Football
Scholastic Notebook – 11/14/2014
November 14, 2014
It has been well-documented how Pine-Richland quarterback Ben DiNucci has turned out to be one of the most prolific passers in the history of the WPIAL. But DiNucci also has benefitted from a terrific one-two receiving punch. It looks like you could call seniors D’ondre Gastion and Mike Merhaut are a receiving duo for the ages. There are no records available for best receiving one-two punches, but you can bet you will be hard-pressed to find many duos from the same team who have been as productive as Gastion and Merhaut. How many teams have had two receivers with 100 or more career catches? But that’s what Pine-Richland has in Gastion and Merhaut, a pair of seniors.District 5, 6, 8, 9 & 10 High School Football Playoffs UPDATE
November 13, 2014
While the WPIAL Football Playoffs hit Final Four Friday, other neighboring districts in Western Pennsylvania continued their gridiron postseason this weekend. All of these district football playoffs eventually funnel into the 2014 PIAA Football Playoffs and the Road to Hershey next weekend. Here are ALL the results from Friday and Saturday in the District 5, District 6, District 9 and District 10 playoffs. DISTRICT 6/8/9/10 CLASS AAAA Semifinals: Erie McDowell Trojans 35 - Brashear Bulls 6 State College Little Lions 29 - DuBois Beavers 7 DISTRICT 5/6/9/10 CLASS AAA Championship Game: Somerset Golden Eagles 27 - Clearfield Bison 0Chicks Picks – Week Twelve – 2014
Welcome to Week 12 of the high school football season. It has been a long journey down the Highway to Heinz this season. Approaching the last exit on the distinguished roadway, Chick’s Picks thought it would be an appropriate time for the entire MSA Sports crew to stop for a bite to eat. Leading the way, Chick’s Picks chose her favorite downtown restaurant. As the crew gathered in the lobby, the host approached—and was astonished when he saw who was in the party. “Why, Ms. Picks, it is an honor to host you and your friends in our establishment,” he said as he led the crew to their table. As the host distributed menus to each person, he noted, “Please take a close look at our weekly specials.”WPIAL Big Game Hunting – Week Twelve
November 12, 2014
The Final off ramp on the Highway to Heinz is here and the WPIAL Football playoff Steering Committee is celebrating one of their finest moments ever. Each classification features seeds 1,2,3 and 5 still standing as we get set for semi-final Friday. The semi-finals feature the top three passers in the WPIAL and the top two rushers for the year are still alive as well. All the games are fantastic and so we at Big Game Hunting must make "Sophie's Choice" in each classification. We do not have any problem with that. You can send your complaints to drebel@MSASports.net.2014 WPIAL FOOTBALL PLAYOFFS
November 10, 2014
There is no Cinderella in the field, no long shots with several eye-brow raisers on their resume. No, only the strong have survived in the first two rounds on the Highway to Heinz. In fact, a tip of the cap to the district football steering committee as all four #1, #2, #3 and #5 seeds have done what was expected through two rounds and now they are headed to the Semifinals. Here are ALL of the final scores through the Quarterfinals, plus the sites and times for Final Four Friday in the 2014 WPIAL Football Playoffs heard ONLY here on MSA Sports. WPIAL CLASS AAAA Semifinals:This Week on the MSA Sports Network – 11/09/2014
November 9, 2014
The journey on the Highway to Heinz is half way through and continues in full force this week here on the MSA Sports Network. The WPIAL Football Playoffs hit the Semifinals and Final Four Friday. We also have a pair of District 6 Class A Semifinals football postseason games and four PIHL high school hockey contests including two video-stream games, and the debut of men's and women's college basketball, plus its another edition of This Week in the WPIAL ALL here at MSAsports.net Monday, November 10th: No BroadcastsWPIAL Friday Night HighLights for 11/7
November 8, 2014
Gone but not forgotten from the WPIAL football championship chase on the second exit on the Highway to Heinz: Two Vikings, Two Rams (one that was Golden)...several members of the cat family including as pair of Panthers, a Tiger, a Mountain Lion and a Wildcat...a few birds such as an Eagle and a Jayhawk...a Wolverine, a Mustang, a Talbot, a Little Indian and a Planet. Some were awaken from their golden dreams but players listed below, whose ride on the Highway to Heinz will continue for another week toward the hard to reach town of Final Foursville. Ben DiNucci - Pine-RichlandWPIAL Football Playoff Quarterfinals Recaps
