Western PA Football taking some hits.....

[Crimson09Crazy]

I mean any sensible person here would like to think HS Football in Western PA is as good as any. I don't think too long ago that was true, but the WPIAL got it handed to themselves this weekend.

Penn Hills lost to Saint Ed's of Cleveland by 40.
Thomas Jefferson lost to a Single A Florida team 43-7
Woodland Hills lost to a real good Florida team.
McKeesport got shut out by an Ohio team and Gateway got shut out by McDevitt.
Central Catholic killed an Akron HS team.

Not an impressive weekend to show the rest of the country that we are still a football powerhouse. I think the downward spiral has been in effect for a while now, and is going to start to show up more often. Sad thing but we just don't have the same talent that used to be here.

[cleaverstuart]

The scores are some what of a concern, but one must remember this was week two for Ohio and Florida Schools not week one like here. P.S. on a smaller scale you could add Blairsville Bishop Ready

[Crimsoncrush67]

I think it is important to remember that we are still a very good football state, but Florida, Texas, California, and Ohio truly are that much better, and I think always have been. When is that last time that a PA school played a Florida team? What was the result?

[The Ancient Enemy]

The population has dwindled and that has hurt Western PA a lot.

Keep in mind that Caputo and Kirby are both injured, and those are the top two WPIAL prospects.

The overall recruiting pool in PA is very bad this year. Next year will be a return to form. (Harris, Shell, Spence, etc)

[WPIAL~Titan]

Let's be clear: western PA means the WPIAL and to a smaller extent the City League and District 10. Districts 5, 6, and 9 turn out some quality small college football players, but not many D1s.

[Crimson09Crazy]

Individual talent isn't the problem. Team play is. The overall quality of teams are the difference no a days. And I live in Johnstown and to me that is western pa. So yes I get what your saying about the wpial but my point is about the teams. But I went to a school that churns out as much d1 talent over the years as most wpial schools. Mac or not. It's still division1

[southpaw]

West PA has suffered a big time quality drop over the last few decades. With the closing of mills and mines in West PA people moved out of the area. PA population has not declined with eastern part of the state growing and the west declining. Pittsburgh and the surrounding areas that we once the hotbed for recruiting in the 60's and 70's just don't have the talent pool anymore it has moved south to Florida. I would even say that there is better football and talent in Eastern PA than West PA presently.

[The Ancient Enemy]

Crimson, it is absolutely individual talent as well. Go do a search on Scout (free) of the PA kids who have multiple D1 offers. I can pretty much name them w/o even looking. And very few of them have "big time" offers. This is just a very poor year, talent-wise.

Southpaw is 100% right. But next year, PA should rebound. There's a lot of great prospects coming up.

[Crimson09Crazy]

I mean this whole topic goes hand in hand, haha i started the topic. And forget about the Division 1 crap for right now. I'm talking about good football teams with good players. I know not every guy on that Manatee team from Florida is Division 1. But they had some dang good players on either side of the ball. Western PA is definitely lacking real good football teams.

I mean Manatee their RB is going to Auburn or FLorida and they had some other quality players.
Woodland Hills has their back going to Pitt and LB and DE likely heading to Iowa. So Division 1 wise they each had their guys going places, but the difference was their non D1 players were dang good.

Anymore looking at the Quad A WPIAL, Who are your top teams over then past ten years?

Central Catholic
Gateway
Penn Hills
McKeesport
Upper St. Clair
Woodland Hills
ect...

Gateway produces more Division 1 talent then any of those schools they've never won WPIAL's
Penn Hills had 5-6 guys from last year's team, they were an 8 seed in WPIAL's
Woodland Hills always produces

Central has their fair share, but never the big time prospects like these 2 schools. They are a better team, program and they can compete against Out of State teams? Why? Who knows, they usually have less Division 1 talent then most of the other AAAA schools.

So it isn't always about D1 talent here. Our teams with the D1 talent aren't that good is pretty much what I am summing up. We have the guys, we are a step behind team wise from the other big time states.

[psycho]

Western PA football is a shell of what it once was. looks like even the last vestiges of competitiveness are gone with what happened this past weekend.

Too many bullying classes and not enough accountability, responsibility and football fundamentals being taught when everyone gets a trophy in the public schools. EVERYONE. Comp levels at all time lows.

Just look at the numbers of D1kids from Western PA and how they have dropped like a rock over the years.

Down south they actually still have tryouts and cut. Could you even IMAGINE that happening here. The coach would be run out on a rail. Because remember --- EVERYONE deserves and is entitled to a TROPHY!!!!!!