Clairton 84, Avella 0.
Only to be outdone by Gateway 85, Norwin 0.
According to reports, Avella head coach Ryan Cecchini placed no blame on Clairton for the final score. Instead, Cecchini said a series of Avella mistakes, particularly on botched punts, continually gave the Bears prime field position.
The final score makes me think several things.
1. It's time for Clairton to move up to Class AA. Aliquippa does it. Jeannette does it. Monessen does it in basketball; and all are very successful. How much fun can it be knowing you will not face competition until the WPIAL championship game at the earliest?
2. Even before Cecchini disclosed some details of the game, I found it hard to place blame on Clairton. Seriously.
It's not Clairton's fault it is that much better.
Also, the Bears have been criticized for many things. They've taken knees after halftime (a move that still baffles me). They've acted unsportsmanlike after games, but if the starters were pulled and they weren't throwing the football, you can't put blame on them for the final score against Avella.
3. There needs to be mergers.
* Weather can be a great equalizer, and it certainly helped Brentwood during the Spartans' 20-19 overtime win at Fort Cherry. For the Rangers, it's a crippling loss with Clairton and Chartiers-Houston remaining on the schedule.
Brentwood did a better job at the line of scrimmage than Fort Cherry, and the Rangers hurt themselves with a myriad of mistakes - fumbled snaps, poor punts, missed extra points and missed assignments.
I covered the last two Fort Cherry-Brentwood games and thought both times the Rangers were the more talented team. Yet, the Spartans won both games. As stated many times on this blog, it takes a lot more than talent to win at the varsity level.
* Speaking of talent, Washington sure looks like its coming into its own.
The Prexies notched a second consecutive impressive victory, the latest a 41-16 romp at Keystone Oaks.
Shai McKenzie, a sophomore, is emerging as Washington's top runner and, with Jaylin Kelly, that's a dynamic one-two punch. Quarterback Josh Wise and receiver Ethan Gordon are bringing balance to an offense that is emerging as a big-play bunch.
A win against Steel Valley should lock up second place in the Century Conference for Washington. Considering the reaction following losses to Clairton and Seton-La Salle, not sure the Prexies faithful saw this coming.
* Beth-Center continues to get things done, and senior Sal Faieta is in the midst of his best season.
Faieta is a workout warrior, intelligent football player with a high motor, and he's a proven winner. Now, Faieta and Beth-Center face a difficult test in Monessen.
The Greyhounds aren't happy after being shutout at North Catholic, a game where quarterback Chavas Rawlins suffered a broken hand but continued to play. Monessen has also beat Beth-Center the past two seasons.
There isn't a bigger game in the area this Friday than Monessen at Beth-Center. The winner will win the Tri-County South Conference and should earn a top five seed in the WPIAL Class A playoffs.
* Waynesburg's Nick Zupper is in the midst of a monster season. He's already pushing 1,000 yards rushing.
* If the season ended today, Ringgold's Quad Law would be the Observer-Reporter Player of the Year.
Follow me on Twitter @TheMikeKovak
33 comments:
The time was three years ago the Bears should have moved up. It shows lack of character to play choose to play inferior opponents.
As a witness to the Clairton/Avella game, I can assure you Clairton WAS NOT to blame for that score. They led 34-0 at the end of the first quarter and pulled a few of their starters. All of their starters were out by the time the half ended. Avella had no less than 3 punts snapped over the punters head, 1 resulted in a safety and at least two resulted in first and goal for Clairton. Clairton didnt throw a pass after the 1st quarter. They ran powers and dives from the second quarter on. The JV team played the entire second half. They took a knee the entire 4th quarter. They took knees on two point conversions. Avella simply just couldnt catch/tackle Clairton. Short of punting on 1st down I dont know what else Clairton could have done.
Gotta talk about Monessen. This is a team that is competing for the Tri-County South title but cant beat...wait, cant score...on what will be the #4 team from the Eastern Conference. Monessen is supposed to have talent...why cant they beat any half-descent team outside of the TCS? They need out of the TCS...that competition week in and week out isnt doing them a bit of good.
While we are on disappointing teams, lets talk about Fort Cherry. By all accounts, Fort Cherry was ready to challenge for a spot in the WPIAL Semi-Finals this season. They have experience, they have size...many even talked about them giving Clairton their biggest challenge of the season. They lose to Rochester...ok...Rochester is a good team, maybe a little down this year but I'm ok with that. Then they play Brentwood. A team that was 4-0...against teams with a combined 0-16 record. Brentwood is a team, if you're Fort Cherry, you MUST beat. If you want to be taken seriously as a contender, you MUST beat Brentwood. They just didnt look good. What is wrong with Fort Cherry and that program?
