Thursday, September 3, 2009

Week 1 – Games of the Week


No more scrimmages, two-a-days or discussions about the depth chart. The WPIAL football season kicks off Friday and the Varsity Letters is providing readers with the best local games to watch.

1. Canon-McMillan at Trinity
The Big Macs owned the previous two meetings but the Hillers believe this is their year. C-M features Penn State recruit and reigning Observer-Reporter Player of the Year Mike Hull. The Big Macs also have depth at receiver but are searching for the right combinations along the offensive and defensive lines. Trinity boasts Michigan recruit Ken Wilkins and linebacker Kyle McWreath, one of the WPIAL's top juniors. The Hillers must find ways to contain explosive running games to make a playoff run.

Also of note, this is the first game in the coverage area to kickoff at 7 p.m.

2. Monessen at Rochester
If Monessen is to climb into the elite of Class A, it starts with an impressive performance at perennial power Rochester. Last year, the Rams shut out the Greyhounds in a defensive battle.

3. McGuffey at Mt. Pleasant
File this into the "Not sure if you noticed" file but every full-timer on the O-R sports staff picked McGuffey to finish second to Greensburg Central Catholic in the always-tough Class AA Interstate Conference. In order for that to happen, the Highlanders must find a way to beat the Vikings on the road. Not an easy task.

86 comments:

Anonymous said...

MIKE HULL 2010 PIAA CHAMP!
HAS A NICE RING TO IT!
SEE YOU ON THE MAT MIKE!

Anonymous said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
C-M Wrestling 0-10 said...

First who is this clown that is hell-bent on making sure that Mike Hull gets the message that someone wants him to wrestle? If he does choose to do so, great. If not, that's fine too. Using this blog as a way to influence Hull is a pointless/fruitless task and contributes nothing to the discussions on here. Hull has earned the right to play or not play any of the sports he is associated with (football, wrestling, baseball).

Back to the football- I'm anxious to see how Zach Hoffman performs as the C-M QB. Solid receivers like Toward give him plenty of weapons beyond Hull and Campbell. I think Hoffman has the ability to throw for 1,500 yards, especially if Hagan is able to play the 2nd half of the year.

Anonymous said...

Monessen is not likely to get off to a real good start. CB Nick Bolias is out 4-6 weeks. He was a PFN all-state pick last year. QB Terrance Stepoli has to sit the opener out serving a suspension for being ejected from team's final playoff game in 2008 and his brother, Josh, another starter up front, must sit out to serve a suspension, also for being ejected in the Clairton playoff game.

With Rochy being so good and at home, it could be a tought night for the Greyhounds.

Brady Kunsa, a solid WR and DB, will start at QB. He and the OL will be key to keeping Monessen close.

Anonymous said...

I hope it's a good smash mouth game.

Anonymous said...

READY??.....WRESTLE!...

Anonymous said...

Man, I cannot wait for tonight to watch the Hillers get owned again.

The most overrated team in history, the Trinity Hillers. Remember 5-5 last year? Similar results this year.

Anonymous said...

good luck to all the teams playing tonite lets pray that all the kids have a good season with limited injuries shake hands after the game and go home knowing they gave there all

Anonymous said...

To the poster at 12:57 -
Trinity was 5-5 yes. But what was Canon Mac? 6-4 right? You speak as if Canon Mac was worlds better and won the state title. There's a good chance that the bigger school Canon Mac will win. In the case they don't however, I assume you're not gonna bring yourself back in here to eat crow, correct?

Anonymous said...

2 hours, five minutes.......tick, tick, tick....

Where's all the nervous Big Mac fans now?

Canon Mac 0-1

Their "best" team ever was only 6-4 last year.....

tick, tick, tick..

Anonymous said...

Tick Tick Tick... Tasty Big-Macs!!!

Anonymous said...

"tick, tick, tick....Where's all the nervous Big Mac fans now? Canon Mac 0-1"

"tick, tick, tick..Tick Tick Tick... Tasty Big-Macs!!!

tick, tick, tick---BOOOOOM!

Peters 1-0... to state champs said...

