Football

Chicks Picks – Week One – 2014

August 28, 2014

Welcome to Week 1 of the high school football season. The ice bucket challenge has taken over social media outlets everywhere over the last several weeks. Chick’s Picks recently accepted the challenge – which raises money for ALS – and then, once completed, appropriately passed the challenge onto three others. Spending countless hours selecting her chosen three, Chick’s Picks finally narrowed down her list to two old pals from college, and, last but not least, The Fumbler. Chick’s Picks selected her biggest prognosticating rival for the challenge after realizing that she had been tolerating The Fumbler’s competitive taunting for 15 years—and there was no one she would rather see dump a chilly, ice-filled bucket upon their head than him.

WPIAL Big Game Hunting – Week One 2014

August 27, 2014

We’re back! MSA is delighted to begin their 16th season of high school sports and I am very happy to continue in my second decade with the network and, can you believe it my 6th year already of writing BGH. Where does the time go? Not a question we care to try and answer here in Big Game Hunting but, where should you go with your smart phone or radio dial in week one of the 2014 WPIAL football season? That we can definitely help with. So forget the time and let’s go Big Game Hunting!

CTK ’14: MSA Sports Preseason Top Ten – WPIAL Class A

Each and every Monday during the regular season, the MSA Sports Network will rank the Top Ten football teams in each classification. With days to go before the 2014 WPIAL football season kicks off, we present our Pre-season Top Ten teams. This article, we present the Top Ten in Class A. Final 2013 record is in parenthesis. WPIAL CLASS A PRE-SEASON WPIAL FOOTBALL TOP TEN: 1. CARDINAL WUERL NORTH CATHOLIC TROJANS (16-0) (Week One - at Northgate on MSA) 2. CLAIRTON BEARS (10-2) (Week One - at California)

CTK ’14: MSA Sports Preseason ELITE ELEVEN

August 26, 2014

Dual-threat quarterbacks seem to be all the rage in football these days – and it shows on the Elite 11 team. The Elite 11 is made up of the top 11 players in the WPIAL, regardless of position. It is picked by the MSA Sports staff. This year’s team includes three quarterbacks who are dual-threats. In other words, they are excellent runners as well as passers. The dual-threat QBs are Seneca Valley’s T.J. Holl, Quaker Valley’s Dane Jackson and Ringgold’s Nico Law. But the Elite 11 is not without a traditional dropback QB. South Fayette’s Brett Brumbaugh might end up the most prolific passer in WPIAL history. Overall, nine seniors and two juniors are on the team. Here is a look at the MSA Elite 11.

CTK ’14: MSA Sports Preseason Top Ten – WPIAL Class AA

Each and every Monday during the regular season, the MSA Sports Network will rank the Top Ten football teams in each classification. With days to go before the 2014 WPIAL football season kicks off, we present our Pre-season Top Ten teams. This article, we present the Top Ten in Class AA. Final 2013 record is in parenthesis. WPIAL CLASS AA PRE-SEASON WPIAL FOOTBALL TOP TEN: 1. SOUTH FAYETTE LIONS (16-0) (Week One - host East Allegheny on MSA) 2. ALIQUIPPA QUIPS (12-1) (Week One - at Mohawk)

CTK ’14: Pittsburgh City League Preview

The Pittsburgh City League once again is a six pack. This is the third consecutive year that the City League will have only six teams. The closing of some schools has shrunk the league drastically in the past few years. Oliver and Langley closed after the 2011-12 school year. Only 10 years ago, the City League had nine teams. The City League almost dropped to five teams this season. Westinghouse had asked the WPIAL to join its league, but the WPIAL turned down Westinghouse’s request. Here is an preview of the six teams in the City League: ALLDERDICE DRAGONS:

CTK ’14: MSA Sports Preseason Top Ten – WPIAL Class AAA

August 25, 2014

Each and every Monday during the regular season, the MSA Sports Network will rank the Top Ten football teams in each classification. With days to go before the 2014 WPIAL football season kicks off, we present our Pre-season Top Ten teams. This article, we present the Top Ten in Class AAA. Final 2013 record is in parenthesis. WPIAL CLASS AAA PRE-SEASON WPIAL FOOTBALL TOP TEN: 1. WEST ALLEGHENY INDIANS (13-1) (Week One - at #8 New Castle on MSA) 2. CENTRAL VALLEY WARRIORS (11-2) (Week One - at #10 Montour on MSA)

