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For sure there should be fewer than six classifications. I'd prefer four but five would still be better.Ha! My point with last year's 49-13 smackdown no doubt predictive.
I was all for the PCL coming in to join the party (course, I had to bite my lip when Neshaminy got turned back by the Hawks in 2013 - in the Eastern Championship - I'll never forget "The Fumble").
Yeah -- my attitude was "Come one, come all -- let 'em work it out on the field!"
At this point, though, I'm not so sure that it's exactly equitable with a decade of games to reflect on. Sure, there have been outliers but as a whole it's become expected to see The Prep take the hardware home.
So, and first of all, the PIAA needs to rethink the six class arrangement (five is plenty) while there should be a Public champ and a Private champ that can meet in the "Super Bowl" each year. Then cut the playoffs to 14 games and make the final an invitation game - a Bowl Game. Play it in Philly one year and Pittsburgh the next (still be an East - West thing) unless Hershey puts its hand up again (or maybe Mansion Park in Altoona). And maybe have the sportswriters vote for selections with three in each category. Then let's face it - the top dawg will take the bait so it will still end up being St. Joe's versus a WPIAL team anyway. Hmm - since it is open bid perhaps drop the East-West thing and just invite the top four and the highest two that say sure get to play.
A thought as the current arrangement is getting a bit routine (got to be some big brains out there who can work something out).
Alternatively stop the baby whining stuff and let kids play where they will - open up transfers for sports. So what!! Kids transfer for academics (under the radar) and no one cares but do it for sports (and a chance at a ride/free education) and people go nuts.
Please!! This is America - the land of opportunity.
transferring for academics doesn't hurt anybody or put others at a disadvantageAlternatively stop the baby whining stuff and let kids play where they will - open up transfers for sports. So what!! Kids transfer for academics (under the radar) and no one cares but do it for sports (and a chance at a ride/free education) and people go nuts.
Please!! This is America - the land of opportunity.
of course people complain about these schools, a "bad year" for them is losing in the district title gameFor sure there should be fewer than six classifications. I'd prefer four but five would still be better.
I know the easiest solution might appear to be to have separate public and private classes with maybe a grand finale between the winner of both streams. But as many on here have said, there aren't nearly enough private schools (almost all Catholic) outside of the Philly area to make this work for them--and I'm not hearing anyone complaining much about Scranton Prep, PCC, Bishop Canavan, Bishop McDevitt, etc.
The big question in my mind is whether games like today's are the more the result of SJP getting a whole lot better over the years or of a drop in the quality of football being played by larger public high schools in at least some parts of PA (the Lehigh Valley this week and probably suburban Philly next week). My sense--from a distance--is that the two trends are about equal in their impact.