PIAA State Championship Schedule

[Relayer]

Thursday Dec. 8 @7:00
4A Imhotep Charter (12)(13-0) vs Erie Cathedral Prep (10)(13-0)

Friday Dec. 9 @1:00
1A Clairton (7)(14-0) vs Bishop Guilfoyle (6)(14-0)

Friday Dec. 9 @7:00
5A Harrisburg (3)(11-3) vs Archbishop Wood (12)(10-2)

Saturday Dec. 10 @11:00
2A Steel Valley (7)(14-0) vs Southern Columbia (4)(15-0)

Saturday Dec. 10 @3:30
3A Middletown (3)(14-0) vs Beaver Falls (7)(12-1)

Saturday Dec. 10 @8:00
6A St. Joe's Prep (12)(13-0) vs Pgh. Central Catholic (7)(14-1)

 

[ShinerTexas]

Many non-public schools dominating the game. I don't think it is an even playing field when you can 'recruit' outside your geographic footprint.

 

[Grass]

Stream the games anywhere?

 

[21Guns]

Many non-public schools dominating the game. I don't think it is an even playing field when you can 'recruit' outside your geographic footprint.

The PIAA is just fine and dandy with it, though.

 

[fkkkjm]

Other than the inclusion of the philly schools, these are the same teams since the state finals started in the late 80s. Beca high, cathedral prep and PCC have been perennial playoffs teams for 25 years. Only difference is that they usually played publics out of the east like Berwick, CBW or North Penn....

 

[Relayer]

Stream the games anywhere?

Just like the PIAA, PCN has you by the balls. You can stream 24 hours for $12.99, or for the year @ $34.99.

https://pcntv.com/pcn-select-confirmation/

North Penn went toe to toe with SJP, playing them dead even. Only difference was the turnover when NP fumbled deep into Prep territory near the end.

 

[Franklin_Restores_TheTradition]

Thursday Dec. 8 @7:00
4A Imhotep Charter (12)(13-0) vs Erie Cathedral Prep (10)(13-0)

Friday Dec. 9 @1:00
1A Clairton (7)(14-0) vs Bishop Guilfoyle (6)(14-0)

Friday Dec. 9 @7:00
5A Harrisburg (3)(11-3) vs Archbishop Wood (12)(10-2)

Saturday Dec. 10 @11:00
2A Steel Valley (7)(14-0) vs Southern Columbia (4)(15-0)

Saturday Dec. 10 @3:30
3A Middletown (3)(14-0) vs Beaver Falls (7)(12-1)

Saturday Dec. 10 @8:00
6A St. Joe's Prep (12)(13-0) vs Pgh. Central Catholic (7)(14-1)

Playing the games in Hershey is bull$hit and extremely unfair to the Western PA schools in terms of travel - just utter horse$hit and unfair. The games should be played at Beaver Stadium which is essentially about as close to dead-center of the State as you can get as a venue.

 

[royboy]

I like Harrisburg's chances.

They have some good D-1 talent, including 2017 PSU commit Damion Barber and 2018 commit Micah Parsons, who is having a big impact on offense and defense.

 

[Relayer]

Playing the games in Hershey is bull$hit and extremely unfair to the Western PA schools in terms of travel - just utter horse$hit and unfair. The games should be played at Beaver Stadium which is essentially about as close to dead-center of the State as you can get as a venue.

Yea, put the games at Beaver Stadium and have 105,000 empty seats. What a great idea. Would PSU even want to deal with the hassle of hosting? There's a reason they're at Hershey.

 

[Franklin_Restores_TheTradition]

Yea, put the games at Beaver Stadium and have 105,000 empty seats. What a great idea. Would PSU even want to deal with the hassle of hosting? There's a reason they're at Hershey.

Okay then do them at the Public Stadium in Altoona which was built for high school games......hell of a lot closer to the center of the state than Hershey.

 

[Relayer]

Okay then do them at the Public Stadium in Altoona which was built for high school games......hell of a lot closer to the center of the state than Hershey.

It's all about bidding for the rights to host the games. Is Altoona even interested? Hershey has a lot going on during the Holidays to make it a weekend destination and they want to host.

 

[Franklin_Restores_TheTradition]

It's all about bidding for the rights to host the games. Is Altoona even interested? Hershey has a lot going on during the Holidays to make it a weekend destination and they want to host.

Again, complete nonsense - 90% of the fans only go for a specific PIAA Championship Game, which begin tomorrow evening, the vast, vast, vast majority of fans going to these games are only going for the game and leave after the game is over. So few of these fans are staying for the "entire weekend" it is not even funny and an absurd rationalization to heavily favor Eastern teams over Western teams in regards to travel - just an absurd unfair advantage in terms of travel especially when travel is being done by bus at this level (i.e., a 6-7 hour bus ride from Erie for tomorrow night's final versus a couple hour trip for their opponent).

