Just curious what everyone thoughts are if there's anyone in 6A that can challenge them or make it a game. Every starter is a D1 guy and they got Romans best player that transfered in this year along with a NJ kid where they are both rivals top 200 guys. I think they mercy rule everyone through the playoffs. Can parkland, cb west, PCC, Manhiem, Harrisburg, or NA keep it close?
Sjp vs rest of 6A
- Thread starter DripDrop
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An all-star squad made up of the best players from Parkland, CBW, PCC, MT, Hburg, both Dtowns, and NA would have a shot if they had a full off-season and regular season to jell.
For one thing, not every starter at SJP is a D1 guy. More and more hs kids get D1 offers, and they tend to get them much earlier but we should all be able to see what that's about.
SJP is not unbeatable from here on out. Look at what several on this board were saying last week about PCC-PR.
SJP is not unbeatable from here on out. Look at what several on this board were saying last week about PCC-PR.
Sjp probably has more D1 guys then all the other 6A schools out east combined. Who matches up well with them and gives them a game then. IMO I think PCC still has the best chance but will be a giant underdog.
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I was at the SJP - LaSalle game on Friday night . The only time SJP slows down are self inflicted penalties or turnovers. One of the most complete teams I’ve seen - especially on D. I think they can mercy (running clock) the field the rest of the way.
LaSalle is a so-so team this year. They lost to Malvern and, by a three or four TDs, to Bishop McDevitt. They were also missing several starters on Friday due to injury. Roman has been better so far this season. The Prep's game at Bishop Spalding could be a real test. Spalding beat Don Bosco by two TD's and lost by three to IMHOTEP in Philly. They've pretty much blown out everyone else.
I get it but the question was 6a playoffs. Which I take the Prep against the field.
Spaulding will be interesting bc they have a big time qb.
Yes, LS is banged up but it wouldn’t have mattered.
Prep will mercy Roman too.
FWIW, McDevitt is a top 5 team in the state regardless of classification. MP is probably top 10.
Is this just hyperbole or do you really believe that here in east there are that few guys going to D1 programs?? That statement is not even close to being accurate.
imo, I think what get's people messed up, is there are only 6 TOTAL teams here in the "west" at the 6A level- there's a whole lot more teams that size out "east" which means a whole bunch of "d1 kids"
Little sarcastic but if you go 3 to four star recruits it's definitely accurate statement.
I would guess that Imhotep plus Roman would match The Preps D-1 total.
Exactly, 33 in D1 alone. And yes, I’m glad you put “D1” in quotes… but obviously when I go league by league or by district, SOL sends a bunch of kids to D1 schools every year, so does Ches-Mont and so do the schools up in D11, plus every other school in the PCL. Public league also always has at least a handful of top players. The level of football varies obviously, they’re not all P5 kids.
I think we put too much stock in # of D1 offers and # of stars someone gives a recruit. There are many players who are very good or even great hs players who have little or no chance of starting at a top D1 school. There were at least a couple on the 2021 Mount Lebanon team. I'd say DiNunzio (2014 PR team) was another, though I saw him only against SJP. LaSalle had a QB in 2009, Loughery, who was great at running that offense but he got no D1 offers and probably would not have been successful if he had--because of his size and maybe the strength of his arm. Steve Quinn at SJP was a great two-way player (WR and LB) but he never held down a starting job at ND at least partly because his body frame was just too small for LB and he lacked the necessary height and speed to make it at WR. Same probably for the Johnson brothers who were great LBs at SJP and, wisely, chose to play their college ball at Princeton. (Maybe one went elsewhere.)
Also, a lot more kids from 8th grade to 10th grade are getting "offers"--not promises or commitments--from colleges.
If I’m looking at a team and see that their “lower level” starters are getting D3 offers, I’m much more concerned about that team than one with a couple of Power 5 guys and a drop off after that.
Getting a little off topic but does anyone think there's a team in pa that can challenge them or have a chance. I know cb west is good but district one has been down over the years. Parkland has a stud running back and a 3 year starter at qb but i don't know much about the rest of the team. Usually it's the wpial that has beaten them in the past and PCC is special. I think to many people on this board have written them off after the loss last week.
No one in PA will beat Prep this year. The only team I think that could present a challenge in terms of matching up talent wise, position-by-position, and coaching would be Bishop McDevitt in 4A. That would be a game I'd pay to see for an overall State Championship.
To elaborate further. Mcdevitt is good. St joes is national. Every 3 years they have a team that’s beatable but then you have 3 years of not being on the same stratosphere. The money and everything else sets them apart. Without question the mcdevitt coaches can coach the St Joes team to the same level of success they are having but it’s apples to oranges 3 out of 4 years.
Haven’t watched a Sjp game this year, but I’d assume the key to beating them would be running the ball. Is the replacement for trotter good?
The three Prep linebackers (McGlynn, McNulty, and Sacca) may be as good a group as they've ever had.