How bout them Peters Township Indians!!! 1-0 baby after crunching Ringgold! Very impressed with the explosion Peters has on offense and also the "toughness" they have developed in the trenches.

Clairton Alum,
I heard the Bears lost tonight? I'm shocked. Any thoughts on what happened? Is Laurel that good or did Clairton just play poorly?

Anonymous said...

They were supposed to destroy Ringgold and they did not. Ringgold had the lead going into the fourth.

Anonymous said...

Trinity 0-1!

On the way to 5-5, AGAIN!!!!

HYPE< HYPE< HYPE

Just doesn't win games baby, you can talk all you want, but it takes men to win football games.

Nice job Eddie!

Mailman said...

Congratulations to the Avella Eagles!!

Clairton Alum said...

I have never been so disgusted, so embarassed, so ashamed of where I am from and my football team than I am at this very minute. Forget winning and losing, I can deal with a loss...what I cant deal with are the cheap shots that the Clairton players took at the Laurel players, the throwing of equipment, the crying, the lack of motivation, the lack of hustle, the lack of intensity, the lack of anything resembling a football team tonight. I have no idea what happened from last December in Hershey to right now. We basically put the same team on the field tonight that we did last year...the same team that beat Laurel 41-0 last year and we were just plain awful. I think the statisticians are still trying to total up the penalty yards...minimum it was between 150 and 200 against Clairton, minimum. And Im not even going to blame the officials...Clairton committed the infractions, it was all on them. That was the most undisciplined, most unorganized football game and football team I have seen in a very long time. Whether it was because they thought all they had to do was show up or because they read too many of their press clippings, their heads and hearts just werent there.

Laurel deserved to win that game and, quite honestly, I was rooting for them at the end. If there are any Laurel fans that read this blog I would like to apologize for the behavior, personal fouls and actions of my team this evening...it was completely uncalled for. I am disgusted to be wearing this sweatshirt right now. I will not go to another Clairton game if I ever see that again.

On a side note, hats off to Avella for starting the season with a victory...great job.

Anonymous said...

Former Hiller fan until that no account school board that's up there doing nothing they have kept Dalton a round now for eleven years and Montecalvo had him for dinner so many times it isn't funny anymore. Dalton has tons more talent than than Montecalvo has but Montecalvo kick's Dalton ass I for one am tired of all his hype and then he goes out there an get's his ass handed to him . Come on Hiller fan's have the gut's to admit it and shame on you if you can't because you know the game's passed him by.

Anonymous said...

Hey, former Hiller fan just saw you're post wish I could join you're cause hiller fans deserve better than Dalton. That worthless bunch of assistant coaches should go two, what a miserable game. Ant true blue hiller fan who that was a good coching job shame on you.

Anonymous said...

haha wow peters trailed ringgold going into the fourth quarter?!?! lmao ringgold might be the worst AAA team because of their lack of experience. yet, PT people still declare themselves WPIAL champs. i think they forgot that they play AAAA not AAA, but struggled with a lower 10% AAA team. wow

prexie said...

wash high is on the right track. they just need to keep working hard and executing. jeanette and greensburg cc look awsome, but wash high has the atheletes to hang with them. they just need the time and confidence. there were alot of freshman and sophomores that played like seniors.

Anonymous said...

Former Hiller fan what you say is 100% true and on the money, but Montecantvo isn't much better. Last week he said Trinity was their biggest rival.......WHAT!!! A non-conference smaller school is your BIGGEST RIVAL!!..I don't care about being from the same county or tradition, it is no wonder that Methaney(BP), Render(USC), and Haering(Mt.Lebo) own him like their little b*@ch. Guy will NEVER win the section he is a AA Coach and NOTHING more. Guy Montecan'tvo on the AAAA level is over his head.

Anonymous said...

Dalton should go. He's done great things for Trinity's program but it's time for him to step aside. He doesn't even seem to recognize that his bad decision making is what is costing the Hillers their games. He blames the kids 100%. Passing when he should be running - running when he should be passing. Poor execution of plays. Poorly timed plays. Strange player substitutions. It all adds up. Those kids deserve better. They are getting shafted.