BTW, what difference does it make how big the venue is given that the 100% of both teams' fans get to sit at the 50 yard line (just like in smaller venues built for high school where they don't even have stands behind the endzones) - who gives a crap if the upper level seats and endzone seats and decks are empty how does that decrease the fans of both teams' enjoyment??? It doesn't as evidenced by the WPIAL playing their finals at a Pro Stadium for years and years - it was fun for the kids to play in such a well known venue! (additionally, many States play their finals in pro stadiums or the State School's stadium).

In any event, completely ridiculous that the "State Finals" are played in a location which is effectively the geographic center of the SE Quadrant of the State and a massive distance from any Western PA location.

 

[Relayer]

You make some good points, but who else wants to host besides Hershey that's willing to put out the money? What part of that don't you understand? The PIAA doesn't care, they just want their $$$$

 

[Peetz Pool Boy]

Interesting that the highest seeds are #3 with many teams ranked 7-12 within their designated class.

 

[Peetz Pool Boy]

Again, complete nonsense - 90% of the fans only go for a specific PIAA Championship Game, which begin tomorrow evening, the vast, vast, vast majority of fans going to these games are only going for the game and leave after the game is over. So few of these fans are staying for the "entire weekend" it is not even funny and an absurd rationalization to heavily favor Eastern teams over Western teams in regards to travel - just an absurd unfair advantage in terms of travel especially when travel is being done by bus at this level (i.e., a 6-7 hour bus ride from Erie for tomorrow night's final versus a couple hour trip for their opponent).

BTW, what difference does it make how big the venue is given that the 100% of both teams' fans get to sit at the 50 yard line (just like in smaller venues built for high school where they don't even have stands behind the endzones) - who gives a crap if the upper level seats and endzone seats and decks are empty how does that decrease the fans of both teams' enjoyment??? It doesn't as evidenced by the WPIAL playing their finals at a Pro Stadium for years and years - it was fun for the kids to play in such a well known venue! (additionally, many States play their finals in pro stadiums or the State School's stadium).

In any event, completely ridiculous that the "State Finals" are played in a location which is effectively the geographic center of the SE Quadrant of the State and a massive distance from any Western PA location.

Is there any issue for which you don't have a wordy, uninformed opinion?

 

[Relayer]

Interesting that the highest seeds are #3 with many teams ranked 7-12 within their designated class.

PPB, not sure I follow. Most all of the teams involved have been ranked at the top of their classes all season.

 

[palmettolion]

How do they determine the sites for the playoff games leading up to the championships?

 

[Peetz Pool Boy]

PPB, not sure I follow. Most all of the teams involved have been ranked at the top of their classes all season.

Sorry. My point was that no #1, #2 teams survived and that a lot of high-seeded teams were elimated in each Class.

 

[Relayer]

Sorry. My point was that no #1, #2 teams survived and that a lot of high-seeded teams were elimated in each Class.

That's not true. Most schools going to Hershey have been at the top of the rankings all season. The only argument against that is Harrisburg.

 

[palmettolion]

That's the district listed beside them not their ranking. Pretty sure BG was the top ranked 1a team. And PCC and St. Josephs were 1 and 2.

 

[Peetz Pool Boy]

That's not true. Most schools going to Hershey have been at the top of the rankings all season. The only argument against that is Harrisburg.

Perhaps I'm wrong (it happens frequently) but aren't the numbers shown in parentheses before each team their "class-specific rankings" entering the post-season or are those "national rankings"?

 

[Relayer]

Perhaps I'm wrong (it happens frequently) but aren't the numbers shown in parentheses before each team their "class-specific rankings" entering the post-season or are those "national rankings"?

Sorry for the confusion, palmettolion is correct. The number is the district where the school is located.

By the way, I'm enjoying the Telluride web cams. Looks like things are in full operation.

 

[Peetz Pool Boy]

Sorry for the confusion, palmettolion is correct. The number is the district where the school is located.

By the way, I'm enjoying the Telluride web cams. Looks like things are in full operation.

It's all good. Isn't it funny how someone can type something on this board and how others interpret it very differently.

Hope you and Mrs R are headed to T&C this winter.

 

[Tom McAndrew]

Playing the games in Hershey is bull$hit and extremely unfair to the Western PA schools in terms of travel - just utter horse$hit and unfair. The games should be played at Beaver Stadium which is essentially about as close to dead-center of the State as you can get as a venue.

