Saturday, November 20, 2010

Friday night thoughts, WPIAL semifinals

Based on nothing more than gut feeling, here's my picks for Saturday's championship games:
Class AAAA – North Allegheny;
Class AAA – Central Valley;
Class AA – South Fayette;
Class A – Clairton.

Let's hear your picks.

* South Fayette's Jeff Davis has to be one of the top running backs in the WPIAL. Davis makes defenders miss in the open field, at the line of scrimmage and he can carry tacklers for a few yards.

If there's a better back in the WPIAL at catching balls out of the backfield, I want to see the guy play.

* The Class A title game between Clairton and Rochester will kick off at 9:30 a.m. to accommodate FSN. No word if overnight camping is permitted in the Heinz Field parking lot.

* With Central Valley in the WPIAL Class AAA championship game in its first year, Ringgold fans should feel a little better about the Rams' performance in the first round. Didn't cover the Thomas Jefferson-Central Valley game, but it didn't sound as competitive as the Ringgold game.

* Before the playoffs started, I picked Pittsburgh Central Catholic to win Class AAAA and Thomas Jefferson to win Class AAA. Oops!

* People can say what they want about the South Fayette defense, and the unit is not the most dominating, but the Lions' pass rush makes up for a lot of things.

26 comments:

Anonymous said...

I think everyone can now agree Ringgold was not over rated now that Central Valley just beat up on TJ and will prbly take WPIAL championship.

Ringgold really got shafted in the first rd game. I know you have to beat good teams but having that game in the first rd just isnt right.

Anonymous said...

I'm am an fan of High School Football here in the WPIAL area. I had the privilege of seeing the four main Mon-valley teams play this year. (Ringgold, Monessen, Charleroi, BVA) I must say, all classifications aside, if these teams played each other I would have to seed them this way:
1.Monessen
2.Ringgold
3.BVA
4.Charleroi

Monessen was a really good football team this year. I think they just lacked the proper "Head" on their shoulders. Ringgold was also very good team. I just don't think they would have a answer for The greyhounds great defense and unpredictable offense. Not to mention those stud backs the greys had. Greyhouds beat the Rams 24-14.

I think it would be great to see this. Even though the Hounds would pull it out this year, I think seeing them compete against each other would be interesting. Just thinkin out loud. Or should I say writing out loud.

On a another note. I also saw Clairton play.... Enough said. They would beat every one A-AAAA.

mike_kovak said...

Interesting.

I saw Monessen on two occasions and also covered Ringgold. I don't see the Greyhounds winning a game between the two, but I've been wrong before. Monessen's offensive line was patchwork for much of the season and, as a result, the run game was inconsistent. I'm also not sure that Monessen could move the football through the air considering how well Ringgold's d-line played.

Anonymous said...

anon 5:50

so clairton could beat central catholic? north allgeheny? woodland hills? upper st Clair?.... I think no...these teams are bigger, stronger, and more talented..and will wear out a team with however many players clairton has

I'm getting sick of people saying clairton could beat everybody

what's next the Pittsburgh Steelers?

Ringgold Realist said...

I guess Ringgold should just be content with "playing Central Valley the closest." Being a Ringgold fan, I am that much more mad and upset that they lost because as I said all along, Ringgold had the most talented team in triple A, they just were used incorrectly and it showed as their coach single handily lost the game for them against Central Valley. I didn't blow up the message board after the loss either because I said exactly what was going to happen before it did happen. Funny how all the Ringgold anon's disappeared though!

Anonymous said...

I have to agree that Mo-town would beat the Rams. I have seen Ringgold a few times this year and it looks like every play is a blown play for them. Luckily, it payed off more than a few times and they would score but it wasn't pretty. If Monessen had a better coach, they would still be playing. At least they would have been playing last week.

Anonymous said...

Realist, would Ringgold have won the W.P.I.A.L. if you were the head coach? Also, why don't you use your real name, I'm sure everyone knows who you are anyway, your the guy in the stands that when the coach calls for a pass that is incomplete, you say they should have run , and when they run you say they should pass. You sit by yourself or with one person who knows little to nothing about the game, becouse no one else can stand you.I think you may be unemployed becouse no employer can take you for long do to your Mr know it all attitude.Am I correct in my profile.

R. Keith Taylor said...

I just don't see Monessen beating Ringgold. A and AAA are two different ball games.

Anonymous said...

At Realist....I have to agree with the other anon and putting Realist as your handle is just the same as putting anon....your a bum that sits in the stands and thinks you know it all...your probably a disgruntled parent or a former assistant coach that isn't there anymore and can't stand the fact that this team did very well and should be very proud of what they accomplished. A coach gets hired at 25 and that burns you because you were probably riding a head coaches coat tails for a long time and didn't get an hc job....you can say what you want about the coaching staff at Ringgold but these know nothing bums will be around for a while for you to be irritated by. Maybe you can get a coaching job in Minnesota or Dallas...I hear they have openings for geniuses like you!!! LOL...

Anonymous said...

YES Clairton will surely beat those team listed in the previous post. Classifactions don't mean anything with a team like that. I bet they win this saturday by 3 or Td's and roll right through the PIAA. Steelers might not be a bad idea, good suggestion. We would surely score on Ike Taylors side of the field. I also agree with two other issues mentioned- Hounds over Rams and Hounds Need New Coach! Are they opening the job up?

