Sports
CTK 2015 – High School Football Rules Changes
August 10, 2015
The 2015 season will be here before you know it and of course there are always changes to the playing rules. These changes were adopted by the National Federation of High School Sports and will be in effect for this year. As has been seen in past years, player safety is a number one priority. Two of the major changes do just that. First, the definition of spearing has been clarified. Spearing is an act by any player who initiates contact against an opponent at or below the shoulders with the crown of the helmet. The crown has been defined as the top portion of the helmet.
CTK 2015 – WPIAL 7:00pm Kickoffs
August 9, 2015
There are 123 schools in the WPIAL that field a high school football team and 118 of them play a majority of their home games on Friday nights. The kick off times of those Friday games however has almost become a big school, small school split. 16 of the 25 Quad-A schools start their games at the Western Pennsylvania 'traditional' time of 7:30pm while in Triple-A, it is nearly halved with 13 schools kicking off at 7:30pm and 15 teams starting 30 minutes earlier. But in the smaller classifications, 32 of the 35 Double-A and 26 of the 30 Single-A schools kick off at the top of the hour at 7:00pm. Five years ago, only a handful of teams kicked off at 7:00pm in the WPIAL, now that number has reached 82 schools.This Week on the MSA Sports Network – 08/09/2015
Our annual August ritual known as Countdown to Kickoff continues as we prepare you for the 2015 high school football season this week here on the MSA Sports Network. Every day in August, we have something new on our website to prepare you for n new season kicking off on 9/4/15. We also have Frontier League baseball with the Washington Wild Things hosting the Frontier Greys before hitting the road this weekend against the Normal Cornbelters while the Pennsylvania Rebellion conclude their 2015 Pro Fast Pitch season against Akron, plus find out the latest news and info from the race tracks during the weekly edition of Rappin' on Racin' ALL here at MSAsports.net
CTK 2015 – WPIAL Saturday Football Schedule
Then there were five. While there is little doubt that high school football is king on Friday nights in Western Pennsylvania, Saturday high school football in District 7 is becoming a dying breed with only five schools (Summit Academy, Western Beaver, Riverview, Wilkinsburg & Bishop Canevin) that play a majority of their home games on Saturday afternoons or evenings. Here is a complete rundown of the Saturday schedule of high school football action in the WPIAL this 2015 football season. WEEK ONE, SEPTEMBER 5th: Class A Eastern Conference: Jeannette Jayhawks AT Riverview Raiders at 12:00pm Class A Big 7 Conference: South Side Rams AT Neshannock Lancers at 7:00pm
CTK 2015 – WPIAL Single-A 2014 Football Flashback
August 7, 2015
All seemed right with the world again with Clairton ruling the roost in District 7 Class A football. The Bears roared through the regular season and district playoffs before knocking off Avonworth to earn an 11th school football crown and the sixth championship in the last seven years. 2014 WPIAL Single-A Highlights:
CTK 2015 – WPIAL Double-A 2014 Football Flashback
The Green Machine was twice as nice in 2014. While Aliquippa continued their 'annual' march to Heinz Field for a seventh straight year last fall, it was South Fayette that was perfect...again. The Lions beat the Quips for the third time in five years for the WPIAL Class AA crown, then three weeks later, SF completed a second straight 16-0 season by adding another PIAA gold to their treasure chest. 2014 WPIAL Double-A Highlights:
CTK 2015 – WPIAL Triple-A 2014 Football Flashback
August 4, 2015
When all was said and done through district play in WPIAL Class AAA in 2014, it was a Parkway Conference team standing as the king of the hill...rinse, wash, repeat. The calendar year may have changed last season, but it was once again not one, but two Parkway Conference teams left standing to battle at Heinz Field. In fact, it was the same two teams as the year before but with a different outcome as Central Valley beat West Allegheny. 2014 WPIAL Triple-A Highlights:This Week on the MSA Sports Network – 08/04/2015
