Sports
WPIAL Alum Q&A – Jimmy Leichliter
March 21, 2017
Averaging double figures in scoring for a college basketball season is quite an accomplishment, but averaging double figures in each of the first three seasons of a player's collegiate career is even more impressive. Former Connellsville star Jimmy Leichliter has achieved that feat at Geneva College, as he's become one of the top performers in his conference. Leichliter is the featured athlete for this weeks' installment of the WPIAL Alum Q&A. In high school, Leichliter was a two-year starter for the Falcons, although his team did not taste the postseason in either of those campaigns. In 2012-13, Connellsville compiled a mark of just 7-15. In Leichliter's senior campaign, the team improved to 11-10, as he netted approximately 18 points per game.
Coaches Corner – Molly Rottman
In this feature titled “Coach’s Corner”, I will be interviewing a different coach every week and asking them questions about their personal life and about coaching. Hopefully their answers will not only shed some light on how they coach their respective teams, but also allow readers to get to know the men behind the fields/courts. This week features Cardinal Wuerl North Catholic’s girls basketball head coach Molly Rottmann. Coach Rottmann is in her 19th year as the head coach of the Trojanettes, with over 380 wins, 5 WPIAL titles, and one PIAA crown. She is a graduate of CWNC, and played under WPIAL legend Don Barth. Let’s take a look inside Coach Rottmann’s corner: Personal:PIHL Notebook – 03/21/2017
After nearly six months of regular season and playoff action, the final week of the 2016-17 PIHL season is upon us. Tonight and tomorrow, four champions will be crowned at the UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex in Cranberry. Here's a detailed look at the matchups in Class AAA, Class AA, Class A and Division 2. Class AAA: No. 1 Pittsburgh Central Catholic vs No. 6 Peters Township at 8 p.m. Wednesday with Steve Nagler and Cory Campano Path to the championship: Central Catholic defeated No. 8 Butler 5-3, defeated No. 5 Seneca Valley 5-4 in double overtime; Peters Township defeated No. 3 Canon-McMillan 2-1, defeated No. 2 North Allegheny 7-0 Earlier meetings: Central Catholic 8, Peters Township 6; Central Catholic 5, Peters Township 3PIAA Basketball Semifinals Preview
There are 12 final fours in Pennsylvania high school basketball this year – and 12 WPIAL teams are involved. This is the first year of six classifications in basketball and the PIAA semifinals for all boys and girls teams are Monday and Tuesday around the state. The championships are Thursday through Saturday in Hershey. Seven boys teams and four girls teams from the WPIAL are still alive. Bishop Canevin has both its boys and girls teams alive. Besides Bishop Canevin, the WPIAL boys teams still left standing are Pine-Richland, Quaker Valley, Lincoln Park, Cardinal Wuerl North Catholic, Sewickley Academy and Monessen. The WPIAL girls teams in the semifinals are Bishop Canevin, North Allegheny, South Fayette, Trinity and Bishop Canevin.This Week on the MSA Sports Network – 03/19/2017
March 19, 2017
The high school basketball and high school hockey seasons come to a golden end this week on the MSA Sports Network. Our winter sports postseason coverage concludes with the PIAA state basketball Semifinals and Championship Games as well as PIHL Penguins Cup Championships and the Pennsylvania Cup state hockey title games with all seven hockey Finals on video stream as well, plus we have final editions of the season of The WPIAL Roundball Report and The PIHL Power Play Show ALL here at MSAsports.net Monday, March 20th: TALK SHOW - Carlow Sports Talk at 8:30pm on MSAsports.netPIHL Penguins Cup Playoff Recaps for Wednesday, March 15th
March 15, 2017
Michael Jackson would have loved these 2017 PIHL Penguins Cup Playoffs because they have been littered with postseason Thrillers. On the final night of Semifinals week in these high school hockey playoffs, one game continued the theme while the other was a rare laugher. Top-seed Pittsburgh Central Catholic had to be in comeback mode to advance to the finals in double overtime while Peters Township made it look easy in cruising the the title game. Here are recaps from both PIHL Class 3-A Semifinals from Wednesday night. A special thanks to Steve Nagler and Sean Saputo for their help on these recaps. PIHL PENGUINS CUP CLASS 3-A Semifinals:PIHL Penguins Cup Playoff Recaps for Tuesday, March 14th
March 14, 2017
