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west33 wrote:I agree with coffin that bg is way better than berlin and played in the lhac which is way tougher than the west pac. Congrats to berlin on a great season and a nice win over clairton. Good to see local teams whip up on those cocky teams down that way who think our area can't compare. Fochtman is good, but that chadbourn and yasilitus are the real deal. Chadbourn will get d1 looks with his build and speed. And that bg line would destroy any team in the west pac!

I know it's different sports, but didn't a westpac team (Shanksville) beat a LHAC team (SOMERSET....OF ALL TEAMS!) in basketball a few days ago?

upnorth wrote:

usatf oldguy wrote:So when a team like BG who accepted 2 linemen this year from "AAAA" Altoona this year goes to the "A" state title game for the second year in a row everyone should just quietly smile and say nothing? Yea right! As long as these practices continue to happen, which by the way violates PIAA rules, it needs to be brought up.

You can continuously bring it up on an internet message board to make yourself feel better or you can choose to take action.  The executive leadership of the PIAA is on record stating that they will not do anything in regards to public/private without legislative intervention.  So contact your state representatives and get the ball rolling, or just continue to complain ad nauseam.

Yes, by all means contact your State Representative, who is likely a private school alumnus, and whose offspring are either currently enrolled or are also alumnus, and tell them to get to work on the disparity of competition in high school athletics. First off, they can't decide on a State Budget so there sure as heck aren't going to do anything about a problem they are part of. Secondly, if the PIAA refuses to correct the problem they have created, then the logical thing is to replace the administration in the organization. Will this happen? Probably as likely as the State Reps fixing it. 

Another possibility is, as some other posts have alluded to, is that when support of championships dwindles and impacts the overall financial and social status of PIAA, maybe then they will be shamed into fixing it. 

The complaining "ad nauseum" will continue as long as the injustice of the current set up continues. 

OutsideLookingIn wrote:

upnorth wrote:

usatf oldguy wrote:So when a team like BG who accepted 2 linemen this year from "AAAA" Altoona this year goes to the "A" state title game for the second year in a row everyone should just quietly smile and say nothing? Yea right! As long as these practices continue to happen, which by the way violates PIAA rules, it needs to be brought up.

You can continuously bring it up on an internet message board to make yourself feel better or you can choose to take action.  The executive leadership of the PIAA is on record stating that they will not do anything in regards to public/private without legislative intervention.  So contact your state representatives and get the ball rolling, or just continue to complain ad nauseam.

Yes, by all means contact your State Representative, who is likely a private school alumnus, and whose offspring are either currently enrolled or are also alumnus, and tell them to get to work on the disparity of competition in high school athletics. First off, they can't decide on a State Budget so there sure as heck aren't going to do anything about a problem they are part of. Secondly, if the PIAA refuses to correct the problem they have created, then the logical thing is to replace the administration in the organization. Will this happen? Probably as likely as the State Reps fixing it. 

Another possibility is, as some other posts have alluded to, is that when support of championships dwindles and impacts the overall financial and social status of PIAA, maybe then they will be shamed into fixing it. 

The complaining "ad nauseum" will continue as long as the injustice of the current set up continues. 

Do you realize how incredibly stupid you sound??? Do you know all the members of the State House and know they all went to private schools? Or are you just assuming like you do when you assume private school coaches recruit? Even though you have no clue!! By the way...The starting MLB for Central lives in a different school district. Where is the outrage there???? 

Wahhhhhh, Wahhhhhhh, Wahhhhhhh -- It's not FAIR!  When I went to Johnstown High we didn't even know where Bishop McCort, Bishop Guilfoyle or Bishop Carroll were. During my three years at high school, three star athletes transferred from McCort to Johnstown. Nobody said a word. Now that the public school "system", "rules" and" framework" have become a travesty and an abomination and people who care about their kids education put them in private schools -- now there a convenient excuse for some public school people. If we did away with 200 public school districts, as we should in PA, this "problem" would go away and the PIAA would not have to aid the PSEA's obstructive efforts to oppose public district consolidation by watering down an already ultra-uncompetitive sports system by going to six classes. What a joke.

When you write to your representatives, don't forget to mention how charter/cyber schools get all the state funding per student that a public school gets, but without having to to provide any documentation of how they spend the money.

Charter schools: the next great way to rob the current generation of money, while robbing the future generation of a chance.

WPIC's Bob Greenburg interviewed coaches Samuels and Wheeler about the the state title match-up. Worth a listen if you're interested.

Farrell coach Jarrett Samuels

Bishop Guilfoyle coach Justin Wheeler

What does consolidation accomplish when whiny parents just open a charter school in its place? You're telling me those kids on the Lincoln Park basketball team went there for the "arts" education?

Back to football- how do these two teams match up? Does Farrell have a line that can play with BG? Is BG a big favorite or would most consider them to be less than a 10 point favorite?

footballguy99 wrote:Back to football- how do these two teams match up?  Does Farrell have a line that can play with BG?  Is BG a big favorite or would most consider them to be less than a 10 point favorite?

IMO there's a few ways to look at it. Farrells lines are huge and fast, but Berlin seemed to handle them well while being very undersized compared to them. BG's lines are also massive but slower. If Farrell can get angry and assert themselves on the line I feel they can dominate BG there. But BG could wear them down as I heard it looked like Berlins line wore Farrells down. I know BG is the favorite but if Farrell shows up to play and limits turnovers I don't see how BG can keep up. There's just way too much size and speed. Farrell always seems to shoot themselves in the foot though. I can see it going 14-21 points either way. But Hopefully it'll be a good close game. 

This game could literally be deja vu for the Marauders. This Farrell team is Clairton, but with a massive/quick line. Another comparison: they don't use a kicker. Instead they go for two every time, which is what killed Clairton last December. As stated earlier on here, Farrell always seems to shoot themselves in the foot, although it hasn't come back to bite them with a loss...yet. If Farrell does play their most perfect game to date, and BG plays like they did during last week's first half, this would be Farrell's game to lose. With that said, I do believe Farrell will slip up with turnovers/penalties. The question is, will they be able to make a late surge like they have in nearly every other playoff game? If not, BG brings home the gold once again. A slow start by either side will probably determine their fate if the opponent capitalizes. BG's experience in the game may help some, but let's remember Clairton had that same advantage last year. This game will come down to the second half, where I think the score will go back and forth until a BG secondary defensive blunder allows Farrell's multi-talented QB to throw a long touchdown pass. A late Farrell defensive stop will secure it for the small town Steelers. FH 26 BG 24.