Football
2014 Big Game Hunting – The Football Fourpack for Week 10
October 30, 2014
We live for the Highway to Heinz at Big Game Hunting. A short week of preparation for a do or die game puts coaches, players and yes, broadcasters to the test. But the accepting the challenge is enough!MSA Sports Top Ten – WPIAL Football Playoff Teams – 10/26/2014
October 26, 2014
Every Monday during the regular season, MSA Sports ranks the top ten teams in each classification, which makes for great debate. This week, we don't rank, we seed the 16 playoff teams in each classification, much like the WPIAL steering committee will do on Monday. Only rules are the top two teams in each conference plus two third place teams in AAAA and AAA hold a First Round home game...and teams from same conference do not play in Round One. In the past couple of years, the WPIAL has used some creative seeding for stronger teams that were not hosting opening round games, but it doesn't appear that will be needed this year.This Week on the MSA Sports Network – 10/26/2014
We are all set to cut the ribbon and take a ride on the 2014 version of the Highway to Heinz starting this week here on the MSA Sports Network. After the WPIAL Football Playoff Pairings Show on Monday, we'll be set for First Round action on Friday with ALL 32 games ONLY here on The Network starting with the MSA Sports Pregame Show and concluding with the one and only WPIAL Scoreboard Show.WPIAL Saturday’s Scholastic Starz for 10/25
Rivalry weekend came to an end Saturday, as did the 9-week District 7 regular season. Sure, teams that did not qualify could opt to play a 'Week 10' game to extend the season, but sadly, most schools pass on that opportunity to work on their game one final time in 2014. So it is that the curtain came down with two Class A rivalries on center stage, one in the AK Valley and and one in Beaver County. Here are the two players that shined brightest on a sunny afternoon. Nathan Block - South Side2014 WPIAL & City League Football Standings – Week 9
October 25, 2014
Here are the FINAL WPIAL and Pittsburgh City League football standings through Week Nine of the 2014 high school football season...including the FINAL WPIAL playoff clinchings for the Highway to Heinz. This year we have added points for, point against and the updated WPIAL tiebreaker points for all 124 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.WPIAL Week 9 Saturday Football Scores
Who needs two? The final two games of the nine week WPIAL football regular season took place on a pleasant Saturday afternoon in Western Pennsylvania. It was a fitting way to conclude rivalry week as well al long time rivals in the AK Valley and in Beaver County met to do battle with both game here on the MSA Sports Network. Here are the final scores from both contests as we say so long regular season and prepare for the postseason. WPIAL CLASS A Eastern Conference: Springdale Dynamos 28 - Riverview Raiders 12 (MSA) WPIAL CLASS A Big 7 Conference: South Side Rams 28 - Western Beaver Golden Beavers 6 (MSA)WPIAL Friday Night HighLights for 10/24
Rivalry week brought the curtain down on the Friday edition of the 2014 WPIAL football regular season as teams scrambled for playoff spots or playoff positioning. Another great evening weather wise brought forth another batch of sweet performances from players throughout all four classifications. For some, it was a final tune-up to Primetime and the district postseason. For others, it was one final time to shine before the uniforms and pads are turned in sometime next week. Here are the players who Rocked Out on Pink Out night around Southwestern Pennsylvania. T.J. Holl - Seneca ValleyFINAL 2014 WPIAL Football Playoff Picture
October 24, 2014
The 64 playoff football teams and their positions out of their respective conferences are now set. Only one Class A question remains as we head into the final day of the 2014 campaign. Now it is up to the WPIAL football steering committee to seed the 16 teams in each classification. Here are ALL of the final WPIAL playoff teams and their position through the final Friday of the regular season. CLASS AAAA Foothills Conference: Penn-Trafford Warriors (8-0) have clinched CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP McKeesport Tigers (7-1) have clinched Second Place Altoona Mountain Lions (6-2) have clinched Third PlaceScholastic Notebook – 10/24/2014
Has there ever been a WPIAL football regular season that was so perfect as this one? Probably not. Fourteen teams go into the final night of the regular season with undefeated records. Two of them play (West Allegheny at Central Valley). That means there could be 13 teams that finish the regular season with perfect records. That would be the most in the WPIAL in a long time. Possibly ever. Checking records going back 37 years, there has never been a WPIAL season with 13 undefeated and untied teams (there used to no overtime in WPIAL football).WPIAL & City League Week 9 Friday Football Scores
53 teams had clinched their ticket to ride on the golden highway starting next week, which left 11 spots up for grabs along with several conference titles, home field advantage in round one spots and increased seeding opportunities on the final Friday of the regular season. Some may call it Rivalry Week…we just refer to it as Decision Friday. With a tint of Pink Out magic in the air, here is a rundown of the results for the ninth and final Friday of the District 7 regular season. Games with (MSA) following can be heard live and archived here on The Network. WPIAL CLASS AAAA Foothills Conference: Altoona Mountain Lions 42 - Connellsville Falcons 6 (MSA) Plum Mustangs 42 - Latrobe Wildcats 7 (MSA)Chicks Picks – Week Nine – 2014