Not one, but two high school hockey championship games were determined on Tuesday with both the Class 2-A and Division II Final Four taking place. While there were warning about the weather for today that never materialized, it was Plum and Latrobe in 2-A and Meadville and Carrick in D-II that unleashed a fury that propels them all to the PIHL Finals at the UPMC Mario Lemieux Sports Complex next week. Here are recaps from all four Semifinals hockey games. A special thanks to Rob Longo, Lou Rood, Sean Meyers and Matt Vandriak for their help on these recaps. PIHL PENGUINS CUP CLASS 2-A Semifinals:PIHL Notebook – 03/14/2017
The eventful play-in and first round action has drawn to a conclusion, and now the focus is on the semifinals in all four classifications. Last night, Franklin Regional and Indiana scored dramatic victories to advance to the Class A Championship. Weather permitting, the Class AAA, Class AA and Division 2 title games will also be set after tonight and tomorrow. This week's PIHL Notebook takes a look at the six contests that will determine which teams advance to the UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex in Cranberry next week. Class AAA No. 1 Pittsburgh Central Catholic vs No. 5 Seneca Valley at the RMU Sports Complex on Neville Island at 6:45 Wednesday, with Steve Nagler and Kevin Zielmanski:PIHL Penguins Cup Playoff Recaps for Monday, March 13th
The competitive nature of these 2017 PIHL high school hockey playoffs continued into Round Three on Monday as both Penguins Cup Class 1-A Semifinals games went down to the wire at the RMU Sports Complex on Neville Island. Defending champion needed a frantic comeback late in the third period to return to the title game while Indiana needed overtime to clinch their second title game trip in the last three years. Here are the recaps from both Class 1-A Semifinals that you can hear or watch archived here on MSA Sports. A special thanks to Kyle Dawson and Kevin Zielmanski for their help on these recaps. PIHL PENGUINS CUP CLASS 1-A Semifinals:
WPIAL Alum Q&A – Mariah Wells
March 13, 2017
Just more than one week ago, the Chartiers Valley girls basketball team claimed the WPIAL Championship in the 5A classification. Four years prior, the Colts also made an appearance in the title game, but came up just short. Among the standouts on that team in 2012-13 was Mariah Wells, who just completed a successful career on the hardwood at Seton Hill University. She is this week's feature for the WPIAL Alum Q&A.This Week on the MSA Sports Network – 03/13/2017
The high school hockey playoffs move into the Final Four round while the state basketball postseason hits the Second Round and the Quarterfinals all this week on the MSA Sports Network. Our winter sports postseason coverage continues with PIAA basketball Second Round and Quarterfinals boys and girls basketball games and PIHL Penguins Cup Playoffs Semifinals action, plus we have The WPIAL Roundball Report, The PIHL Power Play Show and final edition this season of Inside the WPIAL Wrestling Circle ALL here at MSAsports.net Monday, March 13th: TALK SHOW - Inside the WPIAL Wrestling Circle at 7:00pm on MSAsports.netScholastic Notebook – 03/12/2017
March 12, 2017
New Castle was a good 3-point shooting team in the regular season. But the Red Hurricanes’ marksmanship has even improved in the postseason, and is it any wonder New Castle hasn’t lost a playoff game? New Castle won the WPIAL Class 4A championship and romped past Sharon in the first round of the PIAA playoffs. New Castle has averaged nine made 3-pointers a game in four postseason games and coach Ralph Blundo’s team is shooting 43 percent behind the arc in playoff games. That is excellent for any team, let alone a high school team. New Castle made 11, 9 and 10 3-pointers in three WPIAL playoff games, and then made 7 of 22 against Sharon in the first round of the playoffs.
PIAA Wrestling: Class 3-A FINAL Results
March 11, 2017
The expectation coming in to the Giant Center in Hershey was for the world to see history. But the history the crowd seen was certainly unexpected. At 126, Spencer Lee of Franklin Regional was looking to become the 13th wrestler in PIAA history to win four state championships. In his way was undefeated South Central champion Austin DeSanto of Exeter Township. The two battled for much of the match with DeSanto scoring last, a takedown just as the buzzer sounded to defeat Lee and shock the world, 6-5. Lee, who was wrestling with a knee brace, gave word to the media after his match that he had been wrestling all postseason with a complete tear of his ACL.
