My takeaway from 2024 PIAA state championships

[northalleghenytiger]

1. Much more entertaining games this year than last. 3 classics and 3 duds. Better than nothing.

2. Private school domination this year. I won’t get into how I feel because I’ve already made my position clear. It’s terrible

3. This might have been the worst wpial performance at the state level ever. Two finalists. Zero winners. Just awful this year. We peaked in 2021 with 5 finalists and 4 winners

4. This was they year to beat St. joes. Unfortunately, this Central team wasn’t as good as ‘17 pine or ‘21 Lebo. I thought SJP QB was really questionable, but ultimately He’s just a sophomore. He will improve and they will be harder to beat. They will win the next two with Harrison WR dominating.

 

[new2pa]

No surprise.

 

[Vikingofpittsburgh]

That was bad. Different levels of talent.

 

[new2pa]

That was bad. Different levels of talent.

Wanna get your opinion. Lots of talk that AD hired Lehmeier because he would be … “compliant”. He and staff want kids to get into PCC tuition free, etc.

But, they are exactly where they were with Totten el al. But AD got his “yes men”

Happy or no?

 

[Vikingofpittsburgh]

Wanna get your opinion. Lots of talk that AD hired Lehmeier because he would be … “compliant”. He and staff want kids to get into PCC tuition free, etc.

But, they are exactly where they were with Totten el al. But AD got his “yes men” with Lehmeier, Sasson, Neff , etc.

Happy or no?

As far as on field results go, I cannot be too upset. After starting 0-2, they were dominant the rest of the way. He is 22-5 through two seasons. 2023 was a little frustrating because of how stacked they were. This year though, im satisfied. Losing to SJP is not shameful. It is also the our first time in the state final since 2016. I could see him staying awhile.

 

[new2pa]

Ya. He’s certainly not going to make waves and is a very good coach so they will continue to win their fair share.

 

[sammyk]

What you have is an area of Pennsylvania (western PA. who's population continues to shrink and an area SEPA who's population continues to grow. Over the past 10-20 years you have seen western PA lose people hand over fist. Long gone are the past powerhouses like (MCKeespot, Upper St Clair, North Hills, Woodland Hills, Penn Hills , Gateway)that were once big boy football royalty. These schools are shells of their formal selves due to population decline. I see the WPIAL becoming less and less of a factor as the years go on. In the outskirts of the WPIAL such teams as Connesville(who were at one time a more than solid program) Albert Gallitine, Uniontown, Brownsville. Do not even compete in the WPIAL anymore and Greene County PA might be some of the worst football in the state of PA. I could be wrong but I think that I am correct the great WPIAL teams of the past are that the past. Also take into account the rest of western PA, Johnstown is nothing than a ghost town dung heap that once produced great football teams. No so much anymore. Erie that used to produce Great McDowell and Prep teams has not been significant in a decade. from Harrisburg west not much going on fellas all the growth is from Harrisburg East. And I feel that the majority of the titles will come from that area

 

[tulla]

What you have is an area of Pennsylvania (western PA. who's population continues to shrink and an area SEPA who's population continues to grow. Over the past 10-20 years you have seen western PA lose people hand over fist. Long gone are the past powerhouses like (MCKeespot, Upper St Clair, North Hills, Woodland Hills, Penn Hills , Gateway)that were once big boy football royalty. These schools are shells of their formal selves due to population decline. I see the WPIAL becoming less and less of a factor as the years go on. In the outskirts of the WPIAL such teams as Connesville(who were at one time a more than solid program) Albert Gallitine, Uniontown, Brownsville. Do not even compete in the WPIAL anymore and Greene County PA might be some of the worst football in the state of PA. I could be wrong but I think that I am correct the great WPIAL teams of the past are that the past. Also take into account the rest of western PA, Johnstown is nothing than a ghost town dung heap that once produced great football teams. No so much anymore. Erie that used to produce Great McDowell and Prep teams has not been significant in a decade. from Harrisburg west not much going on fellas all the growth is from Harrisburg East. And I feel that the majority of the titles will come from that area

Hard to believe it's all down to population growth or decline, Sammy. Might it also have something to do with how many kids of the total in the schools are coming out to play football? A few years ago (2021?) several people on here were saying what a good year it was for the WPIAL in the PIAA playoffs.

 

[BradlyPitt]

Hard to believe it's all down to population growth or decline, Sammy. Might it also have something to do with how many kids of the total in the schools are coming out to play football? A few years ago (2021?) several people on here were saying what a good year it was for the WPIAL in the PIAA playoffs.

