This way, if Chief McNeill needed to pull him out of the school to cover patrol, sick leave or other department business, he could do that.

I was up thinking about this last night and it just didn't sit well with me that we were going to just let this program go. It is too valuable to us as a community.

I think there are things we can do better with the program to increase its value to the schools.

Anybody in our league would have died to have him out of high school. He does all the little things. I don't think anybody really tried to see what his offensive talents are. He can shoot from 15 feet, he rebounds and finishes around the basket. I'd be surprised if he wasn't a double-double player for us.

We set a school record with seven WPIAL qualifiers last year. Our previous high was five. Our goal this year is to set a new record, and I think we have the talent required to do that. The kids just have to stay focused.

I've said all along that we could combine everyone to one school and it won't matter if we don't upgrade our feeder system.