Sports
WPIAL Softball – 2016 Season Preview
March 23, 2016
Every Tuesday during the regular season, MSA Sports will rank the Top Ten teams in each of the WPIAL Softball classifications. Will rank the Preseason Top Ten here, along with Players to Watch in each class and teams to beat in each section. Follow the high school softball campaign with with weekly rankings and daily broadcasts and updated standings before exclusive coverage of the 2016 WPIAL Softball Playoffs in May only here on the MSA Sports Network. WPIAL CLASS AAAA PRESEASON TOP TEN: 1. HEMPFIELD SPARTANS 2. NORTH ALLEGHENY TIGERS 3. BALDWIN HIGHLANDERS 4. SHALER TITANS
WPIAL Baseball – 2015 Season Review
March 22, 2016
With such a mild winter coming to an end and warmer than normal temperatures in the area for most of March, coaches, players and fans are ready to hit the diamond for the start of a new baseball season. However before we look ahead, we take time to look back at the 2015 season. A pair of district teams struck gold twice last year as Knoch in Class AAA and Neshannock in Class AA pitched their way to district and state championships. Joining Knoch as first time WPIAL baseball champions in 2015 were Pittsburgh Central Catholic in Class AAAA and Greensburg Central Catholic in Class A. 2015 WPIAL BASEBALL STANDINGS: # - Clinched Section Title * - Clinched Playoff Berth x - Eliminated From Playoff Contention
WPIAL Softball – 2015 Season Review
With such a mild winter coming to an end and warmer than normal temperatures in the area for most of March, coaches, players and fans are ready to hit the diamond for the start of a new softball season. However before we look ahead, we take time to look back at the 2015 season. While no district softball teams won state gold, Hempfield, Belle Vernon, Deer Lakes and Jefferson-Morgan are set to defend their 2015 WPIAL softball championships. 2015 WPIAL SOFTBALL STANDINGS: The top three teams in each section qualify for the WPIAL playoffs. # - Clinched Section Title * - Clinched Playoff Berth x - Eliminated From Playoff Contention WPIAL Class AAAA:
WPIAL Alum Q&A – Carly Forse
Last month, the Bishop Canevin girls' basketball team captured its second WPIAL crown with a decisive victory against Greensburg Central Catholic. The previous title came back in 2013, when Carly Forse helped guide the Crusaders to gold. Forse, who has carried her success on the hardwood over to Point Park University, is the focus of this week's WPIAL Alum Q&A.
2016 PIAA BOYS BASKETBALL PLAYOFFS Results
March 20, 2016
last year was a banner year for District 12 as the Philadelphia are schools swept all our PIAA boys basketball championships. This year, the West earned a split with District 12. While Roman Catholic and Neumann-Goretti repeated on the state stage, Kennedy Catholic from District 10 in Class A and Aliquippa from District 7 in Class AA also earned state gold. The Quips finished a perfect 30-0 as they became only the 13th WPIAL boys hoops team to go undefeated and only the 33rd team overall in 97 years of state basketball postseason play. Here are ALL of the final results from the Road to Hershey and the 2016 PIAA Boys Basketball Playoffs. All scores followed with (MSA) are games that can be heard archived on the MSA Sports Network.
2016 PIAA GIRLS BASKETBALL PLAYOFFS Results
Over the last three years, WPIAL girls basketball teams have brought home two state titles in each of the seasons to close out the 2013, 2014 and 2015 campaigns. This year, only one district team qualified for the state finals in Hershey and the gold rush continued as WPIAL Class A runner-up Cardinal Wuerl North Catholic was the last Class A team left standing in the PIAA postseason increasing the run of WPIAL girls teams with at least one state crown to eight straight years. Here are ALL of the final scores from the Road to Hershey and the 2016 PIAA Girls Basketball Playoffs. All results followed by (MSA) are games that can be heard archived on the MSA Sports Network.