Anonymous said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Anonymous said...

Hey Guy, why don't you start some new Washington County rivalries with some other schools you can pad your record with like Avella, Fort Cherry, & McGuffy. Finally people are looking behind the curtain and the wizard is nothing more than a AA coach dressing up in AAAA cloths. You are a fraud.

Anonymous said...

Guy represents the lollipop kids as the HEAD coach in Canon Mac land. Follow the AA road.

Anonymous said...

Hey Guy....click your heels 3 times and say "there's no place like AA football." Because in AAAA your like Toto hiding in the basket against the weekly QUALITY Coaches......."there's no place like AA football".

Anonymous said...

Guy has done a lot for Canon Mac football, just ask him and he'll tell you so........nobody but his bobblehead coaches agree with Coach Mediocre but he will spout off that he's now beaten Trinity 3 times in a row as his first accomplishment as the AAAA Canon Mac coach. Both he & Dalton should be fired so Guy could go back to AA and Dalton.....well he's been everywhere else so maybe he'll just go away.

Anonymous said...

Hey Mike, the previous posts bring up a great idea, why don't you investigate Guy's record against the quality AAAA programs.....BP, USC, Central Catholic, Penn Hills, NA, Horth Hills, Woodland Hills...etc. My guess is that against the quality programs his record is below .500. I know you are pals but go ahead and prove me wrong or verify he's a AAAA fraud.

Anonymous said...

A lot of Trinity fans are posting like little babies with no class. Guy just beat you so just lick your wounds and have your team ready for next week.
Mike Hull PIAA champ ... 215 lbs ...
2010.

mike_kovak said...

Posts like these make me worry for the future of several Washington County communities. Honestly, what is wrong with you some of you people?

For starters, ifar too early to write off Trinity's season. Far too early. Yeah, maybe they won't beat TJ, but, who does?

And please, if you're going to anonymously criticize a coach and call for his job for losing to a Quad-A school at least learn how to spell. It might add a slight tinge of validity to the argument. But probably not.

I've spoken with Coach Dalton countless times. I've never heard him directly blame players. Does he question their competitive desire on occasion? Sure. What coach doesn't. In fact, I've never dealt with a coach ready to blame himself more than Coach Dalton does. Every time I've covered a Trinity loss, Coach Dalton blames himself. Much like he did Friday night.

CM "fans", you should be pleased that a team with five new starters on the OL and a new starting QB went on the road and came away with an impressive victory. The Big Macs looked solid and that game illustrates what a healthy Mike Hull brings to the table.

Judging from the crowd in attendance, the spirit of the students and the bounce from the players, anyone want to tell me that C-M/Trinity isn't a rivalry. And can someone please show me where Coach Montecalvo said last week it's the biggest? He didn't tell me that.

Also, Coach Montecalvo did not talk postgame about beating Trinity three consecutive games. I put that in my story at nobody's urging. It's called background.

And, for the 1,000th time, stop the name calling. It brings absolutely nothing to the discussion.

mike_kovak said...

I wish more people would learn from Clairton Alum.

His team, which he has defended to much criticism on this blog, loses when it shouldn't.

Yet he presents a rational response littered with examples and reasonable critique.

Anonymous said...

If one wants to criticize Coach Montecalvo for beating up on the cupcakes, all one has to do is look at his former mentor (Joe Paterno) and the non-conference schedule that he plays each year.

Ostara said...

That's right Mike. I'm down here in FL. now but listen to THS games every year via MSA Sports Network.

I think Dalton is a great guy that has really improved Trinity's football program. Fans that get mad and say he's got to go need to humble themselves. Why do you think Pittsburgh Steelers have such a good franchise? Because they have longevity with Coaches.Or how about high school, Montecalvo with Wash High...etc. Dalton is arguably one of the best coaches in Trinity history. Having said that, would anyone want to trade that for uncertainty and yet another transition and restructure?

I think THS played well. Guy Montecalvo is a great coach with a record to prove it. To stay in a game with a bigger team coached by Guy is a HUGE accomplishment.

