Sports
This Week on the MSA Sports Network – 02/22/2016
February 22, 2016
There is plenty of district gold to be won on the hardwood, on the mat and in the pool this week here on the MSA Sports Network. We have ALL the Semifinals, Championships and Consolation boys and girls games in the 2016 WPIAL Basketball Playoffs along with the District 6 boys and girls high school hoop playoffs. We also have the 2016 WPIAL Individual Wrestling Class AA Championships and the Class AAA-4 Sectionals, the end of the regular season in PIHL high school hockey and the 2016 WPIAL boys and girls Diving Championships, plus Inside the WPIAL Wrestling Circle and The PIHL Power Play Show and The WPIAL Roundball Report on a special night ALL here at MSAsports.net Monday, February 22nd:2016 WPIAL Individual Wrestling Class AA Sectionals Results
February 20, 2016
The field for the 2016 WPIAL Class AA Individual Wrestling Championships is now set following the results from all three Double-A sectionals on Saturday. The top five wrestlers from each section qualify for the district championships next weekend at South Fayette High School and here on MSA Sports.Path to the Pete Recaps From Saturday 2/20
Two WPIAL defending champions were bounced in the opening round and two more were eliminated on Saturday as the Final Four were finalized, as were the Consolation Semifinals in all eight brackets set for Monday. After Indiana boys in AAA and Seton-LaSalle girls in AA were dethroned in the First Round, Saturday brought then end of the one year title run of Chartiers Valley boys in AAAA and the two year run of Blackhawk in girls AAA. Here are the summaries from Quarterfinals Saturday in Boys AAAA, Boys AA, Girls AAA and Girls A along with an update on a health scare for one head coach that puts all of these games in perspective.Pgh Obama Turns Over Allderdice for City League Girls Crown
Obama Academy (20-4) used a smothering 2-2-1 press defense to help run away with a 64-33 win over Allderdice (11-13) on Saturday afternoon at the Peterson Events Center. Michaela Porter, daughter of former Pitt star Darrell Porter, scored a game-high 21 points and snagged 13 rebounds, leading the Eagles to their third straight Pittsburgh City League Girls Basketball Championship win over the Dragons. The win was not as easy for Obama Academy as the final score indicated. The Eagles would hop out to a 19-3 lead, but see the Dragons end the first half on a 16-3 run. After 16 minutes, Obama Academy would lead 22-19. But the Eagles outscored Allderdice 42-14 in the second half due, in large part, to 37 forced turnovers in the game.Allderdice Scorches Obama for Boys City League Title
James Jackson scored 24 of his game-high 28 points in the first half, leading Allderdice (23-1) to a decisive 74-47 win over Obama Academy (14-7) on Saturday afternoon at The Peterson Events Center. The win gives the Dragons, Pennsylvania’s #1 Class AAAA ranked team, their third straight City League title and sixth in the last seven years. It is the third straight year that Allderdice has defeated Obama Academy in the title game. “We’ve been in the big venues,” said Allderdice head coach Buddy Valinsky on his team’s hot start and dominance throughout. “When they’re turned up and focused, they’re a very good team.”Path to the Pete Recaps From Friday 2/19
Quarterfinals Weekend began with every boys and girls district basketball team knowing they were no longer in do-or-die mode. Sure, you lose and your WPIAL title hopes vanish, but with the Consolation Round, hopes that your season would continue into the state playoffs keep the season going for this weekends losers. Here are summaries from Quarterfinals Friday in Boys AAA, Boys A, Girls AAAA and Girls AA around the WPIAL hardwood. A special thanks to Mark Uriah, T.J. DiStefano, Randy Gore, Tom Hays, James Dotson, Bobb Gregg, Dennis Fischer, Lee Mohn, Steve Nagler, Cory Campano, Mark Schaas, Bob Barrickman, Sean Meyers, Bob Orkwis and Melissa Carle for their help with these recaps. WPIAL CLASS AAA Quarterfinals:Scholastic Notebook – 02/19/2016
February 19, 2016
