Are you ready for some football?
Welcome to the official blog on high school football for the 2012 season.
We want to know what game you are going to each week and let’s talk about matchups and how teams did.
Let us know what player(s) stood out each week.
1,061 Responses
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PIAA_Football_Records This breaks down state titles by district and state titles by school. How about this stat ACC(3), Berwick(6), CB West(4), Mount Carmel(5),and Southern Columbia(6) account for 24 state titles among the 5 schools. The difference between East and West is that only 4 schools oput west accoun for more than 2 state titles TJ (3), Clariton (3), Rochester (3) and PCC (3). Much better football played out west. And it hurts me to say that.
The 5 strongest districts in order are: 7-12-11-3-1.
Lets look futher in to the numbers now i belive b3 is in the western bracket? But before that d 5,6,8,9 and 10 have 130 teams,that gives the wpial almost 50% of the teams in the west the odds of a team from their making a state final is much greater than any one from the east
@Jim B
Thank you Jim; your Old Eastern Conference region comment led to this “regionalization” and it is fascinating and I think a real value and measure. As last season wound down, I used what resources I had and could find and did a 90-page word document on PA H S Football based on the 23 State Championships through 2010. It has been my hobby since 1951; just love H S Football.
Ok, I see D3 is the Harrisburg area and has about 93 schools.
Kmac and Buddy,
This is a great conversation. So far we have established three “regions”
1. District 7 (the WPIAL) and District 8 (the Pittsburgh City League)
2. District 1 (philly burbs) and District 12 (philly)
3. Old Eastern Conference: District 2 (wilkes-barre/scranton), District 11 (Lehigh Valley & Poconos), District 4 (Coal region and northern tier)
The WPIAL and the Eastern Confernce each have about 30 Titles. Unfortunatly, D12 didn’t participate in the state playoffs for the first 20 they were run, so will never know what could have been.
What are the number from D6? Is that the Harrisburg/State College region”
@Buddy
D1 with 73 teams and D12 with 44 puts a match of 117 teams versus D7’s 127. Remember, my studies and numbers are through 2010 only. Combining the number of teams in each class for D1 and D12 against the same in D7 yields the following totals: in 4A D1-12 64 teams, D7 27. In 3A D1-D12 34 teams, D7 31. In 2A D1-12 13 teams, D7 34. In 1A D1-12 6 teams, D7 35. The state championships (again thru 2010) were in 4A D1-12 8, D7 11; in 3A D1-12 2, D7 6; in 2A D1-12 2 D7 6 and in 1A D1-12 0 D7 9. Total state championships D1-12 12 D7 32. Again add 2011 if you will, my study ended after the 2010 results.
@Buddy
Interesting point D1 & D12. I’ll get on it and post again. Also, now that D3 has a “western” class 4A State Champ in Central Dauphin (sorry to have to mention it, Buddy); we should get the asterisks ready for eastern teams winning western titles, and vice versa should it occur. Be back with D1 & D12.
Lets not forget about Henderson they have looked great undertheir new coach and they always play tough defense. DTE has to improve their run game and show they can conrol the clock. cant win around here without a strong run game.
How ’bout we compare D1 & D12 with D7 ?
You said there are 127 teams in D7 ( WPIAL).
How many in the 2 districts I mention above?
Might get a better comparision of dominance if the size is close.
@mark d
You are right Mark, on a basis of East-West, the East holds a decided edge. My earlier post was on a league-dominated basis, clearly WPIAL, which is also all of D7 has won far more than any other league. Jim B pointed out a region-comparison that was eye-opening, comparing a region of football to WPIAL as a “region”. I made an early season post that said we all have fun comparing east-west, league-league,region-region,team-team, and even down to individual players. We all have to remember to compare the same thing on both sides. The water is muddied by the fact that D7 is all one league, the WPIAL. But if it is a sanctioned PIAA league it is what it is. As such they have won 32 titles. Next with 12 titles is the PA Heartland Conference of the east. My numbers are through the 2010 season.
24 years of state playoff in all classes
east 55 west 41 don’t see how the any one from the west is dominated
@phillyboy
Other than Pittsburgh D8; D5 is the smallest District with only 13 teams. They have no 4A, 1 – 3A, 3- 2A, and 9- 1A. Windber, 1A is on the PA 500-win list. They have not sent any teams to a state championship since the start 1988, through 2010. D9 has 26 teams, only 1 4A – DuBois, 3- 3A, 5- 2A, and 17- 1A. They had sent two small-class teams to states long ago, and both lost. Both Districts are very rural overall with pretty good travel times for games.
@buddy
I’m not sure if you can’t read, or just read the parts you like. The whole premise was that D1 is not the best league in the state. Your problem is, any time somebody knocks D1 you act like they burned your house down. Take a breath, actually read what is typed, and then formulate an educated response. Let’s see how this season plays out and I’ll get at ya in a month or two. Oh yeah, PCL 7-4 against D1 this season. In case you were wondering.
