News & notes from about...
Posted: December 10th, 2004, 1:33 pm
P.I.A.A. has difficult task in finding sites ...
Just how does the P.I.A.A. go about deciding playoff sites? It's not the snap decision or stumblefest some think.
According to executive director Brad Cashman, each district football chairman sends out a survey at about the midpoint of the regular season to see which sites might be available during the state playoffs.
The PIAA makes a chart of those available fields -- some of which have synthetic surfaces, many of which do not -- and work off that chart as the playoff field is winnowed.
This year, the PIAA abandoned its policy of the district at the top of a bracket hosting a playoff game in all rounds prior to the finals, instead seeking midpoint sites, as much as possible, for quarterfinal or semifinal games.
"That turned out to be more difficult than we imagined," Cashman said.
That's because the schools that made their facilities available might not have been anywhere close to midpoint, or might have had other events going on that would have made parking difficult, or might no longer be available.
It's not a matter of pulling out a map, poking a finger at a school as close to equidistant as most and declaring that the best available spot. The facility might not be large enough, the field in unplayable condition, etc, etc. So the PIAA has to go back to its pool of available facilities and choose the best location from there.
NOT JUST SHADY:
Certainly Pittsburgh Central Catholic's overwhelming performance against Bishop McDevitt and junior tailback LeSean McCoy looked bad for the Crusaders because, well, it was bad.
Yet even though the Vikings, 44-0 winners, kept McCoy surrounded and held him to 40 yards on 22 carries Saturday in Altoona, the Vikings themselves were able to see through the numbers to Shady's raw ability.
"He just didn't have anywhere to go because we always had someone in his face," PCC defensive end Graham Rihn said. "But he was hard to get a hold of even in those situations."
If you think it was tough for McCoy in that sea of Pittsburgh Central Catholic helmets, consider the following: Justin Hammond of McDowell, PCC's quarterfinal victim, had set a PIAA playoff single-game rushing record Nov. 20 with 350 yards against Brashear in the AAAA first round.
That record would fall a week later when Southern Columbia's Henry Hynoski piled up 409 yards vs. Pius X in the Class A quarterfinals.
But Hammond had an even tougher go than McCoy when McDowell faced that exceptional Central Catholic defense: Hammond rushed seven times in that game for a net of minus-1 yard.
MISS YA, VIC:
With the season almost over, I can't sign off without a personal aside.
Several years ago, before scores were widely posted on the Internet, I received a request from a rabid, elderly high school football fan in Coal Twp. named Vic Bogetti to pass along all of the state scores that I compiled weekly.
Mr. Bogetti said that following high school football statewide was a passionate hobby of his but it was difficult to obtain all of the scores. Anyone who is that into high school football is a comrade, so I agreed to mail him my weekly list.
In his 80s, Vic eventually learned how to surf the 'Net and delighted in dropping me an e-mail when I omitted a score from the lists I continued to send him. At the end, he would always add a prayer for my family.
Sadly, Mr. Bogetti was not on my mailing list this year. He died in late December of 2003 at the age of 89 from complications after he was struck by a car in Shamokin.
I write this because I know there are dozens (hundreds? thousands?) of Vic Bogettis out there whose passion for Pennsylvania high school football had never been dimmed by advancing age. They are often invisible but vital to a great sport played by great young men.
"THE CHOPS".
Just how does the P.I.A.A. go about deciding playoff sites? It's not the snap decision or stumblefest some think.
According to executive director Brad Cashman, each district football chairman sends out a survey at about the midpoint of the regular season to see which sites might be available during the state playoffs.
The PIAA makes a chart of those available fields -- some of which have synthetic surfaces, many of which do not -- and work off that chart as the playoff field is winnowed.
This year, the PIAA abandoned its policy of the district at the top of a bracket hosting a playoff game in all rounds prior to the finals, instead seeking midpoint sites, as much as possible, for quarterfinal or semifinal games.
"That turned out to be more difficult than we imagined," Cashman said.
That's because the schools that made their facilities available might not have been anywhere close to midpoint, or might have had other events going on that would have made parking difficult, or might no longer be available.
It's not a matter of pulling out a map, poking a finger at a school as close to equidistant as most and declaring that the best available spot. The facility might not be large enough, the field in unplayable condition, etc, etc. So the PIAA has to go back to its pool of available facilities and choose the best location from there.
NOT JUST SHADY:
Certainly Pittsburgh Central Catholic's overwhelming performance against Bishop McDevitt and junior tailback LeSean McCoy looked bad for the Crusaders because, well, it was bad.
Yet even though the Vikings, 44-0 winners, kept McCoy surrounded and held him to 40 yards on 22 carries Saturday in Altoona, the Vikings themselves were able to see through the numbers to Shady's raw ability.
"He just didn't have anywhere to go because we always had someone in his face," PCC defensive end Graham Rihn said. "But he was hard to get a hold of even in those situations."
If you think it was tough for McCoy in that sea of Pittsburgh Central Catholic helmets, consider the following: Justin Hammond of McDowell, PCC's quarterfinal victim, had set a PIAA playoff single-game rushing record Nov. 20 with 350 yards against Brashear in the AAAA first round.
That record would fall a week later when Southern Columbia's Henry Hynoski piled up 409 yards vs. Pius X in the Class A quarterfinals.
But Hammond had an even tougher go than McCoy when McDowell faced that exceptional Central Catholic defense: Hammond rushed seven times in that game for a net of minus-1 yard.
MISS YA, VIC:
With the season almost over, I can't sign off without a personal aside.
Several years ago, before scores were widely posted on the Internet, I received a request from a rabid, elderly high school football fan in Coal Twp. named Vic Bogetti to pass along all of the state scores that I compiled weekly.
Mr. Bogetti said that following high school football statewide was a passionate hobby of his but it was difficult to obtain all of the scores. Anyone who is that into high school football is a comrade, so I agreed to mail him my weekly list.
In his 80s, Vic eventually learned how to surf the 'Net and delighted in dropping me an e-mail when I omitted a score from the lists I continued to send him. At the end, he would always add a prayer for my family.
Sadly, Mr. Bogetti was not on my mailing list this year. He died in late December of 2003 at the age of 89 from complications after he was struck by a car in Shamokin.
I write this because I know there are dozens (hundreds? thousands?) of Vic Bogettis out there whose passion for Pennsylvania high school football had never been dimmed by advancing age. They are often invisible but vital to a great sport played by great young men.
"THE CHOPS".