Sports
District College Football Preview for November 14th
November 11, 2015
Week 11 of the district college football slate features the PSAC State Title Game and 5 rivalry games in the PAC. Here are previews of ALL THE GAMES: PSAC STATE TITLE GAME Slippery Rock (9-1) at West Chester (7-3) Noon A win would cement the Rock into the D-II playoffs, SRU enters this week in 4th place in the Super Region 1 rankings. The Rock is ranked #9 in both the AFCA and D2football.com polls. The Rock has won 6 straight games since a loss to Seton Hill.Last week’s win over Clarion gave the Rock it’s 3rd straight trip to the title game, the Rock is the defending champions. SRU has won the West Division 15 times.WPIAL Plays of the Week – Week Ten 2015
November 10, 2015
The 2015 WPIAL regular season for football has come and gone, and the commencement of the playoffs also meant the busiest week of the season on the MSA Sports Network. With coverage of all 32 first-round games, there were plenty of top plays from which to choose. The four that made the cut were all crucial in the outcome of some of the most competitive tilts of the postseason slate. 1. Beaver Falls 33, Apollo-Ridge 29
WPIAL Alum Q&A – J.P. Holtz
November 9, 2015
As the University of Pittsburgh football team has enjoyed a resurgence this season, several former WPIAL competitors have been crucial to the success. Perhaps nobody has meant more to the Panthers over the past four seasons, however, than tight end J.P. Holtz. Holtz enjoyed a stellar high school career for the Shaler Area Titans, playing a variety of positions. He scored 15 touchdowns as a senior, and helped guide the Titans to the playoffs. He also was a four-year letterwinner on the Titans’ basketball squad that made an appearance in the state postseason in 2012.This Week on the MSA Sports Network – 11/08/2015
November 8, 2015
When it comes to delivering playoff and championship high school action, we are season veterans! Adn while we take time this week to salute the true hero's, America's Veterans, we also gear up for another ride on the Highway to Heinz this week here on the MSA Sports Network. We have ALL 16 Quarterfinals WPIAL Football Playoff games Friday night starting with the MSA Sports Pregame Show and concluding later that night with the WPIAL Football Scoreboard Show.2015 WPIAL GIRLS SOCCER PLAYOFFS RESULTS
One team was perfect, one team was back on top for the fourth time in six year and a third was hoisting a second consecutive golden crown. The Norwin Knights have won every match they played en route to the Class AAA championship while the Mars Fighting Planets were back on top of the Class AA soccer solar system after a two year absence and the Greensburg Central Catholic Centurions were the only district team to successfully defend their title from a year ago. Here are ALL of the final results from the 2015 WPIAL Girls Soccer Playoffs.2015 WPIAL BOYS SOCCER PLAYOFFS RESULTS
You know the soccer is competitive when all three title matches need overtime to decide a champion. That is what happened this season as golden goals were needed to crown Canon-McMillan in Class AAA, South Fayette in Class AA and Seton-LaSalle in Class A. The championships were the sixth for the Rebels, the second for the Big Macs and the first ever for the Lions. Here are ALL the results from the 2015 WPIAL Boys Soccer Playoffs. All results below followed by (MSA) are matches that can be heard archived on the MSA Sports Network. Just click on the broadcast tab and the day the match was played. You can watch the archived video stream of all the WPIAL championship matches.2015 WPIAL GIRLS VOLLEYBALL PLAYOFFS RESULTS
It was a postseason without a lot of surprises as the higher seeds dominated, going 40-5 through all four rounds of the playoffs. So it wasn't surprising that a pair of top-seeds came away with district gold as #1 Baldwin repeated as Class AAA champs and #1 Freeport captured the Class AA title for the second time in three years. The Class A winner was Bishop Canevin as the Crusaders came from behind in both the Semifinals and Finals to beat out top-seed Greensburg Central Catholic and #3-seed Shenango to win their second crown in three years. Here are ALL of the results from the 2015 WPIAL Girls Volleyball Playoffs.
