Scholastic Notebook – 03/11/2016

By: HSSN Staff
Friday, March 11, 2016 | 4:36 PM

Eight WPIAL boys basketball teams are left in the PIAA playoffs. For most of those teams, there is a certain football flavor to them.

It’s a neat little storyline that some of the top basketball players on those eight teams were also top football players. Of the eight quarterfinalists from the WPIAL, the two that don’t have top football players are Lincoln Park and Sewickley Academy. But that’s because they don’t have football programs.

But there is a common thread among the other six, and that is this: It doesn’t matter the gridiron or the court. Players can excel. In this day and age of athletes wanting to specialize in one sport, these are athletes proving that you can still be good in two.

Here are teams with notable guys who turn a successful double play on sports:

NEW CASTLE – Marcus Hooker is a sophomore forward in basketball and the team’s second-leading scorer. He is a receiver-defensive back in football and his athletic ability makes him a definite Division I prospect for the future (his oldest brother, Malik, is a defensive back at Ohio State). Geno Stone is a New Castle junior who had 13 points in a PIAA second-round victory and also is getting interest from Division I colleges as a defensive back. Pat Minenok also is a senior starter in basketball who was New Castle’s quarterback in football.

MARS – The Planets have a force inside with 6-5 John Castello, who is the school’s all-time leading scorer in basketball and has more than 1,000 career rebounds. Castello will play basketball next season at Shippensburg University, but he was a standout tight end-defensive end in football. He had about a dozen scholarship offers from NCAA Division I-AA schools for football, but decided he wanted to play basketball.

HIGHLANDS – The Rams’ second-leading scorer is Mitch DeZort, a junior who is getting some interest in football from Division I colleges.

ALIQUIPPA – Aliquippa won both WPIAL football and basketball titles. It’s only the 16^th time in school history that has happened. Three of the Quips’ basketball starters were big keys to the football team. Jassir Jordan is a senior guard and the basketball team’s leading scorer. He was the team’s top receiver in football and also an excellent defensive back. Forward Kaezon Pugh is a Pitt football recruit, but has been a force on the inside in basketball. Sheldon Jeter is a basketball guard who quarterbacked the football team.

QUAKER VALLEY – Amos Luptak is the Quakers’ leading scorer in basketball and he had an excellent season as the football team’s quarterback. He threw for 1,972 yards and rushed for 424.

CARDINAL WUERL NORTH CATHOLIC – Erick Taylor is a 6-4, 225-pound brute who has been a force on the inside for the Trojans basketball team. He also was a standout quarterback. He threw for 1,809 yards and rushed for 535.

Vincentian Hires Ravenstahl

Speaking of Cardinal Wuerl North Catholic and football, former Trojans football coach Bob Ravenstahl will be back on the sideline again next season.

Ravenstahl has been hired as Vincentian’s new coach. Ravenstahl coached North Catholic for nine seasons before retiring after the 2014 season. Ravenstahl was very successful, especially in his final few years. His 2013 team won WPIAL and PIAA Class A championships and over the course of the 2013-14 seasons, his team had a 27-game winning streak, the seventh-longest in WPIAL history.

At Vincentian, Ravenstahl will take over for Tim Storino. Vincentian has been in WPIAL football for only two years.

In other WPIAL football coaching news, South Side Beaver hired Luke Travelpiece as its new football coach. Travelpiece was a South Side Beaver assistant who will take over for Glenn McDougal, who resigned.

Red Hurricane Run of Success

No one has records to prove it, but has there even been a WPIAL team that has had a six-year run like the New Castle basketball team? Consider that the Red Hurricanes have won 134 games over six years. That’s 26.8 wins a year.

The Red Hurricanes take a 25-2 record into tonight’s PIAA Class AAA quarterfinal game against Bishop McDevitt of Harrisburg. New Castle’s record over the past five seasons is 134-10. Coach Ralph Blundo’s team was 22-6 last year, 31-0 in 2013-14, 29-1 in 2012-13 and 27-1 in 2011-12.

Where the Athletes Are

Villa Maria Academy is a Catholic high school for girls in Erie. Apparently, it also is home to a plethora of good athletes.

Villa Maria already has had plenty of success this school year, winning three state championships. Now the girls basketball team is undefeated and the No. 9-ranked team in the country. Villa Maria plays South Fayette in a PIAA quarterfinal game tomorrow (Saturday) afternoon.

Villa Maria already has won state championships in golf, cross country and soccer.

Tags: Aliquippa, Cardinal Wuerl North Catholic, Highlands, North Catholic, Vincentian Academy