Our annual August ritual known as Countdown to Kickoff is in full force as we prepare you for the 2015 high school football season this week here on the MSA Sports Network. Every day in August, we have something new to prepare you for 9/4/15, including our annual back-to-back shows coming Wednesday from Kennywood Park. We also have Frontier League baseball with the Washington Wild Things on the road against Traverse City and Schaumburg while the Pennsylvania Rebellion host Akron at CONSOL Energy Field, plus find out the latest news and info from the race tracks during the weekly edition of Rappin' on Racin' ALL here at MSAsports.net Monday, August 3rd:
CTK 2015 – WPIAL Quad-A 2014 Football Flashback
August 3, 2015
The northern lights continue to be golden lights in the WPIAL's highest classification. For a fifth straight season, a team from the Northern Eight Conference won the WPIAL Quad-A football championship. After North Allegheny won three straight ('10, '11, '12) and Pittsburgh Central Catholic won the 2013 title out of the 'north' section. The Vikings went from gold to silver in 2014 however as Pine-Richland enjoyed a season for the ages with the schools first district title run in over a decade with a 15-1 finish. Much like the 2003 championship team, the Rams lone loss came in the state championship game. 2014 WPIAL Quad-A Highlights:
CTK 2015 – The River Hawks Have Landed
August 2, 2015
You could say this is one large step for a new high school, a couple of not-so-giant changes for the WPIAL football alignment. While the second year of a two year enrollment cycle rarely offers any changes to alignment, the merger of Kittanning and Ford City High Schools into Armstrong High School has caused the district to shuffle some things affecting three conferences in Class AAA and Class AA. In their first season, the Armstrong River Hawks will play in the Class AAA Greater Allegheny Conference against new rivals Franklin Regional, Gateway, Greensburg-Salem, Hampton, Hollidaysburg, Indiana, Knoch and Mars.
CTK 2015 – WPIAL & City League Football Schedules
MSA Sports 'Countdown to Kickoff 2015' begins with something simple...the high school football schedules for every team in the WPIAL and the Pittsburgh City League. The new campaign begins on Friday, September 4th and Saturday, September 5th. The WPIAL regular seasons runs nine weeks through the end of October while the City League seasons is only eights weeks and concludes on Friday, October 23rd. Just click the link below and locate your favorite school. Then click on the football link at top of the school page. Every game, whether it be non-conference or conference for all 123 teams in the WPIAL and 6 Pittsburgh City League teams is just a few clicks away. Click here for MSA Sports WPIAL high school pages.COUNTDOWN TO KICKOFF 2015
August 1, 2015
The countdown to the start of the 2015 high school football season is underway. We have a later start than usual to the high school football season as training camps throughout Western Pennsylvania open up on Monday, August 17th as teams will prepare for a new season starting Friday, September 4th and Saturday, September 5th. As has been the case in the sixteen previous years here at MSA Sports, the ONLY place to turn for original DAILY updates that help prepare fans for all the excitement of the new high school football season in the WPIAL is 'Countdown to Kickoff 2015' ONLY here at www.msasports.net UPDATED COMPLETELY: --------------------------------------------------------------------------------This Week on the MSA Sports Network – 07/28/2015
July 28, 2015
The heat is rising as we begin our yearly Countdown to Kickoff for the 2015 high school football season as July melts into August this week here on the MSA Sports Network. We have Frontier League baseball with the Washington Wild Things at home against River City and Florence while the Pennsylvania Rebellion host Dallas before hitting the road to Akron and Chicago, plus find out the latest news and info from the race tracks during the weekly edition of Rappin' on Racin' ALL here at MSAsports.net Monday, July 27th: TALK SHOW - Rappin' on Racin' at 6:00pm on MSAsports.netThis Week on the MSA Sports Network – 07/21/2015
July 21, 2015
We are inching closer to August and our annual Countdown to Kickoff for high school football, but for now we focus on pro baseball and pro softball action in the final full week of July here on the MSA Sports Network. We have Frontier League baseball with the Washington Wild Things at home against Lake Erie before hitting the road this weekend in Evansville while the Pennsylvania Rebellion conclude a long road trip as they visit USSSA Pride, plus find out the latest news and info from the race tracks during the weekly edition of Rappin' on Racin' ALL here at MSAsports.net Monday, July 20th: TALK SHOW - Rappin' on Racin' at 6:00pm on MSAsports.net