Baldwin Beats NA Again For WPIAL AAA Girls Volleyball Title
Before a standing room only crowd at Baldwin High School, the home-standing Highlanders won their second consecutive WPIAL Class AAA championship with a 3-2 victory over the North Allegheny Tigers Saturday evening. It was a rematch of last year’s five-set thriller and again the Highlanders were able to outlast the Tigers in five electric sets. Baldwin claimed the title by set scores of 21-25, 25-18, 14-25, 25-22 and 15-12. After splitting the first two sets, North Allegheny seemed to seize control with a thorough 25-14 win in the third set. Michigan State recruit Lauren Swartz picked up three kills in the set, on her way to a 14-kill performance.Freeport Stings West Shamokin to Win Girls Volleyball AA Crown
Freeport lived up to its billing as the top seed in the WPIAL AA playoffs, and bested previously unbeaten West Shamokin in the battle for Armstrong County. An outstanding effort from senior Zoey Pawlak propelled the Yellowjackets to a convincing 3-1 victory by scores of 25-18, 25-20, 23-25, 25-16. Pawlak, a Loyola Maryland recruit, finished the match with 31 kills and seven service aces, and coach Tom Phillips led the Yellowjackets to their third WPIAL title in six years.District College Football Recap for Saturday, November 7th
Week 10 of the college football slate saw both the PAC and PSAC West titles decided and Duquesne move into sole possession of first in the NEC. Here are recaps of ALL THE GAMES: Thomas More 36 – Case Western Reserve 32 In a battle of ranked teams for the PAC title, the #12 Saints used a defensive conversion by kyle Fuller and a luke Zajac 1 yard run to beat the #18 Spartans. Thomas More is 10-0 overall and win the conference with an 8-0 record. QB Jensen Gebhardt returned for the Saints and threw for 223 yards and 2 scores, he ran for one. Tyler Vogelpohl had 6 catches for 108 yards, Goose Cohorn had 6 grabs for 104, each had a score. Hjavier Pitts also ran for a td.Bishop Canevin Wins Second WPIAL A Volleyball Title in Three Years
The Cardiac Crusaders came from behind yet again and won a five set match to win the 2015 WPIAL Class A Championship, defeating Shenango 23-25, 25-23, 25-13, 23-25,15-9. Bishop Canevin jumped to an early 13-5 lead in the first set, but the Wildcats responded with nine unanswered points to take a 14-13 lead. Elizabeth Quahliero had three of her team-high five service aces in the run. A back-and-forth battle finished with Shenango scoring three if the last four points in the set to draw first blood in the match.
South Fayette Roars to WPIAL Boys AA Soccer Crown
Jordan Smith’s blast just more than halfway through the first overtime period provided the golden goal for South Fayette, as the Lions captured their first boys’ soccer title. South Fayette, the No. 4 seed, edged second-seeded Mars 3-2 in the Class AA Championship at Highmark Stadium. Smith’s winner came from distance, but the senior’s kick was perfectly placed in the top corner, as Fighting Planets’ goalkeeper Dale Glavin had no chance to make the save. It marked Smith’s second tally of the contest, as he broke a scoreless tie in the 45th minute on a scramble in front. Originally, the play appeared to be an own-goal by Mars, but Smith was credited with the goal.
Mars Back on Top of the WPIAL Girls AA Soccer World
November 7, 2015
The number one seeded Mars Planets used a pair of goals and a stout defense to defeat the number two seeded South Park Eagles 2-1 at Highmark Stadium for the 2015 WPIAL Girls Soccer Class AA Championship. Since 2006, only one finals matchup has been held without one of these two teams as participants with the 2015 finals match being the second time they had met in the championship round. Mars, last year’s runner up, was shooting for their 4th WPIAL AA Girls Soccer Championship and entered the championship game not having given up a goal in the playoffs. South Park, owners of three WPIAL AA Championships themselves headed to the finals for the first time in four years.
