Football
Scholastic Notebook – 03/12/2017
March 12, 2017
New Castle was a good 3-point shooting team in the regular season. But the Red Hurricanes’ marksmanship has even improved in the postseason, and is it any wonder New Castle hasn’t lost a playoff game? New Castle won the WPIAL Class 4A championship and romped past Sharon in the first round of the PIAA playoffs. New Castle has averaged nine made 3-pointers a game in four postseason games and coach Ralph Blundo’s team is shooting 43 percent behind the arc in playoff games. That is excellent for any team, let alone a high school team. New Castle made 11, 9 and 10 3-pointers in three WPIAL playoff games, and then made 7 of 22 against Sharon in the first round of the playoffs.Scholastic Notebook – 02/24/2017
February 24, 2017
It’s unusual for the Canon-McMillan boys basketball team to still be playing in late February. It is certainly a fun time for the Big Macs. For the Bell family, it’s twice as nice. Canon-McMillan’s coach is Rick Bell. His son, R.J., is a 6-foot-4 senior guard who has played a big role in getting the Big Macs to the WPIAL 6A quarterfinals. They play No. 1 seed Pine-Richland Saturday. The younger Bell had six 3-pointers in a first round victory against North Allegheny. R.J. is averaging in double figures. The victory against North Allegheny was only the third playoff win in school history for Canon-McMillan. The others were in 1996 and 2008. This is only the ninth time the Big Macs have been to the postseason.Scholastic Notebook – 02/17/2017
February 17, 2017
For the second consecutive season, the West Greene boys and girls teams are both headed to the WPIAL playoffs. History says that is downright shocking. The Pioneers are making noise on the hardwood that has never been heard before from the tiny school in Greene County. This is the first time in school history that both teams have made the playoffs two years in a row. Heck, the boys team had been to the postseason only four times before – 2016, 1992, 1991 and 1989. The girls team actually won a section championship this year and heads to the playoffs with an 18-4 record. The West Greene boys finished in third place in Class 1A Section 2 with a 13-7 record.Scholastic Notebook – 02/03/2017
February 3, 2017
The spirit of 66 ended for one WPIAL girls team. But one boys team is close to getting into the same spirit. The subject is section winning streaks. The Quigley Catholic girls had what was the longest section winning streak in the WPIAL at 66, but it ended Thursday night after a 56-48 loss to Cornell. Turn to WPIAL boys basketball and look at Lincoln Park. The Leopards have a 64-game section winning streak. Lincoln Park has two section games remaining, and if the Leopards win both, they will finish the regular season with a 66-game streak. Lincoln Park plays Riverside and Ellwood City in its final two section games.2017 National Letter of Intent Day – MSA Sports Elite Eleven College Destinations
February 1, 2017
Wednesday was National Letter of Intent Day where high school seniors make their verbal commitments official by signing on the dotted line to the school of their choice. What were the final college destinations for the members of the 2016 MSA Sports The Elite 11 football all-star team? Here is the list. PLAYER OF THE YEAR: ZANE DUDEK, ARMSTRONG RB-DB, Sr., 5-10, 190 YALE DARIUS WISE, BEAVER QB-DB, Sr., 5-11, 170 COLORADO STATE2017 National Letter of Intent Day – Division I-A Football Players from WPIAL
Here are the seniors from the WPIAL or Pittsburgh City League who have signed to make their verbal commitments to Division I-A colleges. High school seniors could not sign a binding letter of intent until Wednesday, February 1st. PITT Grant Carrigan, Pine-Richland (TE) Paris Ford, Steel Valley (WR-DB) Gabe Houy, Upper St. Clair (OL) Tyler Sear, Neshannock (TE) PENN STATE C.J. Thorpe, Pittsburgh Central Catholic (OL) Lamont Wade, Clairton (DB) WEST VIRGINIA Kenny Robinson, Imani Christian (WR-DB)Scholastic Notebook – 01/27/2017
January 27, 2017
If A.J. Myers and Cameron Hanley ever get together and grab a bite to eat, it would only be appropriate if they went to Applebee’s, just so they could order off the 2 for $20 menu. Myers and Hanley are members of the Chartiers-Houston boys basketball team. On the menu that is the leading scorers list for the WPIAL, Myers and Hanley are the only 2 for 20 you can find. Myers, a 6-foot-1 senior guard, is averaging 26 points a game. He is the sixth-leading scorer in the WPIAL. Hanley, a 6-foot junior guard, is averaging 21.7. No other WPIAL team has two players averaging 20.Scholastic Notebook – 01/20/2017
January 20, 2017
It was six years ago that Kyle DeGregorio went through a painful experience of being let go as Baldwin’s boys basketball coach. But DeGregorio eventually found new coaching life a little farther south down Route 51, and has given the Belle Vernon program a new heartbeat. Belle Vernon is 10-3 and tied with McGuffey and South Fayette for first place in WPIAL Class 4A Section 3. Two of those tied teams square off Friday when Belle Vernon plays host to South Fayette.Scholastic Notebook – 01/13/2017
January 13, 2017
Over the next five days, WPIAL boys basketball has three of the top games of the entire season and all three are on MSA Sports. While the teams make the matchups big, the players involved make the contests bigger than big. The big games are Friday and Tuesday. They are: Pine-Richland (No. 1 in the MSA 6A rankings) at North Hills (No. 3) Friday night at 7:30. Chartiers Valley (No. 1 in 5A) at Mars (No. 3) Friday night at 7:30. Latrobe (No. 2 in 6A) at Penn Hills (No. 4) Tuesday night at 7:30.Scholastic Notebook – 01/06/2017
January 6, 2017