Anonymous said...

again...clairton is a very good team, best single a team in the state, but when u compare single a school with quad a school, it's very different..NA's line is massive, I've seen them many times first hand, u don't see that size in single a, it's not fair to compare the two

Ringgold Realist said...

100% if I was coaching the Ringgold Rams, they win the WPIAL this season but regardless I am not a coach and never have been coach...I don't use my real name because there is no reason to have people know who I am...Oh here I'll give you my name so everyone can get mad at me for voicing all my opinions that were correct anyways!!

Both Anons - You can say what you want and stereotype me as to which guy I was in the crowd, but just please leave the stereotype of me as this: I WAS THE GUY WHO TOLD YOU EXACTLY HOW THE RINGGOLD RAMS SEASON WAS GOING TO END AND WHY IT HAPPENED THAT WAY!!


And to think that Monessen would beat Ringgold is ridiculous...Ringgold beats them by 21 points atleast...Ringgold had more speed and on top of that, their line was way better!

Anonymous said...

You people make it out like just cause kids are in a Quad A school they are super human or something. No they are not and while I agree that DEPTH is the only thing that seperates classes, the point remains constant. That point is Clairton...is the best team...in All Classes...In the WPIAL...Period!

Clairton Alum said...

For the record, not all Clairton fans think the same way as some of these anon posters. Clairton is a very talented team. Its going to be a battle on Saturday monring...hopefully we come out on top.

Anonymous said...

Realist....I was actually going in at least thinking you may have some knowledge of how a football team is run...LOL....your nothing more than a guy that has no idea of how a football team is run and you admitted it....you have NEVER broke down film til 2 am, you have
NEVER organized a practice plan, you have NEVER run a football drill, you have NO clue how an offense attacks a defense or how a defense attacks an offense. You can be the guy that "predicted" the outcome. The players will never turn to you when they have a bad day in school or need a coach to talk to because they are unsure of their future. Your the bum in the stands that jeers them when they lose and cheers them when they win. Your insignificant in what a TEAM needs. Great job in your prediction...maybe they'll start a coaching clinic for guys like you. You sir, couldn't run a dairy queen let alone win a wpial title....you should be ashamed to even think a guy like yourself could do what guys like Montecalvo, Connors, Dongilli and others coaching greats have done in our area.

Anonymous said...

@ Realist

I believe you predicted the Rams would lose against Franklin Regional if Im not mistaken...I may be...you probably picked them to lose using your magic eight ball you keep in your locker at the Y...LOL

Anonymous said...

Mike is there any way to get the blog history? I think realist predicted 3-4 Ringold losses.Week 2 Hampton. Week 4 Grb Salem Week 9 Franklin Regional. Week 10 Central Valley. I may be incorrect, but I think I am correct.

Anonymous said...

Realist, You misunderstand, I said I was PROFILING YOU not stereo typing not the same.
1.I said you were unemployed do to your poor attitude. You did not respond
2. I did not think you ever coached, but think you had a son or relative who did not see much time.
3.Did you watch the games with 1 person not to bright, low self confidence and does not know football well. the only person who would think you are smart?

You can SAY that I am incorrect on my profile,but you know the truth.

mike_kovak said...

There is a blog archive on the right side of the main page.

Anonymous said...

I just read something that is quite staggering so get ready for this...Going into last weeks game against Springfield, Clariton had only given up 17 rushing yards TOTAL all year!!! with eight shutouts and no team scoring over six points (23 points given up all year as well) I don't care who you are or where you live but giving up 17 rushing yards in 10 games is unreal. Don't expect a game like last year at heinz.. The Bears roll as always.. 36-6

Anonymous said...

just my predictions

quad a- north allegheny
triple a- montour
double a- quips
single a- rochester

Clairton Alum said...

Springdale not Springfield.

17 rushing yards through 11 games, not 10 games.

No team scoring over 7 points (Fort Cherry had 7).

19 points going into that game, now 26.

AAAA - Woody High
AAA - Montour
AA - South Fayette
A - Clairton 22-7

Ringgold Realist said...

My qualifications...I am on Welfare, I sit alone in the stands at the games, and criticize every play call by the coaching staff. I also spend my nights, pumping iron at the Mon Valley YMCA. I'll throw in a men's night basketball game every once in a while. No kids in the program, but no doubt I like to complain about certain players' playing time. (Can anyone tell me how many carries Demetrious Louis got against Central Valley?...arguably the fastest player in the WPIAL just doesn't see the ball put in his hands in the biggest playoff game in school history!!??) and every anon that keeps making a comment about watching film, please refrain from doing so because I've broken down more film this year alone than probably three fourths of all the coaches in entire PIAA!!!

Anonymous said...

At Realist about breaking down film

They don't have film on Beta!!! You got nerve though!!! You say you break down film moreso than 3/4 of the PIAA??? Do you even know what your breaking down. Why don't you post on here the coverage and fronts used by say Uniontown against Ringgold and tell everyone on here what defenses they used? Especially that in the first quarter, where Ringgold was having troubel against them? How were they stopping them early on? How did Ringgold adjust? Take your time, Im sure your making yourself a government cheese sandwich right now as you critique the Montour/CV game.

mike_kovak said...

There was a girl we knew in college whom we called "Government Cheese"

Friday Night Fan said...

Mike,

Great nickname.

I've heard two others:
the Dudgeon & Hot Garbage.