Basketball
MSA SPORTS CUP RESULTS – SF Three-peats in Triple-A
July 7, 2016
In the first ten years of the MSA Sports Cup, while there were a couple of dominating schools in the other three classifications, the chase for the Class AAA Cup had been up for grabs with eight different schools earning The Cup. However in the last three years of the season long competition, Triple-A has become the pride of the Lions. After finishing as the runner-up in 2012-2013, South Fayette has staked its claim on top in Class AAA as the Lions are the first school in this classification to win a third consecutive MSA Sports Cup.
MSA SPORTS CUP RESULTS – NA Remains Perfect in Quad-A
July 6, 2016
Another school year is in the books and another MSA Sports Cup in Class AAAA is headed to North Allegheny High School. NA captured the schools 13th Cup in 13 years since the MSA Sports Network started this school year long competition to determine the top sports programs in each classification. There are 20 sports in which schools can earn points in the competition and the Tigers earned points in 18 of them. While it was not the highest point total or largest margin of victory, North Allegheny still cruised to their final Quad-A Sports Cup as they will move up to 6-A starting this fall. The second place school finished 430 points behind NA.
2015-2016 MSA SPORTS MALE ATHLETE of the YEAR
June 30, 2016
There is a reason why Erick Taylor has that “K” at the end of his name. His father had a best friend who was shot and killed many years ago, and the friend spelled his first name “Erick.” So Garth Taylor decided to give his son the same name in memory of his friend. Almost two decades later, the name Erick Taylor meant something special around WPIAL sports. It defined supreme athlete. Taylor has been named the MSA Sports Athlete of the Year for boys sports in the WPIAL in the 2015-16 school year. The award is selected by the MSA Sports staff.
2015-2016 MSA SPORTS FEMALE ATHLETE of the YEAR
Amanda Kalin is so talented that she could be a Division I college player in two different sports. On the high school level, Kalin is so talented that she is in a division all by herself – best athlete in the WPIAL. Kalin, who recently completed her junior year at Pine-Richland High School, has been selected the MSA Sports Athlete of the Year for the 2015-16 WPIAL school year. The 5-foot-8 Kalin had a superb junior year in both basketball and soccer. Her outstanding individual talent helped her teams thrive. Her extraordinary athletic ability is evidenced by how her college recruiting went in the past two years.Scholastic Notebook – 05/22/2016
May 22, 2016
Plum’s Alex Kirilloff has a good chance to be selected in the first round of the June 9 Major League Baseball draft. Teams love his bat and also like the way he plays the outfield. At Plum, they also love the way he pitches. Kirilloff has a bright future as an outfielder, but at the present, he is one dominating pitcher. He is certainly one of the best hurlers in the WPIAL. When Plum defeated Peters Township, 2-0, in the WPIAL Class AAAA quarterfinals Thursday, Kirilloff led the way with his hitting – and pitching. He had a double and triple at the plate. But he also pitched six innings , struck out 11 and gave up only one hit.Scholastic Notebook – 05/13/2016
May 13, 2016
Plum High School’s nickname is Mustangs. But when it comes to athletes, Plum has a thoroughbred in Ashley Amato. The MSA Sports staff doesn’t name a female athlete of the year until late June. But you would think Amato will get serious consideration. There are three-season rooms in houses, but Plum houses a three-sport standout in Amato. And in the spring, she shines brightest. So far this track and field season, Amato has the best 200-meter time in WPIAL Class AAA at 25.3 seconds. She has the third-best 100 hurdles time of 14.69 and is tied for the third-best 100 time at 12.2. She is has the third-best AAA long jump at 18-2 ¾. At the Baldwin Invitational last Friday, Amato won the long jump, was second in the 100 hurdles and sixth in the 200.Scholastic Notebook – 04/29/2016
April 29, 2016
