Sports
WPIAL Coaches Corner – Ryan Matsook
December 24, 2016
‘Tis the season for getting to know some of the hometown coaches here in western Pennsylvania. In this brand new 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.2016-2017 WPIAL Girls Basketball Standings
Here are the latest WPIAL girls basketball standings for the 2016-2017 regular season. The standings will be updated daily throughout the rest of the regular season here on the MSA Sports Network. Don't forget weekly WPIAL girls hoops rankings are released each Monday along with girls basketball talk every Wednesday during the WPIAL Roundball Report at 6:00pm and live and archived girls hoops broadcasts only here on the MSA Sports Network. Click on the team name for the schedule and results for that team. Top FOUR teams in ALL sections qualify for the WPIAL playoffs: # - Clinched Section Title Outright & - Clinched Share of Section Title * - Clinched a WPIAL Playoff Spot x - Eliminated from Playoff ChaseMSA Sports Frozen Fab Five PIHL Rankings – 12/21/2016
December 21, 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 2016-2017 high school hockey season...including NEW #1 teams in both Class AAA and Class AA. Don't miss the latest rankings every Wednesday during the regular season, plus PIHL Notebook every Tuesday on our website and the weekly Chatham University PIHL Power Play Show every Wednesday night at 8:00pm. We also have audio and video game broadcasts and center stage interviews as well here on the home of the best PIHL high school hockey coverage, the MSA Sports Network. PIHL CLASS 3-A:PIHL Notebook – 12/20/2016
December 20, 2016
In the spirit of the holidays, the PIHL Notebook gives thanks for the exciting three months of PIHL action so far, and the next few months should produce more fantastic action. With Christmas and New Years on the horizon, the slate of games is particularly light for the next few weeks, with contests only being played tonight and on Thursday, followed by a league-wide break until Jan. 2. Melting the Ice (the top winning streaks in each classification)MSA Sports Top Ten – WPIAL Boys Basketball – 12/20/2016
Here are the latest MSA Sports Top Ten WPIAL Boys Basketball rankings for the 2016-2017 season. Check out the weekly boys rankings every Tuesday, along with boys hoops talk during The WPIAL Roundball Report every Wednesday night at 6:00pm and boys basketball broadcasts throughout the regular season with exclusive coverage of every boys WPIAL playoff game in February all here on the MSA Sports Network. WPIAL CLASS 6-A: 1. PINE-RICHLAND RAMS (3-0) (Last Week #1) 2. LATROBE WILDCATS (3-0) (Last Week #2) 3. PENN HILLS INDIANS (3-0) (Last Week #4) 4. FOX CHAPEL FOXES (4-0) (Last Week Unranked)
WPIAL Alum Q&A – Kason Harrell
One of the biggest upsets of the college basketball season came about a month ago, when little-known Indiana-Purdue Fort Wayne defeated third-ranked Indiana University. While the victory put IPFW in the national spotlight, some folks around Western Pennsylvania knew about the Mastadons previously. That's because Kason Harrell, a former standout for Hempfield Area, has been playing for the team the past two seasons. Harrell is this week's feature for the WPIAL Alum Q&A.This Week on the MSA Sports Network – 12/20/2016
Twas the week before Chrsitmas, and all on The Network, many high school sports creatures were stirring on the hardwood, the mat and the ice in the hiopes that a victory soon would be there. One more weeks before the holidays chalk full of high school broadcasts comes your way this week on the MSA Sports Network. We have section coverage of WPIAL and District 6 boys and girls high school basketball along with WPIAL and District 6 scholastic wrestling and more PIHL high school hockey action, plus we spread the holiday cheer with The WPIAL Roundball Report, Inside the WPIAL Wrestling Circle and The PIHL Power Play Show ALL here at MSAsports.net Monday, December 19th:MSA Sports Top Ten – WPIAL Girls Basketball – 12/19/2016
December 19, 2016
Here are the latest MSA Sports Top Ten WPIAL Girls Basketball rankings for the 2016-2017 season...including a NEW #1 team in Class 4-A. Check out the weekly girls rankings every Monday, along with girls hoops talk during The WPIAL Roundball Report every Wednesday night at 6:00pm and girls basketball broadcasts throughout the regular season with exclusive coverage of every girls WPIAL playoff game in February sponsored by Carlow University all here on the MSA Sports Network. WPIAL CLASS 6-A: 1. NORTH ALLEGHENY TIGERS (6-0) (Last Week #1) 2. PENN HILLS INDIANS (3-1) (Last Week #3) 3. MOUNT LEBANON BLUE DEVILS (3-1) (Last Week #2)
Clairton’s Lamont Wade Commits to Penn State
December 17, 2016
Clairton's Lamont Wade's college recruitment has been one of the most publicized and closely followed of any WPIAL player in recent memory. On Saturday night, Wade revealed his decision by saying just two words: We Are. Wade committed to join Penn State, choosing the Nittany Lions over his other finalists, Pitt, West Virginia, Tennessee and UCLA.
