Not familiar with the level of some of the PA schools. What level/class is Gov Mifflin play at? Nick Singleton highlight video is fantastic. If he is playing in the highest PA class, he might be one of the best RBs we had. Realize that highlight reels are the best plays, but this guy is amazing. Love the way he just goes and makes the right moves. honestly looks like a 5* to me.
Gov Mifflin
- Thread starter blion72
- Start date
Football plays at Class 5A. They also play in a pretty tough league & district. Their level of competition is top notch. FYI
Mifflin is at Class 5-A; 6A is the highest. They play in the Berks Inter-County League 1. I would not say it is a notoriously weak league, but not the strongest league either top to bottom.
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weak or not, if we get the same growth & production we got from journey, he can play in a rec league for all i care
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Just out of curiosity, I Googled "toughest high school football conferences" and was surprised that no conferences in Pennsylvania were listed. But among the typical Texas, California, and Florida conferences, the surrounding nearby states of New Jersey, Maryland, DC, Ohio, and Michigan were represented.
Growing up in the '70s, I was familiar with the Central Penn Conference -- Harrisburg, Central Dauphin, Steelton-Highspire, York, Lancaster -- was as tough a conference as there was. What happened to Pennsylvania High School football?
Growing up in the '70s, I was familiar with the Central Penn Conference -- Harrisburg, Central Dauphin, Steelton-Highspire, York, Lancaster -- was as tough a conference as there was. What happened to Pennsylvania High School football?
The other states were also tough. It’s just that prior to internet you really didnt know about them.
I think PA as a whole in the 70's would have been top drawer with several conferences. places like Md, DC, NJ were no where near PA in those days. I assumed that PA had a significant loss in population. Not sure why a place like NJ would have improved - always thought of that as a state people want to leave with nothing driving growth. Texas has been big producer of players as long as I can remember.
Private schools have played a big part in how tough different conferences are. Here in Maryland private schools don't play the Publics so the Maryland conference that they are referring to is all private schools some of which have kids from all over the country
Population and population density have always played a part in it.
Texas like much of the south prioritized HS football since pro sports were until the mid 1960s were not prevalent
I was wondering about that. I didn’t open the link so I was unsure exactly which conferences were being discussed. I can’t think of a public conference in Maryland that would make a “best” list. The WCAC has Good Counsel, DeMatha, Gonzaga.
how do these private schools recruit nationally? I know an IMG does it easily, but they have a setup like a small college.....high end coaches, dorms, training facilities, dieticians, etc. The catholic schools I know of in Chicago area "recruit" but the players come from maybe 20 mile radius. Cincy has very good catholic league (where Cliff came from) recruits, but from metro Cincy/N Kentucky. My brother tells me that there are rules in Ohio HSAA that limit where players can come from and play on teams that compete in state playoffs.
St frances in Baltimore has biff poggi as head coach. Family is loaded. He recruits md hard but also takes in kids from all over. He has the $ to fly kids up and have them live with other players or build dorm rooms or whatever it takes.
What’s the point of this from a coaching aspect? Just pad your record? What’s the end game?
public school coaches make $6,000 plus a “teaching position” at the high school.
+1. Texas high school football is a beast. I didn't realize that until I moved to Dallas in '86. The Midland/Odessa battles are legendary.
PA football in the 70's and 80's was very good as well.
The Tidewater VA area is one of the biggest hot beds of talent, and also some head cases.
As NC2017 said..... NAFTA! After the steel mills closed. Then coal mines closed. Most all manufacturing left. For forty years the young people went off the college and most didn’t return. So now their children play elsewhere. Pa now has the second oldest population behind Florida whose grandchildren are stars in other states.
So, I understand that theory and I acknowledge that Pennsylvania's population has aged....but, why?
Carnegie Mellon, Penn, and Penn State are pumping out tech executives and IT engineering talent right and left. Why hasn't Pennsylvania become Silicon Valley East? (I know, Virginia is really Silicon Valley East, but Pennsylvania has no excuses for not being all over the tech boom.)
