Football
WPIAL Friday Football Scores – 11/13/2015
November 13, 2015
The eleventh week of the WPIAL high school football season fell on Friday the 13th. For 16 teams that avoided black cats, didn't walk on cracks and sashay around any ladders they saw, victory was theirs and they continue to cruise on the Highway to Heinz to the Final Four. The 16 other teams will felt like victims of Freddy Krueger or Jason or Chuckie as their dreams of district gold were laid to rest. Here are all the final results. WPIAL CLASS AAAA Quarterfinals: Woodland Hills Wolverines 40 - Bethel Park Black Hawks 20 (F) Pittsburgh Central Catholic Vikings 31 - North Allegheny Tigers 17 (F) Penn-Trafford Warriors 39 - McKeesport Tigers 32 (F-OT) Pine-Richland Rams 42 - Mount Lebanon Blue Devils 13 (F)District 5, 6, 9 & 10 High School Football
November 12, 2015
While the WPIAL football playoffs reached the Quarterfinals stage, other district postseason action kicked off around Western Pennsylvania this weekend. The next two weeks will help shape the eventual playoff field for the PIAA postseason. Here is a rundown of the results from Friday and Saturday in District 5, District 6, District 9 and District 10 along with a couple of multi-district matchups which included the Pittsburgh City League and District 8. District 5 & 8 CLASS AA Semifinals: Chestnut Ridge Lions 14 - Westinghouse Bulldogs 6 {Winner plays vs Bedford on 11/20} District 5 CLASS A Quarterfinals:Chicks Picks – Week 11 – 2015
Welcome to Week 11 of the high school football season. The atmosphere at MSA Sports World Headquarters was full of excitement last Friday night as we began our exclusive coverage of the WPIAL playoffs. Things seemed to be running smoothly; that is, until Chick’s Picks overheard an unsettling statement during one of the broadcasts. The color commentator said, “This team should utilize that standout running back some more. He’s really getting it done out there tonight.” The play-by-play announcer called the next play, “That running back just went 80 yards for a touchdown! Way to go, color commentator guy. You called it. It was almost as though you used that trusty crystal ball of Chick’s Picks’, and you saw that play coming.”WPIAL Big Game Hunting – Quarterfinals
November 11, 2015
Quarter-finals week on the MSA Sports Network after a pretty chalk first round, really a very chalk first round just four upsets by seed and three of those in the eight – nine games, the other a ten seed over a seven seed. This Friday, I think you will see the chalk go by the wayside as I predict upsets will be the order of the weekend, but hey I know nothing, we’ve gone out of our way to make that abundantly clear here week after week. Just 16 games on this Friday night make sure you get out to one or listen to one here on the MSA Sports Network, even better if you do both of those things. Here are my picks for Week 11 of Big Game Hunting.
WPIAL Alum Q&A – J.P. Holtz
November 9, 2015
As the University of Pittsburgh football team has enjoyed a resurgence this season, several former WPIAL competitors have been crucial to the success. Perhaps nobody has meant more to the Panthers over the past four seasons, however, than tight end J.P. Holtz. Holtz enjoyed a stellar high school career for the Shaler Area Titans, playing a variety of positions. He scored 15 touchdowns as a senior, and helped guide the Titans to the playoffs. He also was a four-year letterwinner on the Titans’ basketball squad that made an appearance in the state postseason in 2012.This Week on the MSA Sports Network – 11/08/2015
November 8, 2015
When it comes to delivering playoff and championship high school action, we are season veterans! Adn while we take time this week to salute the true hero's, America's Veterans, we also gear up for another ride on the Highway to Heinz this week here on the MSA Sports Network. We have ALL 16 Quarterfinals WPIAL Football Playoff games Friday night starting with the MSA Sports Pregame Show and concluding later that night with the WPIAL Football Scoreboard Show.
