SJP-Malvern Prep
- Thread starter yesman3
- Start date
Yes they are(MP). Special teams/TO's decisive in conditions.
Infante, like those who will contend for PCL & States primarily concerned on how they are in Nov./Dec., IMO....... Big boost for MP though, mostly erases bitter taste of LS loss.
Congrats Malvern for the win over the Prep. All the Chesmont teams (used to play WC East, Henderson and the former Downingtown) dropped you because you beat many of them back in the day.
"Infante, like those who will contend for PCL & States primarily concerned on how they are in Nov./Dec., IMO....... Big boost for MP though, mostly erases bitter taste of LS loss."
So what your saying yesman is Prep coming off the bye week vs a hated rival is a game that doesn't mean anything?
So what your saying yesman is Prep coming off the bye week vs a hated rival is a game that doesn't mean anything?
The bye week is not something that seems to make the team play better in the "return week"--last year after the bye week the Prep played a very bad first half at St. Joe's Regional--nor is it designed to do so. I understand it's supposed to make it easier for the players to get settled into their academic work before the moving sidewalk of the season begins again. Whether the bye week is a good idea, though, is up for debate.
Malvern as a hated rival? That's never been the case. Yes, there is a rivalry, but the Prep's main rival by far, for the last 30 years or more, has been LaSalle.
As for last night, it sounded like the Prep made lots of key turnovers on a very wet night, and as Pennsbury can tell you, it's hard if not impossible to win against a good team if you keep giving the ball away. (I understand Malvern was playing with the same wet ball.) Last year Clements had a shaky start to the season but steadily got better as the season progressed. This year's QB had even less varsity experience at the start of the season, but maybe he can make similar progress. Next week against SJR will be a very tough game, though.
No, that's what you're inferring..... "lighten up Francis"
It was a huge game with significant bragging rights attached, but when your end-game is PCL titles and Hershey gold, won't ruin your season. That doesn't mean Prep didn't have the desire to play well and win the game. Capisce now??
Agree with Tulla, "hated rival" probably way too strong to characterize that relationship but I'll let the Prepsters' chime in on that subject.
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Paint any positive picture you may want for SJP after the loss to Malvern but it doesn't pass the smell test. I thought being a national power was the goal but no, once they lose on the even "recruiting" playing field, the "state title" against non recruiting teams is the real goal. Please...
Being a national power was never the goal. However, SJP has played games in other states for a long time which increases visibility and such impressions. Ironically, they've played 4 very good teams and are 2-2. Kudos to Malvern for executing their plan. Setting up such games elevates play over time and prepares the team for future play. SJP fields a young team and growth will take time. Next year when in 6A, it shouldn't matter. Frankly, open enrollment should exist for all schools, public and private. Unfortunately, Malvern doesn't play in PIAA. Also, it appears that other schools in PIAA "recruit" as well.
Zip,
I could care less, really not looking to paint any picture here, not a SJP guy(far from it!).
It's just my perception of the current landscape. Whether it's football, lacrosse, Ice hockey etc, nice to beat the Inter-Ac boys, but for PIAA schools and PCL schools in particular, their vision is focused elsewhere.
BTW.... LS and SJP have beaten MP ( whom I still consider the best I-Ac football team year in/out for last 15+ yrs.) enough in recent time to have to legitimize mythical "state title" claims.
Again IMO..
You say Malvern is the best Inter-Ac team year in and year out yet they've lost something like 5 of their last 6 games to Haverford School and haven't won an outright title since 2011. I will give you that they are the most consistently good team and the best overall historically but its been a different story in recent years. The 2014 Haverford and the 2012 Episcopal teams were some of the best I have seen in the Inter-AC ever and could have contended for state titles just as multiple Malvern teams of the past.
Either way this is a huge win for Malvern and the Inter-AC. I thought the Prep was outcoached and outplayed and for anyone to solely blame the weather is ridiculous. Malvern ran the ball down their throat and protected the football. If the PIAA adds more classes, it will be interesting to see if the Inter-AC schools will join the PIAA. The ability to play for a state title, even though it would be private schools only, might entice some of those recruits who go to the PCL schools to play for state titles. We also might get to see more matchups like this with higher stakes on the line.
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I haven't seen anyone "solely blaming the weather" for Friday night's outcome. That said, I hope we can all agree that weather, especially when it is extreme (very wet, very cold, or very windy) can very much affect the outcome of a game. Think of the LaSalle-Washington city championship game in 2008. The steady strong wind played havoc with LaSalle's strength--its passing game that was based on fine timing. And I would say that the weather was a factor in the victory margin in the SJP-Pennsbury game last year. If that had been a dry day, odds are the game is closer, though of course I can't be certain about that. Last night's outcome was very fair since both teams obviously had to contend with the same conditions, but that is not the same as saying the outcome would have been the same in different conditions.
I wasn't at the game but from what I heard and read of it, your second paragraph suggests Malvern dominated or came close to dominating. The Prep was a few yards from tying the game in the middle of the fourth quarter and probably going ahead with the PAT. It seems likely the game turned on a single play--the interception.
I agree it would be good if the Inter-AC schools could play for state titles. From all I read the "fifth year seniors" issue is a red herring. Malvern, I understand, doesn't have them. Which schools do? If they're rare, I don't see why the issue should stand in the way of a deal.
Malvern does not have 5th year seniors and they rarely do. Penn Charter is the usual culprit in the IA but they have become insignificant since McCluskey left so it really doesnt matter. IA will never go PIAA. Too many hurdles. 1)ADs and headmasters like to march to their own rules and dont want PIAA dictating to them outside rules. 2) Never been to an Inter Ac contest minus the league basketball opener and had to pay to get in. 3) Schools are relatively small and most student/athletes play at least one other sport. That being said a long march to states may decimate one or multiple winter sports teams at the school.
I stated in a different thread that SJP could lose to most of the teams on the schedule, Malvern being one of them! Malvern outplayed and out coached SJP. They also exploited the Prep's weakness. and yes State titles and national profile is the goal. As another poster stated back in the day Malvern use to beat up on Chestmost League, now they won't play Malvern same goes for SJP but 10 fold. Malvern was the better team Friday night! SJP will make the adjustments as they always do. Stay tuned, and see if it's good enough.
Why not read carefully. Here's what I said" Last night's outcome was very fair since both teams obviously had to contend with the same conditions ..."
btm ... I wonder--and worry--a bit about having a "national profile" as a goal, especially if it means doing what the North Jersey schools are doing, i.e. playing the likes of IMG, making not one long trip a year (as SJP now does on Labor Day weekend) but two or three, etc. And as an alumnus and donor, I wonder where the money will come from, especially since SJP doesn't have its own home field like SJR, BC, and DBP do. Maybe a "regional profile" should do.
Wo ist Slam? I don´t like Protestants, either.....but they´re much better than Muzzies, or?? Hey, BTW, Neshaminy is real bad this year....ha!
