MSA Sports Top 25 WPIAL Stories of 2016 – #15 through #11

By: HSSN Staff
Saturday, December 31, 2016 | 9:52 AM

It has become a tradition like no other…at least during the holiday season here at the MSA Sports Network. As we close out 2016 and another great high school sports year, we look back at some of the top stories from around the WPIAL in calendar year 2016. We continue our countdown with #15 through #11.

#15 – BRIDESMAIDS NO MORE

Several times this past decade, including the three previous years, the Beaver Falls football team finished second behind Aliquippa in the old Class AA Midwestern Conference. Three times this century, the Tigers made it all the way to the WPIAL championship game in Class AA only to settle for silver. That ‘oh so close’ mindset disappeared in 2016. Beaver Falls started the season ranked #1 in the MSA Sports Class 3-A rankings, but the Tigers fell hard from the top spot and off many peoples radar when they were smacked by rival Aliquippa 44-13 in Week One this past September. The Tigers quietly regrouped and ended up tied for the conference title and the #2-seed heading into the postseason. After wins over Mount Pleasant and Keystone Oaks in the district playoffs, Beaver Falls tasted sweet revenge by beating the Quips 35-22 at Heinz Field for the schools first football title in over 30 years. Three weeks later, Beaver Falls added to their golden autumn on the gridiron by beating Middletown 30-13 to capture the Tigers first ever PIAA state championship.

#14 – ONE FOR THE THUMB

Brenna Wise capped off a perfect career at Vincentian Academy in 2015 by helping the Royals to a fourth straight WPIAL crown and a second straight PIAA state title. But would the Royals fall off with Wise graduating and taking her hoop taltents to the University of Pittsburgh? The answer was not so much. Vincentian Academy finished as co-Champs with Cardinal Wuerl North Catholic in Class A Section 2, beat Fort Cherry, Rochester and Quigley Catholic to earn a third meeting with rival CWNC in the WPIAL Finals, where they earned a fifth straight district crown with a 68-54 triumph. Kiersten Elliott led all scorers with 24 points. Lexi Griggs recorded a double-double with 16 points and 13 rebounds. Also, Marissa Muth and Torrieonna Cash scored ten points apiece for the Royals. The five consecutive WPIAL girls basketball championships is the second most in WPIAL history, trailing only the seven straight titles captured by Penn Hills from 1986 through 1992.

#13 – ONE FOR EACH THUMB

It has been a decade of dominance on the wrestling mat for Burrell High School. The Buccaneers grappling dynasty continued in January when the Bucs defeated Freedom 48-17 to capture their tenth straight WPIAL Class AA Championship. Burrell has been guided by four coaches over this ten year title run as Josh Shields won his third crown as head coach, tying him with Chris Como (07-09) and putting him one ahead of both Ryan Yates and Bud Sines. The old record for most consecutive district wrestling championships was six straight titles shared by Canonsburg (1936-1941) and Waynesburg (1959-1964). While Burrell is the king of district Double-A wrestling since 2007, they have only captured one PIAA Class AA state crown, back in 2011. Meanwhile, the WPIAL saw its run of five straight Class AAA state wrestling crowns end in February when Bethlehem Catholic won the PIAA team championship. Canon-McMillan (2011, 2012, 2013) and Franklin Regional (2014, 2015) had won state gold the previous five years.

#12 – DIRTY DOZEN PLUS ONE

The longest running current dynasty in the WPIAL has become a teenager. The Sewickley Academy boys tennis team cruised to a 13th consecutive WPIAL Class AA championship with a 5-0 sweep of the Indiana Little Indians. The Panthers never dropped a game in the district postseason with 5-0 wins over Neshannock, Blackhawk, Quaker Valley and Indiana. Sewickley Academy then went on to defeat Brockway, Moravian Acadeny and Scranton Prep before defeating Wyomissing 5-0 for only their second state championship and first since 2006. The 13th consecutive WPIAL boys tennis crown ties the Panthers with the Norwin girls volleyball team from 1974 to 1985 for the second longest consecutive district title run only behind the Bethel Park boys swim team that won 20 straight from 1981 through 2000.

