Are you ready for some football?
Welcome to the official forum on high school football for the 2025 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.
1,631 Responses
Here’s a mind boggling stat line from the McKeesport-Delaware Valley game at the Wolvarena this afternoon you may never see again in the history of high school football. Kemon Spell took the opening kickoff 97 yards for a TD, and on his first 2 rush attempts he went 46 and 80 yards for TDs. First quarter time of possession was Del Valley 11:15 and McKeesport 45 seconds, and the score was 21-3. For the game Spell had 272 yards rushing on 10 carries and 4 TDs plus the kickoff return for a total offense of 369 and 5 TDs, guess he was making a point on why he’s considered the top ranked running back in the country in the class of 2027.
McKeesport has not won a WPIAL or state title since 2005, but as I said earlier this week with Spell leading the way this may be their best chance since then, they are a legit contender to win 4A this year, if I had to pick the state final now I’d say McKeesport vs. Bonner, I can’t wait for the TJ-McKeesport game on 9/5, gotta get there early because it will be SRO.
For those of you who are Penn State fans (full disclosure I am not, I grew up in the 70’s and 80’s when Pitt-PSU was the best rivalry in college football, my two favorite teams were Pitt and whoever was playing PSU that week), you need to hope he stays healthy, and quits taking visits to other schools, he could go to any college in the country and likely start as a true freshman. He’s the best running back in the state since Nick Singleton and the best I have seen in person in the WPIAL since Miles Sanders graduated in 2016.
ND fan here as you may have guessed, I know ND is still recruiting him, hoping they make a big impression, they certainly have had great success in Pa with two of the top players in the state currently playing for LaSalle signed in this yrs class
SJ prep did their best Atlanta Falcons impersonation last night. Up 28-0 with 4 minutes left in 3rd and lost. Is this the year we get a competitive 6A final. Can LaSalle take down SJ Prep?
Last year there was a very competitive 6A PCL final, and it’s likely to be very competitive again. I caught bits of the LaSalle-PCC game. PCC’s offense was very weak. Was someone out because of injury? LaSalle looked as advertised–very good.
SJP continues to have trouble in these opening games–especially the ones on ESPN. I wondered if the delayed start contributed to their running out of gas late in the game.
I was at the LaSalle game last night, no one out for PCC, they have a new QB and running back, and LaSalle defense played very well. Impressed with Gavin Sidwar, good arm strength, very nice touch, throws a great deep ball, I’m not sure of Missouri’s QB depth chart but I can see him starting for them in a few years, he’s as good as advertised. They got too one dimensional in the first half and were throwing on most downs, sometimes 5-6 plays in a row, they were a lot more balanced in the second half and got their running game going. Lots of mistakes as expected for the first game, way too many penalties and lots of dropped passes and other things they need to clean up, but a workmanlike effort last night and I do think they have a shot to beat SJP in November, what happens in the regular season game is basically irrelevant. I picked LaSalle to win the state title last year, I’m not ready to go out on a limb yet and pick them over SJP.
For some reason LaSalle was designated the home team last night, so they were on the Woodland Hills side, and I sat with several of the LaSalle faithful. We were watching the SJP games on our phones and they were distraught when it was 28-0, but fascinating to watch the Heritage comeback, the LaSalle game ended right before the winning field goal, so the LaSalle fans had a nice end to their evening as they left the Wolvarena.
Was surprised at the WYO-S. Columbia score. 49-28 final although the game was a mercy rule -49-14 in the 4th quarter. I can’t think of any team that has beaten S. Columbia 3x in a row or mercy ruled them. Not sure if S. Columbia is a contender in 2A this year or Wyo is just that good. Wyo has a tougher test coming up in Haverford.
Troy prob beats SC by 2-3 scores and wins the district again.
Halftime score-Exeter 64-Daniel Boone 0
Can someone tell my why the Pig Iron Bowl is still being played? 11 straight years DB has been hammered in this “Rivalry” and the beatings get worse every year. Watching them line up at the beginning of the game it looked like a JR High team against a college team. The Boone AD needs to cancel this annual game immediately as their players risk serious injury. Exeter is now a 6A school while Boone’s school population is dropping every year. This game does nothing for either team, Exeter gets a scrimmage and Boone gets slaughtered their 1st game to start off the season.
Interesting stuff out of D4, mainly the 30-10 Bloomsburg upset over Danville for potential implications on the title race. Danville was my personal prediction for the D4 3A title winner, with MCA as a finalist. Bloomsburg is now a dark horse contender for the title, with Mifflinburg and MCA being viewed as favorites. MCA also lost to North Schuylkill 62-20 last night. Surprised by the margin of score here, considering the two teams were thought of as mostly being equals going in, like most years. Easy momentum builder for the Spartans heading for their own 3A race in D11. Nevertheless, it is hard to tell who looks poised for the 3A title in D4 right now.
Southern lost to Wyomissing 49-27, as most thought. If Southern is at least doing this well against a state power in 4A, they should do numbers on their own district and be primed to take on Troy in the D4 2A playoffs, considering the minimal losses Southern endured to graduation. All of this is to say these teams stay healthy, and not lose key players to injury.
I would take Troy by a couple TDS over SC.
Troy was predicted to win two years ago in the mud bowl game for the D4 2A final. Southern pretty much capitalized on the weather when playing at Troy’s stadium, and eventually got a state title out of that run. But I do agree with the prediction in a neutral forecast (sunny/overcast) game.
Can’t chop Wood, can’t chop it!!! They back??
BTW, Trey Smith is a very good football player.
Rest of PA. Please give me any games I’m missing & I’ll add it in the replies. I kind of went with the usual suspects & teams from last year I knew off of memory. Next week, I’ll divide my other notable games in East & West replies.
