WPIAL 15

[maineroad]

Last season, Hampton's sectional games were against: Butler, Shady Side, North Allegheny, Pine Richland, Fox Chapel and Franklin Regional. Next season, they are just the slightest bit different:

Week 1 – Winchester Thurston (last spring, the Fightin' Hedge Funds dropped a series of nail-biters by a combined 134-57, but I'm looking for big things out them this year)

Week 2 –at Gateway (one of the better football programs in Western PA; apparently they also have a lacrosse team; who knew?)

Week 3 – Plum (who needs Pine Richland when you’ve got the Mustangs right down the road? Sure, last year the Hampton U15 team loaned them its two best players, and still beat them by 17, but I’m sure that’s just a blip on the radar; Mustangs' varsity was outscored 115-11 last season; I’m not making that up)

Week 4 – at Vincentian (clearly the best team in the section without an extinct dog for a mascot; they did, however, lose to Knoch last season, a team Hampton beat by, um, 18)

Week 5 – OPEN (quite possibly the most competitive date on the Talbot sectional slate for 2015 – and, don’t forget, 2016!)

Week 6 – Taylor Alderdice (big school shaped like a ziggurat; cool green and gold uniforms; more than an adequate replacement for Franklin Regional, and we get Mineo’s Pizza for the return road tilt next year)

Week 7 – at Aquinas Academy (as the late, great Harold Ramis counseled in Stripes, "Never hit anyone in anger, unless you're absolutely sure you can get away with it." Having tired of Mt. Lebo and NA, Hampton has surely found someone which it can punch and get away with it; CAVEAT: I’m taking it on faith, for the purposes of this missive, that this school actually exists; considering that this “game” is on the road, let’s hope so).

Week 8 - Ellis (OK, I'm making that up, but think Tigers would have a legitmate shot at 3rd in this section, even if their sticks don't have pockets. Hell, Lebo's U13 team would finish second).

And, these are just the required section games, so there’s still plenty of room for potentially more attractive dates with local powers Shaler, Knoch, North Hills and Western Pennsylvania Montessori.

[vgls88]

maineroad,
Too funny, thank you for that, needed a good laugh!

I guess there's no chance of LaSalle or Haverford School rounding out the schedule??

[basicsoflax]

maineroad,

Truly funny stuff. Unfortunately, it looks like the AD has decided to follow in the footsteps of his brother at North Hills. Hampton will have to start making more room in the trophy cases for all the new hardwear over the next couple of years. Too bad the old hardwear, as well as the new to come, will never even matter to those kids. Keep patting yourself on the back Hampton Athletics, because its all about you and your egos in the long run. Those poor kids...

[ChesmontLaxDad]

Last season, Hampton's sectional games were against: Butler, Shady Side, North Allegheny, Pine Richland, Fox Chapel and Franklin Regional. Next season, they are jutt the slightest bit different:

Week 1 – Winchester Thurston (last spring, the Fightin' Hedge Funds dropped a series of nail-biters by a combined 134-57, but I'm looking for big things out them this year)

Week 2 –at Gateway (one of the better football programs in Western PA; apparently they also have a lacrosse team; who knew?)

Week 3 – Plum (who needs Pine Richland when you’ve got the Mustangs right down the road? Sure, last year the Hampton U15 team loaned them its two best players, and still beat them by 17, but I’m sure that’s just a blip on the radar; Mustangs' varsity was outscored 115-11 last season; I’m not making that up)

Week 4 – at Vincentian (clearly the best team in the section without an extinct dog for a mascot; they did, however, lose to Knoch last season, a team Hampton beat by, um, 18)

Week 5 – OPEN (quite possibly the most competitive date on the Talbot sectional slate for 2015 – and, don’t forget, 2016!)