The star players, I heard Mike Hull's name countless times as well as Hoffman and others. And for Trinity, Wilkens, Bryant, Havrilak, Preston, Steratore, etc. Both teams have several standout players!

To the CM fans: I've heard of sore losers, but sore winners? Where's your class. It was a good win. And Trinity did give them lots of trouble in the first half of the game and was winning. Let's agree that CM is a solid team and Trinity played well. Trinity didn't get blown out and there is no reason to trash talk when you won.

Anonymous said...

Well Mr. Novak, since you have never likely been in the locker room after a Trinity game to hear what was said, then maybe you shouldn't presume to know what Dalton has or has not said to his players regarding fault. And if you don't want to read people's view points and criticism, then why do you have this forum? So you can criticize people's spelling??? Those on here just calling names and making stupid comments about how great their team is and how bad the other is should get a life. But we all can't just smile and talk endlessly about how great Canon Mac and Montecalvo are as you do. There's no fun it that. Dalton's reputation precedes him. This may be the first game of the season but it is a continuation of the same mistakes from last year, and the year before, etc... There's no personal insult to Dalton here. He's been a great coach. But this group of kids have more than enough talent to beat canon Mac. Last night should never have happened.

mike_kovak said...

Didn't say let's all smile. Never have.

Let's just not make it personal. That's all.

The post right above me is a good one. States his case, pokes a little fun at me but doesn't hurl personal insults.

People can be critical without being personal.

mike_kovak said...

Not sure about Mr. Novak but I have been in a Trinity locker room on a couple occasions. Can't say I ever heard anything bad but I wasn't in there last night nor am I in there often.

mike_kovak said...

Anon,

Have you ever been a head coach of a high school football team where every move is scrutinized? If so, please share and tell us what you would do differently.

There are a lot of people firing others on here but not a lot of suggestions as to what to do properly?

Anonymous said...

There are a lot of people firing others on here but not a lot of suggestions as to what to do properly?

September 5, 2009 2:44 PM

Mike, before I call Guy Montecalvo a Great AAAAcoach he will have to do more than accumulate 6-4 records by beating Trinity, Kiski, & Baldwin, & Peter's every year. Last years team had 4-5 D-1 players (2 at Army, Hull & Hagan) and he still lost in the 1st round and still lost the section to a less talented buy superior coached Bethel team. By the way they play Wood High, Penn Hills, & North Hills as non-conference opponents and beat CM & Guy every year.....USC is a smaller AAAA school with 5 WPIAL championships & 2 PIAA's under their coach......THAT is how it's done properly, not padding your record ala Joe Paterno......nothing personal, just the facts.

Anonymous said...

Mike, the previous post is correct. Nobody can question that Guy was a great AA coach but nobody can also question the fact that he has been average at best with the big boys in AAAA. The difference is EVERY week you are playing a good to great team in AAAA that simply is not the case in AA. Let's face Guy may be your hero but he is a middle of the pack AAAA coach.....nothing more. Those are simply the facts and it's not personal.

Anonymous said...

Mike:

These folks are correct, Guy Montecalvo at the AAAA level is not in the same class as Render, Smith, McCurry, Novak and Gordon who have had great teams at the highest level for years. Do they occassionally have a 6-4 record sure, but Guy has that EVERY year padded mostly by cream puffs. If he played a quality AAAA non-conference he would be a mediocre 3-7 or 4-6 every year. Remove Trinity, Butler, Kiski and the patsies and then tell how great he is. How many times has he beaten BP & USC in the past 6-7 years, how playoff wins does he have at the AAAA level. That speaks to his quality more than his annual 6-4 record. Go inside those numbers and you'll find it's not a pretty site. Just an observation and I am not being personal.

Anonymous said...

To the last poster: I agree with you that Motecalvo is NOT a Render of sorts to the AAAA classification. Render has done all along in AAAA what Guy has done in AA, actually even better maybe. That's where the definition of he is great vs he is greatest comes into play. Montecalvo is a great coach. There is always someone better. Jim Render always seems to pull out a team no matter what. In most cases USC has a great team, sometimes they've been the best, very few times have they only been so/so. However big the coaching ways in there is still the player factor. Better players on teams can be the difference maker.

