wood or laSalle that could change things up for the program. Of course if they get smoked they would be basically where they are now. I intend to bring this up to the coach when I see him.I think its worth a shot.

 

[HSFB99]

Bucks, that was what I was getting at with the proximity to private schools. It’s a major issue for a lot of District 1 teams. Losing your top 2-3 kids each year is a killer.

Romeo, I agree that West is on the right track and very well coached. I think that’s unarguable. However, I don’t see them playing with Wood and LaSalle, at least not yet. If you go back to West’s 2019 team that made a great run, they beat North Penn on a last second score. LaSalle was mercy ruling NP at halftime that year and Wood beat LaSalle. I know comparing scores isn’t apples to apples but that seems like they are at least a notch below those PCL teams. If West continues upward and LaSalle/Wood struggle, then maybe they could catch them. I see that taking a few years.

One of the issues in the SOL is only have one non-league game. It doesn’t give them a lot of flexibility in scheduling.

 

[bucksftball]

Bucks, that was what I was getting at with the proximity to private schools. It’s a major issue for a lot of District 1 teams. Losing your top 2-3 kids each year is a killer.

Romeo, I agree that West is on the right track and very well coached. I think that’s unarguable. However, I don’t see them playing with Wood and LaSalle, at least not yet. If you go back to West’s 2019 team that made a great run, they beat North Penn on a last second score. LaSalle was mercy ruling NP at halftime that year and Wood beat LaSalle. I know comparing scores isn’t apples to apples but that seems like they are at least a notch below those PCL teams. If West continues upward and LaSalle/Wood struggle, then maybe they could catch them. I see that taking a few years.

One of the issues in the SOL is only have one non-league game. It doesn’t give them a lot of flexibility in scheduling.

Agree... I would say that the last couple of years, West has been gaining ground on Wood, but with their sudden influx of transfers, that's no longer the case. As a fan it's easy to go crazy about losing players to private schools but I'm just happy that West seems to have turned a corner and is in good shape to be competitive in their league for the foreseeable future. 2019 was an odd year in terms of who beat who and by how much. I honestly thought West would have played with Wood that year and could have even beaten them. The only thing that makes me question that was the LaSalle win but when you look at Cheltenham's season, their loss to Abington and escaping the other playoff games by the skin of their teeth... well you could get lost all day going down that rabbit hole.

 

[bucksftball]

I agree with your assessment and include the success of archbishop Wood also. CB West with Rowan as their coach may be able to build the program back. This may sound crazy for now , but if West would schedule and be competitive or beat the likes of Wood or laSalle that could change things up for the program. Of course if they get smoked they would be basically where they are now. I intend to bring this up to the coach when I see him.I think its worth a shot.

I don't think it's crazy to schedule teams like that, I thought it was a great move (and a gutsy one) to schedule Coatesville to open the season. They do have an advantage forcing a superior team to learn to play against the wing-t in one week, although in a week zero game you could spread your prep out over the summer.

 

[HSFB99]

I loved that they picked up Coatesville and would love to see any SOL teams pick up PCL games like Neshaminy is doing and NP has done in the past.

The past few years, I think West lacked some team speed so testing themselves against a Coatesville can only help.

 

[lilromeo]

I loved that they picked up Coatesville and would love to see any SOL teams pick up PCL games like Neshaminy is doing and NP has done in the past.

The past few years, I think West lacked some team speed so testing themselves against a Coatesville can only help.

Neshaminy/ Wood game should be a decent indicator of competitiveness for West /Wood possibility IMO. Selfishly, I would like to to the game as Im both. a Wood and West follower. I would be at the NBI at 5 and in the stands at War Memorial ready for some real action lol. Wood has gained some very talented players from McDevitt so yeah, maybe at a later rather than sooner.