D4/D11
– North Schuylkill (11) vs. Mount Carmel (4): MCA 23, NS 19
– Shamokin (4) vs. Pottsville (11): Shamokin 31, Pottsville 24
– Lewisburg vs. Line Mountain: Line Mtn. 26, Lewisburg 20
– Loyalsock vs. Mifflinburg: Sock 24, Miff 20
– Warrior Run vs. Muncy: WR 26, Muncy 17
– Schuylkill Haven vs. Blue Mountain: Haven 31, Blue Mtn. 21
D1/D12
– Garnet Valley vs. Coatesville: GV 28, C’ville 17
– Perk Valley vs. Springfield: Delco 34, Perk 22
– Wissahickon vs. Upper Dublin: UD 28, Wiss. 21
– North Penn vs. D’Town East: DTE 31, NP 17
– Ridley vs. CB East: CBE 31, Ridley 19
– Northeast vs. Conwell-Egan: NE 33, CEC 19
– PJP vs. Neumann-Goretti: PJP 28, N-G 20
D3
– Central York vs. Central Dauphin: CY 28, CD 23
– Manheim Twp. vs. Cumberland Valley: Manheim Twp. 20, CV 14
– Berks Catholic vs. Twin Valley: TV 37, BC 13
– Daniel Boone vs. Exeter Twp.: Exeter 24, DB 17
– Lancaster Catholic vs. Camp Hill: CH 21, LC 20
– Bermudian Springs vs. New Oxford: BSPR 34, NO 21
D5/D6
– Altoona vs. Hollidaysburg: H’burg 33, Altoona 22
– Tyrone vs. Bellefonte: Tyrone 29, Bellefonte: 20
– Berlin-Brothersvalley vs. Claysburg-Kimmel: B-B 42, C-K 14
– Bellwood-Antis vs. Clearfield (9): Clearfield 34, B-A 17
D9/10
– Erie vs. Cathedral Prep: ECP 33, Erie 19
– Farrell vs. Hickory: Hickory 24, Farrell 20
– Wilmington vs. Greenville: Greenville 24, Wilmy 20
– Mercyhurst Prep vs. Sharon: Sharon 31, MP 13
– Fort LeBoeuf vs. Meadville: Meadville 28, FL 19
– Union/A-C Valley vs. O-E/OV: O-E/OV 31, UA/ACV 23
– General McLane vs. DuBois: GM 27, DuB 23
WPIAL/City
– North Allegheny vs. Woodland Hills: NA 35, WH 10
– Baldwin vs. Thomas Jefferson: TJ 24, Baldwin 20
– USC vs. Mt. Lebanon: USC 28, Lebo 11
– Canon-Mac vs. Peters: Peters 35, Macs 13
– Montour vs. Center Valley: Montour 32, Center Valley 15
– West Allegheny vs. Belle Vernon: BVA 27, WA 19
– Moon vs. Trinity (7): Moon 28, Trinity 21
– West Mifflin vs. Elizabeth Forward: EF 29, WM 27
– Westinghouse (8) vs. Steel Valley: Westy 27, Steel Val 23
– Imani vs. Clairton: Clairton 24, Imani 17
Crossover (PIAA)
– La Salle (12) vs. Pitt. Central Catholic (7): PCC 22, La Salle 21
– Imhotep Charter (12) vs. Harrrisburg (3): IC 38, H’burg 14
– Gateway (7) vs. State College (6): SC 34, Gateway 14
– CB West (1) vs. Easton (11): CBW 38, Easton 8
– Downingtown West (1) vs. Freedom (11): DTW 34, Freedom 13
– East Pennsboro (3) vs. Bethlehem Catholic (11): Becahi 30, EP 19
– Central Catholic (11) vs. Trinity (3): ACC 28, Trin (3) 17
– NDGP (11) vs. Garden Spot (3): NDGP 49, GS 28 (won’t be 70-63 or whatever)
– Neshaminy (1) vs. Emmaus (11): Emmaus 28, Neshaminy 16
– Pennridge (1) vs. Liberty (11): Liberty 33, Pennridge 29
– Quakertown (1) vs. Southern Lehigh (11): Solehi 35, Q’town 12
– Selinsgrove (4) vs. Juniata (6): ‘Grove 24, Juniata 14
– West Catholic (12) vs. York Suburban (3): WC 28, YS 7
– Wyomissing (3) vs. Southern Columbia (4): Wyo 27, SCA 26
Crossover (PIAA vs. The World)
– Highland (OH) vs. McDowell (10): McD 31, Highland 19
– Roman Catholic (12) vs. Providence Day (NC): Roman 24, Prov. Day 20
– St. Joe’s Prep (12) vs. American Heritage (FL): SJP 24, Heritage 23
– Kirtland (OH) vs. Central Clarion (9): CC 49, Kirtland 8
– Clarkson North (CAN) vs. Bishop McDevitt (3): McDevitt 51, Clarkson 7
– Pine-Richland (7) vs. Findlay (OH): P-R 30, Findlay 14
I didn’t see your picks before the games last night or I would have offered some commentary, I had to leave at 4:30 to get to the Wolvarena for the start of the double header. I picked NA over WH 28-20 because of their advantage in the trenches but I thought it would be very competitive, I was right on both counts, NA scored a TD with 50 seconds left in the game to win 28-26. Very evenly matched game, I’ll provide a separate write up because it was that good. I’m very surprised you picked Baldwin to hang with TJ, they are horrible, I knew that would be a mercy rule and TJ ended up winning 69-6. I also picked Imani over Clairton, both are very good and contenders in their respective classes, but I thought Imani had a little too much and they won 20-13, spoiling the christening of the newly renovated and named Tyler Boyd stadium.
I picked LaSalle over PCC by at least 2 scores, they totally shut down PCC’s offense and won 23-6, I thought there would be more points scored, but not surprised at all LaSalle dominated, I was sitting on LaSalle’s side and I told the people around me before the game started I would be shocked if they didn’t win by at least 14 points, just like last year they are the biggest threat to SJP in the state.
Also want to mention West Alleghany vs. Belle Vernon was a scrimmage, not an actual game, they are 2 of 8 WPIAL teams that opted for a 2nd scrimmage this year, the other most notable team not to play was Aliquippa.
North Schuylkill 62! – Mt. Carmel 20.
NS led at the half 40-20. Outscored MCA in the 2nd half 22-0!
A Philly Catholic League double header (sort of) to kick off your high school football season, for those of you who can’t make it to a game this evening……
St. Joe Prep vs. American Heritage (FL) ESPN2 @ 6p
LaSalle College HS vs Pittsburgh Central Catholic via free Bob Long Sports You Tube stream @ 8p
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OB6UEkmHl30
I’ll be at the PCC vs. LaSalle game tonight, and also the opener of WH vs. NA, they haven’t played each other in at least a decade since the old 4A days, pretty nice doubleheader to start the season, I’ll post a report on the games.
*UGH!!!, sorry, make the D-Town East, not West tonight against North Penn. West probably in 2 weeks against Perk Valley.
Nice way to start off the season. Trying to figure out when I’ll get a chance to see LaSalle in person this year. Their game with SJP this year is at Franklin Field on the campus of Penn in Philly. That’s a pass for me. They jump around to a lot of stadiums as they don’t have a dedicate home field. The Bonner game is a possibility.
My plan was the North Penn/D-Town West game tonight. May have to call an audible as my Friday night partner in crime may not be available. May just stay closer to home (Wood/CB South) if that is the case. We’ll see. Game time decision coming up 🙂
I’m looking forward to seeing LaSalle tonight, I think they win by at least 2 TDs, something like 35-20, this could potentially be a state championship preview if LaSalle can get over the SJP hump this year in the PCL finals. I am also intrigued by the Woodland Hills vs. NA game, they haven’t played since the 2012 WPIAL final won by NA 21-14 on their way to their 2nd state title in 3 years. I think NA is down a little this year, and this may be the best WH team since George Novak retired after the 2016 season, I expect this game will be very competitive, but I’ll pick NA 28-20 because I think they have the advantage in the trenches.