WPIAL Coaching News – North Allegheny Girls Hoops
July 15, 2015
After two golden years as head coach of the Seton-LaSalle girls basketball team, Spencer Stefko is headed north to bigger and what he hopes are even better things. Stefko was named the new girls basketball coach at North Allegheny High School on Wednesday. Stefko replaces Sherri McConnell, who resigned in April after eight years as Tigers head coach. Coach McConnell enjoyed great success in her tenure, guiding North Allegheny to an overall record of 147-48. While NA was always a contender, they fell short of winning a district and/or state title. In 2014-2015, North Allegheny was 24-4 overall but lost in the WPIAL Semifinals and the PIAA Quarterfinals.This Week on the MSA Sports Network – 07/15/2015
With the Frontier League taking time off for the all-star break, there is still plenty of pro softball and the resumption of the 2015 pro baseball campaign this week here on the MSA Sports Network. After a four day break, the Frontier League kicks off its second half this weekend with the Washington Wild Things at home at CONSOL Energy Park while the Pennsylvania Rebellion are home at CONSOL Energy Field early in the week with pro fast pitch softball action against the Dallas Charge before hitting the road over the weekend against the USSSA Pride, plus find out the latest news and info from the race tracks during the weekly edition of Rappin' on Racin' ALL here at MSAsports.net Monday, July 13th:This Week on the MSA Sports Network – 07/08/2015
July 8, 2015
Our summer professional diamond coverage continues this week here on the MSA Sports Network. We have Frontier League as the Washington Wild Things hit the road for series in Win dy City and Rockford while the Pennsylvania Rebellion return home to CONSOL Energy Field with pro fast pitch softball action against the USSSA Pride and the Dallas Charge, plus find out the latest news and info from the race tracks during the weekly edition of Rappin' on Racin' ALL here at MSAsports.net Monday, July 6th: TALK SHOW - Rappin' on Racin' at 6:00pm on MSAsports.net Fast Pitch Pro Softball - Pennsylvania Rebellion vs Chicago Bandits at 8:05pm on MSAsports.netThis Week on the MSA Sports Network – 01/30/2015
June 30, 2015
What better way to celebrate our great country's birthday than with a heaping helping of pro baseball and softball for the holidays this week here on the MSA Sports Network. The diamonds are red hot with pro baseball as the Washington Wild Things return home to CONSOL Energy Field and pro fast pitch softball with the Pennsylvania Rebellion as they hit the road for a week of diamond action, plus find out the latest news and info from the race tracks during the weekly edition of Rappin' on Racin' ALL here at MSAsports.net Monday, June 29th: No Broadcasts Tuesday, June 30th: TALK SHOW - Rappin' on Racin' at 6:00pm on MSAsports.net
2014-2015 MSA Sports Male Athlete of the Year
June 27, 2015
Riley Stapleton comes from a family of athletes. Growing up, he and his three brothers used to play every sport imaginable and even invent their own events. “My oldest brother [Kevin] used to come up with competitions like who can race around the block the fastest or who can touch the highest spot on the wall,” said Stapleton. But never mind the brothers. If you could put all of the athletes in the WPIAL on a wall, Stapleton would be at the highest spot. Stapleton, who graduated from Indiana High School earlier this month, is the MSA Sports Male Athlete of the Year. All athletes in the WPIAL are eligible for the award. Stapleton competed in three sports at Indiana High School and had a big impact in every one.
2014-2015 MSA Sports Female Athlete of the Year
Madison Wiltrout’s right arm always seemed to have some magic in it. It is what enabled her to play years of baseball with the boys. She was a center fielder and pitcher before giving up the sport after eighth grade. Then in the spring of her ninth-grade year, Wiltrout picked up a javelin and started throwing it with the right arm. Different sport. Different object to throw - and a magic act that had never been seen before in the history of U.S. high school track and field. WIltrout was a state champion in the javelin at the end of her freshman year. Before her sophomore year was finished this year, that right arm had put Wiltrout in the national record book.