PIAA Wrestling: Class 2-A FINAL Results
While the WPIAL only brought home one gold medal on Saturday, it was one that took its wrestler one step closer to wrestling history. Gavin Teasdale of Jefferson Morgan won his third straight state championship by defeating Austin Clabaugh of Bermudian Springs by major decision, 13-5. It was a dominating performance for the Rockets junior, who finished the season 40-0 and is now 122-0 in his career.
PIAA Wrestling: Class 2-A Day Two Results
March 10, 2017
The WPIAL entered the state championships in AA with two wrestlers being undefeated. After wrestling Friday those wrestlers remained unbeaten and will wrestle for a state championship. Gavin Teasdale of Jefferson Morgan is the first. He will look for his 40th win of the season and third state championship after beating Kollin Myers of Springdale by technical fall, 20-5 in 3:51. Teasdale will wrestle Austin Clabaugh of Bermudian Springs in the final.
PIAA Wrestling: Class 3-A Day Two Results
Day two of AAA wrestling in Hershey was strong for the WPIAL, with 34 of 56 wrestlers guaranteed to come home with a medal. Of the 34 wrestlers, 17 remain alive in the semi-finals with an opportunity to become a state champion. Leading the way is Spencer Lee of Franklin Regional, who is on a quest to become the 13th wrestler in PIAA history to win four state championships. Lee won by technical fall in the quarterfinals 15-0 in 2:45 over Gunnar Fuss of Harry S. Truman. Cameron Coy of Penn Trafford also continued his dominance, winning by fall in 1:11 over Owen Watkins of General McLane, to advance into the semi-finals. Coy is looking to become the 44th wrestler in PIAA history to win three state titles.PIHL Penguins Cup Playoff Recaps for Thursday, March 9th
The biggest postseason night of the 2017 PIHL Playoffs took place Thursday with eleven Quarterfinals contests including all four 3-A games, three games in 2-A and 1-A and one final Quarterfinals game in Division II. The tight competitive hockey that has been the theme of this postseason continued with five visiting teams picking up wins and advancing to the Final Four. Here are recaps from those games that set the state for the Semifinals on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. A special thanks to Matt Vandriak, Sean Meyers, Ed Troup, Sean Saputo, Kevin Zielmanski, Don Rebel, Josh Rowntree, Mike Azadian, Randy Gore and Lou Rood for their help on these recaps. PIHL PENGUINS CUP CLASS 3-A Quarterfinals:
PIAA Wrestling: Class 3-A Day One Results
March 9, 2017
The WPIAL put together a strong showing on day one in AAA, with half of its wrestlers (28 of 56) advancing into the quarterfinals. Of the 28 wrestlers who dropped into the consolations, only 6 were eliminated from the tournament. Wrestlers from the WPIAL were able to pull a couple upsets, but also had champions from a week ago get upset as well. The wrestlers to pull the upsets were Dominic Means of Pittsburgh Central Catholic at 138, who beat South Central Champion Clayton Ulrey of Lower Dauphin 8-6. At 152, Brock Godzin of Belle Vernon defeated South East Champion Chase Stephens of Coatesville 6-4 in overtime. The third was Jake Slinger of Upper St. Clair at 220, where he beat North East Champion Evan Callahan of Freedom by fall in 3:31.
PIAA Wrestling: Class 2-A Day One Results
The WPIAL brought 34 wrestlers in to Hershey, with a mixed bag of results. 11 wrestlers remain in contention for a state championship after day one, with 12 wrestlers alive in the consolations, and 11 WPIAL wrestlers being eliminated. Leading the way is Gavin Teasdale of Jefferson Morgan, who is looking for his third state championship. He won by technical fall 27-11 in 5:30 over Nicholas Vonelli of Notre Dame GP to advance. Also moving on in the same weight was John Rocco Kazalas of Quaker Valley, who won 8-7 over Gage Bayless of Reynolds.PIHL Penguins Cup Playoff Recaps for Wednesday, March 8th
The excitement of a competitive First Round of the PIHL Penguins Cup Playoffs has already carried over into Round Two. There were two Second Round high school hockey playoff games on Wednesday and both ended with identical 5-4 scores with one decided in the closing minutes and the other ending in a third overtime. Here are summaries from both Quarterfinals games. A special thanks to Sean Meyers and Don Rebel for their help on these recaps. PIHL PENGUINS CUP CLASS 2-A Quarterfinals:
