Basketball

2016-2017 WPIAL Girls Basketball PREVIEW

December 9, 2016

The year of major change around the WPIAL has made it through one season and now it's the winter sports, specifically girls basketball, that gets a taste of the new expanded six classifications. New rivalries, fewer playoff teams in each class and more champions crowned in the end. Here is a preview of players to watch and teams to beat with our MSA Sports Preseason Top Ten teams in each class. WPIAL CLASS 6-A: Players to Watch: Lauren Gilbert - Baldwin Justina Mascaro - Bethel Park Cheyenne Trest - Canon-McMillan Gabby Badway - Fox Chapel Michelle Burns - Hempfield Kate Sramac - Mount Lebanon McKenzie Bushee - Mount Lebanon Desiree Oliver - Penn Hills

2016-2017 WPIAL Boys Basketball PREVIEW

The year of major change around the WPIAL has made it through one season and now it's the winter sports, specifically boys basketball, that gets a taste of the new expanded six classifications. New rivalries, fewer playoff teams in each class and more champions crowned in the end. Here is a preview of players to watch and teams to beat with our MSA Sports Preseason Top Ten teams in each class. WPIAL CLASS 6-A: Players to Watch: Tyler Frederick - Butler Austin Butler - Latrobe Jake Biss - Latrobe Nick Smith - North Hills Sherron Schifino - Penn Hills Andrew Petcash - Pine-Richland Phil Jurkovec - Pine-Richland

2015-2016 WPIAL Girls Basketball REVIEW

December 8, 2016

Before we look ahead to the upcoming WPIAL girls basketball season, let's look back at the 2015-2016 campaign where Vincentian Academy earned their one for the thumb with a fifth straight district title while Norwin in AAAA were able to repeat as WPIAL champs. Meanwhile, South Fayette in AAA and Bishop Canevin in AA won titles a year after losing in the finals the previous season. none of those four WPIAL champs were able to add state gold to their title pot, but Cardinal Wuerl North Catholic was back on top in the PIAA for the Trojans first state crown in over 20 years. Here is a look back at the 2015-2016 WPIAL Girls Basketball regular season standings, WPIAL postseason results and PIAA state playoff finals from a year ago.

2015-2016 WPIAL Boys Basketball REVIEW

WPIAL Class AA champion Aliquippa was not only the lone district team to repeat as district champions, but they were also the only WPIAL team to bring home state gold in the PIAA playoffs after both Allderdice from the City League and Mars in AAA made it to Hershey, but settled for silver. The Quips joined Pine-Richland in Class AAAA, Beaver Falls in Class AAA and Cardinal Wuerl North Catholic in Class A as well deserved WPIAL basketball champs from the 2015-2016 campaign. Here is a look back at the season with the WPIAL Boys Basketball regular season standings, WPIAL postseason results and PIAA state playoff final scores from a year ago. Top FOUR teams in ALL sections qualify for the WPIAL playoffs:

This Week on the MSA Sports Network – 12/05/2016

December 5, 2016

We officially conclude the fall high school sports season while opening up full throttle on the winter high school sports season on the first full week of December this week on the MSA Sports Network. We have coverage of four PIAA Championship Football Games featuring Clairton, Steel Valley, Beaver Falls and Pittsburgh Central Catholic and their quest for a state title from Hershey. We also tip off the 2016-2017 high school basketball season with plenty of tip-off tournament roundball action as well as PIHL high school hockey and women's college basketball featuring Carlow University, plus it's the season debuts of Inside the WPIAL Wrestling Circle on Mondays and The PIHL Power Play Show on Wednesdays ALL here at MSAsports.net Monday, December 5th:

This Week on the MSA Sports Network – 11/28/2016

November 28, 2016

With the district football playoffs completely behind us now, our attention turns to The Road to Hershey and the state football playoffs as November turns to December this week on the MSA Sports Network. We have six PIAA Semifinals high school football state playoff games as well as PIHL high school hockey and the start of college basketball featuring Carlow University, plus it's the season finale of This Week in the WPIAL ALL here at MSAsports.net Monday, November 28th: PIHL High School Hockey - Live Video Stream: Beaver vs Montour at 7:15pm on MSAsports.net Tuesday, November 29th: No Broadcasts