As a District-3 guy and having lived in Harrisburg-Middletown, I can tell you the one complaint locals have is coaching, that they should have had at least a few more trophies (10, 13, 21) than have. Last year quieted the crowd but it's a typical buzz in the area. Personally, I wouldn't compare their staff to St. Joe's or in fact any PA staff to SJP's that is extraordinary.
About the team this year; I think they could have more speed at LB (Kephart 6-0 205, Brooks 6-0 200, Lawler 6-2 215, Barnes 6-2 205) although they managed Mt St Joe's and LaSalle well, less vs DePaul Catholic.
McD flat out has an enormous amount of talent, but it's young talent, mostly juniors and sophs; the line has 4 underclassmen (275-280 avg), Stone Saunders is a jr (6-2, 205, 1839, 77%, 29/1). They're breaking in a Frosh receiver (Jontai Quick 5-10 155) and a Soph running back (Nazir Jones-Davis 6-0 180) with a soph regular at running back in Maurice Barne 6-2 205. Davis and Barnes are especially mature for sophs just eyeballing. The secondary is probably best ever along with the receiver corps.
In my view they're a year ahead of a much better team with the numbers next year and more physically mature and experienced. They have big game experience as per above and last year's schedule vs LaSalle and Imhotep.
I imagine SJP would win a head-to-head with simply put, more talent and a deeper staff. But if you give Saunders a few seconds and their OL can manage Hawk's DL, it's a game. Few teams have faced a quarterback like Stone Saunders
cameron smith is the third linebacker, i believe mcnulty plays on the dline
Watching them play this year. This group may be better. Trotters replacement may be player of the year. The 2 outside guys are fast. With all the power they have on offense this team defensively is an issue. I think that’s where they separate themselves from the rest of the pack. If you can score you have a chance but we’ve seen scores are hard to come by. Gave up 14 to IMG (returned kick to the redzone and forced 3)who’s ranked 4th and gave up 14 to Lakeland (1 trick play and also a big return they forced 3). Spalding is interesting bc of the qb and I think if you want to beat them you’ll need to have a balanced attack. This is also the biggest and fastest defensive line they’ve had in quite sometime. They controlled IMG up front IMO. With 2 Florida teams their defense seemed faster than both. I’ve seen them 3 x , both Florida teams and last week at Penn. From their Twitter account they’ve scored on defense & special teams in every game they played. I’ve said it last yr and again today. The year to crown a new 6A champ is next year. Hopefully
Hey to each his own, I would love to see McDevitt with their SEC bound QB and WR play against the best team in PA.
I honestly don't see many other teams that could even match McDevitt's talent let alone St. Joe's Prep. Maybe PCC or North Alleghany but neither one of those teams seems to want to win the WPIAL let alone compete with Prep...definitely no team in this part of the State, no one in D1 is even close to being able to match what Prep has going on. Lehigh Valley is a step ahead of D1 but still light years away from Prep or even Roman or Imhotep.
I honestly don't see many other teams that could even match McDevitt's talent let alone St. Joe's Prep. Maybe PCC or North Alleghany but neither one of those teams seems to want to win the WPIAL let alone compete with Prep...definitely no team in this part of the State, no one in D1 is even close to being able to match what Prep has going on. Lehigh Valley is a step ahead of D1 but still light years away from Prep or even Roman or Imhotep.
Yes. The rich got richer. He’s an espn top 200 backer. Who flat out runs. Him and Sacca gives them 2 power 5 outside backers.
Not sure about that ,but if you’re offering we have a few athletes at Broad and Vine that would happily sign. Especially if it means we’re getting more players.
For balance, it's important to know the talent at McD is inordinately extraordinary this year, headed by Saunders, a Qb that would be playing anywhere. He is NOT your typical McDevitt Qb.
Do you think Saunders is a better hs quarterback than Samaj Jones this year? I don't have an opinion since I've seen Saunders only on highlight videos. The only weakness I can see in Jones is that he occasionally forces a throw, with interceptions sometimes resulting.
Saunders is smart and throws with extreme accuracy. While I'm not a coach or one of these guys that knows talent or pretends he does (services), he impresses with coolness, scanning the field, accuracy. Jones is a better runner. At least he was last year where Saunders rarely runs. He might have greater application in varied schemes than Saunders. Saunders isn't Brady; but doesn't run often.
I look at Saunders vs top teams, not the Keystone comp that is soft, except for Cedar Cliff and Lower Dauphin who are still miles from McD's talent level.
Saunders vs Mt. St Joe's: 22/39, 262, 3/1
vs DePaul 29/18/243, 2/0
vs LaSalle 15/23/333, 4/0
Totals (62%) 56/90/1010, 9/1
I hear you Stalk but I'm only talking this year. Definitely not comparing the two programs although both have been at the top of their classifications/district for the the past 6-7 years.
I'd imagine though that McD could build a "4A version" of Prep with all the talent in the surrounding area (Harrisburg, Central Dauphin, Hershey, West Shore schools, Cumberland Valley, Susquehanna Twp, Steelton, Middletown etc.). Not sure the climate out there for creating a central PA superpower but they're in as good as spot as anyone to do it...