Sports
WPIAL Alum Q&A – Callie Frey
September 28, 2015
This week’s edition of WPIAL Alum Q&A highlights Callie Frey, a former championship tennis player for Mount Lebanon High School who is now excelling at the University of Pittsburgh. While at Mount Lebanon, Frey captured four section titles in singles play, and during both her junior and senior seasons, she won the Class AAA WPIAL Championship. In the process, she became the first tennis play from Mount Lebanon in nearly 30 years to accomplish the feat.2015 WPIAL & Pittsburgh City League Standings – Week 4
September 27, 2015
Here are the latest WPIAL and Pittsburgh City League football standings through Friday of Week Four of the 2015 high school football season. Once again this year, we have added points for, point against and the updated WPIAL tiebreaker points for all 123 teams. Standings are updated after Friday and Saturday's scholastic gridiron action each week. Standings can be also seen on each teams football webpage here on the MSA Sports Network. (Top 5 teams from AAAA and AAA conferences qualify for playoffs plus a sixth place wild card team) (Top 4 teams from AA and A conferences qualify for the playoffs) # = Clinched Section Title * = Clinched Playoff Berth x = Eliminated From Playoff ChaseThis Week on the MSA Sports Network – 09/27/2015
We have plenty of fall high school sports as the calendar changes from September to October this week here on the MSA Sports Network. We move on to Week Five of the high school football season with 28 WPIAL weekend contests starting Friday night with the MSA Sports Pregame Show and concluding later that night with the WPIAL Football Scoreboard Show.WPIAL Saturday’s Scholastic Starz – Week Four
Saturday was a perfect afternoon/evening for high school football, perfectly timed for two schools in particular as Shady Side Academy and Beaver High School celebrated picture perfect homecoming weekends and the tradition of playing on a Saturday instead of Friday night. here are the Top Four performances from the Fourth Friday of the 2015 season from a pair of AA Allegheny Conference afternoon games and two conference contests played under the lights. Darius Wise - BeaverDistrict College Football Recap for September 26th
September is coming to an end and teams are starting to pull away on the local college football front. Division play opened up in the PSAC, conference play continues in the PAC. The NEC schools have to wait one more week before starting their conference acton. Here are recaps of ALL the games: Seton Hill 41 – Slippery Rock 38 In a game of scores and quick answers, the Griffins dump the #14 Rock at Offutt Field. Christian Strong threw 4 first half touchdown passes for Seton Hill. Strong was 29 of 52 for 472 yards, his counterpart, Dante Nania(Hempfield), posted 414 yards passing and 2 scores.WPIAL Saturday Football Scores – 09/26/2015
September 26, 2015
Sooner or later, the weather will turn cold and nasty, but until then high school football fans can continue to comfortably head out and enjoy the mass production of points being produced by high school football teams throughout the WPIAL. The fourth Saturday of the season featured four football contests, a pair of Class AA Allegheny Conference contests in the afternoon and a Class AA and Class A conference matchup under the lights to close the door on the fourth weekend of play. Here are all four of the final results. WPIAL CLASS AA Allegheny Conference: Valley Vikings 35 - Summit Academy Knights 8 Deer Lakes Lancers 28 - Shady Side Academy Indians 9 (MSA) WPIAL CLASS AA Midwestern Athletic Conference:WPIAL Friday Night HighLights – Week Four
The fourth Friday of the 2015 WPIAL football season was a night filled with Firsts and Lasts. On the first Friday of Autumn, six teams got off the deck and won their first game of the season including one team winning for the first time in four seasons (more on that later). But without question on this last Friday of September, all of the nights winners are hoping this wont be their last taste of victory in 2015. Speaking of taste, here are ten performances that were absolutely delicious to all except the opposing team. Shaler TitansScholastic Notebook – 09/25/2015
September 25, 2015
It’s a Zane-y world out there in WPIAL football so far this season. After the first three weeks of the season, Zane Dudek is atop the WPIAL in rushing yards – and also points scored. Dudek is a 5-foot-10, 180-pound junior running back at Armstrong High School. This is Armstrong’s first year of existence after Ford City and Kittanning merged to form Armstrong. Dudek is certainly bringing some attention to the Riverhawks. Dudek has rushed for 736 yards on 67 carries, an average of 10.9 yards a carry. No other WPIAL running back has 600 yards rushing. Dudek is tied for the scoring lead with Beth-Center’s Tony Welsh at 72 points.WPIAL/Pittsburgh City League Friday Football Scores – 09/24/2015
September 24, 2015
With a tip of the cap to the late, great Steve Sabol: "The Autumn Wind is a pirate, Blustering in from sea, With a rollicking song, he sweeps along, Swaggering boisterously. His face is weather beaten. He wears a hooded sash, With a silver hat about his head, And a bristling black mustache.He growls as he storms the country, A villain big and bold.And the trees all shake and quiver and quake, As he robs them of their gold. The Autumn Wind is a raider, Pillaging just for fun. He'll knock you 'round and upside down, And laugh when he's conquered and won.