Back To Back For The Brashear Bulls
November 7, 2015
For the fourth time in school history, the Brashear Bulls claim back to back title with a 21-6 victory over the Allderdice Dragons in the Pittsburgh City League championship game at Cupples Stadium. Quarterback Therran Coleman threw 3 touchdown passes, two to Devaughn McNary in the second quarter that pushed the Bulls to a 14-0 halftime advantage. The Bulls also did the job defensively, forcing 6 Allderdice turnovers. Brashear defeated Allderdice 42-14 in last year’s title game. The win gives Brashear their 11th City League title and a berth in the PiAA playoffs in two weeks.WPIAL Friday Night HighLights – First Round
The lights are just a little bit brighter as 64 teams entered the district postseason three wins away from reaching every teams ultimate goal, a spot on the parking list for Championship Saturday at Heinz Field. There is no question that in the ultimate team sport, you need everybody in to win and advance at this point, but sometimes you need a player to step up and take control with an outstanding performance to keep your season alive at least for another week. So we tip our playoff caps to these ten players who were shining bright on a clear and crisp tenth Friday of the 2015 football season. Phil Jurkovec - Pine-Richland
Highway to Heinz – First Round Recaps
The cones were removed and the pylons picked up as the ribbon was cut Friday at 7:30pm to open up the 2015 version of the Highway to Heinz. Like many motorists who have been frustrated by ramp closures to the Parkway recently, there was a logjam at the first exit as 32 teams were forced to exit. You can listen to any of the 32 archives on MSA Sports or check out any of the 32 recaps from the First Round of the WPIAL Football Playoffs.Scholastic Notebook – 11/06/2015
November 6, 2015
The WPIAL football playoffs start Friday night. Does that mean the Tri-County South Conference turns into the Tri-County Sour bunch once again? The Tri-County South in Class A hasn’t won a playoff game since the 2010 season. Since then, Tri-County South teams are 0-16 in the postseason. But maybe there is hope to end the postseason drought this year. Frazier finished the regular season with a 9-0 record and the Commodores were given the No. 4 seed. Frazier led the entire WPIAL in fewest points allowed this season and it plays host to South Side in a first-round game.WPIAL Friday Football Scores – 11/06/2015
There are no more second chances. There are no more 'we'll get them next week'. There are no tomorrows...unless of course you were victorious. It is win and advance time as the large field of 64 was sliced in half to 32 by the end of opening night. Cruel and unfair? Perhaps. but those are the road rules for the chosen who make the yearly trip on the Highway to Heinz. Here are the First Round scores of all 32 games, ALL of which were heard exclusively on the MSA Sports Network. WPIAL CLASS AAAA First Round: Woodland Hills Wolverines 41 - Hempfield Spartans 7 (F) Bethel Park Black Hawks 34 - Kiski Area Cavaliers 26 (F) North Allegheny Tigers 56 - Norwin Knights 17 (F)Chicks Picks – Week 10 – 2015
November 5, 2015
Welcome to Week 10 of the high school football season. As a veteran prognosticator, Chick’s Picks has received countless commendations over the years. None of these honors, however, were quite as prestigious as the one earned this week. Chick’s Picks received an anonymous phone call early Sunday morning. The caller, a woman, told Chick’s Picks that her presence was requested by The Committee on Monday afternoon. Confused, Chick’s Picks inquired further as to which committee the woman was referring. The woman simply said, “Report to the Double Tree Hotel in Greentree at noon tomorrow. Bring your crystal ball. All of your questions will be answered there.”WPIAL Big Game Hunting – First Round
The Highway to Heinz begins this week, a very exciting time in southwestern Pennsylvania and at the MSA Sports Network. We have been stretched to the max by the fall championship season but with one final tug we found a way to carry every single WPIAL football playoff game yet again. We wouldn’t have it any other way. Most years I fall in love with 8 v 9 games, but this year was different for me. Looking through the brackets I found myself most fascinated by three of the 7 v 10 games. Hey at this point they’re all big games, so easy pickins as we go post season Big Game Hunting. Class AAAA:MSA Sports Top Ten – WPIAL Football Seeding Predictions
November 1, 2015
