Sports
Lincoln Park Comes Back to Earn First PIAA Boys Class A Basketball Crown
March 21, 2014
The third time was the charm for the Lincoln Park Leopards, who claimed their first PIAA Class A boys basketball title with a huge comeback over Philadelphia Math, Civics and Science Mighty Elephants 70-66 at the Giant Center in Hershey. The Leopards trailed by 16 points in the second quarter before rallying for the victory. Sophomore Maverick Rowan led the charge back for Lincoln Park, scoring 37 points in all 32 minutes. Rowan shot 13 of 24 from the floor in the game and came up with several huge baskets. The game was a rematch of the 2011 title game, won by MCS 70-55 at Penn State University.
Seton-LaSalle Girls Win Second State Basketball Title in Three Years
The Seton LaSalle Rebels claimed their third PIAA girls basketball championship with a 58-50 win over the previously unbeaten Neumann-Goretti Saints on Friday afternoon at the Giant Center in Hershey. The victory gives the Rebels their second Class AA title in three years, winning the 2012 title at Penn State University. Senior Yacine Diop had one of the most dominant performances in years in the championships. The Pitt recruit scored 10 point and grabbed 23 rebounds, adding six blocks to lead the Rebels to a 50-36 rebounding advantage.2013 WPIAL BASEBALL REVIEW
March 20, 2014
For the third time in four years, half of the WPIAL baseball championships went to Beaver County schools, with Western Beaver in Class A and Beaver in Class AA winning district gold for 'The County'. Allegheny County schools captured the other two crowns as South Park was perfect through the district playoffs in Class AAA and North Allegheny claimed another title for the north in Class AAAA. Here is a look back at the 2013 season with the final WPIAL standings and the results from both the WPIAL and PIAA baseball playoffs as we get set for the first pitch of the 2014 high school baseball season. FINAL 2013 WPIAL BASEBALL STANDINGS:2013 WPIAL SOFTBALL REVIEW
In 2013, hitting and offense was the theme during the regular season was good old fashioned pitching seemed to be the difference in tasting playoff success. In the end, a pair of first time champions were crowned, a defending champ made it two in a row in the district and went on to win state gold and one of the top programs captured a sixth WPIAL crown. Here is a look back at the final standings and results from the 2013 WPIAL and PIAA softball playoffs on the brink of the start of the 2014 campaign. FINAL 2013 WPIAL STANDINGS:2014 PIHL PENGUINS CUP PLAYOFFS RESULTS
March 18, 2014
The fourth time is a charm for Peters Township as they won the Class AAA Penguins Cup after three consecutive seasons of going home second. Meanwhile, the other two champions crowned at CONSOL Energy Center in Pittsburgh on Monday were the top-seeds in their classification. Quaker Valley captured a third straight PIHL Penguins Cup Class A crown with a dominant victory over Thomas Jefferson while Bishop Canevin edged Erie Cathedral Prep in a Class AA thriller for the Crusaders second crown in four years. Here are ALL of the results from the 2014 PIHL Penguins Cup Playoffs. All games marked with (MSA) after the result (which is ALL but one game) can be heard archived here on the MSA Sports Network.
Peters Township Finally Golden in Win Over Rival Bethel Park
March 17, 2014
At Consol Energy Center in the PIHL AAA Championship, the Peters Township Indians defeated the top seeded Bethel Park Black Hawks by a score of 4-2. This is the fifth overall title for the Indians and first since 2005. Both teams came into the showdown as numerous Penguin Cup winners and veterans to championship games. The Indians were in the title game for the fourth straight year and last won a title in 2005. The Black Hawks' last title was in 2012, a win over Peters Township 2-1. Both are led by two veteran coaches with 11 Penguin Cup titles between them.
Bishop Canevin Shuts Out Cathedral Prep in AA Final
In a tightly-contested battle between Bishop Canevin and Erie Cathedral Prep for the PIHL Penguins Cup Class AA Championship, Crusaders’ goaltender Nikita Meskin proved to be the difference-maker. Meskin made 22 saves in a shutout performance, as top-seeded Bishop Canevin prevailed 1-0 at the Consol Energy Center. The victory marks the seventh time the Crusaders have captured the Penguins Cup, and the first time since 2011. Thomas Krivak netted the lone goal on Bishop Canevin’s third shot of the contest. Less than four minutes in, Krivak, who netted 13 goals in the regular season, took a shot from the right circle. His attempt deflected off the sliding Ramblers’ defenseman, and fluttered past Erie Cathedral Prep’s Grant Kennedy.