Be interested in your thoughts on La Salle’s QB Gavin Sidwar. Especially his throwing motion. Kind of a semi side arm slingshot. Don’t know how to explain it, but it works!! I remember seeing him entering the first game of the year against North Penn as a freshman and rallying La Salle for a second half win. Thought right then that this kid has a bright future. Now senior, time flies.
My predictions for Week 1 are so.Will still do in-state stuff, but broken down into a couple separate posts in case my long predictions kinda slow the website down in any way.
– Scranton Prep vs. Valley View (LFC 1): Game of the Week in the LFC. These two teams had a shocking blowout game last year, but I’m gonna play the optimism card & say it’s closer this time around. Prep should take it, but I can only hope it’s a good game, especially with both having been hit hard by the graduation bug.
– Riverside vs. Dunmore (LFC 2): Dunmore proved last year that they still have it, although it was a down year. Weston Yannone is now a Buck & he’ll get a chance to take down Riverside & start 0-1. I’ll say lightning doesn’t strike twice for the Vikings.
– Lakeland vs. Carbondale (LFC 3): Kind of a wild card game in LFC 3. LFC 2’s Lakeland should be a bit better, but will Carbondale find a way to be better than last year? I think the Chiefs will happily return to Chapman Lake with a win, but don’t be shocked if we see it go the opposite way.
– Crestwood vs. Wyoming Area (WVC 1): Best WVC 1 game is this one, though it’s in Division 2 territory. While Crestwood may not be a top flight contender in 4A, they’ll get a nice test against a 3A favorite. I think Wyoming Area takes it, without much of a problem.
– Berwick vs. Lake-Lehman (WVC 2): Last year, it was the Black Knights who upset Berwick. I don’t think it’ll happen again, but I expect improvement out of both teams this year.
– Abington Heights vs. ES South (LFC HM): This year, last year’s D-2 5A champ play the D-11 5A champ. This is very rare in local history, but I feel we’re in for a treat. I’ll go with the EPC over the LFC in this one, but I wouldn’t be shocked if this is flipped.
– Wilkes-Barre vs. Whitehall (WVC HM): A game that gave us a nice upset last year now goes to Zephyr Country. The Pack look to improve on their 5-5 record, while Whitehall just wants to find a way to dethrone South in 5A. Whitehall takes it this time.
– Dallas vs. Jersey Shore (D2 HM): Last year, this was a close thriller. Maybe not this year, but this is still a quality matchup. Dallas is an inexperienced team, but you cannot count them out. I’ll take Shore, due to that issue.
– Delaware Valley vs. McKeesport (Crossovers): While I don’t think this will be a good showing for DV, it’s about time they play some WPIAL teams. I do feel like they should play some more compatible type of matchups, but prove me wrong, DV.
– York Catholic vs. Tri-Valley (1A/6A Game To Watch): A boring quartet of games here. No implications in many of these. Williamsport playing WVW will be a walkover, Nativity should beat Redeemer, as should Marian with Hanover Area (which could be closer this time). This game, however, could feature the D-11 & D-3 1A champs. Tri-Valley, I’ll take a risk on.
Scores
– Prep 29, VV 20
– Dunmore 28, Riverside 17
– Lakeland 28, Carbondale 13
– Wyoming Area 31, Crestwood 18
– Berwick 23, L-L 14
– ESS 27, AH 14
– Whitehall 27, WBA 17
– Shore 35, Dallas 20
– McK 38, DV 13
– T-V 34, YC 17
Ooops……..
“Archbishop Ryan football coach suspended for a recruiting violation
Mark Ostaszewski was suspended for a year due to a recruiting violation with a student-athlete from the Bensalem School District. Ryan plans to reinstate Ostaszewski next season.”
Watched the PAC Football preview and the song remains the same:
Large School DIvision
Once again it will be Perkiomen Valley and Springford battling out it out for 1st place. I give PV a slight edge due to coaching as SF is breaking in a new head coach.
Owen J Roberts is a notch behind PV and SF as the have 2 Div1 kids who can take it to the house at any moment but don’t have enough depth to beat the Big 2
Boyertown-Methacton-Norristown are the bottom dwellers and have been for years
Small School Division
Pope John Paul is the King until someone knocks them off. Upper Perkiomen returns just about everyone from last year, this is the best UP team in a long time as they return most of their starters from last year which includes all 5 lineman. The question will be do they have the team speed and athletes to match up with PJP.
Phoenixville was hit hard by graduation, Pottsgrove has several excellent skill players but both lines need to be rebuilt. Pottstown and Upper Merion are coming off 1 win seasons and don’t have the talent to beat any of the other division teams.
Foleman, agree mostly, do think OJR could replace Spring – Ford behind Perk Valley, depends on whether the new coach can make SF more physical up front. Not sure if SF has the athletes at the skill positions they have had in the past. Alot can change on a year to year basis especially at the catholic schools but right now the liberty division would be way more interesting if PJP was in it,ditch the crossover games. There was some talk that the agreement between the Pac and the Ches-mont to play each other in non league games could lead to a football only merger not sure where that stands as the two yr cycle is up after this yr.
Here’s a quick WPIAL preview for those of you interested, the usual suspects are favored again.
6A – there’s PCC and NA and then everyone else, PCC is the clear favorite, and it would be a surprise if they don’t play NA for the WPIAL title for the 4th year in a row. I foresee PCC playing Harrisburg again in the western finals.
5A – Pine Richland and Peters are clearly the top 2 teams, and there’s a good chance they will meet in the WPIAL final for the third year in a row in the rubber match, can PR break the streak of no repeat champs in 5A. Woodland Hills is solid and may be the third best team, BP and USC will be good but both graduated a lot.
4A – TJ and McKeesport are the favorites, and I expect them to meet for the title again this year. I see a down year for Aliquippa, graduated a lot of skill and also lost several D1 recruits to transfers, I think Montour might beat them for the conference title
3A – Avonworth is again the favorite, I think their closest challenger will be Imani Christian, they have several D1 recruits and lost to Avonworth in the semi-finals last year 14-6, would anticipate them meeting in the WPIAL final this year, they are both in the same conference with Central Valley
2A – probably the most wide open class in the WPIAL, Seton LaSalle was the favorite, but they had a bad July, with their new transfer QB Anthony Smith being ruled ineligible (although currently going through the courts to try and restore eligibility), then star receiver Khahil Taylor transferred to Pine Richland and their other starting receiver also transferred. Steel Valley is probably the new favorite, South Alleghany is a potential sleeper, they went 9-3 last year and lost 13-12 to Elwood City in the quarterfinals and return the WPIAL’s leading receiver from last year in Drew Cook and a bunch of starters.