October 23, 2014
Welcome to Week 9 of the high school football season. Every so often, Chick’s Picks has a run in with an internet heckler, one who enjoys stirring up some healthy banter over predictions that are not necessarily agreed upon. This occurred last week on Twitter, regarding one particular big-game pick. The loyal reader’s taunting began shortly after Chick’s Picks was posted on Thursday, calling out the prognosticator for what was deemed a terrible prediction. Chick’s Picks monitored the situation closely throughout the day, noticing that the same reader also called out other local prognosticators for the same prediction.WPIAL Big Game Hunting – Week Nine- 10/22/2014
October 22, 2014
The 2014 regular season comes to a close Friday with so much still on the line for so many teams. Conference titles, playoff seedings and playoff spots up for grabs galore on…”The Network”!MSA Sports Top Ten – WPIAL Football – 10/21/2014
October 21, 2014
Each and every Monday during the regular season, the MSA Sports Network will rank the Top Ten WPIAL football teams in each of the four classifications. Every Friday and Saturday during the high school football season, we have the best coverage with over 30 broadcasts each weekend with updated scores and standings here on your exclusive home for the 2014 WPIAL Football Playoffs, the MSA Sports Network. WPIAL CLASS AAAA FOOTBALL TOP TEN: 1. PINE-RICHLAND RAMS (8-0) (Last Week #4) (Week Nine - host Peters Township)UPDATED WPIAL Football Playoff Picture
October 19, 2014
Purchasing a ticket to ride on the Highway to Heinz can be easy or can become very complicated. Some conferences like the Class AA Allegheny Conference are smooth sailing into Week Nine. Meanwhile, it's like the Highway to Hell trying to figure out the Class AAA Greater Allegheny Conference. Hey, if it was easy, everybody could do it. Thus with abacus in hand, here is the WPIAL Football Playoff Picture heading into the final week of the regular season. CLASS AAAA Foothills Conference:This Week on the MSA Sports Network – 10/19/2014
While the 'Stretch Run' concludes in high school football, we continue the district playoffs and championships of several other fall high school sports this week here on the MSA Sports Network. We wrap up the regular season with Week Nine and 29 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.WPIAL Saturday’s Scholastic Starz for 10/18
There were six WPIAL teams in action on the Eighth Saturday of the 2014 high school football season and only one of them will be enjoying a ride on the Highway to Heinz in two weeks. While it has been a season to shine for defending Class A champion Cardinal Wuerl North Catholic, the days other two road warriors, Mohawk and Riverview also had reason to be beaming on an overcast, chilly day. Here are the standouts from Saturday. Cayne Yakubic - Mohawk2014 WPIAL & City League Football Standings – Week 8
October 18, 2014
Here are the latest WPIAL and the FINAL Pittsburgh City League football standings through Week Eight of the 2014 high school football season...including the latest WPIAL playoff clinchings for the Highway to Heinz. This year we have added points for, point against and the updated WPIAL tiebreaker points for all 124 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.Scholastic Notebook – 10/18/2014
Neshannock High School has never gotten much attention for football, and not just because the small Lawrence County school is on the outer edges of the WPIAL. Neshannock hasn’t gotten much attention because the football team had been one of the least successful in WPIAL history – until lately. What is going on the past few seasons at Neshannock is really one of the biggest turnaround stories in the WPIAL in a long time. And this year, the story might have a perfect ending.WPIAL Week 8 Saturday Football Scores
While most of the football games on the Week Eight Friday night schedule had some sort of playoff implication tied into it, that was not the case for the three games on the Saturday slate. Instead of the 'P' word being playoffs, the word for four of the six teams in action is pride. Only defending district and state Class A champion Cardinal Wuerl North Catholic played Saturday with any guarantees of playing meaningful football come Week Ten. Here are the three results as the road teams swept on the eighth Saturday of the WPIAL football season. WPIAL CLASS AA Midwestern Athletic Conference: Mohawk Warriors 42 - Summit Academy Knights 14 (MSA) WPIAL CLASS A Eastern Conference:WPIAL Friday Night HighLights for 10/17
Some coaches will tell you that a win is a win is a win. But if you look closely at some of the victories on the eighth Friday of the WPIAL football season, you would see that is not true. Some triumphs kept undefeated seasons alive, some kept conference championships alive, some were key playoff positioning wins while others just kept playoff hopes alive while others were accomplished with a group of young men just playing for school pride. No matter how you label it, these players performed at the top of their games Friday while enjoying the sweet taste of victory after. Ben DiNucci - Pine-Richland