@ philly…..:
Afraid you’re right. NP is in jeopardy of not making the playoffs this year. Can’t remember when that happened last. One more lose & they would be on the bubble.
They don’t play D-town East or Garnet valley, but they do play CB South, Pennridge & Souderton. I see the potential of at least one lose in there.
is anybody really excited for District 1 this year? It’s loaded with some great teams, that are not the normal North Penns, Neshaminy, etc. Garnet Valley & Ridley from Central League, and CB South is looking dangerous and so is Downingtown East.
Garnet Valley and Ridley play on October 5th @ Garnet Valley. Mark the calendars, it’s going to be a great game.
Just wondering. What’s up with district 5 and district 9? I never hear any mention of them Poor guys, nobody ever pays ’em any mind.
@Jim B
Very good point and comparison, Jim. I have never seen the Eastern Conference stats, but of course know of the fine football played there. I just feel if the arguement is about leagues, as long as D7 calls it all one league it is the best league. The teams in the Eastern Conference are from a lot of different leagues, but your “region” arguement is eye-opening and on the button.
@Kmac
Not so fast. Comparing an entire district (the WPIAL) to any one “league” isn’t quite fair. The WPIAL is all of district 7, and, like you said, is 127 teams. There are roughly 550 footballs teams, in all classes, across the state of PA. Do the math. The WPIAL, or D7, is about 23% of the PIAA. So again, comparing the amout of state titles the WPIAL has to any other league, or district, isn’t really fair.
How about you compare the WPIAL against the old Eastern Conference? That would be currently D2, D4, and D11. Those three districts have 116 schools fielding a team in 2012. A number much closer to the WPIAL’s 127. Those 116 Eastern Confernce schools have a combind 31 State Tiltes.
A – 9
AA – 10
AAA – 11
AAAA – 1
So yes, D7 does have the most titles by number, but they haven’t really been the dominate region.
@ Jive
Hear what you’re saying but North Penn is not the be all and end all of district 1. Not only will they not win the district this year, they won’t even make the playoffs. So, yes, they are having a down year. Expect Downingtown East, Garnet Valley, Ridley, or maybe CB South to step up.
@Jive:
You don’t understand do you? Try and read real slow.
NP is NOT the standard bearer in D1 this year ( it happens). Therefore, LaSalle & SJP beating up on NP does not make them the last word in high school football.
Unfortunately, this won’t be realized until deep into the playoffs. But then it will.
This just renders your analogies a bit juvenille.
@all
When arguing toughest league in the state gentlemen, remember we are arguing for the “SECOND” toughest in reality, as the WPIAL in D7 cannot be matched, albeit they have overwhelming numbers. Through 2010 WPIAL has 127 teams across all four classes. The league has sent 67 entries to state championships; they own 32 state titles; 11 champs in 4A; 6 in 3A; 6 in 2A; and 9 in 1A. Each class total is tops, except for 3A which is tied with 6 due to Berwick’s six 3A titles. WPIAL averages 2.9, or roughly 3 of four teams in the western bracket for championships each year. If D1 were also all one league as D7 WPIAL is; then we’d have an argument. Even then, D1 likely couldn’t match up too well in 2A and 1A. As for now we have to argue SECOND toughest league in the state.
@Buddy
OK, lets go back here because obviously we have a comprehension problem. Brian said NP is in the toughest league in the state. All you D1 cheer leaders have been hanging your hat on the NP bandwagon for the past 5 years. I asked a question, if NP finishes 1st or 2nd in that league, would that mean the PCL would be deemed the toughest? Over the last 3 weeks we have gone from, NP loss to LaSalle just because it’s week 1, they always take some time to gel. Then? Oh yeah, look what NP did to Wood, now they are rolling. Then? It’s just a down year for them, Prep should play somebody else in our league. Reminds me of the little kid that gets beat up and says, well then fight my big brother. Big brother gets beat up and says, well then fight my dad. Dad gets beat up, and so on and so on. Why so bitter?
Just a little something to chew on while you stew and boil at how somebody could knock the superior to all D1 football conference. PCL is 7-4 so far this year against D1. D1 has some very strong teams and there are a good amount of very good players there. However, it is odd that a stud Sophomore D1 WR lives right around the corner from me, in the heart of Philly. Damn I hate how the PCL recruits!
@ Jive:
If you wanna claim that the PCL (mainly LaSalle & Prep) is head & shoulders over other leagues ( mainly sub. one), let them play someone else besides NP, which is in a down year. NP won’t finish in the top 6 this year in sub. one.
You PCL fans have those teams coranated already.
Love to see them schedule the likes of D-town East, Garnet Vallet, even Neshaminy & CB South during the regular season. It would give you a better insight on their abilities.
@ joe
Not that it really matters because Easton won anyway,but in away you right a couple of those guys were in but not until the 2nd team D allowed them to get to the red zone in 2 or 3 plays.Up until that point #77,85,32 were standing on the sideline helmets up drinking water.