Are you ready for some football?
Welcome to the official forum on high school football for the 2018 season.
During the off-season let’s talk about players, recruiting news, teams and everything about high school football.
During the season each week let’s talk about match-ups and how teams did. Let us know what player(s) stood out each week.
881 Responses
@Bleed Black & Red – completely agree with you, football is meant to be played in the elements, unless the field is unplayable or there’s lightening, which is a different story, it’s raining steadily now in Western PA and has been since before dawn and by the look of the radar it’s going to rain all day and into this evening, and the WPIAL has not rescheduled any games as of yet and would be shocked if they did so. I’ve sat through many high school football games over the years in the rain/snow/cold, deal with it, it’s part of the game. And I’ll bet if you left it up to the players/coaches the vast majority would say let’s strap em on and play, moving football games because of rain is just another sign that our society is becoming a bunch of wimps, the thought of moving games because of rain would have been laughed at 20-30 years ago, and now today the majority thinks it a good idea, I’m sorry but that’s not progress in my opinion.
I’m with you Chief. This makes no sense. Especially after last Friday’s games. I went to a game last Saturday night and it was just about a perfect November evening for football. I saw that all D2, D4 and D11 games have been postponed to Saturday, only two so far in D1?? If they play the Nesh/NP game I will like last week be warm and dry with beverage of choice in hand watching the game from the comforts of home on the big screen with my Roku device thru NPHS YouTube app and checking in on the DTE/C’Ville game as well via the same set-up. Thank you modern technology and NPHS TV and 3ctv/chesmont football……..
@ chief
Good point. D11, and I believe D3, have moved ALL their games to Sat.
I mean it’s 100% chance of rain tonite. D1 should move all their games.
Maybe they will yet. Let’s hope so.
I don’t get it either Chief. Tomorrow is going to be a wipeout with a clear forecast Saturday.
Big advantage that levels the playing field for lower seeds to keep competitive and possibly steal a playoff win, only to get slaughtered the following weeks when/if the weather is better. Top half of D1 is a toss up between all 4 teams, but I think everyone wants that Coatesville/Garnet Valley game to happen in the bottom half. Would be a shame if one them is neutered by weather.
@Chief
Football is supposed to be played in the elements be it rain, snow, heat or wind. Unless the field is unplayable I see no reason to move games to Saturday.
I could be wrong but I would assume the PIAA doesn’t have a say to move the games to Saturday. I would think it would be decision or AD’s, Principals and Superintendents of the host site to make that type of call.
I had no problem sitting in the rain last week at Cville and will be right back in my spot tomorrow night with more wet conditions expected.
Does anyone know why all the games are not moved to Saturday? I doubt there would be facility use conflicts and better conditions would benefit the players and the spectators — who wants to sit on stiff bleachers in the pouring down rain? (Plus the PIAA would make more money at the gate). It seems like such a no-brainer.
Would be interesting if the D3 champ had to play the D11 champ in a quarterfinal instead of getting a bye to the semifinal. Would definitely prefer this as a D11 fan than having to face the D12 champ (i.e. SJP) in the quarters, lol.
@b – I’m sorry but I refuse to believe the NP school board couldn’t find the money for a turf field if they really wanted it, virtually all of the larger schools in western PA have turf, as do some of the smaller schools in 2A and 3A, districts that have a much lower per capita income than NP, so seems from afar they don’t want turf for whatever reason, perhaps the coaching staff prefers a grass field, I dunno, but it’s sure not helping them for the playoffs, maybe if they lose to Neshaminy tomorrow night the school board will finally see the light and install turf.
It’s a shame. NP gets #1 seed and home field through out playoffs
and probably won’t have any home games. Home field is a big deal
in high school football ( college also, less with pros).
Of course this has happened many times before for NP.
We need someone like the Koch brothers to donate a new field!
