Basketball
Archbishop Wood Beats Trinity to Repeat as PIAA Girls Champs
March 25, 2017
Archbishop Wood's slow down offense and tenacious defense added up to a 34-26 win over Trinity in the PIAA Class 5-A Girls Championship game Saturday night. The Vikings regularly held the ball outside the three-point line for upwards of 45 seconds while Trinity sat in a 2-3 zone inside the arch. The District 12 champions hit three treys in the game's first 4 minutes to lead 9-0 but scored only one more field goal before halftime. The Hillers struggle to take care of the ball and get good looks at basket, but stayed within reach, trailing 14-7 at the half.
Neumann-Goretti 3-Peats in Holding off Bishop Canevin in Girls 3-A
Defeating a two-time defending state champion is no easy task. Bishop Canevin seemed up to the task getting a double-digit lead over Neumann-Goretti in the first quarter. However, the Saints' pressure defense forced 26 Bishop Canevin turnovers, and despite a great fourth quarter comeback attempt, the Lady Crusaders fell to Neumann-Goretti 62-56 in the PIAA Class 3A Girls Basketball Championship.
North Allegheny Falls to Boyertown in PIAA Girls 6-A Finals
March 24, 2017
In a contest between two teams making their first ever PIAA title game appearance, it was the Boyertown Bears who won state gold with a 46-35 decision over the North Allegheny Tigers from the Giant Center in Hershey, Pennsylvania. Boyertown used a critical 20-4 run in the second half to claim its first state crown. Senior Abby Kapp, a Bucknell recruit, led Boyertown with 17 points and 13 rebounds.
Sewickley Academy Wins State Title in Overtime Upset of Constitution
When Sewickley Academy trailed 16-4 to Constitution late in the first quarter of the Class 2A PIAA Championship, it appeared unlikely that the Panthers would pull off the upset. Sewickley Academy rallied, though, forcing overtime on a late 3-pointer, and then dominated the extra frame to prevail 68-63 at the Giant Center in Hershey. By knocking off the powerhouse squad from Philadelphia, Sewickley Academy (26-4) captured its third PIAA title, joining Panthers’ squads from 1997 and 2010 in the record books.
PIAA Basketball Championship Recaps
March 23, 2017
While 6 WPIAL teams played for titles, there were other championships handed out this weekend in Hershey. Here are recaps of all of those games.
WPIAL Alum Q&A – Jimmy Leichliter
March 21, 2017
Averaging double figures in scoring for a college basketball season is quite an accomplishment, but averaging double figures in each of the first three seasons of a player's collegiate career is even more impressive. Former Connellsville star Jimmy Leichliter has achieved that feat at Geneva College, as he's become one of the top performers in his conference. Leichliter is the featured athlete for this weeks' installment of the WPIAL Alum Q&A. In high school, Leichliter was a two-year starter for the Falcons, although his team did not taste the postseason in either of those campaigns. In 2012-13, Connellsville compiled a mark of just 7-15. In Leichliter's senior campaign, the team improved to 11-10, as he netted approximately 18 points per game.
Coaches Corner – Molly Rottman
In this feature titled “Coach’s Corner”, I will be interviewing a different coach every week and asking them questions about their personal life and about coaching. Hopefully their answers will not only shed some light on how they coach their respective teams, but also allow readers to get to know the men behind the fields/courts. This week features Cardinal Wuerl North Catholic’s girls basketball head coach Molly Rottmann. Coach Rottmann is in her 19th year as the head coach of the Trojanettes, with over 380 wins, 5 WPIAL titles, and one PIAA crown. She is a graduate of CWNC, and played under WPIAL legend Don Barth. Let’s take a look inside Coach Rottmann’s corner: Personal:PIAA Basketball Semifinals Preview
There are 12 final fours in Pennsylvania high school basketball this year – and 12 WPIAL teams are involved. This is the first year of six classifications in basketball and the PIAA semifinals for all boys and girls teams are Monday and Tuesday around the state. The championships are Thursday through Saturday in Hershey. Seven boys teams and four girls teams from the WPIAL are still alive. Bishop Canevin has both its boys and girls teams alive. Besides Bishop Canevin, the WPIAL boys teams still left standing are Pine-Richland, Quaker Valley, Lincoln Park, Cardinal Wuerl North Catholic, Sewickley Academy and Monessen. The WPIAL girls teams in the semifinals are Bishop Canevin, North Allegheny, South Fayette, Trinity and Bishop Canevin.This Week on the MSA Sports Network – 03/19/2017
March 19, 2017
The high school basketball and high school hockey seasons come to a golden end this week on the MSA Sports Network. Our winter sports postseason coverage concludes with the PIAA state basketball Semifinals and Championship Games as well as PIHL Penguins Cup Championships and the Pennsylvania Cup state hockey title games with all seven hockey Finals on video stream as well, plus we have final editions of the season of The WPIAL Roundball Report and The PIHL Power Play Show ALL here at MSAsports.net Monday, March 20th: TALK SHOW - Carlow Sports Talk at 8:30pm on MSAsports.net
WPIAL Alum Q&A – Mariah Wells
March 13, 2017
Just more than one week ago, the Chartiers Valley girls basketball team claimed the WPIAL Championship in the 5A classification. Four years prior, the Colts also made an appearance in the title game, but came up just short. Among the standouts on that team in 2012-13 was Mariah Wells, who just completed a successful career on the hardwood at Seton Hill University. She is this week's feature for the WPIAL Alum Q&A.This Week on the MSA Sports Network – 03/13/2017
The high school hockey playoffs move into the Final Four round while the state basketball postseason hits the Second Round and the Quarterfinals all this week on the MSA Sports Network. Our winter sports postseason coverage continues with PIAA basketball Second Round and Quarterfinals boys and girls basketball games and PIHL Penguins Cup Playoffs Semifinals action, plus we have The WPIAL Roundball Report, The PIHL Power Play Show and final edition this season of Inside the WPIAL Wrestling Circle ALL here at MSAsports.net Monday, March 13th: TALK SHOW - Inside the WPIAL Wrestling Circle at 7:00pm on MSAsports.netScholastic Notebook – 03/12/2017
March 12, 2017
New Castle was a good 3-point shooting team in the regular season. But the Red Hurricanes’ marksmanship has even improved in the postseason, and is it any wonder New Castle hasn’t lost a playoff game? New Castle won the WPIAL Class 4A championship and romped past Sharon in the first round of the PIAA playoffs. New Castle has averaged nine made 3-pointers a game in four postseason games and coach Ralph Blundo’s team is shooting 43 percent behind the arc in playoff games. That is excellent for any team, let alone a high school team. New Castle made 11, 9 and 10 3-pointers in three WPIAL playoff games, and then made 7 of 22 against Sharon in the first round of the playoffs.