Quaker Valley Three-Peats With Rout of Thomas Jefferson 8-2
In the PIHL Penguins Cup Semifinals, Quaker Valley pulled off a dramatic come from behind victory by scoring two goals in the final half minute of regulation in a victory over the Freeport Yellowjackets. The Quakers came back again Monday afternoon, except there were no dramatics needed in a 8-2 victory over Thomas Jefferson at CONSOL Energy Center in Pittsburgh. (Left: Connor Quinn scores one of his five goals in QV's 8-2 win) The win gives Quaker Valley a third straight Penguins Cup title and their fifth championship over. Thomas Jefferson scored first when off a clean face off win, Tommy Kimmick cranked a shot from the point that beat QV goaltender Parker Sherry for their lone lead of the game.PIHL Notebook – 03/17/2014
Welcome to another edition of “PIHL Notebook,” your weekly companion to “The PIHL Power Play” on the MSA Sports Network. After yeoman’s work by Josh Rowntree and Mike Azadian recapping the semis and previewing the 2014 Penguins Cup Finals on “The PIHL Power Play” show last Thursday night, how best to supplement that? For only the third time in this column’s history (but second in a row, so this may become tradition) Adam Hoerner returns from sick leave along with Josh to “choose sides” in Monday night’s championship match-ups, telling you why each of the six teams skating at Consol Energy Center have a chance to win gold. So, let’s light the lamp on this special postseason edition of “PIHL Notebook.” CLASS A PENGUINS CUP FINAL:This Week on the MSA Sports Network – 03/16/2016
March 16, 2014
Welcome to our own version of March Madness and the winter sports Championship Week all this week here on the MSA Sports Network. We have coverage of the Semifinals and the State Championships from Hershey as we conclude our coverage of the 2014 PIAA State Basketball Playoffs along with the three Championship games from CONSOL Energy Center of the 2014 PIHL Penguins Cup high school hockey playoffs and the debut of college basketball featuring Slippery Rock University, plus the final edition of the PIHL Power Play Show and the next to last WPIAL Roundball Report ALL here at MSAsports.net Monday, March 17th:Scholastic Notebook – 03/14/2014
March 14, 2014
Seton-LaSalle boys basketball coach Mark Walsh is known as “Knobby.” He has two brothers, Kevin and Danny, who also are known as “Knobby.” The boys’ father, Ed, also is known as “Knobby.” It is a crazy name game. But at Seton-LaSalle, just call Mark Walsh one thing. “Winner.” Walsh has made Seton-LaSalle basketball relevant again. Well, more than relevant. He has guided the Rebels to one of the best seasons in school history. Seton-LaSalle won a WPIAL title for only the second time since joining the league in the mid 1970s. Also, Seton-LaSalle has a 27-1 record. That is the most wins since the school joined the WPIAL.PIHL Penguins Cup Recaps – Wednesday, March 12th
March 12, 2014
There was little separation all season between South Hills rivals Bethel Park and Peters Township. so it comes as no surprise that the two decorated programs will collide for a 2014 high school hockey crown as both were impressive Wednesday night registering convincing victories. here are recaps from both of the PIHL Penguins Cup Class AAA Semifinals played Wednesday night and setting up Championship Monday at the CONSOL Energy Center in Pittsburgh. PIHL PENGUINS CUP CLASS AAA SEMIFINALS: Bethel Park Black Hawks 4 - Pine-Richland Rams 0PIHL Penguins Cup Recaps – Tuesday, March 11th
March 11, 2014
Monday saw thrills and chills with a couple of PIHL Penguins Cup Class A Semifinals instant classics. Tuesday presented plenty of fireworks in the Penguins Cup Class AA Semifinals, but they all seemed to be shot from one side and the top two seeds put up dominant performances. Here are recaps from both the Bishop Canevin and Erie Cathedral Prep Semifinals victory from Tuesday night. PIHL PENGUINS CUP CLASS AA SEMIFINALS: Erie Cathedral Prep Ramblers 9 - Armstrong River Hawks 5