Week 6 – Taylor Alderdice (big school shaped like a ziggurat; cool green and gold uniforms; more than an adequate replacement for Franklin Regional, and we get Mineo’s Pizza for the return road tilt next year)

Week 7 – at Aquinas Academy (as the late, great Harold Ramis counseled in Stripes, "Never hit anyone in anger, unless you're absolutely sure you can get away with it." Having tired of Mt. Lebo and NA, Hampton has surely found someone which it can punch and get away with it; CAVEAT: I’m taking it on faith, for the purposes of this missive, that this school actually exists; considering that this “game” is on the road, let’s hope so).

Week 8 - Ellis (OK, I'm making that up, but think Tigers would have a legitmate shot at 3rd in this section, even if their sticks don't have pockets. Hell, Lebo's U13 team would finish second).

And, these are just the required section games, so there’s still plenty of room for potentially more attractive dates with local powers Shaler, Knoch, North Hills and Western Pennsylvania Montessori.

Great post ha!

[smakeymcdougal]

Yinzer report - top 10 in the 2015 thru 2018 classes. Reads like a low and away infomercial. However, Peter does do a nice job with his periodic yinzer updates

http://laxallstars.com/yinzer-report-top-10-2015s-2016s-2017s-2018s/

[RT8Laxer]

Hampton is looking for a new coach.

[steelcitylaxer]

Why?

[RT8Laxer]

Tumbas' contract was only for one year - like all such contracts at Hampton. TUmbas is interviewing elsewhere, although may come back to Hampton. Regardless, the position is currently open.

[maineroad]

I think Hampton is simply keeping its options open in the event they create a Division 3 between now and next spring.

[RT8Laxer]

Tumbas going to SV as asst coach.

[frmanfan]

Does anyone else remember all the Hampton defenders a few years back, when they were D2 and beating up on the other D2 teams? The word then was that Hampton could play D1 if it wanted to and be competitive. Well, they did play D1 competitively, and those folks were right.

So now where are those same defenders?

[YoYoMa]

Ashamed to have been affiliated with Hampton Lax. The program has taken a huge step backwards. You won't hear me defending the talbots any time soon. FRFAM, DwightSchrut - go crazy. I won't stop you.

[laxdog01]

PIAA needs to implement enrollment based divisions and treat lacrosse the same as all other PIAA sports. Picking whether you want to play with the newbies or with the big boys has to go away. The current system may also be affecting western PA as far as the # of PIAA playoff spots (as when D1 went from 3 to 2 PIAA spots a couple of years ago). The growth in western PA lacrosse vs central and eastern PA is hidden because of the D2 factor. That needs to go away ASAP.

[frmanfan]

From the PIAA website:

"The following are the PIAA-established multi-class sports' parameters for the 2014 - 2015 and 2015 - 2016 school years. Each enrollment classification shows the number of member senior high schools, but includes upgrades due to cooperative sponsorships and voluntary upgrades, both as of this date.

Lacrosse - Boys
Total Male Enrollment*
0 - 99999

Classification: AAAA

Number of Sr. High Schools: 193 "

This is lifted right from the website. Schools can always choose to play "up" (so the prep schools could play at the higher level) at least they do in other sports, they just can't play down. There might be some sort of exception, I couldn't find any information on it, but if there is then Hampton could still apply for that exception and play down.

Anybody have any inside knowledge of whether this is or has been discussed at all among those in charge?

[laxdadwest]

Frmanfan said that when Hampton was D2 they said they would be competitive with D1. However, looking at their last 2 years in D2, 2011&2012, they only won 1 game(Peters Twp) against D1 competition. I don't count Fox Chapel as D1 since they were horrible then. Maybe D2 is where they belong. Maybe they think winning the D2 championship is better than challenging themselves at the next level. If this is the attitude in the WPIAL, we will never beat the East in the state championship. I hope the rest of the West doesn't possess this same attitude. Shame on the decision-makers at Hampton.

[Footballdadlaxson]

One of my favorites days in October is coming up. Pumpkin Classic Day! 16 teams in Varsity bracket and 8 in JV. I will now commence bargaining with weather gods to at least keep it from raining.

[Svlacrosse14-15]

Good to get a new threat started. Congrats to all of the successful boys and girls teams fro last year.