2016 MSA SPORTS ELITE ELEVEN
December 16, 2016
The Elite 11 was into breaking records. A number of players on this year’s Elite 11 broke records, whether they were WPIAL marks or school records. The team is made up of the top 11 players in the WPIAL and is picked by the MSA Sports staff. This year’s team is made up of 10 seniors and one junior. Four of the players were quarterbacks and another played quarterback a little. The team includes three of the top six WPIAL rushers of all time and two of the top three touchdown makers of all time. Other players accomplished things never seen before in the WPIAL. A number of the players have already made their college choices and this year’s team is “Zane-y.” Two of the players are named Zane. Here is a look at the MSA Sports Elite 11 and the Player of the Year:MSA Sports Frozen Fab Five PIHL Rankings – 12/14/2016
December 14, 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 2016-2017 high school hockey season. Don't miss the latest rankings every Wednesday during the regular season, plus PIHL Notebook every Tuesday on our website and the weekly Chatham University PIHL Power Play Show every Wednesday night at 8:00pm. We also have audio and video game broadcasts and center stage interviews as well here on the home of the best PIHL high school hockey coverage, the MSA Sports Network. PIHL CLASS 3-A: 1) BETHEL PARK BLACK HAWKS (6-3-1) (Last Week #5)WPIAL Plays of the Week – Week Fifteen
December 13, 2016
After heat acclimation, training camp, scrimmages, Week Zero and 15 weeks of district and state play, the 2016 football season has finally concluded in Pennsylvania. In the inaugural year of six classifications, two WPIAL representatives claimed gold in Hershey. After a lopsided opening week loss, Beaver Falls appeared to be a longshot to achieve its lofty goals, but the Tigers persevered from that setback, and never lost again. In contrast, Steel Valley never faced adversity this year, as the Ironmen turned in one of the most dominant seasons in state history, winning every game by mercy rule. Here are the top plays that helped both of those teams secure PIAA Championships. 1-2. Steel Valley 49, Southern Columbia 7PIHL Notebook – 12/13/2016
With the calendar turned to December and snow falling, it truly feels like hockey season in Western Pennsylvania. To that point, the PIHL Power Play Show made its 2016-17 debut last week, and now the PIHL Notebook is back, too. The initial installment of this weekly update must first acknowledge the groundwork laid by its former author, Adam Hoerner. With Adam hanging up the skates, though, the notebook will keep many of the same features, but will also include a few new wrinkles going forward. Melting the Ice (the top winning streaks in each classification)
WPIAL Alum Q&A – Alex Dagnal
December 12, 2016
With the PIAA football championships concluding this past weekend, it's now time to officially shift the focus to the winter sports. As such, a hockey standout will be featured this week on the WPIAL Alum Q&A. More often than not, Peters Township has been one of the best teams in the PIHL. Similarly, Robert Morris University has put a very competitive squad on the ice in recent years. Alex Dagnal has experienced that success first hand, as he was a member of the Indians previously, and now contributes to the Colonials.Scholastic Notebook – 12/12/2016
No one knew much about Najhier West before the PIAA Class 2A championship Saturday morning. But only hours after the game, West was being talked about on national television and his running ability put him right up there with some well-known athletes on a college and pro level. West is a junior running back at Steel Valley, the backup halfback to DeWayne Murray. But Murray wasn’t at full strength and didn’t play all that much in the title game against Southern Columbia at Hersheypark Stadium. It might have been a big deal because West is the sixth-leading rusher in WPIAL history. But Steel Valley simply went West.
WPIAL Coaches Corner – Bob Palko
December 11, 2016
‘Tis the season for getting to know some of the hometown coaches here in western Pennsylvania. In this brand new 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. First up this week is the West Allegheny Indians football Coach Bob Palko. Coach Palko led the Indians to another WPIAL title this year, his record 8th title as a head coach. He also recorded his 200th win in the state playoffs this year, another amazing milestone. Let’s take a look inside Coach Palko’s corner:This Week on the MSA Sports Network – 12/11/2016
With the high school football season now in the rear view mirror and the holidays just a few short weeks away, we turn our attention to the roundball, the mats and the ice as we go full throttle into the winter high school sports season this week on the MSA Sports Network. We have coverage of WPIAL and District 6 boys and girls high school basketball along with the debut of WPIAL and District 6 scholastic wrestling and more PIHL high school hockey and women's college basketball featuring Carlow University, plus it's the season debut of The WPIAL Roundball Report to go along with Inside the WPIAL Wrestling Circle and The PIHL Power Play Show ALL here at MSAsports.net Monday, December 12th:
2016 PIAA Football Playoffs – The Road to Hershey RESULTS
Six strong WPIAL champions participated in the PIAA playoffs, four of them advanced to the finals in Hershey and two of them came home as state champions. Both Beaver Falls in 3-A and Steel Valley in 2-A won state crowns for the first time in school history while both Pittsburgh Central Catholic in 6-A and Clairton in 1-A fell short of adding to the PIAA titles count and settled for silver in a chilled Chocolate Town. Here are ALL of the final results from the first ever expanded 2016 PIAA Football Playoffs. Games marked with (MSA) are games broadcast live and archived on the MSA Sports Network. 2016 PIAA CLASS 6-A STATE CHAMPIONSHIP GAME:
St. Joe’s Prep Pounds Central Catholic for PIAA 6-A Title
For the third time in four seasons, Pittsburgh Central Catholic (14-2) made the cross-state strip to Hershey, in search of what would be a second-consecutive PIAA title. However, this trip was not as sweet as last year’s 21-18 victory over Parkland, as the Vikings fell to St. Joseph’s Prep (14-0) by a final score of 42-7 in the first ever Class 6A Championship Game. Despite the lopsided margin of victory, both teams were scoreless after 12 minutes of play. It was D’Andre Swift, the University of Georgia commit, who broke the frigid air at HersheyPark Stadium Saturday evening with a 34-yard touchdown scamper with a little under five minutes to go in the first half.
