Football
Scholastic Notebook – 01/30/2015
January 30, 2015
With a little more than a week left in the regular season, Aliquippa and Sewickley Academy are the only two undefeated teams in WPIAL boys basketball at 18-0. For both, it is a return to glory this season. Aliquippa has a rich basketball tradition, but the Quips hit a rough patch from 2010-13, compiling a record below .500 for three consecutive seasons under coach Bobby Williams. Things started to return to normal last year under first-year coach Nick Lackovich when the Quips finished 20-7. Now, things are terrific at Aliquippa and this could be a team for the ages at the Beaver County school. It’s not known when the last time was Aliquippa finished the regular season with a perfect record. It has been at least four decades.Scholastic Notebook – 01/23/2015
January 23, 2015
Laurel High School picked a Locke a few years ago. Now, the Spartans have found the keys to winning basketball. The Laurel boys team is one of the big turnaround stories in the WPIAL this season. The Spartans are 13-3 and in second place in Section 1 of Class AA. They are the MSA Sports No. 5-ranked Class AA team. The main directing the turnaround is Ken Locke. Laurel hired him before the 2012 season and Locke, a 1995 Laurel graduate, has done a great job in turning around the Spartans.Football Anyone? WPIAL Football 2015 Alignment/Schedules Released
January 22, 2015
The High School football season is only 224 days away! Don’t laugh; it will be here before you know it. With that being said, this week the WPIAL released their football schedules for the upcoming 2015 season. The WPIAL was forced to make four realignment changes due to the upcoming merger between Ford City and Kittanning High Schools, which is forming Armstrong High School starting this fall.Joe Hamilton Resigns As Blackhawk Football Coach
January 20, 2015
In today’s world, only a few high school football coaches last more than ten years, let alone 39 years at the same school. That was the legacy of Joe Hamilton and the Blackhawk Cougars, but it came to an end Tuesday when Hamilton submitted his resignation. In the almost four decades at Blackhawk, Hamilton’s teams won 295 games, four WPIAL championships including three straight in 1991-92-93, played for the WPIAL title nine times and made three trips to the PIAA championship games.Scholastic Notebook – 01/16/2015
January 16, 2015
The Mars boys basketball team doesn’t have one senior in the starting lineup. That might lead you to believe the Planets are maybe a year away from making their mark on WPIAL basketball. But this Mars team has figured, why wait? Mars takes a 14-1 record into Friday night’s home game against Burrell. Mars is fresh off a 21-point victory Tuesday over a Hampton team that was previously undefeated and the MSA Sports No. 1 WPIAL Class AAA team.Scholastic Notebook – 01/09/2015
January 9, 2015
New Castle High School’s Malik Hooker apparently isn’t the only one who wears the athletic “genes” in the family. Hooker was one of the best two-sport athletes in the state the past two years, standing out in football and basketball. He now is a freshman football player at Ohio State, but is being redshirted this year. Two of Hooker’s younger brothers are now playing on the New Castle basketball. One of them is the team’s leading scorer in his first year as a starter. Marquel Hooker, a 5-foot-10 junior, is averaging 16.4 points a game. He never saw regular varsity time before this season.MSA Sports Countdown – Top 25 WPIAL Stories From 2014 – 01/07/2015
January 7, 2015
It has become a tradition like no other...at least during the holidays here at MSA Sports. Here is a look back at another great high school sports year with the top stories from around the WPIAL in 2014. We conclude our countdown with all 25 stories from #25 through #1. #25 - Game, Set, Match and Gold The unique streak continued in 2014 for Sewickley Academy. 2009 was the last time a Panthers duo did not win gold the WPIAL boys doubles tennis tournament. back in April, the Sewickley Academy tandem of Ryan Gex and Luke Vith won gold in Class AA.Scholastic Notebook – 01/02/2015
January 2, 2015
As WPIAL basketball heads into the new year, two of the best teams – record-wise – are the Southmoreland boys and the Jefferson-Morgan girls. Say what? Yes, it is unheard of the past few decades for the Southmoreland boys and Jefferson-Morgan girls to be doing so well in the same season. Winning isn’t associated much with the two teams. But get this: There is only one loss between them. The Southmoreland boys are 10-1 and the Jefferson-Morgan girls are 10-0.