Look at the progression of the Laurel High School boys basketball program the past few years, and it is quite evident that the Spartans are now all Locked in. Ken Locke is in his fifth season as the Spartans’ coach. The program without much history has made giant strides the past few years. Now this year, the Spartans are doing things never seen before at the school. In the latest MSA Sports WPIAL rankings that came out at the beginning of the week, Laurel was No. 3 in Class 2A. But that was before Laurel knocked off No. 1 Sewickley Academy this past Tuesday. Laurel heads into Friday night’s big game against Our Lady of the Sacred Heart with a perfect 9-0 record. The Spartans are one of only four teams in the WPIAL with a perfect record.MSA Sports Top 25 WPIAL Stories of 2016 Recap
January 4, 2017
It case you missed it, here is a look at our annual end of the year countdown of top stories or events from around the WPIAL. As we begin 2017, we look back at some of the top stories from around the WPIAL in calendar year 2016 with the entire countdown. #25 - CROSS-COUNTRY RUN ENDS
MSA Sports Top 25 WPIAL Stories of 2016 – #5 through #1
January 1, 2017
It has become a tradition like no other...at least during the holiday season here at the MSA Sports Network. As we close out 2016 and another great high school sports year, we look back at some of the top stories from around the WPIAL in calendar year 2016. We conclude our countdown with #5 through #1. #5 - YOUNG AND OLD FINAL FAIRWELLS
MSA Sports Top 25 WPIAL Stories of 2016 – #10 through #6
It has become a tradition like no other...at least during the holiday season here at the MSA Sports Network. As we close out 2016 and another great high school sports year, we look back at some of the top stories from around the WPIAL in calendar year 2016. We continue our countdown with #10 through #6. #10 - BLACK & ORANGE IS STILL GOLDEN
MSA Sports Top 25 WPIAL Stories of 2016 – #15 through #11
December 31, 2016
It has become a tradition like no other...at least during the holiday season here at the MSA Sports Network. As we close out 2016 and another great high school sports year, we look back at some of the top stories from around the WPIAL in calendar year 2016. We continue our countdown with #15 through #11. #15 - BRIDESMAIDS NO MORE
MSA Sports Top 25 WPIAL Stories of 2016 – #20 through #16
December 30, 2016
It has become a tradition like no other...at least during the holiday season here at the MSA Sports Network. As we close out 2016 and another great high school sports year, we look back at some of the top stories from around the WPIAL in calendar year 2016. We continue our countdown with #20 through #16. #20 - FROM NUMBER ONE TO DONE
WPIAL Coaches Corner – Ryan Matsook
December 24, 2016
‘Tis the season for getting to know some of the hometown coaches here in western Pennsylvania. In this brand new feature titled “Coach’s Corner”, I will be interviewing a different coach every week and asking them questions about their personal life and about coaching. Hopefully their answers will not only shed some light on how they coach their respective teams, but also allow readers to get to know the men behind the fields/courts.
Clairton’s Lamont Wade Commits to Penn State
December 17, 2016
Clairton's Lamont Wade's college recruitment has been one of the most publicized and closely followed of any WPIAL player in recent memory. On Saturday night, Wade revealed his decision by saying just two words: We Are. Wade committed to join Penn State, choosing the Nittany Lions over his other finalists, Pitt, West Virginia, Tennessee and UCLA.
2016 MSA SPORTS ELITE ELEVEN
December 16, 2016
The Elite 11 was into breaking records. A number of players on this year’s Elite 11 broke records, whether they were WPIAL marks or school records. The team is made up of the top 11 players in the WPIAL and is picked by the MSA Sports staff. This year’s team is made up of 10 seniors and one junior. Four of the players were quarterbacks and another played quarterback a little. The team includes three of the top six WPIAL rushers of all time and two of the top three touchdown makers of all time. Other players accomplished things never seen before in the WPIAL. A number of the players have already made their college choices and this year’s team is “Zane-y.” Two of the players are named Zane. Here is a look at the MSA Sports Elite 11 and the Player of the Year:Scholastic Notebook – 12/12/2016
December 12, 2016
No one knew much about Najhier West before the PIAA Class 2A championship Saturday morning. But only hours after the game, West was being talked about on national television and his running ability put him right up there with some well-known athletes on a college and pro level. West is a junior running back at Steel Valley, the backup halfback to DeWayne Murray. But Murray wasn’t at full strength and didn’t play all that much in the title game against Southern Columbia at Hersheypark Stadium. It might have been a big deal because West is the sixth-leading rusher in WPIAL history. But Steel Valley simply went West.
WPIAL Coaches Corner – Bob Palko
December 11, 2016
‘Tis the season for getting to know some of the hometown coaches here in western Pennsylvania. In this brand new feature titled “Coach’s Corner”, I will be interviewing a different coach every week and asking them questions about their personal life and about coaching. Hopefully their answers will not only shed some light on how they coach their respective teams, but also allow readers to get to know the men behind the fields/courts. First up this week is the West Allegheny Indians football Coach Bob Palko. Coach Palko led the Indians to another WPIAL title this year, his record 8th title as a head coach. He also recorded his 200th win in the state playoffs this year, another amazing milestone. Let’s take a look inside Coach Palko’s corner:
