Phil Jurkovec to play in All-American Bowl as part of Saturday’s 3 things to watch in WPIAL athletics

By: HSSN Staff
Friday, January 5, 2018 | 7:12 PM

While temps will remain in the low single digits in Western Pennsylvania, with the wind chill factor on Saturday expected to be 15-20 degrees below zero, it will be a cozy 68 degrees inside the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas.

The nearly 25-year old facility will once host to the prestigious U.S. Army All-American Bowl on Saturday afternoon with some of the top high school football seniors putting their skillset on display in front of a nationally-televised audience. The game can be seen live at 1 p.m. on NBC.

The WPIAL has had quite a few players participate in the game through the years, and this year in no exception, as the Pennsylvania Player of the Year, Phil Jurkovec of Pine-Richland, will be one of three quarterbacks on the East roster.

Jurkovec, a Notre Dame recruit, who will wear No. 15 on Saturday, was also the Trib 25 Player of the Year after leading Pine-Richland to WPIAL and PIAA Class 6A championships.

Red hot mat action

Despite the biting cold outside, Saturday is a big day for high school wrestling fans in certain areas around the WPIAL with Day 2 of various wrestling tournaments.

Three traditional tournaments are wrapping up with semifinals and consolation and championship finals, including:

• The Westmoreland County Coaches Association tournament at Norwin;

• The TRICADA tournament at Trinity, featuring wrestlers from Fayette, Greene & Washington County;

• The Midwestern Athletic Conference tournament at Freedom, featuring wrestlers from Beaver and western Allegheny County.

Fans can watch the finals of the Westmoreland County Coaches Association tournament at 5:30 p.m. on the TribLIVE High School Sports Network . They also can listen to the semifinals and finals of the TRICADA tournament starting Saturday morning on the TribLIVE High School Sports Network .

We have Spirit, how ‘bout you?

The first championship event of the winter sports season takes place six days into the new year as the WPIAL holds its annual competitive spirit championships. The event begins at 10 a.m. and takes place at Hempfield.

Thirty-three teams are ready to compete, with Bishop Canevin, Elizabeth Forward and Shaler ready to defend their 2017 championships.

Watch the event live and archived on the TribLIVE High School Sports Network .

Don Rebel is a TribLIVE High School Sports Network broadcaster and staff writer. Reach him at drebel@tribweb.com.

Tags: Hempfield Area, Norwin, Pine-Richland, Trinity