I'm sure these coaches have their own strong points and weakness.

Anonymous said...

*weighs* (correcting a typo).. caught it

Anonymous said...

Mike Kovak and Ostera you stole some of my thunder. To the Anon who blames Dalton for last nites loss......did Dalton blow the tackle in the backfield on Alex Schrams 74 yd TD on the reverse? Did Coach Dalton trip up Dan Miller on the kickoff return that should've been a TD? Was it Coach Dalton who missed two extra points and a FG? Most of the so called fans of Trinity I see on Friday night are too busy primping and posing in the stands. You people wouldn't know a good program or coach if they hit you in the face.
I've been around Trinity football now for almost 30 years. I've seen many changes. People come and go, and eventually you discontent Anon's will fade away as well. But THSfan will still be there cheering on my Hillers!
As for being in the locker room....I've been there with Dalton, Ted Peterson, Gawen Stoker and Bob Johnson. Sometimes players need yelled at. If that upsets them, too bad. Maybe they should try soccer.
If any of you Anon's aren't happy with Dalton, you're always free to pull up stakes and go else where! Maybe like....Connecticut! They like to pose and primp up there!!

Congrats to Canon Mac. You "Guy's" have a nice team. Best of luck. Mike Hull really is awesome!

Wash High....great win over a big rival! I wish you luck this season.

Avella....way to go!! Now I want you to beat someone other than Geibel! Best of luck this year.

Trinity.....dissapointing yeah, but not discouraging. You played a tough game against a very tough opponent. You had your chances, but mistakes cost you. You need to make the plays!!! Thats what seperates you from TJ..........

mike_kovak said...

Still waiting for someone to come up with some solutions. All the anon's keep spouting is that this team can't beat USC, BP, TJ, Gateway.

Been there, done that. Been there, done that. Been there, done that.

Please bring something fresh and constructive to the discussion instead of grinding your ax.

CM football rules said...

I hate to say it, but as far as Canon-McMillan goes, defensive coordinator Frank Zebrasky is probably a better baseball coach than football coach. And he is in the bottom tier of baseball coaches.

Vanilla game plans, predictable defensive alignments, terrible pass defense, and a lack of pressure have all contributed to the D being the weak link for the Little Macs.

Anonymous said...

I totally agree with the idiots on this blog, get rid of Dalton! Lets go back to the 25 years of losing seasons, pathetic AD, Coaches that are only there for a paycheck, and poor role models for our kids!

Great call idiots! Dalton continues to produce productive teams, playoff appearances, division 1 athletes, a great youth program, top notch facilities, equipment, coaches, and an excitement for the students at Trinity.

Obviously people don't remember the pathetic years under Chambers, Stoker, Petersen, and the other coaches that came and went like a revolving door for all sports. Trinity had below average facilities, such as baseball and softball fields, a delapitated gym, and horrible weight room equipment and management.

Dalton has done more for this community and for our kids than any AD or Coach in the past 25 years. Dalton should be thanked, not attacked by uneducated, angry kids/parents in the community that don't understand what he has accomplished. I would like to see who becomes the next head coach at Trinity. They have some big shoes to fill! Maybe some of the loud mouth people on this blog will put their names into the hat!

It is sad to see the posts on this blog! Mike, I would love to see you change this blog so that only positive post make the list. We have people on here bashing the people in the community who spend countless hours to better our kids. Not to mention the people who bash teenage kids! The banter that goes on in this blog is absolutely dispicable! It is a shame that people have to make themselves feel better by bashing kids on this site.

Kids are out there giving everything they have and enjoying their years in high school. This is HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL for God sake! Get a life people! Grow up and find something better to do with your time. PLEASE GROW UP!

mike_kovak said...

While I wish this blog took a more positive outlook, I can't change how people think.

Opinion is something that can't be changed and will be tolerated on this board, positive or negative, as long as it refrain from personal attacks.

I feel it's OK to critique an offense. I don't believe it's OK to ridicule high school players or be profane when speaking of high school coaches.

Anonymous said...