Mike,
I think next year there is a possibilty that Clairton HS kids will be divided up between EF and TJ. Clairton officials have reached out to the surrounding districts without success. However, with the classification "re-rack" coming up next year, next season will be the perfect time to implement such a kid division plan. Good for EF and even better for TJ. IF EF gets all the kids watch out.
Eliminating Clairton from Class A competition means that the East will dominate at Hershey for a while. Riverside had a 24-0 lead, do they need to move to 2A? Steel High beat Serra and Clairton by 19/20 points a few years back in Hershey. Does the Rollers need to move up? I completely understand what folks are saying. I just think the WPIAL needs to find a different way of scheduling, just to avoid these matchups. The PIAA splitting Class A in half into Class A and B could be a start. Each class would have roughly 70-80 schools in it. Granted Clairton would still fall into the Class B ranks, but would have to play Class A.
Listen, PLEASE STOP the Clairton will close/merger talks. As someone that knows whats going on, this isnt going to happen any time soon. Yes, Clairton reached out to see if there was any interest in merging with local districts, but nothing came of it. Mergers are about way more than athletics. A merger is going to take years to complete. The state forced a merger with Duquesne a few years ago....only to have the courts come back recently to say that merger was illegal and that the state had no authority to make that happen. Please stop with the rumors.
The score of the Avella-Clarton game shows a total lack of preperation by the Avella coaching staff. Knowing they were facing a far superior team they should have spent the week perfecting their punt game (out of bounds), cut blocking and winding the clock. Avella had a good coach and they ran him off. Its amazing that a school barely holding on to football can have that much politicking going on.
There's nothing wrong with Fort Cherry's program. They were simply crippled by the conditions. When a offense that does what Fort Cherry does is put through rain, it's damaging. Mike said it, Fort Cherry is the more talented team and rain will help the worse team. I know 110% that Fort Cherry wins that game by 25 on a dry or turf field. I'm not worried at all about the rest of the season for Fort Cherry. They'll be fine.
Did anyone scream about Rochester moving up in the late 90's/early 2000's? What about now? Anyone screaming about them moving up now? I mean if it wasnt for Clairton, Rochester would be dominating Class A just like Clairton is now. What about Southern Columbia when they went on their run over the 90's and 2000's? Should they have been forced to move up? Clairton is on a run, no question...but its going to come to an end at some point. Clairton is one of the smallest schools in the area and the state, they play where there enrollment dictates. I have no problem with them playing in Class A where they belong. Take a look on a state level...Clairton hasnt exactly blown out state competition on the Class A level. MAYBE, just MAYBE the WPIAL is really down in Class A.
Ive said it before and ill say it again...look at what Wash High is doing...how good is Clairton? 42-12?
Anon @2:22...
You're kidding me right? Conditions? Didnt Brentwood play on the same field FC played on that night? So you guys can only compete in PERFECT conditions? IF your team was as good as everyone has made them out to be field conditions wouldnt be an issue...ESPECIALLY against an INFERIOR opponent. You can seriously make that argument with a straight face? How were the conditions when you gave up 40 to W. Beaver? How about when you lost to a sub-par Rochester team? #noexcuses #manup
To Anon (in the know)
There was no merger. THe Duquesne School District still exists they just send their kids to either West Mifflin or East Allegheny. If the state is funding these district operating budgets, they most certainly will have a say.
I know people that work in both districts and it is a constant topic of conversation.
The same thing will happen to Clairton with with a split or a wholesale intake. Mark my words if there is money to be from the state to help build a new high school at EF, kids from Clairton will be busing next fall.
Duquesne was FORCED to close their high school by the state and send their students elsewhere...call it a merger, call it a force closure, call it whatever u want. That decision by the state was deemed an illegal one...thats why you will never see something like that happen again. They may help facilitate a merger, but you wont see the state force/demand it. And there is NO WAY any schoolboard is going to vote to voluntarily merge with Clairton.
Anon (In the know)
What pct of EF's budget is provided by the state? You know that and you know the answer to how probable it will be.
This isn't rumor mongering its real discussion going at the highest levels.
It may not happen next year but it will happen. Clairton cannot sustain a school district because they have no tax base and the tax base they have pays .50 on the dollar. The state is going to prop that up forever.
A-Wild...
Do you know what the consensus was among the EF board members regarding the Clairton merger discussion? UNANIOMOUS AGAINST IT. Fact.