MSA Sports Countdown – Top 25 WPIAL Stories From 2014 – 01/01/2015
January 1, 2015
It has become a tradition like no other...at least during the holidays here at MSA Sports. It's time to look back at another high school sports year with the top stories from around the WPIAL in 2014. We conclude our countdown with the five stories that ended up #5 through #1. {Left: Brianna Schwartz of Shaler crosses the finish line to win the WPIAL Girls Class AAA cross-county championship, her third straight title} #5 - Sister Power In 2013, the Kluska sisters made news when older sister Alyvia forfeited her WPIAL Class AA Consolation match to Michaela, thus earning the then freshman a spot in the PIAA girls individual singles tennis playoffs.
MSA Sports Countdown – Top 25 WPIAL Stories From 2014 – #10-#6
December 31, 2014
It has become a tradition like no other...at least during the holidays here at MSA Sports. It's time to look back at another high school sports year with the top stories from around the WPIAL in 2014. We continue our countdown with the five stories that ended up #10 through #6. {Left: After winning a third PIAA individual wrestling title, Kittanning's Jason Nolf accepts the Outstanding AA Wrestler trophy} #10 - The Storm Ends It was going to happen at some time this season that the New Castle Red Hurricanes boys basketball team would taste defeat. New Castle had an amazing run over the last three years, claiming consecutive WPIAL championships and finishing the run with a 31-0 season and a state title in March.
MSA Sports Countdown – Top 25 WPIAL Stories From 2014 – #15-#11
December 30, 2014
It has become a tradition like no other...at least during the holidays here at MSA Sports. It's time to look back at another high school sports year with the top stories from around the WPIAL in 2014. We continue our countdown with the five stories that ended up #15 through #11. {Left: Burrell celebrates an 8th consecutive WPIAL Double-A team wrestling championship after edging South Fayette in early February} #15 - Rebels With a Cause Seton-LaSalle High School colors are green and gold. This past basketball season, there was heavy emphasis on the GOLD. The Rebels were one last second shot away from making history by having both the boys and girls hoop teams sweep both district and state championships.
MSA Sports Countdown – Top 25 WPIAL Stories From 2014 – 12/28/2014
December 28, 2014
It has become a tradition like no other...at least during the holidays here at MSA Sports. It's time to look back at another high school sports year with the top stories from around the WPIAL in 2014. We begin our countdown with the five stories that ended up #25 through #21. {Left: Central Valley Warriors football team celebrates at Heinz Field after edging West Allegheny in the 2014 AAA football title game} #25 - Game, Set, Match and Gold The unique streak continued in 2014 for Sewickley Academy. 2009 was the last time a Panthers duo did not win gold the WPIAL boys doubles tennis tournament. back in April, the Sewickley Academy tandem of Ryan Gex and Luke Vith won gold in Class AA.Scholastic Notebook – 12/19/2014
December 19, 2014
When are two Bucs worth nearly 20 apiece? When you watch Sydney Bordonaro and Natalie Myers play basketball. Bordonaro and Myers are standouts on the Burrell Bucs girls basketball team. They could end up being a one-two scoring punch for the ages. Bordonaro is a 5-foot-7 senior guard while Myers is a 5-11 sophomore forward. After Thursday night’s games, Bordonaro was averaging exactly 20 points a game. Myers was averaging 18.6. They had helped Burrell to a 7-0 record. Over the past 31 seasons, there have only been four duos in the WPIAL who have averaged 20 points or more for the regular season. There is a chance Bordonaro and Myers will become the fifth.2015 WPIAL Football Alignment Changes
December 16, 2014
The WPIAL Board of Control has approved changes in the football alignment for next season forced by the merger of Kittanning and Ford City High Schools to form Armstrong High School starting in the fall of 2015. Armstrong High School will be a AAA school and has been placed in the Greater Allegheny Conference with Franklin Regional, Gateway, Greensburg-Salem, Hampton, Hollidaysburg, Indiana, Knoch and Mars. Yough moves from the Greater Allegheny Conference to the Big Nine Conference (soon to be Big Ten?) with Albert Gallatin, Belle Vernon, Elizabeth Forward, Laurel Highlands, Ringgold, Thomas Jefferson, Trinity, Uniontown and West Mifflin.