Ok, perhaps calling for Coach Dalton to step aside was probably harsh. I admit that. But the narrow-minded anon who posted on September 5, 2009 at 10:03 PM who calls everybody idiots doesn't understand what is being said. Coach Ed Dalton is fantastic in many ways. But something just happens to him every time he steps on that field on Friday night. The decision making is sometimes just poor and he needs to address this to avoid these kind of disappointing games. It's not up to me to decide how to address this. I'm not a coach or even a parent. The idea that Trinity should have won on Friday already took into account player error. And in some of those instances it still falls on Dalton because he chooses the players and plays. Trinity clearly isn't comfortable in that spread yet and that cost them. Trinity's passing game is just not strong enough to rely to heavily on it at this time I would hardly blame the loss on the 60-some yard kickoff return by Miller. Looked like he would have only got another yard or two anyway as someone had an angle on him. It seems the new turf is causing some minor issues which I'm sure will be alleviated when the players get used to playing on it. The extra points were disappointing but I have all the faith in the world in Mike Cleveland to be a great kicker. That was just nerves. And the snaps and holding need to get tighter to help him get more comfortable. It will come around. But I want to get to the point that when we are in one of those close games and the kids aren't making so many errors that we don't turn the ball over on downs 5 to 15 yards out because of bad play calls. That's what this is all about.

I have to say I got a good laugh at your hypocrisy of telling us how much you wish the post could be more positive while at the same time calling everyone idiots and uneducated and calling every past Trinity coach pathetic.

Anonymous said...

Mike, I am going to mix it up a little. I love concession stand food. Absolutely love it. My favorite is the hot sausage with a side of cabbage and noodles at Burgettstown. The texture is amazing and heat just right. A festival of flavor in evcery bite. In wrestling season West Greene puts on a wonderful spread of homemade food followed by South Side Beaver. What is your favorite venue to eat at a high school sporting event?

THSfan said...

McKeesport stadium always had good hot sausages over on the visitors side. They had several grills going.
The Trinity boosters do a nice job on the cabbage and noodles at Hiller Field.
If you like pepperoni rolls, then South Side Beaver is the place!

Rod Taylor said...

The food at Ringgold games must be good, because the lines are always long.

Anonymous said...

The difference between the Hillers & CM is 4 letters.... HULL. Put him on Trinity and Canon Mac will ......SUCK. They will get a REAL test this Friday against Central Catholic and we will see AA Guy get out coached by a REAL AAAA Coach once again.

Anonymous said...

I love the Trinity guys calling Guy a AA coach, is he the same GUY that just outcoached and beat your AAA team?

So funny.

mike_kovak said...

My favorite place is one that feeds me for free (Carmichaels, Charleroi, McGuffey, Trinity are a few).

As for concession stand fare, I'm a big fan of the food at Beth-Center as well as the pepperoni rolls and hamburgers at South Side Beaver. And, yes, Ringgold also sports a strong concession stand.

Kevin Rice said...

Mike, I sure wish you could change the blog format to require membership, usernames, passwords, etc. Obviously cowards and fools love to come here and lay down the anonymous smack. They are sorry souls with no backbone. BTW idiots, last time I checked, Guy Montecalvo coached the ONLY PIAA championship football team in Washington county at ANY level. Swagger like an anonymous blogger!

Anonymous said...

Kevin Rice,

AMEN!

You are so right! This person talks about the Wizard hiding behind the curtain, yet they slander the good name of a person and use the anonymous tag! The worst sort of coward! If you got something to say.......put your name to it you chicken s*&t.

We all know it is not a Trinity person and it started in BASEBALL season when the CM Admin. didn't hire a certain person and this sick OCD personality blamed Coach Montecalvo. We know who they are and they are pathetic and sorry like you said. Those of us in CM land know that all these posts are the same demented individual.........just look at their content and M.O. They are too much of an idiot to change their writing style.

En Fuego said...

Are you talking about Jordan A?

Anonymous said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Sanchez said...