Scholastic Notebook – 11/11/2016

November 11, 2016

The latest national high school rankings were released earlier this week and there is a WPIAL team at No. 3 in the country. You might be thinking that Pittsburgh Central Catholic is gaining more national acclaim. But this has nothing to do with Central Catholic, or any other WPIAL team. In fact, this has nothing to do with football. We’re talking girls soccer. The Norwin girls are the No. 3 team in the country in the weekly National Soccer Coaches Association of America rankings. Norwin’s impressive season has jumped the Knights up the rankings. They were No. 10 two weeks ago, and No. 4 last week. The only teams ranked ahead of Norwin are Davis High School (Utah) and Glastonbury (Conn.).

Scholastic Notebook – 10/07/2016

October 7, 2016

It seems dual-threat quarterbacks are all the rage in high school football these days, from Western Pennsylvania to all around the country. Just take a look at the leading rushers in the WPIAL to see the effects that dual-threat QBs are having. Among the top 25 rushers in the WPIAL, four are quarterbacks – and two of the top seven are quarterbacks. Beaver quarterback Darius Wise is third in the WPIAL in rushing with 1,093 yards. Burrell’s Max Garda is seventh with 791. Wise is averaging 11 yards a carry. After those two, McGuffey’s Marcus Czulewicz is 15th with 702 yards rushing and North Allegheny’s Ethan Maenza 23rd with 584 yards, and he missed a game with an injury.

MSA SPORTS CUP RESULTS – Sewickley Kings of Single-A Again

July 12, 2016

Sewickley Academy is once again on top of the Class A standings in the chase for the MSA Sports Cup after leapfrogging defending champ Greensburg Central Catholic. In fact, the Panthers and Centurions have been tagging in for titles the last five years with GCC winning in 2012-2013 and 2014-2015 and SA claiming the Cup in 201--2011, 2013-2014 and now in 2015-2016. The championship for Sewickley Academy is the schools 9th in 13 years of the competition and was aided greatly by district and state championships in boys golf and boys tennis along with WPIAL crowns in boys cross-country and boys soccer.

MSA SPORTS CUP RESULTS – A New Champ Wins Double-A

July 9, 2016

For only the fifth time in the thirteen years of the MSA Sports Cup Class AA chase, the torch has been passed to a new champion. Greensburg Central Catholic won the first three years, followed by a five year run by Shady Side Academy and three of the last four years the AA Cup has gone to Quaker Valley with a one year run at the top by Seton-LaSalle two years ago. Now the AA crown is coming to Beaver County thanks to Beaver High School. After a couple of close calls in recent years, the Bobcats were lifted to the top spot in part because of district championships won in each season...girls tennis in the fall, ice hockey in the winter and a second straight WPIAL title in girls track & field in the spring.

MSA SPORTS CUP RESULTS – SF Three-peats in Triple-A

July 7, 2016

In the first ten years of the MSA Sports Cup, while there were a couple of dominating schools in the other three classifications, the chase for the Class AAA Cup had been up for grabs with eight different schools earning The Cup. However in the last three years of the season long competition, Triple-A has become the pride of the Lions. After finishing as the runner-up in 2012-2013, South Fayette has staked its claim on top in Class AAA as the Lions are the first school in this classification to win a third consecutive MSA Sports Cup.

MSA SPORTS CUP RESULTS – NA Remains Perfect in Quad-A

July 6, 2016

Another school year is in the books and another MSA Sports Cup in Class AAAA is headed to North Allegheny High School. NA captured the schools 13th Cup in 13 years since the MSA Sports Network started this school year long competition to determine the top sports programs in each classification. There are 20 sports in which schools can earn points in the competition and the Tigers earned points in 18 of them. While it was not the highest point total or largest margin of victory, North Allegheny still cruised to their final Quad-A Sports Cup as they will move up to 6-A starting this fall. The second place school finished 430 points behind NA.

