Sports
2016 PIAA Girls Volleyball State Playoff Results
November 20, 2016
For the third year in a row, a WPIAL has captured gold in the PIAA Class 1-A girls volleyball playoffs and for the second time in three years, that team is Greensburg Central Catholic. The Centurions were dominant Saturday at Richland High School in Johnstown as they swept past Marian Catholic in three games for the schools second state championship. Here are ALL the final results from the 2016 PIAA Girls Volleyball Playoffs. 2016 PIAA CLASS 4-A GIRLS VOLLEYBALL CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH: Garnet Valley Jaguars 3 - Parkland Trojans 2 (25-19, 27-29, 19-25, 25-20, 15-8) PIAA CLASS 4-A Semifinals:WPIAL Football Semifinals Recaps 2016
November 19, 2016
The new high school football postseason format has some strange twists that will take some time getting used to. Usually after the four games in one day marathon at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh, district high school football fans usually can unwind for another week prior to the WPIAL winners entering the PIAA playoffs. However less than 24 hours after the 6-A, 5-A, 4-A and 3-A champions were crowned at the big house on the North Shore of Pittsburgh, the 2-A and 1-A playoffs continued with the Semifinals, setting the stage for next Saturdays completion of The Road to RMU. Here are the summaries of those four high school football Semifinals games. A special thanks to Bob Gregg, Steve Nagler, Bob Barrickman and Jimmy Lee Santorella for their help on these recaps.Scholastic Notebook – 11/19/2016
When a roughing-the-kicker penalty gave D.J. Opsatnik another chance at a game-tying field goal in Friday’s WPIAL Class 5 championship at Heinz Field, Opsatnik took advantage, making a 34-yarder that sent the game into overtime. West Allegheny eventually defeated McKeesport, 38-37, to win the title. But not only did that penalty give Opsatnik another chance to tie the game, it ended up giving him a future chance at the state record for career field goals.
Central Catholic’s 6th WPIAL Title Comes in First 6-A Finals
Pittsburgh Central Catholic used its tried and true formula – a power running attack and suffocating defense – along with crucial special teams plays to secure the first 6A football title in WPIAL history, defeating Seneca Valley 42-7 at Heinz Field. In the process, the top-seeded Vikings (12-1) claimed their second-straight championship, and sixth in team history. All of the previous titles for Central Catholic came in Class Quad-A.
TJ Storms Past New Castle to Repeat as WPIAL Champs
November 18, 2016
For many teams across the district, winning a WPIAL Championship seems like a giant mountain to climb. For Thomas Jefferson, that mountain feels more like a hill. Quinton Hill, that is. Hill rushed for 248 yards on 39 carries and scored three touchdowns for the Jaguars as they rolled to a 42-0 victory over New Castle in the WPIAL Class 4A Championship Game at Heinz Field. The Jaguars repeat as WPIAL champions, winning in the Class AAA title clash last season also with a convincing shutout. After their semifinal victory last week, coach Bill Cherpak said his Thomas Jefferson squad was "going home" to Heinz Field. Maybe the Rooney family should charge rent to Coach Cherpak, as his Jaguars have won six WPIAL titles at Heinz Field since 2004.
West Allegheny Wins First WPIAL 5-A Title in OT Thriller
The West Allegheny Indians made sure there was no miracle for McKeesport on Friday at Heinz Field, but the Indians may be the team believing in magic after defeating the Tigers 38-37 in dramatic fashion in overtime at Heinz Field in a thrilling game to become the first 5A WPIAL Champion. Any championship win is special for any team, but the special teams play for both McKeesport and West Allegheny played a huge part in shaping this title game.
Beaver Falls Avenges Lone Loss With 3-A Title Win Over Aliquippa
After losing the season opener to Aliquippa 44-13, Beaver Falls Coach Ryan Matsook said every game was important throughout the rest of the season. Obviously, his team believed in that sentiment. The Tigers have not lost since with the latest win being a 35-22 victory over that same Aliquippa team, extending their winning streak to 11 games in the WPIAL Class 3A title game at Heinz Field. The Tigers grabbed a lead and had to hold on tight, withstanding a furious Aliquippa rally late in the fourth quarter.Chicks Picks for Week Twelve
November 17, 2016
Welcome to Week 12 of the high school football season. After an incredible performance predicting last week’s winners, Chick’s Picks decided that she could take the rest of the season off and leave it in the hands of her trusty crystal ball. So, she packed up her golf clubs and boarded a plane headed for her favorite southern destination. The sun was shining beautifully on a warm fall morning. Chick’s Picks took a moment to enjoy the view on the first hole. Just as she was about to tee off, she heard a man yell, “Hey!”Big Game Hunting for Week Twelve
Big Game Hunting salutes one of the all-time greats of the game. In addition to being one of the greatest football coaches southwestern Pennsylvania has ever known, George Novak was always more than helpful, more than kind and more than welcoming to me personally. He was all those things, win or lose, and he was all those things, first game of the year or championship game. That’s class, there is a striking lack of it in today’s society. He takes a big chunk into retirement with him. I wish him all the best and congratulate him on a fantastic career. Have fun coach! This weekend we get the odd situation of Championship Games on Friday followed by semi-finals on Saturday.
Woodland Hills’ Only Football Coach and AD George Novak Retires
November 16, 2016
The only football coach and athletic director that Woodland Hills High School has ever known submitted his resignation papers Wednesday. George Novak, Pennsylvania’s 14th all-time winningest high school football coach, is stepping down after an illustrious 30-year career. Novak, 66, has won six WPIAL Championships while guiding the Wolverines to 306 wins along the way, the third best mark in WPIAL history. Only former Blackhawk coach Joe Hamilton and current Upper St. Clair coach Jim Render have won more games. “I’ve been blessed,” Novak told MSA Sports on This Week in the WPIAL after his 300th win in September. “I’ve had some great people to work with at Steel Valley and Woodland Hills.”2016 PIAA Field Hockey State Playoffs
November 15, 2016
The PIAA has been sponsoring state playoffs for girls field hockey since 1974. In the 43 years since Elizabethtown captured gold in the first title match, a team from the WPIAL has never.....ever won a state title. That streak will continue this year as all three WPIAL teams, Fox Chapel, Pine-Richland and Ellis School were eliminated in Round One. Here are all the results through the Semifinals of the 2016 PIAA Field Hockey Playoffs, plus the sites and times for the State Championship Matches on Saturday. 2016 PIAA CLASS 3-A GIRLS FIELD HOCKEY CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH:WPIAL Plays of the Week – Week Eleven 2016
As good as the regular season and the first playoff week were, it's likely that this past week's action provided some of the top moments of the entire campaign. With trips at Heinz Field on the line in 3A-6A, and spots in the semifinals in the balance in 1A and 2A, the crucial plays carried even more importance. This week's selection includes a jaw-dropping hook-and-lateral in an improbable win, a clinching block on an extra-point attempt with no time on the clock, a winning touchdown run in the final minute in a classic 3A bout, and a touchdown that put the exclamation point on a Cinderella run in 4A. 1. McKeesport 41, Gateway 38