1A – Fort Cherry returns the top rated recruit in the class in 2026 in Matt Sieg and are going for a 3 peat. Clairton lost a heartbreaker in the WPIAL final to Ft Cherry last year in an instant classic and I expect them to return the favor and beat Ft Cherry this year. Jeanette will also be very good, as will Bishop Canevin, Greensburg Central Catholic and Neshannock, 1A is the biggest and probably deepest classification in the WPIAL this year
LFC Predictions time. There’s some changes, but a few things still remain the same. I’ll put LFC 1 & 2 in this post, then later put LFC 3 & record predictions via reply.
LFC 1
1. Delaware Valley: Not Scranton Prep this year. DV brings back a plethora of offensive & defensive studs, including RB Mike Iuzzolino & WR Trey Newton. Most pieces should be able to help the new QB thrive. They’ll probably start slow, but easily slide through the division.
2. Scranton Prep: Prep lost a LOT of players from last year’s squad. There’s a couple questions at QB, especially with Will McPartland coming back from injury (but when is the question). They’ll still have 6 starters each on both sides returning, but they do have experience. They’ll be slightly off this year, but still a contender in the 3A & division.
3. North Pocono: I’m having a very hard time trying to figure out North Pocono’s place. The Trojans are Times-Tribune’s Preseason #1, but I disagree (DV is, IMO). Last year, they gave all of the top teams some fits. Chase Zimmerman returns at starter after a promising freshman campaign. They have some great skill players on both sides of the ball. I feel they’re gonna be the sleeper in not just LFC 1, but D2 4A itself. But they could also be the Hazleton of the LFC & be anywhere on the spectrum.
4. Valley View: 29 seniors left the Cougars last year. They have a ton of questions on offense, but their defense will be what helps them early on. A fully new backfield on offense will be key to watch, as we don’t know how they’ll stack up. Their O-Line brings back experience. It’s a matter of whether the Cougars’ development will show up throughout the season & they can be better than before.
5. Abington Heights: Nick Bradley will be back for the Comets, but they won’t have the O-Line & skill player experience early on. They’ll need to develop a ton of players to compete. Defense will have a bit of inexperience, but they tend to be competitive every year. This is another team that can be better than the record indicates.
6. Scranton: The Knights bring back an experienced QB & strong senior leadership. 7 on offense return, with three O-Linemen returning. Defense will have a mixed bag of experience & inexperience, as well. Scranton’s always a weird team. They can be 3-7, 7-3, or somewhere in the middle.
7. Wallenpaupack: It does feel like the Buckhorns are struggling to keep up with LFC 1 teams in recent years. They tend to fare fine against EPC Monroe/Dieruff type & lower-tier LFC/WVC teams, but they need a lot more help to be a contender in the best division in NEPA. In my opinion, a move to LFC 2 will give them a fairer shake. The biggest positives, that being said, is that Matt Nawrocki brought in a good culture in his rookie year & that they have experience returning from that squad. Each side has 7 starters returning. Jake Rafferty is going to be the new QB & he’s pretty athletic. Paupack usually has a decent 1-2 punch at RB & it’s the same this year. 4 O-Lineman return, which is crucial (& if you know Paupack, they know how to develop a big O-Line). They also have a ton of experience returning on defense. I think they’re going to be this year’s version of last year’s North Pocono, but they won’t be the cardiac kids like they were.
LFC 2
1. Dunmore: Bucktown brings back 8 on offense, 8 on defense. Something they didn’t have last year. We know Weston Yannone will bring in some star power at QB, transferring from Susquehanna (assuming he takes the starter job). All 5 O-Linemen return, as well as 4 on the other side of the trenches. Their secondary will have a mix of old & new, too. I feel they’ll start off better. It’s a matter of whether or not they beat Mid Valley & I think they can.
2. Mid Valley: I was going to give the slight edge to last year’s division co-champ, but I think we’ll have co-champs again & the tiebreaker comes down to their game. They’re going to have the offense & defense to win games, especially with Brett Yanoski returning under center for his senior season. I feel they have the talent, but if last year’s replacements can do well, it’s a matter of time before Mid Valley becomes dangerous in 3A.
3. Honesdale: Honesdale lost a lot in graduation, but they gain a good experienced coach in George Howanitz. He brought a winning culture to Valley View & sometimess that’s all you need. They have to replace their entire backfield, but they have experience at RB. They have a couple returning O-Line pieces, too. Their defense has a mix of returning faces & inexperience. It may take a few weeks for the new culture to adjust, but I think they’ll have the team ready to battle by division play.
4. Lakeland: The Chiefs up on Chapman Lake are a contender every year, but they’ve struggled mightily in recent years. There is an upwards trajection this year, though. They bring back 9 offensive & defensive starters this year, including David Naniewicz. They brought back a ton of help on both side of the trenches & the rest of their defense will be experienced, too. I feel Lakeland can be 3rd, but I don’t trust them enough to take the next step. Winning games they lost last year will be what gives me a chance to be wrong.
5. Western Wayne: The Wildcats were hit hard by graduation. It’s not going to be easy for them to be what they’ve been over the years. The offense will be completely new, with returning depth being ones who played a bit last year. Their O-Line will be rebuilt this year. Three starters return on defense. It seems like the new crop is hungry to compete, but this is a rebuild year.
6. West Scranton: There’s not much to say about the other Scranton team. It’s a young roster, with a returning QB & about half of their starters returning on both sides, respectively. They need to find a way to snap the 12-game losing streak. We’ll see if it can be done this time.
And the rest…
LFC 3
1. Lackawanna Trail: This is the best example of “until they can be beat, they’re the favorite”. They have run the table pretty much every year for the last several. Tyler Jervis is back & we know that LT “Wing T” offense is going to be dominant. 4 starters return on O-Line, while defense has a mix of new & old. High expectations, as always, up on Tunnel Hill.
2. Riverside: While Riverside lost a lot, including their QB, they bring back enough pieces on both sides of the football to be competitive. The biggest challenge will be if the newcomers will do enough to put Riverside as a threat.
3. Old Forge: This is rarified air for the Blue Devils. Two below .500 seasons for a perennial power. They had to replace their entire backfield, but do have four of six returning starters on O-Line. There seems to be a decent mix. They’re a sleeper for this division.
4. Carbondale: Carbondale? Winning season? We don’t hear much about that these days, but that’s the good thing about football: Put in a culture that works & you’ll surprise people. Jeff Arthur’s squad brings back 6 on both starting lineups, including the Voglinos at RB & WR. They had a freshman QB who now has experience. The defense looks to bring in some returning faces & new ones. I think they’ll be at/around where they were last year. I’d be shocked if they finish above Old Forge.