@Buddy
Was referring to prep and LaSalle, as far as Neshaminy they looked pretty good in the rain/mud where Haverford seemed to struggle
Neshaminy running and passing is clicking right now. Also, it has been a while since the 1st string D has allowed a TD
@D3 Mike The sad thing is we will never really know because barring an upset the better teams will advance and IMO there are teams that will beat Wilson and North Penn in the next several weeks.. Wilson did play bad against Warwick but gave Manheim Central a tough game, led at the half and MC had to score two late TD’s to seal the win. MC had less than 200 yards of total offense and Wilson also beat Manheim Township. Sometimes bad games just happen and let’s not lose sight of the fact that Warwick is a very good 5A team with a lot of studs, especially on the line, but also some good skill players. The upcoming game with Cedar Cliff should be a good one. Warwick is definitely a top 10 5A team and maybe a top 5 5A team. Wilson isn’t as good as past Wilson teams so maybe they are rated a bit too high.
P.S. Wilson beating Harrisburg is a long shot even though they have been playing better of late. Wilson has given up a lot passing and I’m sure they haven’t seen anyone as dynamic as Everson so Harrisburg should thrive Saturday. I got Harrisburg winning by 3-4 TD’s. Something like 38-14 with Wilson scoring a late TD.
@ buddy….i have to admit when I wrong. NP game switched to wissahickon field Fri. 7 pm
Here you guys go…….from the North Penn School District Twitter feed…….
“Due to current field conditions and Friday’s forecast for more rain, the playoff football game against Neshaminy will be played at Wissahickon HS at 7:00.”
According to the updated bracket the Neshaminy/North Penn game will be played at Wissahickon on Friday @ 7pm
@Mike – nice work putting together the rankings, I too would probably make a few tweaks but overall a very solid list, I agree with Jay that I would have GV a few spots higher, think they are slightly better than the D3 teams CD and Manheim and also Seneca Valley. Also agree with Jay the top 4 teams are likely to be the 4 semi-finalists, although NA will get challenged by State College in the quarterfinals, expect that game to be very close and could go either way. That’s assuming NA gets there, think they are going to have their hands full with Seneca Valley this week, and if they get past them will likely have a rematch with PR in the WPIAL finals, from here on NA will only be playing teams in your top 10, talk about a brutal schedule to just make it to Hershey!
@ et al
Just heard NP game moved to wissahickon , still on Fri.
Anyone verify?
Re: the rankings, in case anyone missed my prior rants:
The D3 6A teams remain overrated outside of Harrisburg. LL1 is perpetually trash with the exception of Wilson, who is down this year.
Wilson lost 3 games, including by almost 30 to the 5-seed in 5A (Warwick). Central Dauphin and Manheim Central are quality losses … but Wilson scored all of a combined 2 touchdowns in those 2 games. Plus they had a lot of close wins.
Manheim Township is a bit better but has won ONE district title in its history and ZERO state playoff games. If they are playing, say, North Penn on a neutral field in the state playoffs, who are you taking there? That’s how I look at state rankings.
As for Central Dauphin, great program, brutal schedule, but they seemed to lose steam after the player death in September. They ended with 3 losses, and just as with Wilson, I don’t know how 3 loss D3 teams can ever be ranked above 1 loss teams from districts that consistently perform better in the state playoffs (D1 and D11) at 6A.
Just my 2 cents. Now watch Wilson beat Harrisburg on Saturday 🙂
@Mick – weather could be a factor but still don’t think Lasalle has much of a chance, both programs going in different directions, just don’t think Lasalle has the talent to keep up with SJP regardless of the weather. I think the only team in PA that has a realistic chance to beat SJP this year is Coatesville as I expect them to beat everyone else by at least 2 TD’s and probably more, including the D11 winner and then the WPIAL winner or State College, would love to see someone beat them but just don’t see it happening unless Coatesville can outscore them in Hershey.
@Mike
I like the statewide rankings because I think the top four will wnd up as the semifinal teams.
I admittedly don’t know much about the D3 teams since I’m a D1 guy, so the only tweaks I’d make would probably be Garnet Valley a spot or two higher (as a Coatesville fan they scare the hell out of me) and also I think North Penn would destroy either Downingtown team.
Thanks for putting that together, that’s the type of thing that keeps me coming back to the forum!