Brentwood is a solid and young team that relies on their speed more than Fort Cherry. If anything they were slowed down by the field conditions. They were completely outsized on each side of the ball but made all the crucial plays when needed.
i said all along wash high was a good football team. just was waiting for the coaching to realize that. they are utilizing more talent and believe it or not they have alot more they can utilize. the line has been great and eric ellis needs some recognition. maybe the best defender in wash county.as for clairton (as much as i hate to say this) is the best team in double a. (yes AA)
Fort Cherry will lose to Clairton by 40+, probably lose to Char Hou by a Td or so, and be 3rd or 4th in conference and lose in 1st round of playoffs... AGAIN. With a senior laden team. So disappointing. If someone on D wanted to hit other than Corey Garry they'd be a contender. 8 kids were at the offseason lifting program. Talent- yes. Motivation and effort? Nope.
FC Fan
Yes Anon a fact. But what else would they do? No one on the board is going on the record for a "merger". My point is this: its also a fact that money from the state makes the education world go round. Ask Rocco or any other administrator. This game is just begining.
Mike, at the same time as you saying Fort Cherry was the more talented team, we're talking about a Bentwood team that beat Canevin 4-0 in a scrimmage. Thats pretty substantial. If it was 2-1, or 3-2 then its a toss up. However 4-0 is no joke. And Canevin is a team ranked 3rd right now in single A? Fort Cherry beat Avonworth 3-1 also so it could be the Eastern conference that's hurting since Sprindale's now #3 in that conference. No excuses can be made for Fort Cherry however, I still look at them as a stronger contender in the playoffs over Brentwood.
Just so you know, Wash High is a FAR cry from the likes of Aliquippa, Beaver Falls and Seton La Salle, so lets not crown Clairton the best team in AA when there are quite a few teams in AA with every bit the talent that Clairton has.
Does anyone remember a former school district called General Braddock? This district was a merger of Braddock, North Braddock and Rankin. GB was a force to reckon with in the 70's. I believe they won a Pa state championship one year. However the state of Pa determined that the mostly minority district was too poor to sustain itself and forced several surrounding districts into a merger they did not want. Remember Churchill,Swissville, Turtle Creek, and Edgeworth High Schools? All were forced into a merger with General Braddock by the state. That was how Woodlamd Hills School District was formed.
Needless to say, none of the former districts was happy about the merger. The state of Pa will do what they want with Clairton and surrounding districts will be forced to go along.If this happens, one would hope that all high school students would be sent to the sqme district. Giving Duquesne studens a choice of high schools was wrong. When Duquesne closed it's high school, all those students should have been transfered to West Mifflin.
Chuck C
Anon: 916 (fc fan)?
coming from someone who attended every summer workout, you're wrong. Leave your complaining for the fence line on friday nights.
wash high is not a far cry from those teams. do you watch much football? ask the players who was better clairton or seton lasalle. aliquippa? maybe, havnt seen them yet.
Weather was not the issue!
Brentwood doesn't have a lineman over 230, while fort cherry has about 8+ guys over that. Not to mention a 240 lb running back. While brentwoods is a 150 lb sophomore. Who seems more likely to be able to run the ball in rainy conditions? Brentwood shut down tanner Garry and FC's overrated offense.
Seton had 4 starters out, their WR's dropped at least 5 wide open passes and still beat the LITTLE Prexies by 20. I guess the fans are just like the players, all talk.
Monessen has too many injuries along with too many issues offensively to win at Beth Center. QB Rawlins is a great athlete with a strong arm but currently has zero playmakers around him. Also, Monessen Offense will again have penalty after penalty after penalty. BC by 2 touchdowns
Prexie -
Wash High is a FAR cry from the teams I mentioned basing it solely on execution. I watch a little bit of football. I am an assistant coach at a local college and I am out scouting recruits weekly. I have seen BF and Aliquippa play and I was also at the Seton/Wash High game. In my humble opinion if Wash High were to play BF or Aliquippa, it would be a mercy rule game. That is not knocking WH, those two teams are just that good. It is really easy for someone like you to get on a blog and spout off, but the only thing you are basing your opinions on is being a WASH High fan. I am nuetral and believe me, they are not even close.
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10274/1091795-55.stm
Duquesne high school closing ruling deemed unconstitutional....
it dont matter if your a coach or a scout. the fact is, wash high is a far cry from clairton but not a far cry from seton.as for execution wash high is bad , but they are getting better.this next game may tell alot about that team.
Vulcan
Maybe you should spend more time coaching instead of scouting. You keep getting all these D 1 transfers and d1 coaches yet you guys can't win the big games. In stead you have creatice a terrible atmosphere on the campus with all the crime. Stop taking d1 dropouts and recruit better kids and coach them up.
Former NFL player that now lives in Mon Valley area!
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