5. Susquehanna: Well, that was nice while it lasted. Kyle Cook comes back after a couple years off, but with an inexperienced roster. No Weston Yannone this year, so this will be a different offense. Only 3 on offense & defense each return as starters. Will Cook make them relevant in LFC 3 again? Not this year.
6. Holy Cross: Holy Cross hasn’t won in division in a while. Make that since 2021. They need to take another step, but they have experience. The Wudarskis are back for their fourth year. Some O-Line depth is returning, as is on the other side of the trenches. The senior leadership needs to be there for them to win a divisional game. I don’t see it this year.
As for Montrose: I don’t have enough info on them. I expect them to be rebuilding this year & hope that their indie schedule gives them some confidence. They got a long way to go.
Notable games
– Week 1: Scranton Prep vs. Valley View, Riverside vs. Dunmore
– Week 2: Dunmore vs. Old Forge
– Week 3: Old Forge vs. Mid Valley
– Week 4: Delaware Valley vs. Scranton Prep, Valley View vs. Abington Heights
– Week 5: Lackawanna Trail vs. Mid Valley
– Week 6: Abington Heights vs. Delaware Valley, Old Forge vs. Lackawanna Trail
– Week 7: Scranton Prep vs. Abington Heights, Mid Valley vs. Dunmore
– Week 8: Scranton Prep vs. Mid Valley, Valley View vs. Delaware Valley
– Week 9: Delaware Valley vs. North Pocono, Old Forge vs. Riverside
– Week 10: Lackawanna Trail vs. Riverside, North Pocono vs. Scranton Prep
LFC 1
1. DV: 8-2 (6-0)
2. Scranton Prep: 9-1 (5-1)
3. North Pocono: 7-3 (4-2)
4. Valley View: 6-4 (3-3)
5. Abington Hts.: 6-4 (2-4)
6. Scranton: 5-5 (1-5)
7. Wallenpaupack: 3-7 (0-6)
LFC 2
1. Dunmore: 8-2 (5-0)
2. Mid Valley: 6-4 (4-1)
3. Honesdale: 6-4 (3-2)
4. Lakeland: 5-5 (2-3)
5. Western Wayne: 2-8 (1-4)
6. West Scranton: 0-10
LFC 3
1. Trail: 10-0 (5-0)
2. Riverside: 8-2 (4-1)
3. Old Forge: 5-5 (3-2)
4. Carbondale: 5-5 (2-3)
5. Susquehanna: 3-7 (1-4)
6. Holy Cross: 2-8 (0-5)
– Montrose: 2-8
My observations & predictions on the WVC. Will give love to the LFC probably tomorrow (I’m having a much harder time figuring out where a few teams go), if it isn’t up tonight, as well as maybe some of the subregional teams.
WVC 1
1. Wilkes-Barre: We got a new favorite this year in WVC 1. WBA went 5-5 last year, but I expect big things out of the Pack. Jake Howe is back for a 4th year at QB, as well as a ton of offensive weapons. I like their chances, if they can hold steady in the trenches
2. Dallas: Normally, I’d say “until they can be beat, they’re still the favorite”. Not so much this year. They’re replacing a ton of starters on offense, but they do have returning O-Line help, which’ll help protect these new starters. It’ll be close, but I think they’ll be first loser in WVC 1.
3. Crestwood: Sleeper pick in WVC 1 is Crestwood, but it’s going to depend on Shedlock’s health. They took a hit on the O-Line, but I feel they’ll have enough pieces to play spoiler.
4. Pittston: The Pats bring back a lot of experience with 6 Offensive & 8 Defensive returning starters. Paul Russick is a new coach & will need to also rely on a new QB, but if he can do with what he did at Honesdale, we’re in for a treat. I just don’t think this is the year they step it up to .500.
5. Hazleton: The other Cougars have a new coach, not a lot of starter depth, & a partially experienced QB. They could go either way & either be like 2-8, 5-5, or better/worse. I don’t have much on them to give an opinion.
6. WVW: How long will the losing streak go for one of the former perennial powers of big school NEPA football? Well, who knows. They bring back 6 Offensive & 5 Defensive starters from last season, so maybe a bit of experience will go a long way. I just don’t know where the win is.
WVC 2
1. Wyoming Area: They’re the favorite until they’re toppled. They’ll be bringing in a new QB & a new O-Line, but they’re gonna be strong, as always.
2. Berwick: I think the Bulldogs won’t start slow like last year. Ty Wilkerson coming back is big, as he was an incredible asset to the team’s late-season success.
3. Lake-Lehman: The Back Mountain Black Knights bring back a very good O-Line & run game, but questions at QB will hinder their chances, just a bit.
4. Tunkhannock: I’ll give Tunk the nod over Hanover Area, barely. 8 starters return on offense, including QB. Five defensive players return, which have a couple playmakers.
5. Hanover Area: New coach? Yes. A lot of returning starters? 9 & 8, respectively. I just don’t want to say they’re better than Tunkhannock just yet. It’s all about “proving it” to me.
6. Nanticoke: New coach here in GNA land, but they’re rebuilding from last year’s struggle of a season. There are a lot of question marks, however. Only positive I can give is that if there’s a lot of youth, it may be useful experience for if they return in ’26
Don’t Forget (Holy Redeemer): New coach & independent schedule is all that might be needed to improve on the 0-10 season they had last year. They bring back 6 pieces on both offense & defense, which may help a bit, but they need a lot of help to bring themselves to the forefront
Subregional Watch (Williamsport): Hey, Billtown isn’t a slouch. They went 5-5 last year & challenged some decent teams. I think they’ll take a step back, wins-wise, but be a potential sleeper in the 6A playoff race.
Games To Watch
– Week 1: Berwick vs. Lake-Lehman, Crestwood vs. Wyoming Area
– Week 2: Wyoming Area vs. Dallas
– Week 3: Trail vs. Berwick
– Week 4: Dallas vs. Wilkes-Barre
– Week 5: Berwick vs. Hanover Area
– Week 6: Wyoming Area vs. Berwick
– Week 7: Montrose vs. Holy Redeemer (Mainly because it may be the only win either team gets)
– Week 8: Wyoming Area vs. Lake-Lehman, Crestwood vs. Dallas
– Week 9: Wilkes-Barre vs. Crestwood
– Week 10: Lake-Lehman vs. Dallas
Standings Prediction
WVC 1
1. Wilkes-Barre: 9-1 (5-0)
2. Dallas: 6-4 (4-1)
3. Crestwood: 6-4 (3-2)
4. Pittston: 3-7 (2-3)
5. Hazleton: 2-8 (1-4)
6. WVW: 0-10 (0-5)
WVC 2
1. Wyoming Area: 9-1 (5-0)
2. Berwick: 7-3 (4-1)
3. Lake-Lehman: 5-5 (3-2)
4. Tunkhannock: 4-6 (2-3)
5. Hanover Area: 4-6 (1-4)
6. Nanticoke: 0-10 (0-5)
Indies/Subregional
– Williamsport: 4-6
– Holy Redeemer: 1-9
Thanks for this. WVW has been down for too long, it was just a decade ago that they were taking out LVC teams in the playoffs. Hopefully they can start to turn things around soon.