With that, yesterday was the 12th annual Pumpkin Classic at SV. Any feedback on the day?

[wpmgoblue]

From the PIAA website:

"The following are the PIAA-established multi-class sports' parameters for the 2014 - 2015 and 2015 - 2016 school years. Each enrollment classification shows the number of member senior high schools, but includes upgrades due to cooperative sponsorships and voluntary upgrades, both as of this date.

Lacrosse - Boys
Total Male Enrollment*
0 - 99999

Classification: AAAA

Number of Sr. High Schools: 193 "

This is lifted right from the website. Schools can always choose to play "up" (so the prep schools could play at the higher level) at least they do in other sports, they just can't play down. There might be some sort of exception, I couldn't find any information on it, but if there is then Hampton could still apply for that exception and play down.

Anybody have any inside knowledge of whether this is or has been discussed at all among those in charge?

FRmanfan - I did some research into this a few years back.

PIAA has a milestone for all sports set at 200 schools. Meaning, based on your findings, we are currently 7 schools away (state wide) from having a 2 tier (AAA & AA if you like) format. Which would include a PIAA sponsored state tournament for D2 (er AA) teams. The enrollment number for the cutoff is determined by taking the median school in the list of 200. Any school with an enrollment above that number is in AAA - schools below that enrollment are AA. Based on the 193 schools on the PIAA website we are looking at a current median enrollment of 489 (193/2 = 96.5. Schools # 96 & 97 are Elizabethtown and Mechanicsburg both listed with enrollment of 489). You are correct - that schools can petition up - but not down. I don't know of any exemptions for playing down.

Notable "bubble teams" for WPIAL:
Shaler Area High School 607 = AAA
North Hills High School 566 = AAA
Baldwin High School 550 = AAA
Greater Latrobe Senior High School 539 = AAA
Plum High School 537 = AAA
Moon Area High School 486 = Toss Up
Franklin Regional High School 468 = AA
Hampton High School 409 = AA

It's also worth noting that the "Number of Sr. High Schools" (and associated enrollment number) is based off a census conducted every two years. Any changes are then applied for the following years season... I believe the census is conducted in odd years and changes are then implemented in even years. Bottom line - we should have another census in 2015 to affect the 2016 season. Until then the WPIAL will likely allow teams to choose their divisions for two year terms.

That 489 number will also change depending on what schools are added and what schools (if any) are dropped... It's a numbers game.

[frmanfan]

wpmgoblue (that is hard to say fast), this is a great post, every once in a while there is a gem of a post on this site, and this is one of them. Good information is much better than Hampton-bashing posts, they are just easier to post.

The question then, in this era of tight budgets, will PA get the other 7 schools, and if they do, will the PIAA move on it? Or does that just let them discuss it as an option but not a hard rule?

If you are a parent of boys, you already know that most boys need a physical outlet to release boy energy. (To avoid being called sexist, I admit that girls need that physical outlet also, but not with the same urgency that boys do, or at least not as many girls need it. That is my experience anyway.) There are only a few high school sports that offer a physical outlet to lots of boys per team: football, soccer, lacrosse. Baseball and wrestling are less so, and swimming is not a contact sport. Basketball has too few players, and there aren't enough rugby teams in high school to count.

Anybody who has been to football games over the past several years has seen the decline in the number of participants standing on the sideline. With all the concussion fears, participation is down something like 25% in the past few years. What I have yet to see is an increase in the participants of the other sports. I know kids today have more options available for entertainment, most of them non-physical, but I would think that any right-thinking parent would push there boys to get off the couch and do something physical.

So, what did happen at the Pumpkin Classic?

[laxdog01]

I had planned to attend the Pumpkin Classic, hoping to watch some good fall lacrosse, but because I never saw a game schedule posted on the SV site I had no idea what teams were playing and if there were some good match ups between some of the stronger WPA teams or not, so I didn't make the drive. Love to hear about how the D1 teams looked, including Kiski if they were there.