The Transfers are going to start to happen.

[Harry Dunn]

Wade Walker and Nash Walker now attend Shade High School. Argue it, spin it, do whatever you with it however you will. But lets face it, the kids moved the day after Basketball season. Looked into other schools prior to Shade, this and that. It fishy no doubt about it. But whats done is done.

Johnstown will get the services of Point Guard Mark Watson once again. Had a brief hiatus from Johnstown and played 10 or so games with Altoona last season. Family situation, the kid had no say in the matter. He wanted to be in Johnstown all along. No complaints from any party, solid transfer.

But back to the interesting things.....
It was rumored almost all season Jerqual Wilson a 3 sport athlete from Bishop McCort, was going to attend Johnstown High School. Now in a complete 360 not only is he going to stay with McCort(the fact that this is even worth being talked about is absurd, save your comment...I know) But on top of that apparently Quentin Brandon, the leading scorer from Johnstown's DISTRICT 6 Championship team is planning on attending Bishop McCort. Wait? What!?

Yeah...strange real strange.

And it gets better yet. North Star lost two promising brothers back in March, but appear the Straiser brothers may make a move as well. That rumor is as old as dirt, but their father has looked into Greensburg Central Catholic and Bishop McCort for sure, and I think a move may happen there. And I expect them to be wearing Red and Gold. Quite Strange.


First off, I am a Bishop McCort grad. But I hate transfers past freshmen year. ESPECIALLY Senior transfers. Now I don not really buy into the recruiting conspiracy where Salem is making in house visits to these kids, but at the same time he rarely shies away from letting these kids come. And the problem is not Bishop McCort so much as it is the parents. Why would Wilson want to leave McCort here he started High School from Day 1. He starts on Basketball and can be their best or 2nd best receiving threat. He goes to Johnstown he has to deal with Madison,Watson and Brandon. Oh wait, Brandon wants to go to McCort....Why?! Why are the parents allowing this to happen? How about some courtesy? You are the starter at your own school....you come to another school and take someone else's minutes. Little rude if you ask me. But I do not want to come off like I know the situation but its hard to believe the situation isn't entirely athletically based. Then with the Straiser brothers. Max is a good Pitcher and QB. He will get recognized wherever he plays. Playing 1 season at McCort does nothing for the kid, but takes away Jesse Cooper's Starting job. A kid that worked his way up from Saint Pat's took the Crushers to the District Title. Yeah Mr. Straiser, good thinking there. Tony would benefit from McCort actually. But I don't condone it. He takes away Keith Fletcher's minutes in Basketball. He takes away some snaps from some young athletic wideouts within the McCort system, and will play Centerfield in Baseball also taking away time from a young kid. Now its been some time since I've played but, I was a kid that lost a starting job to a public school transfer. I'm not bitter, but it did not sit well with me for years. But I don't blame Bishop McCort. I blame these kids and parents that think only for themselves and try to better their own situation....


Bishop McCort likely will go 7-2, and win D6 A in Football without the Straisers. Cooper will do fine at QB, and Leech,Spangler, Wilson, and Trexler will excel without giving time to Tony Straiser.

North Star will win D5 with the two brothers. Max will have a great season, Tony will start getting recognized by some D2 Schools with the potential of some very small D1 schools looking. 6-5 and athletic, thats what schools look for.

Bishop McCort will defend its Basketball Title. Trexler, Hipp, Wilson and Fletcher lead the team back for another impressive season. Fletcher grows into a solid player getting the opportunity to start.

Mr. Walker will get some weird gratification as Shade wins the WestPac with his sons and Fyock leading the way. North Star will get either 1st or 2nd in D5 AA and will advance into the State Tournament yet again, and Tony Straiser contends for All Somerset County Player of the Year.

Johnstown gets an added boost by getting Watson back and him and Brandon become a lethal backcourt duo as Johnstown wins the D6 AAA Championship and LHAC Championship for the third consecutive season.




You see where I am getting at? we don't need to be the Miami Heat and align stars, these kids will be good at their home schools. If you are going to transfer, DO it before your sophomore school year. Anything else isn't fair to your home team, the kids job you are going to steal, and everyone involved.

Plain and Simple, Parents are 100% in the wrong.

[Manfred]

Does anyone have listings for Cheerleading contests / tournaments? Please forward same to Mr. Watson. Q Brandon? Was he the very first name on the list of "finest 20" scholarship recipients? Inquiring minds want to know.

[Harry Dunn]

He very well could be. You aren't going to get into a Bishop McCort bashing argument with me, I'm not like Crimson or Jack Daniel, I don't care too much for what is going on at the school. I still support the athletic teams and there are great people involved in and around that school, but it has taken a large turn for the worse the past 3-4 years. Like I said I really do think its the parents of these kids that are the main problem anymore.

[deepcreek]

This is why it might be good to go back to separate public and private playoffs in PIAA. Then, no one would care and in fact most likely root for Bishop McCort instead of deriding them

[El-Moldo]

Sure the parent's are alot at fault in late school transfers, but BM CAN SAY NO!!!!! When you look at their new LIFT Scholarship Program, BM is going to select WHO THEY WANT from the list of applicants, especially those with GOOD academic and disciplinary records at their respective junior highs. Now if BM can TAKE who they want from a list, they can also REFUSE someone wanting to transfer. IF BM has ANY inkling that a transfer is for athletics, they should JUST SAY NO!!! However, they won't. And that's the problem.

[Harry Dunn]

I'm with you brother, transfers after freshmen year should be outlawed. I don't have a problem with a kid from Johnstown going to Bishop McCort after 8th grade, I do have a problem if the kid leaves after his sophomore season. I think it should go anyway you spin it, if a kid from Saint Pats goes to Johnstown after 8th grade its no biggie, but if a kid leaves Bishop McCort after his junior year its still the same. If you are a marquee athlete I dont think you should be allowed to attend whatever school you want.



What about the case with the Wilson kid for McCort? I don't think it would be any better for him to leave McCort after going there for 3 years to go to Johnstown who has the better Football team. Its giving parents and schools too much say in a kid's future. Johnstown did better this past season, are kids going to leave the McCort program? Will kids that would attend McCort stay with Johnstown? Who knows? But Athletics is becoming a driving force into where a parent sends their kid. Trust me, I'm not defending McCort or any Private School, or Public school for that matter. Transferring for Athletics is flat out wrong, and its a dirty business in my opinion. If you wish to leave School Districts or schools, that determination can be made when the kid is in 8th grade, before High School.

[sportsfan1000]

Where are you getting this rumor that Q Brandon is going to McCort? I talked to someone on the JHS basketball team yesterday and they said if its true its news to him.

[El-Moldo]

I hold in my hand the Our Town supplemental paper which comes in the mail every week with the Bi-Lo flyer. The lead headline reads "McCort Offers Scholarship for Disadvantaged", which tells about the 20 upcoming McCort LIFT scholarships to be given to "selected" 9th graders who are economically disadvantaged. Six individuals instrumental in the scholarship program are pictured on the page. Three of them are Jerry Davitch, Ken Salem and Rick DelSignore. Think there might be any athletic bias in selecting some of those 20 kids for the scholarships???????

[Manfred]

deepcreek is right ON!

[Muddlehuddle]

I wonder how the state funding is going to effect all these transfers? I understand that there is expected to be a substantial increase in tuition at the local Catholic schools. Perhaps the public schools may get a few students back due to inability to meet the increased cost?