Do you think it would benefit both programs to swap Wyoming Area and WVW for a cycle or two? Get WVW an easier schedule and build some momentum, and get Wyoming Area tested more in the regular season to get back over the hump and win the district title.
You’re welcome! I remember those days well. It seems like right after they battled Wallenpaupack in the wacky D-2/11 5A subregional era, they haven’t been the same.
I think it’d benefit both parties, but I’m not sure if they’d want to do it. They probably would prefer to keep Dallas & W-B as division rivals for them. I think they should consider moving Wyoming Area & Berwick to WVC 1 next cycle & Pittston & WVW to WVC 2, just to see if it benefits them. You basically would have WVC 1 feel as competitive as LFC 1, while LFC 2 & WVC 2 feel borderline similar, when it comes to classifications (just more 2A/3A on either side)
Anyone have any District One thoughts?? Predictions, news, updates, even any good rumors?? Kind of quiet around here.
Based on all of the polls and articles that I’ve seen so far, most are liking Downingtown West to repeat, or at least be one of the top teams in 6A. Guessing it is going to be the usual suspects still playing later into November, DTW, Downingtown East, Coatesville and North Penn. Some mention of Soudy, CB South and CB West. Curious how Spring-Ford will do after a rough season and a new head coach.
I am just for poop and giggles go out on limb and jump on the Liam Taylor train before it leaves the station so I can get a good seat and ride the train to the last station and a District One 6A championship for Haverford.
I’ll get back to chalky in 5A, and maybe the third time is the charm for me picking these guys for a D1 5A title, where we all can finally take Exit 6 and crown Chester.
Kevin,
North Penn returns 8 starters on offense and 7 on defense from a team that made it to the district final. They do lose 4 key players but return 3 year starters Bucskar at QB and Navy commit Pownall at RB/WR. They also have receivers Franek and Colella returning who contributed on offense plenty last year as well as FB/TE Ashley who also contributed a lot last year. Another player to watch is Rylei Grey. He was superb at CB last year as a sophomore and is very athletic. I would imagine they look to get the ball in his hands in space playing him at both RB and WR. The O line returns 3 starters and might take some developing. Defensively many of the aforementioned players will be contributors. Pownall, Grey, Colella all return as starters in the secondary and should be the strength of the defense. I do not believe the sophomore, Grey (now a Junior), gave up any TDs last year and only gave up a handful of receptions. Staugaitis at SS/LB, Schepian at LB, and Silvers at DT all strongly contributed or started last year. The line might take some figuring out. All in all I expect them to be amongst the frontrunner in District 1. DT East will be a very good test for them on Friday.
One team well know a lot about early on is Perk Valley, saw they open up with Springfield (Delco), Governor Mifflin, DTW and Coatesville. They certainly don’t shy away from competition in their non conference schedule.
The PAC made two very good moves over the past several years. First, splitting the conference into two divisions, small and large schools. Not a big fan of the week 10 crossover games, as they’ve been mostly lopsided in favor of the larger schools. Also, thought they were going to move PJPII into the larger division. But anyways, it opens up more early season non conference games. The second item is this current Weeks 3 and 4 games against the Chess-Mont with equal size and competitive schools. PV and S-F really did pick up their regular season schedule and competition. The third thing I think they could do, take the current situation one step further, and follow the lead of the Berks and L-L leagues, is to combine with the Ches-Mont for a football only league. Believe something like that has been mentioned and tossed about before.
The PAC/Chest-Mont crossover games seems to be working out well, I hope it continues. PJP boys basketball was moved over to the large school division last year for Competitive balance purposes. You can do that for Hoops, for football it’s a different story as points determine who stays and who goes in District 1 football playoffs. I believe PJP is actually a 3A school, Spring Ford and Perkiomen Valley-who already plays a difficult non league schedule would definitely balk at that move if it were presented. The large schools have dominated the small schools the last several years in the crossover games with the large school head coaches complaining that beating up on the small schools does nothing to improve their lot in the District 1 football standings. Last year the tables were turned as the top 4 small schools beat the top 4 large schools for the first time and Pope John Paul repeating as PAC champs. It will be interesting in the next round of classifications for the PAC. Upper Merion and Phoenixville are growing schools districts, they both could move ahead of Methacton in population in the next 2-4 years. Do they move those schools up or keep them in the small School division. I could see Phoenixville moving up and Methacton moving down, no way UM moves up, they could go years before winning a game in the large school division.
PJP is a solid 4A more so now with largest incoming freshman class since the school opened
JCO , agree,D-7 should mix 5 and 6 a for the regular season. Why they dont is puzzling. The Phila PCL does mix them up.
The PCL mixes classes out of necessity, they only have a few 6A and 5A teams so they don’t have any choice. Even if the WPIAL does that for the regular season it still does nothing to improve the playoff format, where we will more than likely see PCC play NA for the WPIAL title for the 4th year in a row. As I stated previously the 6A teams in the WPIAL have 4 nonconference games primarily against 5A schools, so they are playing the other 6 6A schools and 4 5A schools now, how many 5A schools should they play? I’m not defending the WPIAL as there is a lot I disagree with them about but I don’t see how mixing 5A and 6A schools in the same conference does much to improve schedules during the regular season.
Fans care about playing regional rivals more than playing the maximum number of 6A squads. If the issue is as the Lebo coach suggests, that their games are too far and they don’t play as many of the South Hills schools, then a combined 5A/6A division solves that issue. In 2025 Mt Lebo doesn’t play Baldwin, Bethel Park, or South Fayette, so I think they would be very happy to trade away some of the further 6A schools to play those nearby 5A schools instead.
I don’t disagree with your thoughts, but the WPIAL is not going to let that happen. Lebo should absolutely play Bethel Park every year like they do Upper St Clair, they are both bordering school districts and long time rivals. Lebo does not have a rivalry with South Fayette and I don’t recall ever playing them in football, and Baldwin has been down for so long they are not really rivals with anyone, so I don’t think Lebo is longing to play Baldwin or SF, but Bethel and to a lesser extent Peters Township I agree with you.
In the article below, Mt Lebo’s coach talked about wanting to play Baldwin and SF, that is why I included them
It’s been a while, so here’s some D2 Notes from the offseason.