2014 PIAA FOOTBALL PLAYOFF RESULTS
December 14, 2014
When the final second ticked off, closing out a gray and chilly final weekend of football in Pennsylvania, three of the champions crowned in Hershey for 2014 wore the gold crown in 2013 as well. While the WPIAL struggled to a 1-3 weekend, the theme of the finals was 'repeat' as St. Joe's Prep in AAAA, Archbishop Wood in AAA and South Fayette in AA all claimed a second consecutive state championship, while Bishop Guilfoyle in Class A from District 6 captured the schools first ever PIAA football title. Here are ALL of the final results from the 2014 PIAA Football Playoffs. All results with (MSA) after can be heard archived on The Network. 2014 PIAA CLASS AAAA CHAMPIONSHIP FOOTBALL GAME:
Pine-Richland Falls In A Wild Finish in State Quad-A Title Game
December 13, 2014
In 2003, the Pine-Richland Rams played what has been called the most memorable game in PIAA Championship history, falling to Manheim Central 39-38 in overtime in blizzard conditions. The 2014 Quad A championship game may also go down in the books as one of the best ever, as the Rams rallied from a 21-point, fourth quarter deficit and had a chance to claim the title, before falling to St. Joseph’s Prep 49-41 at Hersheypark Stadium. The Hawks claimed their second consecutive championship with the victory.
South Fayette Runs By Dunmore For Second Straight PIAA AA Crown
One decision can change everything. Just ask Jack Henzes. After electing to go for a touchdown on a 4th and goal at the South Fayette 5-yard line, up 16-14, and failing, Henzes, the long-time Dunmore coach, would see his grip on the PIAA AA Championship slip away. On the first play after the defensive stand, South Fayette (16-0) tailback Hunter Hayes would burst through a hole and go 95 yards for a go-ahead score, lifting the Lions to a 28-16 win over Dunmore (14-2) at Hersheypark Stadium. The win is the second in a row in the AA Championship for the Lions, who routed Imhotep Charter 41-0 a year ago. The victory also extended South Fayette’s winning streak to 32-straight games, making them the first AA team to ever repeat as Champions.
Archbishop Wood Bullies Central Valley For Second Straight AAA Crown
December 12, 2014
For the second year in a row, Archbishop Wood used a bludgeoning rushing attack to run away with the PIAA AAA State Championship. The Vikings (14-1) rushed for 379 yards, taking down WPIAL Champion Central Valley 33-14 on Friday night at Hersheypark Stadium. Villanova recruit Jarrett McClenton, who surpassed 2,000 rushing yards on the season on the opening drive, ran for 230 yards and four touchdowns. His lead blocker, fullback Alex Arcangeli, rushed for 132 yards and another score for the Vikings, who have won three AAA titles in four years.
Clairton Falls Inches Short in PIAA Class A Football Championship Game
An old saying is that defense wins championships and that was the case in the PIAA Class A State Championship on Friday afternoon as the Bishop Guilfoyle Marauders shut down the Clairton Bears offense when it counted to claim a 19-18 victory at Hersheypark Stadium. The Bears entered the championship game averaging 62 points per game and had a chance of breaking a national scoring record. The win for Bishop Guilfoyle gives the Marauders a perfect 16-0 season and ended the Bears’ dreams, finishing at 15-1.2014 MSA SPORTS ELITE ELEVEN
Pine-Richland quarterback Ben DiNucci and South Fayette’s Brett Brumbaugh are prolific passers whose senior seasons have been very much alike in terms of statistics and team success. DiNucci and Brumbaugh are also alike in the MSA Sports staff eyes. They are both players of the year. The MSA Sports staff found it impossible to separate the two in terms of accomplishments this season. So, the two have been selected co-Players of the Year. DiNucci and Brumbaugh also lead the MSA Sports’ Elite 11. The all-star team is made up of the top 11 players in the WPIAL, regardless of position. Here is a look at the players of the year and the Elite 11. CO-PLAYER OF THE YEAR - BRETT BRUMBAUGH, SOUTH FAYETTE QB, 6-4, 195, SR.