The first round of the WPIAL boys and girls basketball playoffs are over, and this opening round set a record for records. For sure, the 2016 first round should always be remembered for so many memorable individual scoring performances. Hockey has the Frozen Four. The WPIAL first round had the Hot Four. Four players – two boys and two girls – broke long-standing scoring records for their classifications.2016 WPIAL Football Schedule Released
As the tide continues to roll toward the major changes in WPIAL sports starting this fall, the WPIAL has released the much anticipated 2016 district football schedule. This includes conference and non-conference games in nine weeks of the regular season from Friday, September 2nd through Friday, October 28th. The schedule will be reversed home and away in the 2017 season. One of the most anticipated regular season football games is actually a non-conference game that pits district and state powers against each other in a 'dream' matchup. Defending Class AA champion Aliquippa travels to Neil Brown Stadium on October 7th to face defending Class A champion Clairton, this despite the fact the Bears are still in 1-A and the Quips have moved up to 3-A.Path to the Pete Recaps From Thursday 2/18
After four days of action on the court and an extra day of wait thanks to Mother nature, the First Round of this years Path to the Pete is finally in the books with very few surprises. Only four double digit girls seeds are on their way to the Quarterfinals while even fewer double digit seeds...three, are moving on to this weekend in the boys postseason. Here are summaries from the final night of Round One in Boys AAAA, Boys AA, Girls AAA and Girls A on another night when nearly all of the favorites took care of business.Path to the Pete Recaps From Wednesday 2/17
February 17, 2016
While 24 WPIAL Basketball Playoff games were scheduled for Tuesday, the only winner was Mother Nature as the 12 boys and 12 girls opening round games were pushed back 24 hours. On Wednesday, the higher seeds all prevailed with the exception of three teams including two defending champions. #4 Peters Township in Girls AAAA was upset in the opening round Wednesday, as were two-time defending Girls AA champion and #3-seed Seton-LaSalle and defending Boys AAA champion and #7-seed Indiana. Here are the summaries from the end of the First Round in Boys AAA, Boys A, Girls AAAA and Girls AA.MSA Sports Frozen Fab Five Hockey Rankings – 02/17/2016
Here are the latest MSA Sports Sports Frozen Fab Five rankings of PIHL high school hockey teams in each of the four classifications for the 2015-2016 high school hockey season...including a NEW #1 team in Class A. Don't miss the latest rankings every Wednesday during the regular season, plus PIHL Notebook every Monday on our website and the weekly PIHL Power Play Show every Wednesday night at 8:00pm with audio and video game broadcasts as well here on the home of the best PIHL high school hockey coverage, the MSA Sports Network. PIHL CLASS AAA: 1) NORTH ALLEGHENY TIGERS (13-4-1) (Last Week #1)WPIAL Girls Sports Realignment
February 16, 2016
We all knew it was coming. A major change to the WPIAL high school sports landscape based on the PIAA's decision to increase from four to six classifications in basketball and softball, plus the increase in other sports such as soccer, volleyball and lacrosse. The WPIAL Board of Control approved the various steering committee's re-alignment suggestions starting with the 2016-2017 school year. This alignment also will be for the 2017-2018 school year. For interactive listing, CLICK HERE. GIRLS BASKETBALL Class 6AWPIAL Boys Sports Realignment
We all knew it was coming. A major change to the WPIAL high school sports landscape based on the PIAA's decision to increase from four to six classifications in football, basketball and baseball, plus the increase in other sports such as soccer and lacrosse. The WPIAL Board of Control approved the various steering committee's re-alignment suggestions starting with the 2016-2017 school year. This alignment also will be for the 2017-2018 school year. *For an interactive listing, CLICK HERE FOOTBALL Class 6A
WPIAL Alum Q&A – Nolan Cressler
February 15, 2016