1. In coaching news, a few changes have been made.
– The biggest one is George Howanitz heading over to Honesdale after a one-year sabbatical. This could really make them a dangerous team in LFC 2 & in the Class 4A battle, if given the right circumstances, although graduation did hit them hard.
– Paul Russick goes from Honesdale to Pittston. This could be a positive for a Pittston team who went 2-8 last season.
– Kyle Cook takes over at Susquehanna again. Big shoes to fill as they had their best season in ages. He also is in his second stint with the Sabers.
– Dennis Buchman stepped down as Hazleton’s coach. Scott Sacco leads the Cougars now.
– Damon Saxon is hired as Greater Nanticoke’s new coach. Former King’s College standout.
– Their Sans Scouci Struggle rivals Hanover Area hired Eric Richardson as coach.
– Vito Quaglia also is new, with Holy Redeemer hoping for better days on their indie schedule
2. Scheduling News
– Delaware Valley will be playing at Wolvarena in Week 1 against 4A McKeesport. Big test for DV here. They keep Long Island Lutheran as a home & home. Homecoming looks to be against D2 5A champ Abington Heights, which will be massive.
– Montrose adds a couple of games. Morrisville & Renaissance Academy Charter are new road games, while Delaware County Christian returns to 11-man football & plays Montrose on Senior Night.
3. Weston Yannone transfers to Dunmore to become their new QB. He was one of the standout QBs in D2 last year, leading Susquehanna to new heights.
I’m not going to through every notable game because they all repeat & will likely be the same outcomes as last year. I’ll give WVC & LFC predictions tomorrow, way too early playoff predictions Wednesday, & my first D2 picks of the season Thursday, too
How good is Delaware Valley this year? You’re right about a big test with McKeesport, they are loaded and are the co-favorites in WPIAL 4A this year with TJ, it’s been a while since McKeesport has won a WPIAL title and this could be their year with the dynamic Kemon Spell leading the way.
Good question! I think they’re gonna be pretty good this year, although they may start off slow with the gauntlet of McK, Shore, & Central York. I don’t know about division title good though.
DV is fired up this year, especially since they failed to get a district title for the first time in 8 years. They lost a few players, but I feel this team is more motivated to regain district glory, almost like how Southern wants to this year. They’ll have a new QB this year, so there are some questions about that. Their defense brings back a ton of starters, including Justin Estevez, who’s their leader on defense. The defense has always been a problem & seems to be that way again.
Offense looks good though. Their O-Line’s usually strong. A couple good skill players are back this year, too. Look out for Mike Iuzzolino, who led LFC 1 in rushing last year & could be a force again this year.
I think I agree with you on McKeesport’s odds. This is the best chance for them, but I’m still not going to doubt TJ (& Quip) until they’re taken down.
McKeesport and TJ play in week 2, so we’ll get an early preview. Last year in the regular season game McKeesport raced to a 28-0 lead in the 2nd quarter and led 28-7 at halftime, only to see TJ tie it at 28 late in the fourth quarter and win in OT, then beat them 28-7 in the WPIAL final. The Quips are down this year by their standards, they graduated a lot, and also had 4 D1 recruits transfer, including one to St Francis in Baltimore, and another to IMG, so it appears the Quips are starting the year a tier or two below TJ and McKeesport.
The way for DV to hang with McKeesport is to control the line of scrimmage and keep Port’s dangerous offense off the field, Spell can take it the distance from anywhere, so you somehow have to limit his big runs.
Any folks familiar with the WPIAL, I came across this article lamenting the 6-class system, something that they love to do around this time of year: https://tribhssn.triblive.com/wpial-class-6a-preview-a-decade-in-6-class-system-produces-little-big-school-drama/
In this article, there was a lot of talk about removing classes or adjusting the cutoffs, but why does nobody ever consider simply combining 5A and 6A for the regular season, and then separate for playoffs? Nobody is forcing the WPIAL to set up their regular season with rigid adherence to the classes. Plenty of conferences out here in the East combine 5A and 6A. What gives?
The 6A teams in the WPIAL all play 5A non-conference opponents for their 4 nonleague games, unless they schedule a non-WPIAL team like PCC playing LaSalle this Friday in the KDKA kickoff classic at the Wolverana, so almost all of the 6A teams in the WPIAL are already playing 4 5A schools. Where most of the complaining comes is the playoffs, there are 7 6A schools in the WPIAL, so every playoff game is a rematch of the regular season, unlike in 5A with 19 teams so you get a lot more different matchups in the post season. I don’t foresee the WPIAL not making all the 6A teams play each other, so there’s really not much of an alternative with the current setup. I’ve been following WPIAL football since the early 70’s, and they have always only had teams from the same classification in a conference, I’m not sure about pre-70’s, I’d have to do some research, but I don’t foresee that changing anytime soon either.
Due to only 7 teams in the class the WPIAL 6A playoffs are by far the least intriguing and exciting of any class, that was maybe not true of 6A in the first few years when PR was still in 6A, but since they’ve moved down the 5A playoffs are far better than 6A, same goes for 4A with TJ, McKeesport, Aliquippa, etc.
It’s just odd to me that they DO force all the 6A teams to play each other, and then they complain that the playoffs are all rematches. They don’t have to make all the 6A teams play each other, they just choose to do so.
Seeing NW scrimmage PMW
They looked like they are well balanced and very well coached!
The QB is gonna make some highlights this year with #10 & #11 and he can run.
That defense has been great past 4yrs seems to get better each year.
I think the ceiling of NW will depend on how our lines come together, outside of that, there aren’t many questions. You will likely see more passing this year than the past few years.
This sophomore class in 2 years at NW will be phenomenal, could very well be seniors starting at almost every position and just football dudes that work. They will probably have 3-5 that contribute on this years team.
I was at a tri scrimmage (Notre Dame GP, East Stroudsburg South and Scranton Prep….
– Notre Dame offense moved the ball well today and Scranton Prep did too.
– ES South did at times.
It was a good day to get the younger players in today for some live action.
I will be curious to see if ND has the defense or physicality on the lines to beat NS or NW this year for a district title. Skill wise they are there as usual though.
It will most likely be the same ole stuff where they can’t stop anyone on defense. At least in the bigger games. I’m not sure why he doesn’t put that much emphasis on defense, but oh well!
Wilson Bulldogs really dominated Coatesville in their scrimmage. Coatesville didn’t score a point while Wilson had at least 5 TD’s. Coatesville first string had only one first down that I saw. I did miss the first ten minutes, but Wilson scored on a long TD as I arrived in the stadium. Thought Coatesville was said to have a lot of starters back. They do have some big guys up front, but Wilson ran very well against them.
Heard early on in that scrimmage a Coatesville player was tossed for throwing. punch. Several personal fouls were called over the next several plays. Sounds like to me Coatesville that I know is already in mid season form 🙂
Those were the best hits Coatesville showed in the scrimmage. They were really handled!