Relayer has tried to help you with this. Quite simply, the PIAA doesn't care about the geographic location of the games. Venues bid on the games, and the PIAA picks the best bid for the PIAA. Stating that "the games should be played at Beaver Stadium" is pretty foolish, when PSU has not bid on the games. They were not interested in hosting them on their grass field when there were 4 classes in PIAA football. Now that there are 6 classes, I suspect that PSU has even less interest in hosting the games. Hershey has a turf field, so 6 games over a 49 hour period is not an issue, even if it's raining or snowing.

No matter how you structure things, there is always a chance for geographic advantages (in terms of travel) for one of the teams.

 

[Peetz Pool Boy]

i hate my keyboard

I gave you a "like" exclusively for your "brevity". In all honesty, this is the only post of yours I've read in weeks. If/when I open your posts and see that they're "really wordy" ....I close them and "move on"

 

[Tom McAndrew]

How do they determine the sites for the playoff games leading up to the championships?

It varies by sport. For example, in Wrestling, the District and the Regional Championships determine which wrestlers go to States. That's controlled at the District level. Schools generally apply to host them. The locations don't change all that much over the years. In soccer, where the teams competing changes each year, once you get past Districts, the PIAA controls the location of the state playoffs. Again, schools apply to host, and the PIAA tries to place them so that neither team has to travel a great deal more than the other (which can be a challenge). You can somewhat take that framework for other sports, but there are some variations.

 

[Relayer]

It varies by sport. For example, in Wrestling, the District and the Regional Championships determine which wrestlers go to States. That's controlled at the District level. Schools generally apply to host them. The locations don't change all that much over the years. In soccer, where the teams competing changes each year, once you get past Districts, the PIAA controls the location of the state playoffs. Again, schools apply to host, and the PIAA tries to place them so that neither team has to travel a great deal more than the other (which can be a challenge). You can somewhat take that framework for other sports, but there are some variations.

Football sites always seem to be difficult choices. Many schools don't want to deal with the crowds, security, concessions, etc. If 2 districts are playing a state playoff game, they will rotate which district hosts the game, as long as the districts border each other. If they don't border each other, then a neutral site will be picked that's a reasonable distance between each school.

As an example, District 11 hosted several state playoff games this season at Northern Lehigh, probably because they were one of the few who applied.

 

[bytir]

Okay then do them at the Public Stadium in Altoona which was built for high school games......hell of a lot closer to the center of the state than Hershey.

Altoona hosts playoff games every year. They have had multiple games here the past 3 weekends.

Back in the 90's Altoona actually hosted the championships for several years. There was a big fuss at the time when they changed the parameters (# of adjacent parking spaces or something like that ) such that it became apparent that Hershey was pretty much guaranteed to win. Altoona stopped bidding for many years. I don't know if they even submit a bid any more.

 

[Cosmos]

Playing the games in Hershey is bull$hit and extremely unfair to the Western PA schools in terms of travel - just utter horse$hit and unfair. The games should be played at Beaver Stadium which is essentially about as close to dead-center of the State as you can get as a venue.

Negative! Negative! Keep them off the field. We don't want out grass looking like Heinz field's in December.

 

[PSU Lifer]

It's all about bidding for the rights to host the games. Is Altoona even interested? Hershey has a lot going on during the Holidays to make it a weekend destination and they want to host.

Altoona was always interested until the PIAA decided it was time to move it to Hershey and give District 3 schools a solid chance. D-3 schools that reach the final even play District playoff games there..
I remember when Brad Cashman and the rest of his PIAA shills were called to the carpet by state congress a few years ago for the astronomical costs they were charging TV and radio to broadcast District games then bilking the money from the PIAA pot so they can all go on extensive vacations together.
I sat in on those investigations and findings and could not believe when they mentioned the North Allegheny team won the 4A state championship with about 65 kids and the PIAA only had 19 medals give out.
This prompted the late Bob Mello to look Cashman straight in the eye and say "Mr. Cashman, why don't you do the hnorable thing and step down."

 

[palmettolion]

It varies by sport. For example, in Wrestling, the District and the Regional Championships determine which wrestlers go to States. That's controlled at the District level. Schools generally apply to host them. The locations don't change all that much over the years. In soccer, where the teams competing changes each year, once you get past Districts, the PIAA controls the location of the state playoffs. Again, schools apply to host, and the PIAA tries to place them so that neither team has to travel a great deal more than the other (which can be a challenge). You can somewhat take that framework for other sports, but there are some variations.

Football sites always seem to be difficult choices. Many schools don't want to deal with the crowds, security, concessions, etc. If 2 districts are playing a state playoff game, they will rotate which district hosts the game, as long as the districts border each other. If they don't border each other, then a neutral site will be picked that's a reasonable distance between each school.