#11 – THRILL OF VICTORY TO THE AGONY OF DEFEAT IN SEVEN DAYS

The McKeesport High School football team went through a wide range of emotions in a one week span in the district playoffs in November. Like the old Wide World of Sports opening video, one Friday, the Tigers were enjoying the thrill of victory like the race car driver in victory lane, the next they were feeling the agony of defeat like the out of control skier crashing down the snowy slope. In a WPIAL Class 5-A Semifinals game that could go down as one of the best WPIAL playoff games, McKeesport defeated Gateway on a Hail Mary/Hook ‘n Ladder as time expired, 41-38. Tigers QB Jayvaun Shears passed the ball down the field to Layton Jordan, who executed a lateral back to John Harper at the 5 yard line. Harper ran in untouched and McKeesport booked a trip to Heinz Field. For a team that runs the ball all game, the Tigers hit a pass when it was needed. The following week in the Finals, West Allegheny made sure there was no miracle for McKeesport 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. With West A’s D.J. Opsatnik back in punt formation, the snap from the Indians 30-yard line sailed over his head and the Tigers tackled the senior in the end zone for a safety that put McKeesport in front 24-14 with 10:23 left in the game. On the ensuing kickoff, the Indians pulled off a successful onside kick by Opsatnik that was recovered by Kolbe Stout. West Allegheny turned that into a touchdown with 5:23 remaining  when Ross found sophomore tight end Mateo Vandamia at the near pylon for a 23-yard TD pass to make the score 24-20. But the Opsatnik extra point attempt was blocked by McKeesport’s Jehrod Gregory. On the touchdown catch by Vandamia, the Tigers were flagged for pass interference which was enforced on the ensuing kickoff. Once again, the Indians went for the onside kick. This time Stout kicked the ball forward and it was Stout who again recovered the kick. Once again, West Allegheny turned the special teams play into a touchdown. The big play of the drive came on fourth down and three. Acie intercepted a Ross pass in the end zone, but the Tigers were called for defensive holding on the play, which set up the Indians with a first and goal from the three-yard line. Two plays later, junior running back Willy Weber found the end zone from a yard out and West Allegheny had its first lead of the game. Opsatnik’s extra point was partially blocked but snuck through the uprights to give the Indians a 27-24 lead with 3:03 left in the fourth quarter. The drama continued on the next drive after a squib kick by West Allegheny. Shears began the series with a spectacular 28-yard run to the West Allegheny eight-yard line. Shears would end the drive with his second touchdown run of the game with: 58 left and McKeesport regained the lead. But, on the extra point attempt, the snap was high and the pass for the two-point conversion failed and the score was 30-27 McKeesport. But the excitement was far from done.  West Allegheny drove to the Tigers 33-yard line and spiked the football with: 01 remaining. Opsatnik, who had 33 career field goals before the attempt, came up short on a 50-yard attempt as time expired. However, McKeesport was flagged for roughing the kicker and the Indians had another chance. This time, Opsatnik was perfect from 34-yards out and the game was tied 30-30 at the end of regulation. The game headed to overtime, where the rollercoaster ride continued. McKeesport got the ball first and relied on Zellars, who carried the ball on three of the four plays. On fourth down from the one-yard line, the fullback bulled into the end zone for his second touchdown run of the game. Schork added the extra point to give the Tigers a 37-30 lead. It took West Allegheny three plays on their possession to score. After Ross ran for five-yards, Weber picked up three yards and then scored his second touchdown of the game from two-yards to pull the Indians to within a point. West Allegheny decided to go for the win and after a timeout, Ross rolled right and danced into the end zone for the two-point conversion to give West Allegheny the 38-37 win. Additionally, with the victory, West Allegheny head coach Bob Palko captured his eighth WPIAL title as the head coach at West Allegheny. Palko becomes the only coach in the history of the league with eight championships, passing Phil Bridenbaugh from New Castle who captured seven titles.

Tags: Beaver Falls, Burrell, McKeesport, Vincentian Academy, West Allegheny