Anyone at danville vs north schuylkill scrimmage?
Wally has these guys ready to go.
Lol
It was a tri-scrimmage, with Crestwood also there. NS showed absolutely nothing today. Did not run the ball. Top offensive guys did not touch the ball. Defense looked good against both. With a veteran offense returning, seems like the coaches held back showing anything with Mt. Carmel next week. Oh, IMHO, Crestwood looked better than Danville.
Just got back from the SCA/Valley View scrimmage and it is bad news for anyone playing Southern this year. The Tigers have almost everyone back from last year and they are going to be tough to beat. If there are any doubters, ask Valley View fans who attended this total takedown.
Against a Valley View team that lost 29 players from last season?? In a scrimmage?? Ummm, OK. Let’s try to contain our giddiness until later Friday evening after the Wyo game. See how they do in an actual game against Hardy and company.
Scrimmages today anyone??
@ Jeff H, I’ll reply to your reply post later over the weekend.
Kevin X, did you go to a scrimmage? Pjp is very close so went over to see their scrimmage with U Moreland. Pjp is replacing alot of graduated talent. Has some good athletes at the skill positions if they can hold their own up front should get better as the season goes along. U Moreland looked ok. Have learned over the yrs not to take too much away from scrimmages one way or the other.
I was on the fence about going, but motivated myself to get off my butt and headed over to the North Penn/CV scrimmage. At least for the latter half. Guessing the early part of the scrimmage was warm-ups and drills, based on other NP scrimmages I’ve been to. When I was there they basically ran two 12 minute quarters of actually game play. Like you, I take these scrimmages with a very large grain of salt (remember seeing Wood looking completely lost a few years ago against Imhotep, yet they go on to win the state ‘chip that year). NP has both their QB and No. 1 RB back, the QB looked good (CV QB did as well). So good passing, or not so good pass “D”?? Who knows. Either way, NP should be able to hold their own once again this year in D1 6A. My biggest takeaway (and maybe only) is injuries, hopefully a lack of, or better yet, simply none. Only one that I saw was a NP kid (#6) being helped off the field with an apparent foot/ankle/lower leg issue. Hopefully he’ll be fine for D-Town East Friday (I know I will be!!).
Have to find a game to go this week. Used to like going to the N Penn-Lasalle game for a few yrs there when they opened season. Following week PJP plays Shawnee NJ on Thursday night, Spring-Ford hosts Easton the following night. Should be interesting.
Speaking of LaSalle they’ll be in western PA on Friday night to take on PCC at the Wolvarena in the KDKA kickoff classic. I will be there and will be surprised if LaSalle doesn’t win by 2-3 scores, PCC as usual has a lot of DI talent but breaking in new QB and running back so I think the offense will struggle against LaSalle’s defense, although PCC does have 3 DI recruits on their O-line returning.
Transfers. One of the admin items within the PIAA that I try to keep on top of, learn, understand, but the the more I do, the more my head spins. And right now it is spinning really fast. What brings this post up is from the epicentre of PIAA transfer news (in the negative), District 7, aka the WPIAL. Most of the stories that I hear about from the WPIAL come out of Pittsburgh Central Catholic and Aliquippa. But it’s far from limited to those two schools. The latest headline involves a Sophomore QB who was denied eligibility for this upcoming season. No, not post season eligibility, but ineligible for the whole season. Why??, it was determined by the WPIAL and confirmed by the PIAA on appeal that his transfer involved “athletic intent.” The kid in question was a highly regarded freshman QB last year, attending a public school, and over the summer transferred to another WPIAL school, but a catholic school (not PCC) (did I just throw the juicy red meat out there for some of you guys??). Trying to stick to my understanding of PIAA transfer rules (good luck to self with that), that a kid who transfers before entering the 10th grade, the potential transfer rules/penalties do not apply. Also, I thought we’re only talking about post season eligibility in these cases, not a full season, unless there is something really nefarious and/or illegal going on. District 12 is pretty much the land of PIAA unrestricted free agency, but I don’t know if I’ve ever heard of a kid being ineligible for whole season (I’m sure it has happened) for an “athletic intent” which I’m guessing, some form, even the smallest, of athletic intent is involved 90% of transfer reasons. Even post season transfer eligibility in District 12 seems to be a 50/50 proposition.
Thoughts, opinions, facts, background info on any of this……..(wakey wakey Jeff H. WPIAL Guy, other western PA folks) 🙂
I am a bit surprised the PIAA didn’t overrule the WPIAL on this transfer case for Anthony Smith like they often do, it’s now in court, and a Westmoreland County judge just issued an injunction yesterday allowing him to play in Seton LaSalle’s scrimmage this weekend until another court hearing can be held next week. The parents claim their son has been the subject of cyber bullying on social media by an adult who lives in the Southmoreland school district that started in the spring of 2024 when he was in 8th grade and continued through last year and was so bad the kid didn’t play baseball in the spring, so the family decided he would transfer to Seton LaSalle for safety reasons. Southmoreland claimed he transferred for athletic intent, the WPIAL agreed, and the PIAA upheld their ruling, so as of now he’s out for the whole season. If the parents claims are accurate and I have no reason to believe they are not I don’t see why the WPIAL/PIAA ruled him ineligible, and sounds like the judge is leaning towards granting an injunction to let him play this season, we’ll see how it plays out.
Speaking of Seton LaSalle, their star junior receiver and Penn St commit Khalil Taylor just transferred to Pine Richland, which would give PR arguably the best receiving duo in the state, with Jay Timmons committed to Florida State as the other wideout. He hasn’t had his eligibility hearing yet, but if the WPIAL ruled Anthony Smith ineligible I don’t see how they can allow Taylor to play for PR this season, he’s one of the top rated receivers in the country in the class of 2027.
I agree with you that the vast majority of transfers at least involve some degree of athletic intent, but so what, you’re going to punish a kid who transfers to try and put himself in a better situation for his future. Anthony Smith already has a few DI offers after his freshman season, and forcing him to sit out this year could definitely have a negative impact on his future. The PIAA lawyer argued in court yesterday he would still have 2 years of eligibility remaining after this season, and the judge responded that doesn’t mean he has to lose one now. I agree with the judge, let the kid play!
Yikes, I was going to write a short novel on this whole situation, then thought better of it and just wanted to thank you for your update and insight.
Now I’m hearing that Smith is not going to fight for eligibility, but just transfer again. Something about out of state. He should come east and go to Malvern Prep, love to see him play after all of this build up. Question is, can he play lax as well??
I also heard the Taylor kid has been ruled eligible the regular season, but per PIAA rules, ineligible for the post season. I’m glad this is all taking place out your way in WPIAL land, because if this was District One, my head would have exploded by now. Tough enough trying to keep up with the Philly Catholic League transaction wire.