Roman Catholic Rolls the ‘Dice to Repeat in PIAA Boys AAAA
After the first 10 minutes of Saturday’s PIAA boys Class AAAA Championship, newcomers Taylor Allderdice held a sizeable lead, opening the game on a 10-0 run on District 12 powerhouse Roman Catholic. In fact, it took the Cahillites nearly five and a half minutes to score a point from the foul line. That foul line just so happened to be the way Roman Catholic thrived Saturday, downing the District 8 champion Dragons 73-62 to repeat as state champions.
LaSalle Routs Cathedral Prep as Flyers Cup Champs Sweep PA Cup
March 19, 2016
It took the LaSalle Explorers less than a minute to show how explosive they could be offensively. In fact, it took just 38 seconds for LaSalle to score in the Class AAA Pennsylvania Cup Championship, and LaSalle took command in the second period as the Explorers defeated Erie Cathedral Prep 7-1. With the triumph, LaSalle claims its fourth state title, and first since 2012. In the process, the Explorers completed the sweep for Flyers Cup winners, who bested in Penguins Cup representatives in all three games. Joseph Mancuso struck in the game’s first minute, as he slide a shot from the far circle inside the far post, past Cathedral Prep’s sophomore goaltender Jacob Kucharski.
Central Bucks South Beats Bishop Canevin for AA PA Cup
Through the first period of play in the Class AA Pennsylvania Cup Championship, the Bishop Canevin Crusaders battled back and forth with Central Bucks South. The second period, however, was complete dominance by the Titans, who scored five unanswered goals to prevail 7-3 at the Pegula Ice Arena at Penn State University to win their second state title in the past three years. Matt Stoll propelled CB South, as he netted four goals, including three in the decisive middle frame. Additionally, the Titans outshot Bishop Canevin 43-17 in a rematch of the 2014 Pennsylvania Cup Championship.
Second Time Is a Perfect Charm for Aliquippa In Hershey
They say that Hershey is the sweetest place on Earth. But for Aliquippa that wasn’t the case after last year’s loss to Conwell-Egan in the Class AA PIAA Boys Basketball Championship Game. The Quips finished 29-1 but took it one step further this year. Aliquippa completed a perfect 30-0 mark with a 68-49 victory over Mastery Charter North at Herhsey's Giant Center on Saturday afternoon. Sheldon Jeter and Jassir Jordan each scored 22 points as Aliquippa pulled away in the third quarter, claiming the fifth state crown in school history and the first since 1997.
Franklin Regional Blanked by 3-Time Champ Bayard Rustin in PA Cup A Finals
Bayard Rustin came into the PA Cup Class A Championship game as the defending 2-time titlists while Franklin Regional was making its first appearance in the championship after winning the Penguins Cup title for the first time. The experience advantage for the Golden Knights eventually wore down the Panthers as Bayard Rustin shut out Franklin Regional 6-0, capturing its 3rd straight PA Cup Title.
Eight is Great as Cardinal Wuerl North Catholic Wins Girls PIAA A Finals
Coaches always say rebounding is a key to winning basketball games. Never was it so evident on Saturday afternoon as Cardinal Wuerl North Catholic used a 50-28 edge on the glass to claim a 56-33 victory over Lourdes Regional in the PIAA Class A girls state final at the Giant Center in Hershey. The victory gives Cardinal Wuerl North Catholic their 8th PIAA crown and first in Class A. Sam Breen saved her best performance for last this year, as the 6-1 junior scored 27 points, grabbed 15 rebounds and dished out 9 assists to lead her team to the title.
Neuman-Goretti Wins Third Straight State Title With Rout of Mars
March 18, 2016
Following all the pomp and circumstance after Friday’s PIAA boys Class AAA Championship game between District 12 powerhouse Neumann-Goretti and Mars, it seemed as if Mars came away with a state championship trophy. That was, of course because of the standing ovation a senior-laden Fighting Planets team received from their sizeable section of supporters in the Giant Center. However, the scoreboard told a completely different story, as Neumann-Goretti picked up another state championship, the sixth in seven years, by a score of 99-66.Scholastic Notebook – 03/18/2016
Two boys teams from the WPIAL (Mars and Aliquippa) and one girls team (Cardinal Wuerl North Catholic) have made it to Hershey for the state championships. Here is information and some factoids for the three games. All games are at the Giant Center in Hershey. CLASS AAA BOYS The game: Mars (23-6) vs. Neumann-Goretti (26-4) of Phildelphia, 8 p.m. Friday. Coaches: Mars Rob Carmody and Neumann-Goretti’s Carl Arrigale. Leading scorers: Mars: Robby Carmody (20) and John Castello (18). Neuman-Goretti: Quade Green (18.4), Zane Martin (18.3) and Dhamir Cosby-Roundtree (14.5).
