Sports
PIAA Individual Wrestling Results – Day One Recap
March 5, 2015
The WPIAL opened the AAA PIAA Championships by showing why they are the strongest region in the state. They opened the Preliminary round by having their fourth place qualifiers go 9-5, while their third place qualifiers went 8-1. That momentum carried into the quarterfinals, with 30 of the 56 WPIAL wrestlers remaining in the winners bracket.PIHL Playoff Recaps for Thursday, March 5th
The classification formerly known as the Open Class took the spotlight at the frigid Airport Ice Arena in Moon on Thursday. After the focus on the first three days was First Round and Quarterfinals action in the PIHL Playoffs, Thursday opened up play in the Division II Postseason with a pair of First Round matchups. Here are the recaps of those two contests. A special thanks to Mike Azadian and Lou Rood for their help on these recaps. PIHL DIVISION II First Round:PIHL Penguins Cup Playoff Recaps for Wednesday, March 4th
March 4, 2015
The third day of the high school hockey playoffs wrapped up the first two rounds in Class AAA, Class AA and Class A and helped set the Final Four in each of those classifications. While the top four teams in Class A won going away to move on, Armstrong became the second #6-seed to advance to next weeks Semifinals. Here are recaps from the five Quarterfinals games played on Wednesday around the PIHL. A special thanks to Mark Schaas, Josh Rowntree, Adam Hoerner, Mike Azadian and Bob Orkwis for their help on these recaps. PIHL PENGUINS CUP CLASS AA Quarterfinals:PIHL Penguins Cup Playoff Recaps for Tuesday, March 3rd
March 3, 2015
After there were no surprises on the opening day of the high school hockey postseason, the first two eye-brow raisers of the cup chase took place Tuesday. After reaching the PIHL finals and then going on to win a national championship a year ago, #3 Bethel Park was ousted on its home ice by #6 Butler in a Class AAA Quarterfinals contest. The #5 Bishop Canevin pulled off a third period comeback with a gola in overtime to knock out #4 Hampton in Class AA. Here are summaries from the six PIHL Penguins Cup hockey games played on Day Two. A special thanks to Gero Von Dahn, Mike Azadian, Don Rebel, Adam Gusky and Sean Meyers for their help on these recaps. PIHL PENGUINS CUP CLASS AAA Quarterfinals:PIHL Penguins Cup Playoff Recaps for Monday, March 2nd
March 2, 2015
The curtain rose on the 2015 PIHL Penguins Cup Playoffs on Monday, and while there were some one-sided openers, there were several down to the wire thrillers that made you realize the regular season was history and the chase for the cup was now on. Here are summaries from the seven games that got the puck rolling on the 2015 PIHL Penguins Cup Playoffs. A special thanks to Don Rebel, Sean Meyers, Randy Gore, Brandon Showers, Lou Rood and Matt Vandriak for their help on these recaps. PIHL PENGUINS CUP CLASS AAA Quarterfinals:PIHL Notebook – 03/02/2015
Welcome to another edition of “PIHL Notebook,” your weekly companion to “The PIHL Power Play” on the MSA Sports Network. This week we break the regular format, and with good reason with the 2015 Penguins Cup and PIHL Division II Playoffs beginning tonight. Where, when and against whom is your favorite team playing? Which players should you keep an eye on in each game? Fear not, we have your questions answered below in encapsulated form. So, let’s light the lamp on this special playoff preview edition of “PIHL Notebook.” Class AAA Penguins Cup Playoffs QUARTERFINALS: 3/2/15 – #1 North Allegheny Tigers (16-2-4) vs. #8 Pittsburgh Central Catholic Vikings (8-12-2) @ BladeRunners Warrendale at 6:30 PMThis Week on the MSA Sports Network – 03/01/2015
March 1, 2015
With the district playoffs behind us, it's on to the state playoffs in both basketball and wrestling this week is here on the MSA Sports Network. We have First Round play in the PIAA Basketball Playoffs...First Round and Quarterfinals games from the PIHL Penguins Cup high school hockey playoffs...Postseason mat action from Hershey with the 2015 PIAA Class AAA and Class AA Individual Wrestling Championships, plus we have Inside the WPIAL Wrestling Circle, the WPIAL Roundball Report and the PIHL Power Play Show on a special night ALL here at MSAsports.net Monday, March 2nd:Char Valley, Indiana, Aliquippa & Monessen Strike WPIAL Boys Hoops Gold