It’s unlikely that the Pittsburgh Central Catholic baseball team will make the WPIAL playoffs this season. That’s highly unusual. Central Catholic’s string of six consecutive playoff appearances would be broken. But that’s not what makes the Vikings’ situation unusual. What makes Central Catholic’s case so unusual is that Central Catholic is the defending WPIAL Class AAAA champion. Since 2000, the WPIAL champion in the largest classification has missed the playoffs the following year only twice. Mt. Lebanon won in 2006 and missed the playoffs in 2007. Hopewell won in 2000 and missed the playoffs in 2001.WPIAL Announces 2016-2017 Championship Sites
April 21, 2016
While major changes will be in the air with a classification increase starting in the 2016-2017 school year, there was concern about where the district would play its championship games with the increase in title games. However outside of a split in football, the WPIAL Finals in several sports will remain at the same venues that have been hosting the title events.WPIAL Hall of Fame Class of 2016
April 13, 2016
A current NBA player, a former Parade All-American girls basketball player, two dominant teams and four highly successful coaches highlight the WPIAL Hall of Fame class of 2016. This is the 10th class for the WPIAL Hall of Fame, and selections were announced Wednesday at a news conference at the Heinz History Center. Inductees will be honored at a banquet at the Green Tree Doubletree June 10. A Hall of Fame committee selects inductees in five categories: athlete, coach, team, contest official and contributor. The WPIAL also inducts a Heritage Award winner and a Courage Award winner. Here is the 2016 class: ATHLETESScholastic Notebook – 04/02/2016
April 2, 2016
The Pittsburgh Central Catholic football team won WPIAL and state titles this past season with a team that had five seniors sign with NCAA Division I-A colleges. Those talented players will never again wear the Vikings blue and gold, but Central Catholic is a must-stop for college recruiters again. It has become apparent that Central Catholic’s 2017 team will again be loaded with another handful of seniors who will play major-college football.This Week on the MSA Sports Network – 03/28/2016
March 28, 2016
The winter high school sports season has one more night as it gives way to the start of the spring high school sports season this week here on the MSA Sports Network. We have the season debut of WPIAL baseball, WPIAL softball, WPIAL boys volleyball and WPIAL boys lacrosse, plus a pair of high school basketball all-star games from Quigley Catholic High School ALL here at MSAsports.net Monday, March 28th: No Broadcasts Tuesday, March 29th: WPIAL High School Boys Volleyball - Seneca Valley vs North Allegheny at 7:00pm on the North Allegheny Sports Network at MSAsports.net Wednesday, March 30th:
2015-2016 MSA SPORTS BOYS BASKETBALL ALL-NETTERS
March 25, 2016
The MSA Sports All Netters boys team this season is a junior achievement club. All five players on the first team are juniors. That has never happened before. The second team has a sophomore and four seniors. The All Netters team is made up of the top 10 players in the WPIAL and the squad is picked by the MSA Sports staff. The 10 players on this year’s team had a winning way about them. Nine of the 10 made it at least to the WPIAL semifinals and the 10th to the quarterfinals. Three of the players won WPIAL titles and one of those players also won a state championship. Presenting the 2016 MSA Sports All Netters team: FIRST TEAM: AUSTIN BUTLER, LATROBE 6-4 JUNIOR, GUARD
2015-2016 MSA SPORTS GIRLS BASKETBALL ALL-NETTERS
The Girls All Netters all-star squad this season is certainly a sizeable one. While guards often dominate all-star teams, the first team of the All Netters has four players at least 5-11, including three who are 6-1 or taller and one who is 6-4. The team is picked by the MSA Sports staff from all WPIAL teams. Three of the first-team members won WPIAL championships. One of the second team members scored 1,000 points this season – as a freshman. Introducing the 2016 MSA Girls All-Netters squads: FIRST TEAM: EMILY ANDERSON, SOUTH FAYETTE 6-4 SENIOR, CENTER
WPIAL Alum Q&A – Carly Forse
March 22, 2016
Last month, the Bishop Canevin girls' basketball team captured its second WPIAL crown with a decisive victory against Greensburg Central Catholic. The previous title came back in 2013, when Carly Forse helped guide the Crusaders to gold. Forse, who has carried her success on the hardwood over to Point Park University, is the focus of this week's WPIAL Alum Q&A.
