Soccer
Scholastic Notebook – 11/20/2015
November 20, 2015
In his first season as a starter, Pine-Richland sophomore quarterback Phil Jurkovec has played his way into the WPIAL spotlight, becoming only the second QB in WPIAL history to throw for 2,000 yards and run for 1,000. But there is another sophomore quarterback at the Class AAAA level who also has made a gigantic impact in his first season as a starter. Pittsburgh Central Catholic’s Troy Fisher doesn’t have the jaw-dropping statistics like Jurkovec, but Fisher has uplifted the Vikings’ offense with his passing and running, and also helped the team reach the WPIAL Class AAAA semifinals.
WPIAL Alum Q&A – Maddie Layman
November 16, 2015
This week’s installment of the WPIAL Alum Q&A focuses on Maddie Layman, a former North Allegheny standout who has now been an integral part of the Duquesne University women’s soccer team. In her time with the North Allegheny, Layman was a three-year starter on the varsity squad, and helped guide the Tigers to playoff appearances in all of those seasons. During this span, she earned all-section honors three times, and during her senior campaign in 2012, she netted 17 goals. She continued her career at Duquesne University, and in 2013, she made an immediate impact as a true freshman. She played in 17 games at midfield, starting 11, and scored three goals. Her play in her first year with the Dukes earned her a spot on the Atlantic 10 Conference All-Rookie Team.Scholastic Notebook – 11/13/2015
November 13, 2015
A Steel Valley player made some history last week. Now, the Steel Valley team will try to make some more history Friday night. It went pretty much unnoticed, but Steel Valley running back DeWayne Murray surpassed 4,000 career yards rushing last week in the first round of the WPIAL playoffs. Although close to 70 runners have gained 4,000 yards rushing in their careers, it is a noteworthy feat for Murray because he is only a junior and is the first Steel Valley player to reach 4,000 yards. Murray has 4,097 yards on 363 attempts, an impressive 11.3 yards-per-carry average. Because he is only a junior, he has a good chance to next year become the 17th runner in WPIAL history to gain 5,000 career yards.2015 WPIAL GIRLS SOCCER PLAYOFFS RESULTS
November 8, 2015
One team was perfect, one team was back on top for the fourth time in six year and a third was hoisting a second consecutive golden crown. The Norwin Knights have won every match they played en route to the Class AAA championship while the Mars Fighting Planets were back on top of the Class AA soccer solar system after a two year absence and the Greensburg Central Catholic Centurions were the only district team to successfully defend their title from a year ago. Here are ALL of the final results from the 2015 WPIAL Girls Soccer Playoffs.2015 WPIAL BOYS SOCCER PLAYOFFS RESULTS
You know the soccer is competitive when all three title matches need overtime to decide a champion. That is what happened this season as golden goals were needed to crown Canon-McMillan in Class AAA, South Fayette in Class AA and Seton-LaSalle in Class A. The championships were the sixth for the Rebels, the second for the Big Macs and the first ever for the Lions. Here are ALL the results from the 2015 WPIAL Boys Soccer Playoffs. All results below followed by (MSA) are matches that can be heard archived on the MSA Sports Network. Just click on the broadcast tab and the day the match was played. You can watch the archived video stream of all the WPIAL championship matches.
South Fayette Roars to WPIAL Boys AA Soccer Crown
Jordan Smith’s blast just more than halfway through the first overtime period provided the golden goal for South Fayette, as the Lions captured their first boys’ soccer title. South Fayette, the No. 4 seed, edged second-seeded Mars 3-2 in the Class AA Championship at Highmark Stadium. Smith’s winner came from distance, but the senior’s kick was perfectly placed in the top corner, as Fighting Planets’ goalkeeper Dale Glavin had no chance to make the save. It marked Smith’s second tally of the contest, as he broke a scoreless tie in the 45th minute on a scramble in front. Originally, the play appeared to be an own-goal by Mars, but Smith was credited with the goal.