WPIAL Alum Q&A – Geno Thorpe
March 6, 2017
Thorpe has been a prominent name in WPIAL athletics for quite some time, and Geno Thorpe has carried on the tradition by producing an impressive basketball resume. Thorpe, who excelled at both Shady Side Academy and Shaler, is now a top performer at the University of South Florida. As a high-school freshman in 2009-10, Geno played in a star-studded lineup at Shady Side Academy. Along with future Division I athletes Michael Young and Reggie Mitchell, Thorpe helped guide the Indians to a 19-5 mark, including playoff victories against Bishop Canevin and Jeannette. The team fell in the Class AA semifinals, however, and was also defeated in the PIAA second round.
WPIAL Coaches Corner – Joe Salvino
In this feature titled “Coach’s Corner”, I will be interviewing a different coach every week and asking them questions about their personal life and about coaching. Hopefully their answers will not only shed some light on how they coach their respective teams, but also allow readers to get to know the men behind the fields/courts. This week highlights Monessen boys basketball coach Joe Salvino. Coach Salvino, a graduate of Monessen, is in his 33rd year coaching the Greyhounds. He has 622 wins and just won his 6th WPIAL title this season. He also has guided the Greyhounds to 2 PIAA crowns. In the past 6 years alone, he has led his squad to 4 WPIAL championship games. Let’s take a look inside Coach Salvino’s corner:Scholastic Notebook – 03/06/2017
It doesn’t take an analytics whiz to figure out that 3-point shooting has become a big part of high school basketball. But if one can deduce anything from the WPIAL championships over the past three days, it is this: While accuracy from 3-point range might be nice, the biggest factor in winning a championship is to hit the boards. Look at the statistics from the 12 boys and girls championships (six in each classification) Thursday through Saturday and rebounding was by far the biggest key and not shooting. Here is what the statistics showed:This Week on the MSA Sports Network – 03/06/2017
We move from the district championships to the start of the state playoffs in basketball and the state championships in wrestling as well as the drop of the puck on the high school hockey postseason all this week on the MSA Sports Network. Our postseason coverage continues with PIAA First Round boys and girls basketball games, the PIAA 3-A and 2-A Individual Wrestling championships and First Round and Quarterfinals action of the PIHL Penguins Cup high school hockey playoffs, plus we have The WPIAL Roundball Report, The PIHL Power Play Show and Inside the WPIAL Wrestling Circle ALL here at MSAsports.net Monday, March 6th:2017 WPIAL GIRLS BASKETBALL PLAYOFFS Results
March 5, 2017
While there were no repeat district winners in girls basketball, 2017 did mark the end of the second longest title run in WPIAL history as Vincentian Academy fell in the finals ending their five year championship winning streak. Three teams picked up first ever WPIAL girls basketball crowns with Chartiers Valley in 5-A, Chartiers-Houston in 2-A and Winchester Thurston in 1-A and while it was the schools second title, it was 45 years since their last girls golden basketball for North Allegheny in 6-A. Cardinal Wuerl North Catholic in 4-A captured a 17th WPIAL girls roundball title while Bishop Canevin in 3-A won it all for the second time in three years and third time in six seasons.2017 WPIAL BOYS BASKETBALL PLAYOFFS Results
For the first time ever, SIX boys basketball teams have been crowned district champions. Two of them, Pine-Richland and Cardinal Wuerl North Catholic were repeat winner from a year ago. Three teams, Pine-Richland in 6-A, New Castle in 4-A and Monessen in 1-A went the distance from top-seed to gold medal winner, while Moon in 5-A as a #2-seed, Cardinal Wuerl North Catholic in 3-A as a #3-seed and Sewickley Academy as a #3-seed won it all from the bottom of the bracket. Here are ALL the results from the 2017 WPIAL Boys Basketball Playoffs. You can go back and listen to EVERY district playoff game anytime you want here on the MSA Sports Network.
Pine-Richland Beats Butler for 3rd Time, Repeats as WPIAL Champs
March 4, 2017
For the second time in as many years, the Pine Richland Rams boys took gold in the WPIAL’s highest classification. The Rams used a late 11-2 run in the 4th quarter to pull away from the Butler Golden Tornado and win the 6-A Championship, 72-61. It was the third time in as many tries that Pine Richland defeated their Section 1 foe. The Rams had to defeat North Hills a third time in the 6-A semifinals to even make it to the championship game.