Seton-LaSalle Goes Overtime to Win Boys A Soccer Title
The Avonworth Antelopes and the Seton-LaSalle Rebels had met twice during the regular season in Class A Section 3 with each team coming away with a 2-1 win. So it was no surprise that the WPIAL Class A Title match at Highmark Stadium between the two schools was a tight battle as well. Senior midfielder Brandon Benedetti who had the game-winning goal in the Rebels 2-1 opening round win over Aquinas Academy stepped into solid right footed strike from 25-yards out and found the top left corner of the goal in the 7thminute of overtime propelling Seton-LaSalle to a 1-0 win and giving the Rebels their 6th WPIAL Class A Championship.
Greensburg CC Repeats as Girls A Soccer Champs
It may have taken awhile, but once again the Greensburg Central Catholic Centurions (21-1) can call themselves WPIAL champions. Sarah Ward scored the game's lone goal with 11:55 to play in the second overtime in a game played Saturday morning at Highmark Stadium. As the play developed, the ball came to Bailey Cartwright in the box. Cartwright tried to create a scoring opportunity with her back to the net. The ball came free to Ward, who softly guided it into the back of the net, to give the Centurions the win and their fourth WPIAL title in five years.
Back To Back For The Brashear Bulls
For the fourth time in school history, the Brashear Bulls claim back to back title with a 21-6 victory over the Allderdice Dragons in the Pittsburgh City League championship game at Cupples Stadium. Quarterback Therran Coleman threw 3 touchdown passes, two to Devaughn McNary in the second quarter that pushed the Bulls to a 14-0 halftime advantage. The Bulls also did the job defensively, forcing 6 Allderdice turnovers. Brashear defeated Allderdice 42-14 in last year’s title game. The win gives Brashear their 11th City League title and a berth in the PiAA playoffs in two weeks.PIAA Girls Tennis : Ananya Dua Repeats in Singles While Fox Chaple Duo Wins Doubles
The PIAA Class AAA Girls Tennis Singles and Doubles finals turned into a WPIAL love-fest as district players met each other in both title matches Saturday afternoon at the Hershey Racquet Club. Ananya Dua of Shady Side Academy made history by repeating as PIAA AAA Singles champion by beating Anna Li of North Allegheny 7-6 (7-5), 6-1. Dua is only the third WPIAL tennis player to win back-to-back state AAA singles crowns following Michaela Kissell of Latrobe (three consecutive from 2003-05) and Mount Lebanon’s Kelly Kolankiewicz (1982-83). Li beat Charlotte Madson of Upper St. Clair in the Semifinals as three district players made up the Final Four. Madson won the consolation match 4-6, 7-5, 6-4 over Payton Bradley on Downingtown West.2015 PIAA Cross-Country Results: Two WPIAL Runners Win Gold
On a day when no WPIAL teams won state titles, a pair of district runners were golden at the 2015 PIAA Cross-Country championships in Hershey on Saturday. Griffin Mackey of Sewickley Academy won the Boys Class A race with a time of 16:05 while Marianne Abdulah of Vincentian Academy added to her golden trophy collection by winning the Girls Class A race with a time of 18:50. Two WPIAL boys teams are bringing home silver as North Allegheny finished second in the AAA race and Sewickley Academy was second in the A race. Seneca Valley finished third in AAA for the highest spot on the girls side of the team competition. Here are the team winners along with the highest WPIAL team to finish in that race. BOYS AAA:WPIAL Friday Night HighLights – First Round
The lights are just a little bit brighter as 64 teams entered the district postseason three wins away from reaching every teams ultimate goal, a spot on the parking list for Championship Saturday at Heinz Field. There is no question that in the ultimate team sport, you need everybody in to win and advance at this point, but sometimes you need a player to step up and take control with an outstanding performance to keep your season alive at least for another week. So we tip our playoff caps to these ten players who were shining bright on a clear and crisp tenth Friday of the 2015 football season. Phil Jurkovec - Pine-Richland