Although the WPIAL has produced some notable NCAA Division I basketball players recently, not many of those athletes could boast that they played meaningful minutes on a team ranked in the top 20 nationally. Former Plum standout Nolan Cressler accomplished that feat earlier this season, though, with Vanderbilt University. Before Cressler's rise to prominence in college, he rewrote the record books for the Plum Mustangs. Cressler holds the all-time scoring mark in school history, with more than 1,500 points. His final two seasons were particularly impressive, as he averaged more than 25 points and 7.5 rebounds as a junior, and slightly increased those marks in his senior campaign.PIHL Notebook – 02/15/2016
Welcome to another edition of “PIHL Notebook,” your weekly companion to “The PIHL Power Play” on the MSA Sports Network. First up, “Melting the Ice” provides your weekly thermometer of streaking teams around the league. Meanwhile, this week’s “Scoreboard Watch” includes overtime action in Class AAA along with battles among playoff teams in the other three classifications. There are no broadcasts to preview this week, but we will make use of the allotted space with a look at the current playoff picture in each classification as we head into the final two weeks of the regular season. So, let’s light the lamp on this edition of “PIHL Notebook.” MELTING THE ICE (Records listed indicate current unbeaten streak):This Week on the MSA Sports Network – 02/14/2016
February 14, 2016
To our Sweetheart Fans, we continue our exclusive journey on The Path to the Pete this week here on the MSA Sports Network. We have ALL the First Round and Quarterfinals boys and girls games in the 2016 WPIAL Basketball Playoffs along with the start of the District 6 boys and girls high school basketball playoffs and the WPIAL Individual Wrestling Class AA-2 Sectionals and PIHL high school hockey, plus Inside the WPIAL Wrestling Circle, Carlow Sports Talk and The PIHL Power Play Show and The WPIAL Roundball Report on a special night ALL here at MSAsports.net Monday, February 15th: TALK SHOW - Inside the WPIAL Wrestling Circle at 7:00pm on MSAsports.net TALK SHOW - Carlow Sports Talk at 8:30pm on MSAsports.netPath to the Pete Recaps From Saturday 2/13
February 13, 2016
While the weather outside was freightful...and frigid, the postseason basketball inside was delightful for the winners, not so much for those teams that saw their 2016 season come to an end. Here are recaps from the Boys AAAA, Boys AA, Girls AAA and Girls A Preliminary and First Round games, 18 games in all on Saturday afternoon on the Path to the Pete. A special thanks to Mike Azadian, Mark Schaas, T.J. DiStefano, Bob Orkwis, Sean Meyers, Steve Nagler, Brandon Showers, Brian Mroziak, Greg Kuntz, Jason Tennant, Nate Regotti, Lee Mohn, Bob Barrickman and Bob Gregg for their help on these recaps. WPIAL CLASS AAAA Preliminary Round:PIAA Team Wrestling Playoffs – Day Three Recap
WPIAL champion Belle Vernon (20-2) finished in third place at the PIAA Class AAA Team Wrestling Championships by winning the consolation final over Nazareth, 30-28, on Saturday afternoon at the GIANT Center in Hershey, PA.Bethlehem Catholic & Brookville Win 2016 PIAA Team Wrestling Titles
For only the second time in the last nine years and the first time since 2010, a WPIAL team did not bring state gold back from Hershey in the team wrestling playoffs. Bethlehem Catholic won the AAA title after winning four straight AA state championships from 2011 to 2014. District 9 champion Brookville is celebrating their second PIAA state title and first since 1999. The best finish for a WPIAL team was Belle Vernon as the Leopards finished in third place by winning the Class AAA Consolations. Here are ALL of the results from the 2016 PIAA Team Wrestling Playoffs. 2016 PIAA CLASS AAA STATE CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH: Bethlehem Catholic Golden Hawks 37 - Boyertown Bears 12PIAA Team Wrestling Playoffs – Day Two Recap
All three WPIAL Class AAA teams remain alive at the PIAA Team Wrestling Championships, but only one will bring home the hardware from Hershey's GIANT Center. Belle Vernon lost Friday evening in the semifinals in a much anticipated showdown with the state's top-ranked team. As a result, the Leopards drop to the consolation bracket and await the winner of a match between the WPIAL's other two representatives, Canon-McMillan (12-3) and Kiski Area (22-2), who will square off on Saturday morning in a third round consolation match at 9:00am .