And how does that exodus of population played out with, say, wrestling? Pennsylvania hands-down produces the best wrestling talent in the nation. And in basketball, Westtown School, Archbishop Wood, and Germantown Academy, among a few others, seem to have national-level talent.
I don't think NAFTA is the whole answer here.
NAFTA isn't an answer. The coal and steel industries of PA were well into their decline before NAFTA went into effect in 1994.
He never played football. He was a professional Roshambo Athlete, elected to thw HOF in 1942.
Poggi was hired by UM yesterday. Interesting rehire.
Michigan football set to rehire notable high school coach Biff Poggi as support staffer
Baltimore St. Frances Academy coach Biff Poggi confirmed to the Free Press that he is set to rejoin Michigan football as associate head coach.
www.freep.com
Wow. I wonder what that does with regard to their recruiting going forward. I see st frances falling off the map now.Poggi was hired by UM yesterday. Interesting rehire.
Michigan football set to rehire notable high school coach Biff Poggi as support staffer
Baltimore St. Frances Academy coach Biff Poggi confirmed to the Free Press that he is set to rejoin Michigan football as associate head coach.www.freep.com
Like anything, I think it’s more than just a population issue. One thing I haven’t seen mentioned is the one sport athlete. I think kids concentrate on one sport now and may not even play a second or third.
Also, parents’ fear of head injury and the rise in popularity of soccer pushes more kids away from football.
It’s got to be more difficult to find good coaches too. They put up with a lot of BS.
Also, parents’ fear of head injury and the rise in popularity of soccer pushes more kids away from football.
It’s got to be more difficult to find good coaches too. They put up with a lot of BS.
Not sure if anyone remembers this but in 2017 Micah Parsons was a senior at Harrisburg HS and they were absolutely loaded. Most thought it was a foregone conclusion they would play for the state championship. They lost in the playoffs, at home, to Governor Mifflin. IMHO anyone who would have any doubts about the caliber of that program, they should have ended that day.
That is correct.
Both those industries were well into decline by the mid-70s when I attended PSU.
Prof. Gerald Susman brought in executives from both industries for an undergraduate course I had one term. That was the topic.
In retrospect, probably the best course I took over my 4 years.
.......
Also, Mifflin grad representing. At the time, we played in the Tri-County Conference. Won that in FB my sophomore year. Had a huge O line. (Baby Elephant Walk was the theme song the band played after good plays.)
Sent a TE to The U.
Kid from my senior class went to ASU.
Joe tried recruiting players regularly from these teams.
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I would make the argument that playing at a school like Gov. Mifflin (or any typical public school) helps in the long run more than it hurts. The body is designed to only take so many shots. These high school football factories are far more about the ego of the coaches and adults than the kids.
I think those are good observations, and probably true at a national level. seeing adjacent states like Md and NJ have more high end prospects is what stands out. in the 1980's PA would stand toe to toe with Ohio in the Big 33 - and beat them. As for Md they would hammer them in state AS games. NJ has always had some players, but they seem to have passed PA. as a state, PA has so much going for it, just hard to see why it should lose ground against adjacent states. also culturally is has always seemed like a tough guy sport state. I don't live in PA, but was born there, and like to see success (except for Pitt).
Wyo is not in that conference,but you know this. So what is your point. And Exeter does not play them.
Why would I mentioned them, did he ask about Wyo? They are in section 2 which sucks and they don't play Exeter. Anything else?
Then there's also the point that quite a few elite Pennsylvania recruits go elsewhere -- Rucci to Wisconsin, Trotter Jr to Clemson, McCord to Ohio State, Davis Jr to LSU, McMillan to Florida, and so on and so forth. If Franklin were to really dominate the state, then Penn State would be a very highly ranked football program.
After this year, Governor Mifflin’s league will be one of the toughest in the state. Merging with Lancaster-Lebanon for a nearly 40 team super league.