While there were some hints early on, some ooohs and aaahs as certain scores trickled in with upset alert written all over them. But in the end, 14 of the 16 higher seeds won and advanced with the lone exceptions begin a couple of #5 seeds defeating two #4 seeds. Here are ALL the recaps from the 16 games on Quarterfinals Friday, with archives of all these games available on The Network. A special thanks to Brandon Showers, Gero Von Dahn, Sean Meyers, Adam Hoerner, Paul Paterra, T.J. DiStefano, Sam Hall, Rob Matzie, Dennis Fischer, Rob Longo, Bob Orkwis, Randy Gore, Charlie Weston, Mark Schaas, Bob Barrickman and Bob Gregg for their help on these recaps. WPIAL CLASS AAAA Quarterfinals:Scholastic Notebook – 11/07/2014
November 7, 2014
If the first round of the WPIAL playoffs proved anything, it was that the Foothills are alive. Since coming back to being a WPIAL conference in 2006, the Foothills was always thought to be the weaker sister to all of the other Class AAAA conferences. Sure, it might have had a strong team like a Gateway, Penn-Trafford or even Central Catholic. But as far as strength from top to bottom, the Foothills didn’t measure up. This year, though, the Foothills flexed some muscle like never before. Four Foothills teams won first-round games – Penn-Trafford, McKeesport, Altoona and Plum. It was the first time since 2006 that the top four teams in the Foothills won first-round games. The two that lost were fifth-place Norwin and sixth-place Connellsville.WPIAL & City League Week 11 Friday Football Scores
We came upon the second exit on the Highway to Heinz, where the lines between favorites and underdogs was supposed to be a little more blurred. While that might been the case in Class AAAA, the other three classifications seem to have a little more clarity in who advancing would surprise nobody and which teams winning Friday would raise plenty of eyebrows. Here is a rundown of the 16 WPIAL Quarterfinals results, all heard only here on The Network. WPIAL CLASS AAAA Quarterfinals: Pine-Richland Rams 49 - Altoona Mountain Lions 7 (MSA) McKeesport Tigers 20 - Plum Mustangs 5 (MSA) Penn-Trafford Warriors 35 - North Allegheny Tigers 31 (MSA)District 5, 6, 8, 9 & 10 High School Football Playoffs
While the WPIAL Football Playoffs hit the Quarterfinals Friday stage, other neighboring districts in Western Pennsylvania are also now into their gridiron postseason. All of these district football playoffs eventually funnel into the 2014 PIAA Football Playoffs and the Road to Hershey. Here are ALL the final results from Friday and Saturday schedule in the District 5, District 6, District 9 and District 10 playoffs. DISTRICT 5/8 CLASS AA Semifinals: Chestnut Ridge Lions 35 - Westinghouse Bulldogs 0 DISTRICT 5 CLASS A Quarterfinals: Berlin-Brothersvalley Mountaineers 61 - Conemaugh Township Indians 0 Shade Panthers 15 - Northern Bedford County Panthers 0Chicks Picks – Week Eleven – 2014
November 6, 2014
Welcome to Week 11 of the high school football season. Chick’s Picks is an avid fan of the Pittsburgh Dad video series, always looking forward to new episodes every Tuesday. Needless to say, she was pleasantly surprised this Tuesday, when she saw her own name mentioned in the caption. Chick’s Picks clicked play without further delay. Pittsburgh Dad started off the episode in his finest Pittsburghese, “Yinz heard about that lady that says she can predict WPIAL football games? Well, I can do that, too. Hey Deb, bring me my magic eight ball.”WPIAL Big Game Hunting – Week Eleven
November 5, 2014
And so we are off on the Highway to Heinz, some great games in the first round as always but things will really pick up here in the quarters. The first round was fairly “chalk” with A being the only classification to lose more than one higher seeded team, yes Beth Center and Frazier were both from the TCS. AA lost only an eight seed as South Park blocked Beaver’s attempt at a game-winning field goal as time expired. AAA saw only their seven seed, Montour go out falling hard to Mars. AAAA had just one upset but it was by far the biggest “eyebrow raiser” of the night as the Plum Mustangs ousted the four, Penn Hills. Who will surprise us in the quarters? Let’s go Big Game Hunting, and see if we find anything!Peters Twp, South Park & Winchester Thurston Win WPIAL Boys Soccer Gold
November 3, 2014