2016 PIAA Basketball Championship Recaps
While the MSA Sports Network had broadcast coverage of four of the eight games this weekend from Hershey, we also have summaries of the other four state championship games. Here are recaps of the PIAA Boys A, Girls AAAA, Girls AAA and Girls AA title games from the GIANT Center in Hershey. CLASS AAA GIRLS PIAA CHAMPIONSHIP Archbishop Wood Vikings 46 - Villa Maria Victors 29 In a sloppy game, the District 12 champions Vikings handled the Victors their first loss of the season. Drexel recruit Bailey Breenburg led all scorers with 14 points and cleaned the glass with 13 rebounds.SRU’s John Papa Named Atlantic Region Women’s Track & Field Coach of the Year
March 17, 2016
Slippery Rock University head track and field coach John Papa was named Tuesday as the Atlantic Region Women's Coach of the Year by the U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association. The honor marks the 16th Regional Coach of the Year recognition in Papa's 29-year career at Slippery Rock. He has also been named the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Coach of the Year 19 times over that stretch. Papa earned the top honor in voting by his peers among all coaches in the PSAC, the Mountain East Conference and the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association.2016 PIHL PENGUINS CUP PLAYOFFS Results
The history of the PIHL postseason is that the favorites usually prevail. Up until last year, the playoffs would re-seed, making it tough for surprise teams to go deep. this year under the bracket format, none of the three eventual Penguins Cup champions were favored at the start of the playoffs. Sure, Beaver was the top-seed in the Division II Playoffs and went on to win gold, but Erie Cathedral Prep was a #3-seed in AAA, Bishop Canevin was a #4-seed in AA and Franklin Regional was a #7-seed in A. Here are ALL of the results from the 2016 PIHL Penguins Cup Playoffs. All results with (MSA) after are games that can be heard or viewed archived here on the MSA Sports Network.
Erie Cathedral Prep Wins 2nd Straight Pens Cup With OT Win Over NA
March 16, 2016
Sophomore defenseman Pat Kelly’s power play goal at (8:52) of overtime propelled the Erie Cathedral Prep Ramblers to a 4-3 victory over top seeded North Allegheny in the PIHL Class AAA Championship game at the UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex in Cranberry and gave ECP its second consecutive Penguins Cup title and the school’s first in Class AAA since 1984.
Franklin Regional Uses Big Third Period To Win First Penguins Cup
March 15, 2016
Goaltending is arguably the most important ingredient for a team making a deep postseason run at any level of hockey. For the Franklin Regional Panthers, an unlikely source, freshman Daniel Soltesz, not only held his own in net, but was the key factor in Franklin Regional’s 4-1 win against South Fayette in the Class A Penguins Cup Championship at the UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex. The victory marks the first ever hockey championship for the school. Soltesz made 44 saves, while Nicholas Carretta recorded a hat trick, as the Panthers scored all four goals in the third period for the triumph. Soltesz’s heroics kept Franklin Regional within striking distance, as the Lions outshot the Panthers 38-16 through the first two stanzas.
Bishop Canevin Beats Mars for 8th PIHL Penguins Cup AA Title
Two quick goals early in the second period were the difference as Bishop Canevin claimed their 8th Penguins Cup championship in program history by defeating Mars 5-1 in the Class-AA Penguins Cup title game. A near capacity crowd was on hand at the UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex in Cranberry to watch these two Western Conference foes battle for the Penguins Cup. On the regular season these teams met twice. Mars defeated Bishop Canevin 9-3 in both teams second regular season game and the two squads battled to a 3-3 tie in the rematch in January.