As an example, District 11 hosted several state playoff games this season at Northern Lehigh, probably because they were one of the few who applied.

That's kind of what I was driving at. It would seem to me that they should just continue to do this for the Championship games also. It really doesn't make much sense to have Clairton and Bishop Guilfoyle traveling further east to Hershey to play. I would think you'd draw more people from each school if you just split the distance and played in say Johnstown rather than counting on support from locals around Hershey or people trying to make a weekend out of it. Unless of course the bid is just so much more than you could make off of a larger crowd and concession sales. If that's they case, why would Hershey bid for something they won't make money on? Apologies if there is something I'm over looking.

 

[bwifan]

Okay then do them at the Public Stadium in Altoona which was built for high school games......hell of a lot closer to the center of the state than Hershey.

They were played originally in Altoona. In fact 1 of the greatest high school games was played in Altoona in '93. Central Bucks West vs. North Hills w/ Lavar. Hershey has more for the family and players to do with the park and entertainment than Altoona.

 

[mn78psu83]

Is there any issue for which you don't have a wordy, uninformed opinion?

In all fairness, FRTT also has wordy informed opinions. His epic prose golf swing analysis during last year's US Open was informed. Hell, he had so much local knowledge of Oakmont CC that some thought he was Bob Ford.

 

[Relayer]

Altoona was always interested until the PIAA decided it was time to move it to Hershey and give District 3 schools a solid chance. D-3 schools that reach the final even play District playoff games there..
I remember when Brad Cashman and the rest of his PIAA shills were called to the carpet by state congress a few years ago for the astronomical costs they were charging TV and radio to broadcast District games then bilking the money from the PIAA pot so they can all go on extensive vacations together.
I sat in on those investigations and findings and could not believe when they mentioned the North Allegheny team won the 4A state championship with about 65 kids and the PIAA only had 19 medals give out.
This prompted the late Bob Mello to look Cashman straight in the eye and say "Mr. Cashman, why don't you do the hnorable thing and step down."

The PIAA is still charging outrageous fees. This year they wanted $4500 from your local high school or radio station to video stream a state semi-final game.

 

[PSU Lifer]

The PIAA is still charging outrageous fees. This year they wanted $4500 from your local high school or radio station to video stream a state semi-final game.

The PIAA is still charging outrageous fees. This year they wanted $4500 from your local high school or radio station to video stream a state semi-final game.

It's disgusting. And congress claims to be keeping an eye on the PIAA. Hmmm...

 

[PSU Lifer]

I'd like to see them go back to the original format where they held four playoff games at four different sites throughout the state.
Of course now it would be six games...

 

[rohrmd9]

These were the rankings of the teams in the finals from one site (PA FOOTBALL NEWS) after the completion of the regular season before any playoff games. I'm sure there are other rankings (PennLive, MaxPreps, etc.) but this is one take on where the finals participants ranked at years end...

6A: 1. St Joe's 3. Pgh CC (St Joe's defeated #2 North Penn 35-25 in the semis)

5A: 2. Archbishop Wood HM. Harrisburg (Harrisburg was not ranked in the top 8 but was honorable mention and defeated #1 West Allegheny 42-10 in the semis)

4A: 1. Cathedral Prep 3. Imhotep Charter (#2 Thomas Jefferson lost to Cathedral Prep 30-13 in the quarterfinals)

3A: 2. Middletown 4. Beaver Falls (#1Central Martinsburg lost to Beaver Falls 14-7 in the semis. #3 Hickory lost in the first round)

2A: 1. Steel Valley 2. Southern Columbia

1A: 1. Bishop Guilfoyle 2. Clairton


So, at least according to these rankings, 10/12 teams were ranked in the top 3 (with Harrisburg seemingly the only "outlier")

 

[MvilleLionFan]

Penn State recently hosted the state basketball finals for a couple of years after they had been at Hershey for decades. But that attempt failed, mainly because attendances dropped. So they were moved back to Hershey where attendances again increased. Hershey knows how to attract and entertain folks. And they do an outstanding job in hosting the PIAA. That is what they are all about - one of the best in the country at doing that - hard for a college or community to come close to them.

 

[Relayer]

In terms of locations, I doubt PCN would want to set up at 6 different locations. Speaking of hoops, 6 times the 4A final featured 2 schools from SE PA, and a couple times both had to travel to State College.

 

[androcles]

...actually , the State College High School stadium is centrally located and a very fan-friendly venue...it sits below street level and is not susceptible to gusty winds such as those in Hershey...
...being able to visit the Penn State campus might be an added plus...