Mars Back on Top of the WPIAL Girls AA Soccer World
November 7, 2015
The number one seeded Mars Planets used a pair of goals and a stout defense to defeat the number two seeded South Park Eagles 2-1 at Highmark Stadium for the 2015 WPIAL Girls Soccer Class AA Championship. Since 2006, only one finals matchup has been held without one of these two teams as participants with the 2015 finals match being the second time they had met in the championship round. Mars, last year’s runner up, was shooting for their 4th WPIAL AA Girls Soccer Championship and entered the championship game not having given up a goal in the playoffs. South Park, owners of three WPIAL AA Championships themselves headed to the finals for the first time in four years.
Seton-LaSalle Goes Overtime to Win Boys A Soccer Title
The Avonworth Antelopes and the Seton-LaSalle Rebels had met twice during the regular season in Class A Section 3 with each team coming away with a 2-1 win. So it was no surprise that the WPIAL Class A Title match at Highmark Stadium between the two schools was a tight battle as well. Senior midfielder Brandon Benedetti who had the game-winning goal in the Rebels 2-1 opening round win over Aquinas Academy stepped into solid right footed strike from 25-yards out and found the top left corner of the goal in the 7thminute of overtime propelling Seton-LaSalle to a 1-0 win and giving the Rebels their 6th WPIAL Class A Championship.
Greensburg CC Repeats as Girls A Soccer Champs
It may have taken awhile, but once again the Greensburg Central Catholic Centurions (21-1) can call themselves WPIAL champions. Sarah Ward scored the game's lone goal with 11:55 to play in the second overtime in a game played Saturday morning at Highmark Stadium. As the play developed, the ball came to Bailey Cartwright in the box. Cartwright tried to create a scoring opportunity with her back to the net. The ball came free to Ward, who softly guided it into the back of the net, to give the Centurions the win and their fourth WPIAL title in five years.
Canon-McMillan Comes Back to Claim Boys AAA Soccer Gold in OT
The Canon-Mac Big Macs won their second WPIAL boys soccer championship at Highmark Stadium at Station Square when in the 8th minute of overtime Brandon Byer beat Fox Chapel keeper Jacob Dunn for a "Golden Goal", and a 2-1 Canon-MacMillan win. Fox Chapel had the better of play for most of the night out shooting and out-chancing the Big Macs. Fox Chapel took the lead in the 11th minutes when Kota Furuhata headed a Nathan Wecht corner behind Big Mac keeper Christian Snatchko.
Dominant Norwin Wins WPIAL Girls AAA Title
The top-seeded Norwin Knights continued their incredible defensive run with a dominatin 3-0 over the Upper Saint Clair Panthers at Highmark Stadium at Station Square Friday night to win their first WPIAL girls soccer championship since 1997. The Knights dominated throughout finally cracking the scoreboard in the 21st minute of play when Emily Harrigan headed a perfect cross from Lexie Kolano to the upper left hand corner of the goal behind USC keeper Nikki Gibbons for a 1-0 lead. As has been the case 18 times this season, that single goal would be all the Knights needed. The goal for Harrigan was her 19th of the season.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 Soccer Semifinals Recaps
November 3, 2015
On one side, the girls held serve as all three top-seeds and a pair of #2-seeds have advanced through the first three rounds to lead to three anticipated title matches. On the other side of the pitch, it has been a great postseason to be a #4-seed as all three upset the top-seeds in the Semifinals and are one victory away from district gold. Here are ALL of the summaries from the twelve district boys and girls Semifinals contests from Monday in the WPIAL Soccer Playoffs. A special thanks to Rob Longo, Mike Azadian, Lee Mohn, Randy Gore, Adam Hoerner, James Dotson, Matt Vandriak, Brandon Showers, Greg Kuntz and Kyle Dawson for their help on these recaps. WPIAL CLASS AAA BOYS Semifinals:This Week on the MSA Sports Network – 11/01/2015