Three district powers added to their collection while it was a historic gold run for the furthest most eastern school in the WPIAL. The Indiana Little Indians stunned many by winning the Class AAA championships, the schools first boys basketball title ever. Meanwhile it was add-on time for three storied programs as Aliquippa (AA) won its 11th, Monessen (A) its 7th and Chartiers Valley (AAAA) its 6th district boys basketball gold ball. Here are ALL of the results from the 2015 WPIAL Boys Basketball Playoffs. ALL of the games from this years postseason can be heard archived here on the MSA Sports Network. 2015 WPIAL CLASS AAAA BOYS BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME:Norwin, Blackhawk, Seton & Vincentian 2015 WPIAL Girls Hoops Champs
Three defending champs were successful in claiming more gold while a first-time winner joined them over Championship Weekend at the University of Pittsburgh. Vincentian Academy continues to dominate Class A with a fourth straight district title while Blackhawk in Triple-A and Seton-LaSalle in Double-A claimed back-to-back titles. The Rebels crown was their fourth in five years. Meanwhile, there is a new King of the Mountain in Quad-A girls hoops as Norwin followed rival Penn-Trafford from last year in capturing a school first district championship. Here ALL of the results from the 2015 WPIAL Girls Basketball Playoffs. All of the games marked (MSA0 can be heard archived here on the MSA Sports Network.FINAL 2014-2015 PIHL High School Hockey Standings
Here are the FINAL 2014-2015 standings for the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Hockey League. You can follow the PIHL high school hockey postseason with weekly audio and video broadcasts, plus the PIHL Notebook every Monday and the PIHL Power Play Show on Thursday night at 8:00pm over the next two weeks right here on the MSA Sports Network. * = Clinched a Penguins Cup Playoff Spot x = Eliminated from Penguins Cup Playoff Chase PIHL CLASS AAA (SET WITH 8 PLAYOFF TEAMS) TEAM
McConnell’s Magical Night Lifts Colts To AAAA Championship
February 28, 2015
This was one for little brother. Matty McConnell scored a game-high 34 points, grabbed ten rebounds and went over the 2,000 point mark in his career on a buzzer-beating half-court shot, leading No. 2 Chartiers Valley (23-3) to a 78-67 win over No. 1 North Allegheny (23-3) in the WPIAL AAAA Boys Basketball Championship on Saturday night at the Petersen Events Center. McConnell’s shot capped a tremendous third quarter comeback by the Colts in which they outscored the Tigers 24-6, helping them rally from, at one point, a 14-point deficit. “It was probably one of the greatest shots I’ve ever taken,” said Matty McConnell, who won a WPIAL Championship in his senior year, just like his brother, current Arizona Point Guard T.J. McConnell.
2015 WPIAL Class AAA Individual Wrestling Final Results
After winning back to back WPIAL and PIAA Team Championships, Franklin Regional flexed their muscles at Penn Hills on Saturday night. The Panthers would become the Southwest Region individual team champions thanks to four wrestlers winning gold and six total wrestlers advancing to next weeks PIAA Championships.2015 PIAA Southwest Wrestling Regional Results
The top Class AA wrestlers around Southwestern Pennsylvania spent Friday and Saturday in Canonsburg doing battle for the top five spots in the upcoming PIAA Class AA Individual Wrestling Championships. Here are the results from Canon-McMillan High School.
Norwin Captures First Ever WPIAL Girls AAAA Gold
Norwin had never appeared in a WPIAL Championship Game until Saturday night, but the Knights played like seasoned champions at the Peterson Events Center, winning the school’s first girls basketball title in convincing fashion over Penn Hills 54-34. The game was tied 11-11 after the first quarter, but Norwin started the second quarter with an 11-0 run which gave the Knights a 22-11 lead. Penn Hills added a quick 4-0 burst before halftime and it was a 7-point game at intermission.