CTK ’14: WPIAL A Eastern Conference Preview

August 24, 2014

In the new-look Eastern Conference, four teams return while there are five news kids on the block. But with the pedigree of most of the newcomers, you can see why they are considered the Fearsome Foursome. Here is the resume for the five new entrants into the Eastern Conference. Ten WPIAL football championships in the last eight years, two perennial powers in Class AA moving down to Class A and a team that set a district and state record 66-game winning streak along with the team that eventually broke that historic run. This could mean a tough 2014 campaign for Eastern traditionalists Leechburg, Riverview, Springdale and Wilkinsburg who finished a combined 8-28 a year ago and were all home listening to the postseason on MSA Sports.

This Week on the MSA Sports Network – 08/24/2014

The time is now! As Countdown to Kickoff 2014 concludes, it is time to kickoff a new high school sports year with the start of another high school football season this week here on the MSA Sports Network. We kick off the 2014 season with 32 WPIAL football games on Friday and Saturday with Friday's action starting with the MSA Sports Pregame Show and concluding with the one and only WPIAL Scoreboard Show.

CTK ’14: MSA Sports Preseason Top Ten – WPIAL Class AAAA

Each and every Monday during the regular season, the MSA Sports Network will rank the Top Ten football teams in each classification. With days to go before the 2014 WPIAL football season kicks off, we present our Pre-season Top Ten teams. This article, we present the Top Ten in Class AAAA. Final 2013 record is in parenthesis. WPIAL CLASS AAAA PRE-SEASON WPIAL FOOTBALL TOP TEN: 1. WOODLAND HILLS WOLVERINES (10-3) (Week One - at Peters Township on MSA) 2. SENECA VALLEY RAIDERS (9-2) (Week One - host #8 North Allegheny on MSA)

CTK ’14: WPIAL A Tri-County South Conference Preview

August 23, 2014

Respect. The Tri-County South Conference doesn’t have much of it from the rest of WPIAL Class A, and the only way to earn it is to “show up” in the postseason. The much-maligned Tri-County South is 0-12 in playoff games the past three years. Since the 2007 season, the only Tri-County South teams to win a playoff game are Monessen and Beth-Center. But Monessen is no longer in the conference. The last Tri-County South team to win a playoff game other than Beth-Center or Monessen was Jefferson-Morgan in 2006. Will things change this year? Well, Beth-Center looks to be the cream of the crop again, but some other teams have some experienced players. Here is an overview of the Tri-County South: AVELLA EAGLES:

CTK ’14: WPIAL A Big 7 Conference Preview

August 22, 2014

Prior to 2005, the Big Seven Conference was the standard for Class A football in Western Pennsylvania. A conference member had claimed 16 WPIAL championships, but that came to an end with the rise to power of the Clairton Bears, who won six titles in seven years and ran off an amazing winning streak to put them among the nation’s best. The conference was dominated by the Rochester Rams, who won seven WPIAL titles during that stretch. The Sto-Rox Vikings moved in and took two straight trips to Heinz Field but could not come home with gold, falling to Clairton in 2012 and Cardinal Wurhl North Catholic in 2013.

CTK ’14: WPIAL A Black Hills Conference Preview

Look at the makeup of the Black Hills Conference and the name doesn’t seem to fit any more. With the WPIAL’s realignment for this year, the Black Hills changed drastically. A name like the old Ohio Valley Conference might have been more appropriate. But some of the coaches in this conference let it be known that they still wanted to be called the Black Hills. So, Black Hills it is By any name, this conference figures to be highly competitive. Cardinal Wuerl North Catholic, the defending WPIAL and PIAA champ, is everyone’s team to beat. But after that, there could be quite a battle for the playoff spots. Here is an overview of the Black Hills: AVONWORTH ANTELOPES:

CTK ’14: WPIAL AA Allegheny Conference Preview

August 21, 2014

When has the Allegheny Conference been able to say this: There are two Pitt recruits in the conference and one West Virginia recruit. As strange as it sounds, it is true. The Allegheny has two Pitt recruits in Kittanning receiver-tight end-linebacker Nick Bowers and Apollo-Ridge receiver-defensive back Tre Tipton, who are both seniors. The West Virginia recruit is Freeport linebacker Logan Thimons, who is a junior. All three made verbal commitments to their schools. They are certainly three of the players to watch in a conference that takes on a different look this season. Two teams from last year are out while three have moved in from different classifications.