November 1, 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.netScholastic Notebook – 10/30/2015
October 30, 2015
If you want to see variety, check out Paris this fall. But we’re not talking the city of Paris. We’re talking the junior do-it-all player for the Seton-LaSalle football team named Paris Ford. He is a Ford that is souped up with versatility. He is undoubtedly one of the most versatile – and best – players in the WPIAL. Ford is listed as a receiver and defensive back. He is a stud at both positions. But he also runs the football and returns kicks and punts. How versatile is he? Well, Seton-LaSalle has moved the 6-foot-1, 170-pound Ford to linebacker because that’s where they could use him the most.Scholastic Notebook – 10/25/2015
October 25, 2015
The irony of it. Deer Lakes came into Friday night’s game with the leading rusher in the entire WPIAL this season Hunter Burns. When it ended, Apollo-Ridge had the top rusher ever in a WPIAL game. Duane Brown, a junior at Apollo-Ridge, put himself in the history books when he rushed for a WPIAL record 460 yards in a 56-35 victory over Deer Lakes. Brown was certainly a workhorse in the game, carrying the ball 47 times. Brown broke a 15-year-old WPIAL record. Connellsville’s Marcus Furman ran for 455 yards in a 2000 game. What’s funny is that Apollo-Ridge coach John Skiba and his team had no idea how many yards Brown had or that he had broken the WPIAL record until an announcer from your very own MSA Sports staff came on the field and told him after the game.This Week on the MSA Sports Network – 10/25/2015
We conclude the Stretch Run of the 2015 high school football season while starting exclusive coverage of the 2015 WPIAL Soccer and Girls Volleyball Playoffs this week here on the MSA Sports Network. We wrap up the regular season with Week Nine of the high school football season with 29 WPIAL weekend contests starting Friday night with the MSA Sports Pregame Show and concluding later that night with the WPIAL Football Scoreboard Show.FINAL 2015 WPIAL Girls Soccer Standings
October 22, 2015
Here are the FINAL WPIAL girls soccer standings for the 2015 season...including the latest WPIAL playoff clinchings and eliminations. Standings will be updated daily through the regular season, leading up to MSA Sports EXCLUSIVE coverage of the 2015 WPIAL Girls Soccer Playoffs sponsored by Pro Grass and Carlow University starting on Saturday. Also, don't forget to click on the Soccer sports page for information on the 2015 MSA Sports Hometown Soccer Program. Weekly Top Ten rankings come out every Tuesday on MSasports.net MSA Sports Hometown Girls Soccer Program teams are capitalized.FINAL 2015 WPIAL Boys Soccer Standings
Here are the FINAL WPIAL boys soccer standings for the 2015 season...including the FINAL WPIAL Playoff clinchings and eliminations. Standings will be updated daily through the regular season, leading up to MSA Sports EXCLUSIVE coverage of the 2015 WPIAL Boys Soccer Playoffs starting Monday. Also, don't forget to click on the Soccer sports page for information on the 2015 MSA Sports Hometown Soccer Program. Weekly Top Ten rankings come out every Wednesday on MSasports.net MSA Sports Hometown Boys Soccer Program teams are capitalized. (Top 3 teams from each section qualify for playoffs) # = Clinched Section Title * = Clinched Playoff Berth x = Eliminated From Playoff ChaseMSA Sports Top Ten – WPIAL Boys Soccer Playoff Teams – 10/20/2015
October 20, 2015
Usually each week during the regular season, we rank the Top Ten teams in each class. Here, MSA Sports ranks ALL of the boys soccer teams that qualified for the upcoming WPIAL Soccer Playoffs. Don't miss the WPIAL Soccer Playoff Pairings Show Wednesday at 5:30pm only at www.msasports.net. Also, you can listen to exclusive coverage of the 2015 WPIAL Boys Soccer Playoffs and the check out the Pro Grass Boys and Girls Soccer Player of the Month in September, October and November ONLY here on the MSA Sports Network. WPIAL BOYS SOCCER CLASS AAA - 15 TEAMS: 1) SENECA VALLEY RAIDERS (13-1-1) 2) FOX CHAPEL FOXES (14-1-1)