We do it every year in an effort to help the cause. Sometimes our logic is considered by the powers that be, then again, sometimes our two cents is ignored. Everybody has an opinion in how the WPIAL Football Steering Committee should set up the brackets for the upcoming ride on the Highway to Heinz.This Week on the MSA Sports Network – 11/01/2015
We are done with the WPIAL football regular season and ready to ride on the Highway to Heinz starting this week here on the MSA Sports Network. We have ALL 32 First Round WPIAL Football Playoff games Friday night starting with the MSA Sports Pregame Show and concluding later that night with the WPIAL Football Scoreboard Show. We also have six District 6 and District 9 high school football games along with the Quarterfinals, Semifinals and Championships of the WPIAL Girls Volleyball Playoffs and the Semifinals and Championships of the WPIAL Boys and Girls Soccer Playoffs. We also have the debut of men's college basketball, plus The WPIAL Football Playoff Pairings Show. This Week in the WPIAL and the season finale of the Indiana County Coaches Show ALL here at MSAsports.netWPIAL Saturday’s Scholastic Starz – Week Nine
While we prepare to tip our cap on Saturday Starz for the final time this season (except for the four title games at Heinz Field, this year on a Saturday), we remember an old school house of thrills that will likely be no more following Saturday's game. We likely say goodbye to Historic Graham Field in Wilkinsburg as the Tigers prepare to merge with City League Westinghouse. The old grandstand has many thrilling tales to tell, including being the home to the WPIAL football finals way back in the day. it was a proper send off to a field that has hosted many a one-sided blowouts in recent years was the home to a competitive dandy on its final Saturday afternoon of varsity high school football action. Thanks for the memories old pal.FINAL 2015 WPIAL & Pittsburgh City League Football Standings
Here are the FINAL WPIAL and Pittsburgh City League football standings through the end of the 2015 high school football regular season...including the FINAL WPIAL Playoff clinchings and eliminations. Once again this year, we have added points for, point against and the updated WPIAL tiebreaker points for all 123 teams. Standings are updated after Friday and Saturday's scholastic gridiron action each week. Standings can be also seen on each teams football webpage here on the MSA Sports Network. (Top 5 teams from AAAA and AAA conferences qualify for playoffs plus a sixth place wild card team) (Top 4 teams from AA and A conferences qualify for the playoffs)WPIAL Saturday Football Scores – 10/31/2015
October 31, 2015
Instead of using a bunch of Halloween cliches, I'll use the final day of the regular season to jump on my soap box. Very few teams that don't make the playoffs play a Week Ten game anymore. We are over ten years now since the WPIAL went from a 10 week to 9 week regular season schedule, giving non-playoff teams the option as to weather they want to play another game. Sadly, most don't. Why not? Some extra practices and one extra game couldn't hurt the underclassman. Just saying. Anyway, back to the regular season which ended today with these two final results. WPIAL CLASS A Eastern Conference: Serra Catholic Eagles 23 - Wilkinsburg Tigers 20 WPIAL CLASS A Black Hills Conference:WPIAL Football Tiebreaker Explanations
Nowadays, any Tom, Dick or Harry can find out from other what is going on and then tweet it out like they are Tom Brokaw breaking a new flash. If you listened to Friday nights WPIAL Scoreboard Show, you found out who was in and some of the why. Here is a more insightful look into how the tiebreakers worked to figure out the 2015 WPIAL football playoff field. First, an explanation the Gardner Point system: A team earns ten points for all the wins earned by every conference team they beat. What? Here is a simple way to explain. If you beat Team A who had a 6-2 conference record, you earn 60 Gardner Points for their 6 wins. If you beat Team B and they were 2-6 in conference, you earn another 20 points for their 2 wins.WPIAL Friday Night HighLights – Week Nine 2015
WOW! There was a lot of offense on the final Friday of the regular season. Some were great tune-ups for the upcoming high school football postseason. Other were wrapping up the season and going out with a blaze of glory. Whether the driving force coming into the game was a conference title, a home game, a playoff berth or just plain old civic and school color pride, here are some of the top performances on a night we could sprain our arm tipping our cap to all who deserved it. Miles Sanders - Woodland Hills
