COUNTDOWN TO KICKOFF 2011

By: HSSN Staff
Tuesday, August 16, 2011 | 3:19 PM

The countdown to the start of the 2011 high school football season is underway. High School football training camps throughout Western Pennsylvania open up on Monday, August 15th as teams prepare for the dawn of a new season which will kickoff Friday, September 2nd. As has been the case in the twelve previous years here at MSA Sports, the ONLY place to turn DAILY to prepare fans for all the excitement of the 2011 high school football season in the WPIAL is 'Countdown to Kickoff' here at www.msasports.net

UPDATED Tuesday, August 16th:

* Football Schedules for Every WPIAL and Pittsburgh City League High School (UPDATED)

MSA Sports 'Countdown to Kickoff 2011' began with the releasing of this seasons football schedules for every team in the WPIAL and the Pittsburgh City League. Just click here and locate your favorite school and click on the football link on the left side. Every game, whether it be non-conference or conference for all 126 teams in the WPIAL and 8 City League teams is just a few clicks away.

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* This Week in the WPIAL and the Kennywood Preseason All-Star Team Awards Show LIVE from Kennywood Park (Wednesday, 8/3)

MSA Sports 'Countdown to Kickoff 2011' kicked off with a special edition of This Week in the WPIAL from Kennywood Park on Wednesday, August 3rd. Don Rebel, Sam Hall, Mark Schaas and Mike Azadian took an early look at the 2011 campaign, plus the players from the 2011 Kennywood Park Preseason All-Star Team were honored during the presentation show by MSA Sports.
Click here to listen to This Week in the WPIAL…
Click here to listen to Kennywood All-Star Team Presentation Show…

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* 7:00pm Kickoffs (UPDATED)

Has the fad of earlier kickoffs taken off? With the exception of a couple of schools, 7:30pm kickoffs has been the standard time for high school football in the WPIAL. However several schools made the move to a 7:00pm kickoff. Which schools around the WPIAL will continue to get the ball rolling with a 7:00pm kickoff for home games? more…

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* New Football Rules for 2011 (UPDATED)

Many fans may think they are an expert on the rules of high school football, making sure everybody in their section knows when they have witnessed a 'bad call'. Well, you can study and truly become the expert in the stands by checking out the new rules for the upcoming 2011 season throughout the PIAA. more…

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* A Look Back at the 2010 WPIAL and Pittsburgh City League Football Season (UPDATED)

2010 AAAA Football Flashback
After years of coming close, North Allegheny finally cleared both the Quarterfinals and Semifinals hurdles to qualify for the school's first WPIAL championship game in over a decade. The Tigers power run game knocked off defending champion Woodland Hills, leading the way not only to NA's first district football crown, but also North Allegheny's first PIAA state championship since they swept both golden titles in 1990. more…

2010 AAA Football Flashback
Central Valley gave new meaning to 'Success for the New Kids on the Block during the 2010 high school football season. Having survived a vicious Parkway Conference schedule in its first year of existence to qualify for the postseason, the combination of Center High School and Monaca High School put the Central Valley Warriors on the map with an improbable run through the Class AAA playoffs, capped with a stunning victory over previously undefeated Montour in the WPIAL AAA championship game. more…

2010 AA Football Flashback
After losing to Aliquippa in a classic WPIAL Quarterfinals playoff game in 2009, South Fayette enjoyed the sweet taste of revenge in the district finals as the Lions beat the Quips at Heinz Field to capture the school's first WPIAL football championship since 1964. more…

2010 A Football Flashback
The beat continued for the Big Bad Bears in Class A. Powers Clairton and Rochester met for a second straight year in the finals at Heinz Field where the Bears celebrated a third straight WPIAL crown, their fourth district title in the past five years and a second consecutive PIAA state championship. more…

2010 Pittsburgh City League Flashback
After turning spectators for the 2009 District 8 finals, Pittsburgh City League powers Perry and Brashear were back facing each other in the 2010 City League title game. There was little drama though in the finals as the Commodores cruised to a 32-0 whitewash of the Bulls for Perry's 16th City League football championship.
more…

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* New Head Football Coaches (UPDATED)

New Faces – New Places – New Hopes – New Dreams. Some are rookie head coaches while a couple of big name veterans are starting over at new venues. Some schools have a new football coach for the first time in decades while others continue to play roulette with their head coaching position.more…

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* Players to Watch in Each Classification (UPDATED)

Top talent in the WPIAL Class A

Top talent in the WPIAL Class AA

Top talent in the WPIAL Class AAA

Top talent in the WPIAL Class AAAA

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* Complete WPIAL/City League Saturday High School Football Schedule (UPDATED)

Everybody knows about the passion that is Friday night high school football in Western Pennsylvania. However let's not forget the local teams that still tee it up under the sun on Saturday afternoons or under the lights on Saturday night. more…

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* Complete Scrimmage Schedule – Week #1 (UPDATED)

Here is a rundown of all the local scrimmages to be played on Saturday, August 20th more…

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* 2010 MSA Sports Preseason Elite 11 (UPDATED)

The MSA Sports Elite Eleven are the individuals MSA Sports believes are the best of the best, the top players in the WPIAL coming into the 2001 season. more…

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* Complete Scrimmage Schedule – Week #2 (Coming 8/22)

Here is a rundown of all the local scrimmages to be played on Friday, August 26th and Saturday, August 27th more…

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* MSA Sports Preseason Rankings (Coming 8/28 thru 8/31)

Each and every Monday during the high school football season, Team MSA Sports will rank the top ten teams in each of the four WPIAL classifications. Here are the initial rankings in each class for 2011.

Top 10 – WPIAL Class AAAA

Top 10 – WPIAL Class AAA

Top 10 – WPIAL Class AA

Top 10 – WPIAL Class A

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* Previews of Every Conference in Each Classification (NOW thru 8/31)

Class AAAA

Northern Seven Conference

Great Southern Conference

Big East Conference

Foothills Conference

Class AAA

Parkway Conference

Big Eight Conference

Greater Allegheny Conference

Keystone Conference

Class AA

Century Conference

Interstate Conference

Midwestern Conference

Allegheny Conference

Class A

Black Hills Conference

Eastern Conference

Big 7 Conference

Tri-County South Conference

Pittsburgh City League

Pittsburgh City League