Hometown Boys Soccer Recap – Seneca Valley Raiders – 09/24/2015
In a rematch of last year’s WPIAL Class AAA Quarterfinals matchup in which Butler upset Seneca Valley, the Raiders found some revenge and helped solidify their No. 1 ranking in AAA by shutting out the Golden Tornado, 2-0.Chicks Picks – Week 4 – 2015
Welcome to Week 4 of the high school football season. Last Friday night, as Chick’s Picks monitored the various MSA Sports Network social media feeds, she noticed a newcomer to the Twittersphere – one who called himself @avonworthmascot. Could it be? Could Chick’s Picks’ favorite WPIAL mascot of all time finally be here on Twitter? Without hesitation, Chick’s Picks clicked the “Follow” button. Moments later, Chick’s Picks received a Twitter notification of her own, letting her know that she had a new follower: @avonworthmascot himself. Chick’s Picks was flattered to say the least, and immediately showed her delight with a happy dance throughout MSA Sports World Headquarters, much to the dismay of The Boss.MSA Sports Top Ten – WPIAL Girls Volleyball – 09/24/2015
Here are the MSA Sports Top Ten WPIAL girls volleyball rankings for the week of September 21st...including a NEW #1 team in Class AA. You can check out the new rankings every Thursday through the regular season with weekly matches heard live and archived, including Hometown Soccer broadcasts each week. You can also listen to exclusive coverage of the 2015 WPIAL Girls Volleyball Playoffs sponsored by Carlow University in October ONLY here on the MSA Sports Network. Section record in parenthesis. WPIAL GIRLS VOLLEYBALL CLASS AAA: 1) BALDWIN HIGHLANDERS (4-0) (Last Week #1)WPIAL Big Game Hunting – Week Four – 09/23/2015
September 23, 2015
One third of the regular season is in the books and there are still a lot of questions to be answered. There were some big games in week three that seemed to indicate that 2015 might be wide open with regards to the teams with a chance to reach Heinz Field. That’s what makes this job so much fun. You see, you research, and you get a feel for history, and coaches, and programs but the bottom-line is you cannot really know what will happen when those kids go out there and take the field every Friday night. We do know it will be fun, and we also know MSA Sports will be the ultimate place for you to find out what happened, and how and, why it happened. More unbeaten teams will fall this weekend, it’s time to go Big Game Hunting!District College Football Preview for September 26th
Week 4 of the local college football season sees conference play open in the PSAC. League games also take place in the PAC, while NEC teams wait one more week. Four teams in the PSAC West enter conference play unbeaten, only one can advance to to State Title Game. This week is step one of a tough road ahead for all eight teams. Here are capsules of ALL the games: Clarion(3-0) at Gannon(3-0) Noon QB Connor Simmons has thrown for 10 scores in the first 3 games. Simons also leads the West Division inpassing at 288 yards per game. Clarion defeated 59-6 last week. The Golden Eagles defense forced 14 turnovers, including 5 last week.MSA Sports Top Ten – WPIAL Boys Soccer – 09/23/2015
Here are the MSA Sports Top Ten WPIAL boys soccer rankings for the week of September 21st. You can check out the new rankings every Wednesday through the regular season with weekly matches heard live and archived, including Hometown Soccer broadcasts each week. You can also listen to exclusive coverage of the 2015 WPIAL Soccer Playoffs and the check out the Pro Grass Boys and Girls Soccer Player of the Month in September, October and November ONLY here on the MSA Sports Network. WPIAL BOYS SOCCER CLASS AAA: 1) SENECA VALLEY RAIDERS (5-0-1) (Last Week #1) 2) CANON-McMILLAN BIG MACS (8-0-0) (Last Week #2)Hometown Girls Volleyball Recap – Avonworth Antelopes – 09/23/2015
A rarity occurred Tuesday night as two of MSA Sports' Hometown Volleyball Programs squared off at Avonworth High School. The Avonworth Antelopes cruised to a straight-game victory over the Chartiers-Houston Buccaneers 3-0 in a Class A non-section battle of Top Ten teams. The first game started out being a seesaw battle with both teams exchanging the lead at least twice before the Lopes pulled away en route to a 25-17 win. The Bucs grabbed a very early lead in the second game, but Avonworth continued with each other on the court, finding wide open spaces on the Char-Houston, side and mixing kills and soft drop shots along with many mental mistakes committed by the Buccaneers. The Lopes held off a late rally to take Game 2, 25-21.
Ananya Dua of SSA & Anne Taylor of Beaver Win WPIAL Singles Tennis Gold
September 22, 2015
On the last day of summer, the WPIAL crowned their first fall champions. it was a repeat champion in Class AAA and a new champ in Class AA.WPIAL Plays of the Week – Week Three 2015
Week three of the WPIAL football season produced some classic moments that could loom large for the rest of the season. This installment includes the upset of a top-ranked team, a winning score in overtime, and two massive interceptions that determined the outcome of games. Take a listen, and for the first time this season, a look at the top plays from this past week. 1. North Allegheny 24, Central Catholic 17MSA Sports Top Ten – WPIAL Girls Soccer – 09/22/2015
Here are the MSA Sports Top Ten WPIAL girls soccer rankings for the week of September 21st. You can check out the new rankings every Tuesday through the regular season with weekly matches heard live and archived, including Hometown Soccer broadcasts each week. You can also listen to exclusive coverage of the 2015 WPIAL Soccer Playoffs and the check out the Pro Grass Boys and Girls Soccer Player of the Month in September, October and November ONLY here on the MSA Sports Network. WPIAL GIRLS SOCCER CLASS AAA: 1) CANON-McMILLAN BIG MACS (7-0-0) (Last Week #1) 2) NORWIN KNIGHTS (7-0-0) (Last Week #2)Hometown Girls Volleyball Recap – South Side Rams – 09/22/2015
The South Side girls volleyball team hosted Beaver County Christian in a Class-A non-conference match on Monday night. The Lady Rams used a strong start and the powerful arm of their senior leader to win the match 3-1 by scores of 25-16, 25-13, 23-25, 25-23. South Side (2-2, 3-2) never trailed in either of the opening two sets of the match. The Lady Rams controlled the game, forcing the Lady Eagles into the hitting miscues. Every time BCCS would close the gap, South Side would respond with two or three quick points to widen the gap. The balanced attack was led by senior Toni Yacoviello, who provided five kills in each of the first two sets.