2016 PIAA GIRLS BASKETBALL PLAYOFFS Results
March 20, 2016
Over the last three years, WPIAL girls basketball teams have brought home two state titles in each of the seasons to close out the 2013, 2014 and 2015 campaigns. This year, only one district team qualified for the state finals in Hershey and the gold rush continued as WPIAL Class A runner-up Cardinal Wuerl North Catholic was the last Class A team left standing in the PIAA postseason increasing the run of WPIAL girls teams with at least one state crown to eight straight years. Here are ALL of the final scores from the Road to Hershey and the 2016 PIAA Girls Basketball Playoffs. All results followed by (MSA) are games that can be heard archived on the MSA Sports Network.
Roman Catholic Rolls the ‘Dice to Repeat in PIAA Boys AAAA
After the first 10 minutes of Saturday’s PIAA boys Class AAAA Championship, newcomers Taylor Allderdice held a sizeable lead, opening the game on a 10-0 run on District 12 powerhouse Roman Catholic. In fact, it took the Cahillites nearly five and a half minutes to score a point from the foul line. That foul line just so happened to be the way Roman Catholic thrived Saturday, downing the District 8 champion Dragons 73-62 to repeat as state champions.
Second Time Is a Perfect Charm for Aliquippa In Hershey
March 19, 2016
They say that Hershey is the sweetest place on Earth. But for Aliquippa that wasn’t the case after last year’s loss to Conwell-Egan in the Class AA PIAA Boys Basketball Championship Game. The Quips finished 29-1 but took it one step further this year. Aliquippa completed a perfect 30-0 mark with a 68-49 victory over Mastery Charter North at Herhsey's Giant Center on Saturday afternoon. Sheldon Jeter and Jassir Jordan each scored 22 points as Aliquippa pulled away in the third quarter, claiming the fifth state crown in school history and the first since 1997.
Eight is Great as Cardinal Wuerl North Catholic Wins Girls PIAA A Finals
Coaches always say rebounding is a key to winning basketball games. Never was it so evident on Saturday afternoon as Cardinal Wuerl North Catholic used a 50-28 edge on the glass to claim a 56-33 victory over Lourdes Regional in the PIAA Class A girls state final at the Giant Center in Hershey. The victory gives Cardinal Wuerl North Catholic their 8th PIAA crown and first in Class A. Sam Breen saved her best performance for last this year, as the 6-1 junior scored 27 points, grabbed 15 rebounds and dished out 9 assists to lead her team to the title.
Neuman-Goretti Wins Third Straight State Title With Rout of Mars
March 18, 2016
Following all the pomp and circumstance after Friday’s PIAA boys Class AAA Championship game between District 12 powerhouse Neumann-Goretti and Mars, it seemed as if Mars came away with a state championship trophy. That was, of course because of the standing ovation a senior-laden Fighting Planets team received from their sizeable section of supporters in the Giant Center. However, the scoreboard told a completely different story, as Neumann-Goretti picked up another state championship, the sixth in seven years, by a score of 99-66.Scholastic Notebook – 03/18/2016
Two boys teams from the WPIAL (Mars and Aliquippa) and one girls team (Cardinal Wuerl North Catholic) have made it to Hershey for the state championships. Here is information and some factoids for the three games. All games are at the Giant Center in Hershey. CLASS AAA BOYS The game: Mars (23-6) vs. Neumann-Goretti (26-4) of Phildelphia, 8 p.m. Friday. Coaches: Mars Rob Carmody and Neumann-Goretti’s Carl Arrigale. Leading scorers: Mars: Robby Carmody (20) and John Castello (18). Neuman-Goretti: Quade Green (18.4), Zane Martin (18.3) and Dhamir Cosby-Roundtree (14.5).