SECTION 1
Reading (6A; 2,148 enrollment)
McCaskey (6A; 1,146 enrollment)
Hempfield (6A; 857 enrollment)
Wilson (6A; 766 enrollment)
Manheim Township (6A; 739 enrollment)
Penn Manor (6A; 654 enrollment)
Cedar Crest (6A; 588 enrollment)
SECTION 2
Governor Mifflin (5A; 582 enrollment)
Lebanon (5A; 571 enrollment)
Exeter (5A; 564 enrollment)
Warwick (5A; 531 enrollment)
Muhlenberg (5A; 530 enrollment)
Conestoga Valley (5A; 528 enrollment)
Elizabethtown (5A; 521 enrollment)
SECTION 3
Ephrata (5A; 499 enrollment)
Solanco (5A; 454 enrollment)
Daniel Boone (5A; 441 enrollment)
Twin Valley (5A; 424 enrollment)
Fleetwood (5A; 418 enrollment)
Manheim Central (5A; 402 enrollment)
Garden Spot (4A; 392 enrollment)
SECTION 4
Cocalico (4A; 385 enrollment)
Lampeter-Strasburg (4A; 365 enrollment)
Donegal (4A; 352 enrollment)
Conrad Weiser (4A; 325 enrollment)
Octorara (4A; 315 enrollment)
Elco (4A; 292 enrollment)
Wyomissing (3A; 238 enrollment)
Kutztown (3A; 285 enrollment)
SECTION 5
Northern Lebanon (3A; 272 enrollment)
Hamburg (3A; 264 enrollment)
Schuylkill Valley (3A; 243 enrollment)
Berks Catholic (3A; 231 enrollment)
Annville-Cleona (3A; 221 enrollment)
Lancaster Catholic (3A; 212 enrollment)
Pequea Valley (3A; 205 enrollment)
Columbia (2A; 161 enrollment)
SECTION 1
Reading (6A; 2,148 enrollment)
McCaskey (6A; 1,146 enrollment)
Hempfield (6A; 857 enrollment)
Wilson (6A; 766 enrollment)
Manheim Township (6A; 739 enrollment)
Penn Manor (6A; 654 enrollment)
Cedar Crest (6A; 588 enrollment)
SECTION 2
Governor Mifflin (5A; 582 enrollment)
Lebanon (5A; 571 enrollment)
Exeter (5A; 564 enrollment)
Warwick (5A; 531 enrollment)
Muhlenberg (5A; 530 enrollment)
Conestoga Valley (5A; 528 enrollment)
Elizabethtown (5A; 521 enrollment)
SECTION 3
Ephrata (5A; 499 enrollment)
Solanco (5A; 454 enrollment)
Daniel Boone (5A; 441 enrollment)
Twin Valley (5A; 424 enrollment)
Fleetwood (5A; 418 enrollment)
Manheim Central (5A; 402 enrollment)
Garden Spot (4A; 392 enrollment)
SECTION 4
Cocalico (4A; 385 enrollment)
Lampeter-Strasburg (4A; 365 enrollment)
Donegal (4A; 352 enrollment)
Conrad Weiser (4A; 325 enrollment)
Octorara (4A; 315 enrollment)
Elco (4A; 292 enrollment)
Wyomissing (3A; 238 enrollment)
Kutztown (3A; 285 enrollment)
SECTION 5
Northern Lebanon (3A; 272 enrollment)
Hamburg (3A; 264 enrollment)
Schuylkill Valley (3A; 243 enrollment)
Berks Catholic (3A; 231 enrollment)
Annville-Cleona (3A; 221 enrollment)
Lancaster Catholic (3A; 212 enrollment)
Pequea Valley (3A; 205 enrollment)
Columbia (2A; 161 enrollment)
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Hmmm. By looking at your handle and your opinion on berms football league, I wonder what school you support?
Yikes. When I went to McCaskey some 50 years ago, enrollment was twice that number. And Lancaster has grown in population since then. Can’t be correct.