It sure sounds like the 7:17pm anonymous was talking about the infamous postings of Jordan A. They sure have called him out to the carpet, but it's funny because they didn't have the insides to post a name. Instead they hide behind the anonymous label-- sounds a lot like #10 posting.

mike_kovak said...

Honestly people, how many times can this subject be broached.

It comes up over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over.

Yet, every time, the poster claims it's not a personal attack. Bull. If not, then why has this person(s) posted the same thoughts well over 100 times on this board.

The smackdown is about to get laid down yet again people.

This is just so ridiculous.

Ostara said...

Mike, a change up. I really miss WPIAL football. Like I said in another blog for being down here in FL.

Did you know about Bethel Park being ranked around #7 in the country last year pre-season. They came down here and played a team called Lakeland, "The Dreadnaughts".

Lakeland beat Bethel like 42-0 I believe. Even more scary is the fact that Lakeland went on to the state title game and I think they played St. Thomas Aquinas. St. Thomas beat Lakeland somewhere around 54-0!

These FL. teams are LOADED with talent! Still not like the WPIAL in my eyes.

It would be nice to see a perennial power like TJ come down and take the field against one of these great So-Flo teams!

Any thoughts?

Ostara said...

Actaully, I'm sorry Mike, That was Gateway with the preseason ranking that came down to play Lakeland.

I got Bethel confused because they went so far last year.

mike_kovak said...

I think good to great WPIAL teams can compete with schools from Florida and Texas along the offensive line.

The difference is speed.

Florida simply has much more of it. Can't compare it, which is why high schools down there can send 11 kids to major college programs every year.

It's my opinion that you can take the best WPIAL team and find at least 10 teams around Miami that are better.

prexie said...

i agree the florida teams have 6 or 7 kids running 4.4 fortys and they are all on the field at the same time. you have to respect the fake to the 4.4 200lb halfback then you have to cover the 3 4.4 160lb wideouts. too late.

Anonymous said...

I have a question about Florida High School Football. I may be wrong, but my buddy, who lives in Florida, says that kids can choose to attend the high school of their choice in the counties. Is this true? If so, can you imagine the team we could produce in Allegheny County?

I don't think there is a team in ANY state that could contend with that All Star line-up!

Can someone let me know if that is true?!

Anonymous said...

I don't think there is that much of a speed difference between PA and FL football. Guy Montecalvo runs a speed camp in the summer and there are plenty of fast kids there. Jeravin Matthews (4.27 40) and Chad Hagan (4.29 40) come to mind.

prexie said...

guy better get a new stopwatch

Anonymous said...

To compare WPIAL teams to Fl or Texas teams may be a little unfair. The talent pool is larger for the southern schools but there is also a level of committment among the coaches and communitites. They "LIVE" for high school football. There is also a talent rich area around Tulsa, OK. Namely Union High and Jenks High. Check some college rosters for players from that area also. In that area they actuall have a weekly high school football magazine! Not discounting what we have here but the fans/players/families, live high school football.

Anonymous said...

Why is it that these CM kids only run these speeds on Guys stop watch?! They sure don't run them at the combines!

If that is the case, I just clocked myself at a 3.87! Hell, I also bench 520, have a 52 inch vertical jump, and my SAT scores just came back and they are perfect!!

Anonymous said...

Just to clarify for you, Chad Hagan did run that time (4.29) at a Scout.com combine! He had the fastest time in the combine in fact. Check their website before you pop-off about false times!

Also Matthews is widely known as the fastest player on the NORTHWESTERN UNIV. squad. I don't know his time, but I think Guy's stopwatch is working just fine!! He coached many state sprinting champions when he was track coach for the Prexies.

Anonymous said...

Other speed guys at Canon-Mac include Mike Hull (4.5-4.6 40), Zach Hoffman (4.7 40), and Alec Schram (4.4 40)

Anonymous said...

The way states set up their high school football is usually different than PA. The districts are simply huge, or they allow recruiting - "scholarships" - sorry. TJ for instance is great around here, but like most WPIAL schools, they are limited to their own district boundaries.

They can't compete with teams in Ohio for example because of how many more kids those teams have to draw from - like St. Ignatious.
I was at one of their games last year and they had 105 kids on their sideline for the game - and there were no sophomores dressed. They had to double up numbers - and there were no 10th graders!!

