A very merry season\u2019s greetings and happy new year to everyone!\u00a0 Chris Michael is on vacation for the next week, so \u201cRCN SportsTalk\u201d co-host Joseph Lynnwood Craig will be manning the \u201cSportsTalk Shop\u201d around the holidays.\u00a0 Joe gives his weekly views on the Thursday night show and this time, he gives his views on some local high school sports issues over the past year.\u00a0 Don\u2019t forget, you can get more views and opinions on the top teams, players, games, moments and other special highlights over the past 12 months by watching the \u201cSportsTalk: 2014 Year-in-Review\u201d program that will air on RCN-TV several times before and after New Year\u2019s Day and is also available to watch at anytime for free on RCN On-Demand!<\/p>\n
Now, here\u2019s \u201cJoe\u2019s Take\u201d on local championship teams and other outstanding programs in the Lehigh Valley area.<\/p>\n
As 2014 comes to a close, a few observations about high school championships seem to be in order.\u00a0 Keep in mind that last school year’s winter and spring seasons combine with the fall season of this school year to form the 2014 lineup.
\nFirst of all, 22 high schools in District XI have won team championships in the year 2014.\u00a0 There have been 52 champions crowned in 21 sports; 10 boys sports, 10 girls sports and one co-ed sport (golf).
\nParkland has overwhelmingly crowned the most champions with 11.\u00a0 The following list contains the schools with the number of team champions from each school:<\/p>\n
Parkland – 11\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Allentown CC – 2\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Mahanoy – 1\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Pius X – 1
\nBeth. Cath. – 5\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Notre Dame G.P – 2\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Salisbury – 1\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Saucon – 1
\nEmmaus – 4\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Minersville – 2\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Nazareth – 1\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0Whitehall – 1
\nSouthern Lehigh – 4\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Marion Cath. – 2\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Tamaqua – 1\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Pine Grove – 1
\nMoravian Acad. – 4\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Easton – 2\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Sch. Haven – 1
\nNorthwestern – 3\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Notre Dame ES – 2\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Pen Argyl – 1<\/p>\n
A person would wonder how does one school win so many championships as Parkland has?\u00a0\u00a0 Surely the athletes are not any bigger, stronger, faster, or more skilled than their counterparts at other schools.\u00a0 I’m sure that they eat similar foods, drink similar water, dress the same way and enjoy the same activities as any other teenagers. I’m not sure what the answer is, but I suspect it has a lot to do with off-season preparation, camps, and facilities available to them, along with the community support that is provided in feeder programs across the board. Whatever it is, the other schools and communities better take note.\u00a0 They all need to step up if they want to compete with Parkland.<\/p>\n
Another comment would be to notice the number of championships that a small school like Moravian Academy has won.\u00a0 They’ve won four championships while many other schools have won none.\u00a0 That’s amazing when you think about it.\u00a0 Granted they have won in small school classifications but in three of their titles they beat many schools in the AA classification.\u00a0 Those sports were Boys Tennis, Golf, and Girls Tennis.\u00a0 They also won in A classification Boys Soccer.\u00a0 By the way, they were the champs in that category.\u00a0 I think that is noteworthy.<\/p>\n
There have been some great teams from District XI this past year, so here are a few that come to mind.\u00a0 The following teams have won State championships this past year: Bethlehem Catholic in wrestling (AA), Parkland Girls Volleyball (AA), and Moravian Academy Boys Soccer (AA).\u00a0 There will be a lot of discussion in local media over the next\u00a0 few weeks regarding great games and great performances by teams and individuals and we sure have had our share.\u00a0 District XI has plenty of great high school athletes this year and a history of some of the best in the state.\u00a0 Perhaps we will get into these in the future.
\nUntil then, that’s Joe’s Take!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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