Blackhawk Repeats as Girls AAA Champs With Win Over South Fayette
Blackhawk used a strong kick to break a tie in the final minute of the first half and never looked back in knocking off South Fayette --- Saturday afternoon at the Petersen Events Center at the University of Pittsburgh to repeat as Girls AAA champions. The title was the seventh overall for top-seed Blackhawk and marked the third time they have been able to repeat as WPIAL champions. The Cougars also won back-to-back District 7 crowns in 1996-97 and 1999-2000. The WPIAL’s leading scorer senior Chassidy Omogrosso got off to a hot start with 10 points in the opening quarter as the Cougars jumped out early to a 10-4 lead before the underdog and #10-seed Lions went on a 14-2 run to fight back and forge an 18-18 tie after the first quarter.
Aliquippa Perfect In Dethroning Seton-LaSalle As Boys AA Champ
Aliquippa remains perfect in capturing Class AA boys’ championship The Quips’ quest for perfection remains in tact, as Aliquippa captured the Class AA boys’ championship with a 68-57 victory over Seton-LaSalle at the Petersen Event Center. The victory marks the 11th WPIAL Championship for Aliquippa. Top-seeded Aliquippa, the only unbeaten team in the WPIAL, fell into an early deficit against the defending champions, as Rebels’ senior Ryan Norkus provided an offensive outburst in the first quarter. Norkus netted 16 points in the opening frame, as No. 3 Seton-LaSalle held a 20-14 lead. In the second stanza, both offenses went cold, as the Quips and Rebels mustered only six points each.Royals Flush Trojans for 4th Straight WPIAL Girls A Title
The Vincentian girls’ basketball dynasty continues. For the fourth straight year and the fifth time in six years the Royals wear the Class A crown after claiming yet another title. As has been the custom, this came in impressive fashion with a 74-35 victory over Cardinal Wuerl North Catholic at the Petersen Events Center. It was the Royals ninth championship in the school’s history. The outcome was rarely in doubt as top-seeded Vincentian stormed out to a 27-6 lead after the first quarter. The large cushion was keyed by a ferocious full-court press defense that forced Cardinal Wuerl North Catholic into numerous turnovers. Those turnovers led to a number of easy baskets for Vincentian.
WPIAL Class AAA Individual Wrestling – Day Two Recap
After a calm day on Thursday at Penn Hills for the AAA WPIAL individual Championships, the wrestling action heated up on Friday. A number of upsets occurred in the quarterfinals, with the biggest coming at 126 pounds, where number one seed Mike Heinl of Shaler dropped a 3-1 decision to Hempfield freshman Luke Kemerer. Meanwhile, a pair of number two seeds dropped decisions on Friday to fall into the consolations. At 106 pounds, Logan Macri of Canon McMillan was unable to pickup an escape on Job Chisko of Penn Trafford in the third period to fall 3-2.
Indiana Wins First WPIAL Basketball Title in Dramatic Fashion Over Beaver Falls
February 27, 2015
In another fantastic finish at the Petersen Events Center, the No. 5 Indiana Little Indians (24-2) claimed their first WPIAL basketball championship with a 62-61 comeback win over the No. 2 Beaver Falls Tigers (22-3) on Friday night in the Class AAA title tilt. Senior Riley Stapleton hit an open layup with 1.5 seconds remaining to give the Little Indians the winning margin. Stapleton said he knew he was going to get the ball, as Indiana had a chance to win it after Beaver Falls freshman Torian Leak was tied up with 20.1 seconds to play. The possession arrow favored Indiana, setting up the game-winning basket.
Monessen Hounds Jeannette In 7th WPIAL Championship Victory
The Monessen Greyhounds (20-6) defeated the Jeannette Jayhawks 73-57 to win their seventh WPIAL championship at the Petersen Events Center on the campus of the University of Pittsburgh Friday night. Joe Salvino, in his 31st year at the helm of the Greyhounds, won his fifth title. It was the depth of the Greyhounds that seemed to wear down Jeannette (16-8) throughout the length of the evening. The Jayhawks led at the end of the first period 14-13, but Monessen ratcheted up the defensive pressure in the second quarter and never looked back from there, outscoring Jeannette in the second quarter 21-10 to take a 10-point lead into the break, 34-24.