For this area it would be like combining neighboring schools to create one school. I know for a fact this is the case in Ohio, Texas (I lived there) and California. You can't compare football around here with the way they do it - it's like apples to oranges. That's why I find these national rankings so comical.

VCTMbrian said...

I want a half hour of my life back...

Why did I read these posts? Why?

Anonymous said...

4.2 and 4.29 is that for 40 feet what happens when they put on pads now its 4.7 get your chairs out for the parade thats the only thing that draws attn. at cannonburg

Anonymous said...

He coached many state sprinting champions when he was track coach for the Prexies.

September 9, 2009 8:32 AM

Mike, why do we constantly have to hear what Guy did at Wash high.

You get real defensive when bloggers rip him for his average results at CM but these flashbacks only furthur emphasize that his success was on the AA level. Again this is NOT personal but REALITY. Deal with it and stop being so defensive & protective of Guy. You are losing YOUR credibility.

Anonymous said...

It comes up over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over.

Yet, every time, the poster claims it's not a personal attack. Bull. If not, then why has this person(s) posted the same thoughts well over 100 times on this board.

The smackdown is about to get laid down yet again people.

This is just so ridiculous.

September 8, 2009 11:37 AM

Mickey.....

You remove postings regarding your beloved Guy M. but continue to allow people to blame without proof this Jordan A dude.

You have created this monster you are as childish as your demented followers.

Anonymous said...

Listen,

I am a pretty frequent blogger on this site. One thing that stands out to me is, that it doesn't matter what the season, CM faithful have not said more than 10 positve comments since January. This site is really being infested with CM crap. I am sure that it wouldn't matter who coaches what sport but nobody in that district would be happy. They could get Vince Lombardi to coach football, Casey Stengel to coach baseball, Red Auerbach to coach basketball and Dan Gable to coach wrestling and they still would be bashing them! They will never be happy down in C-burg.....

Ostara said...

Mike, that's probably right. I think though that Thomas Jefferson would give a school (here in So- FL.) of the same size lots of trouble. they are solid and well taught.

The players are there, but the coaching and training I think is more thorough in SW PA.


I remember when Stevie Breaston was playing at Woody High and when he would run, from his waist down was blurry. That's how alot of these guys are down here. So again you're pretty much spot on I think.

With teams like Pace, Chaminade Madonna, St. Thomas Aquinas, Lakeland, American Heritage etc.. They are packed with great teams/speed every year.

Anonymous said...

Mike, great job keep it up.

Just want to give you a heads up on a kid from Beth Center that I saw play he played the fullback position strong kid/great blocker one to keep an eye on he opened huge holes. I didn't get his first name but his last is Sofran.

Ostara said...

You guys remember Lanfer Simpson, the FB from Waynesburg HS? That guy was a beast! He'd bust it up the middle and opposite colored jerseys would be flying like bowling pins. What ever happened to him? I heard he went to WVU and that was the last I had heard of him.

mike_kovak said...

I remember Simpson. His junior year (1999) at Waynesburg High was one of the best individual football season I've seen someone have.

He played football at WVU then joined the wrestling team.

Not sure what he does for a full-time gig but on Friday nights, he works for WANB-FM broadcasting high school football games.

Green River Boating said...

VCTMBrian, I think yyou read these post because your cell isn't charging!..

Ostara said...

Good update Mike! That team was packed with talent! Lee Fritz, Lanfer Simpson, Jeff Klinefelter, Brandon Dopplehaur, Bryce Cree, Rashad Diggs etc.


It's amazing how a school football team can be overlooked and off the radar and then a few kids come along in the same 4 year time period and the whole program does a complete turnaround and starts to beat everyone! I like when the underdog teams pull off the impossible.

Anonymous said...

To Mr. Anonymous why don't you come down and tell Mr. Montecalvo and his bobblehead coaches what you really feel instead of being a yellow belley coward. But your not man enough cause it's easy to hide behind a computer and talk trash.

Anonymous said...

Belly