@ mick
Not sure who “they” is, but if it’s Neshaminy, they have a more effective passing game, so rain might hurt them.
However, if their RB is a “mudder”, that bodes well for Neshaminy.
I fully suspect the game to move to Sat. Don’t know where though.
Doubt it’s at NP, unless they have a set of massive fans.
@mike
I put North Penn above Emmaus & Wilson. Maybe even Neshaminy above Wilson.
Watch Truman shock us all!
@Ndgp82
NDGP vs. North Schuylkill should be a hell of a game! I don’t think NDGP will move the ball like they did with Tamaqua last week. Yes they have a best offense in the bracket. A bracket of 9-1 teams. Still have no idea why they didn’t keep distict 11 AAA a 8 team field. Crazy when you are the lowest seed at 9–1. PIAA will never make sense to me. It’s going to be a tough game for either the following week in states. But I do think it will be a low scoring game maybe like 21-14, 28-21 going either way
@jeff
I saw the weather for Friday and thought they may have a shot in the rain.
OK…here we go. Some further research and this is what I got. I attached an index I developed as I compiled the ratings. A few tweaks up and down but still mostly the same teams just in a slightly different order. Notice the close rating from 4 through the first half of HM in the East and 6 thru HM in the state ratings. I’m only posting to encourage thought and discussion. You can agree, disagree or just call me crazy!
Mike’s Eastern 6A Top Ten 11/6/2018
1) St. Joseph’s Prep 82.7
2) Coatesville 76.8
3) Harrisburg 69.4
4) Central Dauphin 59.9
5) Manheim Township 57.5
6) Garnet Valley 56.2
7) Emmaus 55.5
7) Downingtown West 55.2
8) Bethlehem Freedom 55.2
9) Downingtown East 55
10) Wilson 53.1
Honorable Mention
North Penn 53, Neshaminy 51, LaSalle 50.2,Truman 48.6, Parkland 48.4, Easton 46.2, Chambersburg 44.7
Mike’s State 6A Top Ten 11/6/2018
1) St. Joseph’s Prep 82.7
2) Coatesville 76.8
3) North Alleghenny 70.6
4) Harrisburg 69.4
5) Pine Richland 66.7
6) State College 61.6
7) Central Dauphin 59.9
8) Seneca Valley 57.6
8) Manheim Township 57.5
9) Garnet Valley 56.2
10) Emmaus 55.5
Honorable Mention
Downingtown West 55.2, Bethlehem Freedom 55.2, Downingtown East 55, Pittsburgh Central Catholic 53.8, Wilson 53.1, North Penn 53, Neshaminy 51, LaSalle 50.2, Mt. Lebanon 49.6, Truman 48.6
Notre Dame Green Pond vs. North Schuylkill in Lehighton. Notre Dame should win with the high power offense they have. Thoughts?
@Knight Time – I think the NP/Neshaminy game will be extremely competitive and could go either way, should be a great game and probably the closest game of any of the quarterfinal match-ups, although DTW and Truman should also be a very interesting game, expect both Coatesville and GV to cruise in their games and win by several scores.
@Mick – that’s quite a limb you’re going on by predicting Lasalle to knock off SJP, that would be an even bigger upset than Governor Mifflin knocking off Harrisburg in the D3 semi-finals last year that sent shock waves around the state. I think it’s more likely the game will be a mercy rule, because unfortunately Lasalle just doesn’t have the talent to stay with SJP this year, I don’t see this being a repeat of 2015 when they beat them in the playoffs to prevent a likely 4peat.
@D3 Mike – best games in the WPIAL this week, at least among the big schools, are Seneca Valley at NA, first game ended up 10-6, and I think this will be a similar type game, defensive struggle and a real battle in the trenches, expect NA to prevail again, I’ll say 17-10. In 5A the best quarterfinal game is Peters Township vs. Penn Trafford, winner likely gets Penn Hills in the semi’s, assuming they get past McKeesport, and I think the Peters/PT winner will give Penn Hills all they can handle next week, Gateway will cruise to the finals as they are in the weaker half of the bracket.