Three district boys soccer champions: One is a repeat winner...one was a perfect champions with an undefeated season to this point...the third is on top of the boys district soccer world for the first time ever. No matter how you slice it, Peters Township, South Park and Winchester Thurston all pitched shutouts in the finals and the three allowed only one goal combined in twelve games with the Indians and Bears blanking all of their postseason opponents. Here are ALL of the results from the 2014 WPIAL Boys Soccer Playoffs. 2014 WPIAL BOYS SOCCER CLASS AAA CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH: Peters Township Indians 1 - Upper St. Clair Panthers 0 (MSA) WPIAL CLASS AAA Consolation:This Week on the MSA Sports Network – 11/02/2014
November 2, 2014
With the WPIAL soccer, girls volleyball and girls field hockey playoffs in the rear view mirror, the focus is on the district football postseason this week here on the MSA Sports Network. The Highway to Heinz moves to the second exit as we broadcast all 16 games on Quarterfinals Friday along with high school football playoff action from both District 6 and District 9. We also have action from the PIAA with state FIELD hockey and video/audio ICE hockey action, plus another edition of This Week in the WPIAL and the Indiana County Football Coaches Show ALL here at MSAsports.net
Brashear Is Golden in City League Title Game
November 1, 2014
The Brashear Bulls claimed their tenth Pittsburgh City League football championship in a convincing way with a 42-14 victory over the Allderdice Dragons Saturday afternoon at Cupples Stadium. Quarterback Therron Coleman was named the game’s MVP, going six of eight for 56 yards through the air and rushing for 62 yards and a score in the win. The win avenges a 36-0 loss to the Dragons in week 4.WPIAL Friday Night HighLights for 10/31
You remember some of the homemade costumes from back in the day, don't you? While all the neighborhood kids had fancy costumes, you had a while cloth diaper on your head with a while coat and were supposed to be a doctor. Or you had a big box on your torso and a little one on your head and each box was covered with aluminum foil and you were a robot. Or grab the bed sheet, cut out some eyes and a ghost was born. Those Halloween costumes pail to what these young men wore on Friday night as they collected a pillow case full of tasty big plays dressed up in various super hero costumes in leading their teammates past all of the tricks and on to the treat of playing in the WPIAL Quarterfinals. Ben DiNucci - Pine-RichlandWPIAL Football Playoff First Round Recaps 2014
'Taking care of business, every day. Taking car of business, every way.' With apologies to Bachman-Turner Overdrive, that might have been the theme for the top seeds Friday night as 22 of the 24 Top Six seeds produced victories of various degree and advanced as expected past the First Round and on to the district football Quarterfinals. Here are recaps from the opening night of the 2014 version of the Highway to Heinz.WPIAL Week 10 Friday Football Scores
October 31, 2014
Was Round One of the 2014 WPIAL Football Playoffs a Trick or a Treat for your favorite football team? That was the question after opening round fell on Halloween night this year. WPIAL Executive Director Tim O'Malley braved the wet and chilly conditions and head out with his big giant scissors to cut the ribbon to officially open the Highway to Heinz. Chyeck out ALL of the results from the First Round on Friday. You can listen to ALL 32 postseason games archived on MSAsports.net WPIAL CLASS AAAA First Round: Pine-Richland Rams 63 - Connellsville Falcons 6 (MSA) Altoona Mountain Lions 27 - Bethel Park Black Hawks 17 (MSA) Plum Mustangs 17 - Penn Hills Indians 6 (MSA)Scholastic Notebook – 10/31/2014
The Southmoreland football team failed to make the WPIAL football postseason again. The Scotties haven’t been to the playoffs since 1979, the longest current drought in the WPIAL. But there are some other playoff droughts that are notable as the WPIAL playoffs get under way Friday with 32 games around the area. Three teams in the postseason have never won a WPIAL playoff game. Never, ever, ever. They are Laurel Highlands, Mapletown and Altoona. Altoona is a little deceiving. The school re-joined the WPIAL for football only a few years ago. But the school played in the WPIAL a long time ago. Altoona has played in only two previous WPIAL playoff games. The last was in 2012. The first was in 1969 when Altoona lost to Gateway in the WPIAL final.