CTK ’14: WPIAL AA Midwestern Athletic Conference Preview

August 19, 2014

2013 was another great season in the Midwestern Athletic Conference as Aliquippa made their sixth straight trip to Heinz Field. Overall, the Quips have won three titles in that time and fifteen overall. Beaver and Beaver Falls also had outstanding seasons, again making the trip on the Highway to Heinz. Also qualifying for the first time since 2003 were the New Brighton Lions. 2014 should prove to be a good season as well. The MAC gets some new members as Laurel rejoins the conference and the Summit Academy moves in from the Allegheny. Here is a preview of all the teams and the predicted order of finish: ALIQUIPPA QUIPS:

CTK ’14: WPIAL AA Interstate Conference Preview

August 18, 2014

The WPIAL’s Interstate has changed. There are no longer exits for Jeannette and Greensburg. Jeannette and Greensburg Central Catholic both dropped from Class AA to A this season and both teams played in the Interstate Conference last year. One other team is out of the Interstate this year as Yough moved up to Class AAA. The two new teams in the Interstate are Burgettstown and McGuffey, who both played in the Century Conference a year ago. The loss of Greensburg Central Catholic and Jeannette makes this conference a little weaker. A different team has won the conference title the past four years – Mount Pleasant, Washington, Jeannette and Greensburg Central Catholic. Here is an overview of the Interstate: BROWNSVILLE FALCONS

CTK ’14: New WPIAL Football Head Coaches

New Faces - New Places - New Hopes - New Dreams. While there were six fewer coaching change this off-season then before the 2013 campaign, there are some big names that have changed sidelines this upcoming season. Some of the changes include former championship winning coaches in Ray Reitz, Muzzy Colosimo, Greg Perry and Tom Nola. There are a lot of rookie head coaches getting their first crack, and some coaches who are just changing hats and addresses. Whatever the case, there 21 coaching changes coming into this 2014 season. Here are the new football coaches that will be running the sidelines in the WPIAL this fall. CLASS AAAA: BUTLER - Rob Densmore replaces Clyde Conti

CTK ’14: WPIAL AA Century Conference Preview

August 17, 2014

Some things are fresh, while others are the same-old, same-old in the WPIAL Class AA Century Conference on the brink of the start of the 2014 campaign. First, the New Century. Nearly one-third of this ten team conference is new to the section. In fact, two teams are new to the classification as both the Carlynton Cougars and the Sto-Rox Vikings move up from Class A where the Vikings played in the last two WPIAL Single-A championship games. East Allegheny is also new to the conference, moving over from the Westmoreland/Washington County based Interstate Conference to the Allegheny County filled Century Conference, joining the likes of Keystone Oaks, Quaker Valley, Seton-LaSalle, South Allegheny, South Park, South Fayette and Steel Valley.

CTK ’14: WPIAL/City League Week Two Scrimmages

One scrimmage is in the books and one more is coming up this weekend as WPIAL and Pittsburgh City League football teams continue to prepare for the kickoff of the 2014 season. Scrimmage number two will take place for most teams on Friday 8/22 with three scrimmages on Saturday 8/23. Here is a rundown of ALL the second week scrimmages involving District 7 and District 8 high school football teams. All games are Friday, August 22nd unless otherwise indicated. WPIAL vs Pittsburgh City League: Clairton Bears vs Allderdice Dragons AT Cupples Stadium at 9:00am Perry Commodores vs Pittsburgh Central Catholic Vikings AT Central Catholic High School at 3:00pm

CTK ’14: WPIAL AAA Big Nine Conference Preview

August 16, 2014

The WPIAL realigned football conferences for this season, but the Big Nine stayed absolutely the same. Look for the conference race to stay the same as it has for a number of years. In other words, look for Thomas Jefferson on top. Thomas Jefferson has won or tied for the conference title eight consecutive seasons. The last time a team other than Thomas Jefferson won the title outright was West Mifflin in 2005. Many project Thomas Jefferson as the team to beat. Ringgold could challenge, though. A few teams have new coaches this season. Here is a look at all of the teams in the Big Nine: ALBERT GALLATIN COLONIALS

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