4 titles out of 6 is great, no other district ever won 4 in one season

 

[BradlyPitt]

What you have is an area of Pennsylvania (western PA. who's population continues to shrink and an area SEPA who's population continues to grow. Over the past 10-20 years you have seen western PA lose people hand over fist. Long gone are the past powerhouses like (MCKeespot, Upper St Clair, North Hills, Woodland Hills, Penn Hills , Gateway)that were once big boy football royalty. These schools are shells of their formal selves due to population decline. I see the WPIAL becoming less and less of a factor as the years go on. In the outskirts of the WPIAL such teams as Connesville(who were at one time a more than solid program) Albert Gallitine, Uniontown, Brownsville. Do not even compete in the WPIAL anymore and Greene County PA might be some of the worst football in the state of PA. I could be wrong but I think that I am correct the great WPIAL teams of the past are that the past. Also take into account the rest of western PA, Johnstown is nothing than a ghost town dung heap that once produced great football teams. No so much anymore. Erie that used to produce Great McDowell and Prep teams has not been significant in a decade. from Harrisburg west not much going on fellas all the growth is from Harrisburg East. And I feel that the majority of the titles will come from that area

it's one down year, the only year since 1992 that the wpial didn't win a title

still have by far the most in the state with 58 titles

maybe those schools you named aren't as good as they used to be, but they are still very good for the most part, Woodland Hills and North Hills have really fallen off since they lost their long time coaches

if you're going back a decade like you said, that was the golden age for Erie Cathedral Prep

population decline is not to blame for anything, it's the CHEATING from the PCL that is ruining everything

 

[tulla]

it's one down year, the only year since 1992 that the wpial didn't win a title

still have by far the most in the state with 58 titles

maybe those schools you named aren't as good as they used to be, but they are still very good for the most part, Woodland Hills and North Hills have really fallen off since they lost their long time coaches

if you're going back a decade like you said, that was the golden age for Erie Cathedral Prep

population decline is not to blame for anything, it's the CHEATING from the PCL that is ruining everything

To cheat you have to break a rule. What PIAA rule has SJP broken? You can say it's unfair, and you can say the rules should be changed, but you can't say PCL schools are cheating unless you can point to their breaking a rule.

 

[RCH13co18]

To cheat you have to break a rule. What PIAA rule has SJP broken? You can say it's unfair, and you can say the rules should be changed, but you can't say PCL schools are cheating unless you can point to their breaking a rule.

That’s just Brad. He thinks any school that wins are cheating.

 

[sammyk]

OK guys just look at the map of PA and look over the past 20 years the decline of population in PA. All of Western PA even Allegheny county is down. Also outside of Allegheny county other than Aliquippa who really wins in football constantly?? Belle Vernon, maybe. Back in the day you had the Mon River Valley packed with great teams. Starting around Brownsvile all the way up to Steel Valley. Ringold, Monesson, Charleroi, Beth Center,Elizabeth Forward. None of those teams are even close to what they once were. Wash High used to be a state power now they are not even in the top 5 in the WPIAL. The football is not as good or as deep as it once was and that trend will continue. And if you expand out of the WPIAL do we remember schools like Tyrone, or Sharon, Farrell, Greater Johnstown, ect ect. None of those schools are even a threat for a PIAA title. Will you have that "year" when you have "that team" where things line up yes but those will become fewer and further between. Also if you look how many people have moved out that their kids played sports in other places. As a poster put on here a few years ago all of the Hunkies and their sons are gone. You guys know me and you all know I am a WPIAL guy and always will be I hope that I am wrong.

 

[Stalker]

OK guys just look at the map of PA and look over the past 20 years the decline of population in PA. All of Western PA even Allegheny county is down. Also outside of Allegheny county other than Aliquippa who really wins in football constantly?? Belle Vernon, maybe. Back in the day you had the Mon River Valley packed with great teams. Starting around Brownsvile all the way up to Steel Valley. Ringold, Monesson, Charleroi, Beth Center,Elizabeth Forward. None of those teams are even close to what they once were. Wash High used to be a state power now they are not even in the top 5 in the WPIAL. The football is not as good or as deep as it once was and that trend will continue. And if you expand out of the WPIAL do we remember schools like Tyrone, or Sharon, Farrell, Greater Johnstown, ect ect. None of those schools are even a threat for a PIAA title. Will you have that "year" when you have "that team" where things line up yes but those will become fewer and further between. Also if you look how many people have moved out that their kids played sports in other places. As a poster put on here a few years ago all of the Hunkies and their sons are gone. You guys know me and you all know I am a WPIAL guy and always will be I hope that I am wrong.

You make a good point using Harrisburg and the river as a line splitting the state north to south. Most of the good teams and power today is Harrisburg and points East, even without the PCL. I think the Wpial still has good teams but nothing like they used to, with Erie really dropping off!
With Erie, they only ever had Prep and McDowell with Strong Vincent now closed. Other steady "western" (west of the river) teams are State College and Bishop Guifoyle. So you're right, it really thins out west of Harrisburg. And that's largely where the population centers drop off with MAJOR pop centers east of the river.

 

[northalleghenytiger]

Dr. Lombardi needs to resign and give the position to me. PIAA would be great under my leadership. Every state title game would have like 20k attendees