2014 PIHL PENGUINS CUP PLAYOFFS Update
All three high school hockey title games are now set as Final Four week concluded with two AAA Semifinals doubleheader on Wednesday. Bethel Park broke a scoreless tie with a four-goal third period explosion while Peters Township jumped out early and cruised, setting up a Battle of South Hills rivals for AAA gold between the Black Hawks and the Indians at CONSOL Energy Center. Here are ALL of the results from the Semifinals, plus the three championship games schedule in the 2014 PIHL Penguins Cup Playoffs for the Penguins Cup titles at CONSOL Energy Center on Monday and here on the MSA Sports Network. PIHL PENGUINS CUP CLASS AAA Semifinals: Bethel Park Black Hawks 4 - Pine-Richland Rams 0 (MSA)PIHL Penguins Cup Recaps – Monday, March 10th
A couple of dandies got the puck rolling on the PIHL's Semifinals Week as the top four seeds in Class A took to the Robert Morris University Island Sports Complex center stage Monday night. Defending champ Quaker Valley was on the ropes, but could not be knocked out by Freeport while upstart Thomas Jefferson will continue their memorable season after eliminating Mars. Here are complete recaps from both Class A Semifinals games Monday, which can be heard archived here on MSA Sports at the link below. http://www.msasports.net/guide/2014-03-10 PIHL PENGUINS CUP CLASS A SEMIFINALS: Thomas Jefferson Jaguars 4 - Mars Fighting Planets 2PIHL Notebook – 03/10/2014
March 10, 2014
Welcome to another edition of “PIHL Notebook,” your weekly companion to “The PIHL Power Play” on the MSA Sports Network. Over the next three days, we will find out which six teams will complete for the 2014 Penguins Cup championships. All six semifinal games will be heard on these airwaves, and we have you primed in the space below with our traditional team capsules. Team stats, playoff results, keys to victory – we have it call at your fingertips. So, let’s light the lamp on this special postseason edition of “PIHL Notebook.” CLASS A PENGUINS CUP SEMIFINALS:This Week on the MSA Sports Network – 03/09/2014
March 9, 2014
We winter sports season continues to wind down with the spotlight on both the state basketball playoffs and the high school hockey postseason this week here on the MSA Sports Network. We have coverage of the Second Round and Quarterfinals in the 2014 PIAA State Basketball Playoffs along with Semifinals and Championship action from the 2014 PIHL Penguins Cup high school hockey playoffs and women's college lacrosse, plus the final edition of Inside the WPIAL Wrestling Circle for the season, the PIHL Power Play Show on a special night and The WPIAL Roundball Report ALL here at MSAsports.net Monday, March 10th: TALK SHOW - Inside the WPIAL Wrestling Circle powered by Synerfac at 7:00pm on MSAsports.net
Eight WPIAL AAA Wrestlers Win State Gold
March 8, 2014
After a strong showing on Thursday and Friday, the WPIAL continued their dominant trend in AAA on Saturday, advancing 19 wrestlers into the finals. Out of those 19, the WPIAL brought home 8 PIAA Champions out of a possible 14 weight classes including winning a title in the first 7 bouts. Franklin Regional’s Devin Brown and Spencer Lee took the first two at 106 and 113, with both of them controlling their opponents to lead them to titles. Luke Pletcher of Latrobe had to sweat it out to win at 120. After exchanging escapes with Scott Parker of Pennridge, the match went in to overtime. In the overtime bout, Pletcher got a shot on the ankles of Parker and kept his toes in bounds to win the match 3-1.
Three WPIAL AA Wrestlers Win State Gold
The WPIAL came into Saturday’s action in AA with four wrestlers in the finals looking for gold. By the end of the afternoon, the WPIAL went three for four in Hershey.
PIAA Individual Wrestling – Day Two Recap
March 7, 2014
Coming into the season the WPIAL had a pair of returning state champions in AA, George Phillippi of Derry and Jason Nolf of Kittanning. One of those wrestlers is one win away from repeating. The other did not have the same type of luck.
