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Did Richland beat Somerset/Johnstown/Philipsburgh/Central Cambria? NO! They won week 5 because they played like they had nothing to lose. If they met in the playoffs BM would have won hands down. They had a good year and based on the kids comming up, they should have several more years of +.500 ball. Sczur was a good player, but lets be honest, hes no Scott Lewis...

12*-2 District Championship
* 1 more win than Richland in 06 and 07 together(2 more if you dont count that joke game vs Freedom Ac.)

Congratulations Richland, lets hope we don't have to wait another 40 years for you all to throw a decent squad on the field to compete with McCort. You say 30-27? That doesn't erase the 40+ years worth of a** beatings that you have taken. Besides as I stated before, who won the LHAC? Who won D6? It wasn't the young men in the blue and red.

It seems as though I've hit a nerve with the McCort faithful. I'm just waiting for my Hilltoppers to hire one of those McCort staff members to lead Westy back into power in the LHAC. Maybe the new staff will be able to keep all those Westmont residents from fleeing down the hill into that 90 year old building they call a school.

What will the Crushers do without DeFrances and the Rams and Eagles without Pecora and Kaufman? How many days until next season? I can't wait for the fun to begin!

Is this guy serious? Is this a horrible attempt at obviously bad joke?

TheNatural,

I often enjoy your posts, but I'd like to comment on a few of your points this time.

First, you made this statement:

"I bet Moldo would not object if he wanted to move into the FH school district and play for the Rangers."

I don't think anyone would have an objection if a player moved into another school district - the question with this particular transfer was the kid in question lived in the Richland school district and attended Bishop McCort. Although I am not one to complain about the current set-up with private schools, you cannot deny that the open borders cause headaches for many other area programs. Again, if a kid wants to attend Central Cambria and lives in Penn Cambria school district, he/she will have to either pay tuition at the new school or move into the actual school district. With private schools, you are able to stay in your current home and attend another school. Does anyone know of any kids who currently live in one public school district and pay to attend another public school district? This is an honest question - are there any examples?

You then made this statement:

"Richland could have 11 Szcurs on the field and they still couldn't win D6."

I don't know who this player is, but if he has any kind of ability then maybe they could challenge for a D6 title, much like McCort does with their 11 starters. Remember, if these starters from McCort were not educated all the way from gradeschool until now, they would be starting at another public school. I REALIZE PRIVATE TO PUBLIC TRANSFERS HAPPEN AS WELL. I'm not here to bash the private schools, simply adding my thoughts to the current post.

Next, you stated this:

"And Moldo, McCort does not charge the kids, they charge the parents who want the BEST for their kids."

I agree that almost every parent on earth wants their kids to have the best of everything. Parents of McCort kids are no different. I do question the "best" as far as an education however. I am not slighting McCort's educators, simply wanting some evidence that a private education is the "best" education. By virtue of eliminating the bad apples, the private schools have an educational advantage - good reason to send your kids there if you are trying to eliminate the poor behaviors of low achievers. However, is the education being provided any better than that in a public school? Again, just a general question - any input would be appreciated.

Lastly, you made this statement:

"Be bitter if you want. There is another D6 banner hanging somewhere in the McCort gymnasium from the D6 football championship this year. McCort has been an attractive place for students to go in the last 10 or so years. Maybe it is because they provide the BEST in athletics and education to those that are enrolled there."

Bitter? I guess so. I can understand the anger that comes along with losing to a private school when members of the team used to be part of your team. I think you would understand too if you were placed in the same position. I am all for kids having the best opportunities, but allowing kids to come and go with no borders sets the stage for a stacked team. I don't blame the parents for wanting their kids to be in a school that eliminates losers and does extremely well in sports, but I do have a problem with the open borders. At this point, the private schools are assembling excellent sports teams from kids who did not all attend the same system from grade 1 on. If this applies to any of the players at McCort, Carroll or Guilfoyle then I do question their motives for attending the private school during or after the 9th grade.

Again, I do understand that it goes both ways, as I am aware of a handful of players who have attended Holy Name Elementary through grade school and then ended up at CC. My question here is, why make the change from the Catholic school to the public school for your high school years? Does it have anything to do with the quality of the education?

TheNatural wrote:Is this guy serious? Is this a horrible attempt at obviously bad joke?

Serious about what!

I just stated that the Crushers have not had an undefeated season since 1963. Being that this is one of their yearly goals, I am sure that they are somewhat disappointed with the Richland loss. I was happy for the kids at Richland (big wins over McCort and Westy) and Somerset (beating Johnstown out for a playoff spot). I'm sure they have worked hard and it is good to see kids have success.

Again, I am excited about the prospects of the Westmont program's future. From my sources, I've heard good things about the old coach. However, he has decided it is time for a change. Who are some of the candidates out there?

On the hill, I've heard the following

Jerry Davitch
Ernie Fetzer
T.J. Sheehan
Ken Salem (as principal/coach)
Dick Mock
Will Aurandt
Joe Arcurio
Tony Penna Jr.
Ralph Demarco

I'm sure some of these names are just speculation.

Ask the head BM girls coach how it feels...

Jozey22 wrote:TheNatural,
I can understand the anger that comes along with losing to a private school when members of the team used to be part of your team.

4 outta 5 girls that started for Westmont on the state runner-up teams attended a parochial school...It happens both ways...

"Does anyone know of any kids who currently live in one public school district and pay to attend another public school district? This is an honest question - are there any examples?"

In reply Jozey, I am unsure of any current players doing such, but Ben Leonard played for Shade without living in the school district in 05. He went on to participate in the Lantzy game. There were no complaints from Richland because Shade was terrible that year and they already had Pecoro as their QB, but I can't imagine how Richland would have felt if they didnt already have Pecoro. Leonard attended Shade all years of his schooling, and Richland never complained. Was it because he never transferred and never left their program? If that is the reason, why would schools such as Richland, Westmont, and FH complain about kids coming going from catholic grade schools (OMOS, Bennies, Andrews's, etc) to McCort. They never "left" their respective public school if they never went there in the first place.

And I'm sure people will always say McCort recruits when kids decide to leave their public schools in their later years of school. Sure it sucks for a public school to lose a good athlete after he grew up in their district, and I agree I would be pissed. But McCort can't turn these kids away when they come. In reality, very few of McCorts athletes transfer after 9th grade. The only ones I can recall (forgive me if I miss someone) are Wadley, Pears, Gates, and Bill Bruce. Wadley is a great athlete, but didn't even get to play his senior year. Pears came after his mother got a job as a teacher at McCort. Gates did relatively nothing playing for McCort. And Bruce was injured nearly his entire senior season. The only school that really "missed out" on all these transfers was North Star. Then again, that is just my humble opinion.

did a mccort supporter just claim to be humble? You bite your tongue what would kenny think of this? By the way LH crown and D6, crown how many years did mccort toil in mediocroce and beat their chest to a winning season? Richland played PO just as tough as McCort did they came up short by inches so dont act like mccort would have ran the ball down Richland’s throat. Remember PO had like 20 guys on their roster and had to give everything they had against richland to win. Therefore if you were smart you would be thanking richland and the quality of play in the LHAC. A sczur lead defense shut down a D-1 running back for mccort and a D-1 athlete in wadley, oh by the way he did this without 2 all staters in front of him and another guy going to FSU. Whoever said anything about scott lewis?

Catholic education teaches humility and to be humble....

I never said a thing about Richland/PO this year,I know they were both great teams with great athletes. I hope your little rant wasn't directed at me.