2015-2016 MSA SPORTS MALE ATHLETE of the YEAR

June 30, 2016

There is a reason why Erick Taylor has that “K” at the end of his name. His father had a best friend who was shot and killed many years ago, and the friend spelled his first name “Erick.” So Garth Taylor decided to give his son the same name in memory of his friend. Almost two decades later, the name Erick Taylor meant something special around WPIAL sports. It defined supreme athlete. Taylor has been named the MSA Sports Athlete of the Year for boys sports in the WPIAL in the 2015-16 school year. The award is selected by the MSA Sports staff.

2015-2016 MSA SPORTS FEMALE ATHLETE of the YEAR

Amanda Kalin is so talented that she could be a Division I college player in two different sports. On the high school level, Kalin is so talented that she is in a division all by herself – best athlete in the WPIAL. Kalin, who recently completed her junior year at Pine-Richland High School, has been selected the MSA Sports Athlete of the Year for the 2015-16 WPIAL school year. The 5-foot-8 Kalin had a superb junior year in both basketball and soccer. Her outstanding individual talent helped her teams thrive. Her extraordinary athletic ability is evidenced by how her college recruiting went in the past two years.

Scholastic Notebook – 05/22/2016

May 22, 2016

Plum’s Alex Kirilloff has a good chance to be selected in the first round of the June 9 Major League Baseball draft. Teams love his bat and also like the way he plays the outfield. At Plum, they also love the way he pitches. Kirilloff has a bright future as an outfielder, but at the present, he is one dominating pitcher. He is certainly one of the best hurlers in the WPIAL. When Plum defeated Peters Township, 2-0, in the WPIAL Class AAAA quarterfinals Thursday, Kirilloff led the way with his hitting – and pitching. He had a double and triple at the plate. But he also pitched six innings , struck out 11 and gave up only one hit.

Scholastic Notebook – 05/13/2016

May 13, 2016

Plum High School’s nickname is Mustangs. But when it comes to athletes, Plum has a thoroughbred in Ashley Amato. The MSA Sports staff doesn’t name a female athlete of the year until late June. But you would think Amato will get serious consideration. There are three-season rooms in houses, but Plum houses a three-sport standout in Amato. And in the spring, she shines brightest. So far this track and field season, Amato has the best 200-meter time in WPIAL Class AAA at 25.3 seconds. She has the third-best 100 hurdles time of 14.69 and is tied for the third-best 100 time at 12.2. She is has the third-best AAA long jump at 18-2 ¾. At the Baldwin Invitational last Friday, Amato won the long jump, was second in the 100 hurdles and sixth in the 200.

Scholastic Notebook – 04/29/2016

April 29, 2016

It’s unlikely that the Pittsburgh Central Catholic baseball team will make the WPIAL playoffs this season. That’s highly unusual. Central Catholic’s string of six consecutive playoff appearances would be broken. But that’s not what makes the Vikings’ situation unusual. What makes Central Catholic’s case so unusual is that Central Catholic is the defending WPIAL Class AAAA champion. Since 2000, the WPIAL champion in the largest classification has missed the playoffs the following year only twice. Mt. Lebanon won in 2006 and missed the playoffs in 2007. Hopewell won in 2000 and missed the playoffs in 2001.

WPIAL Announces 2016-2017 Championship Sites

April 21, 2016

While major changes will be in the air with a classification increase starting in the 2016-2017 school year, there was concern about where the district would play its championship games with the increase in title games. However outside of a split in football, the WPIAL Finals in several sports will remain at the same venues that have been hosting the title events.

WPIAL Hall of Fame Class of 2016

April 13, 2016

A current NBA player, a former Parade All-American girls basketball player, two dominant teams and four highly successful coaches highlight the WPIAL Hall of Fame class of 2016. This is the 10th class for the WPIAL Hall of Fame, and selections were announced Wednesday at a news conference at the Heinz History Center. Inductees will be honored at a banquet at the Green Tree Doubletree June 10. A Hall of Fame committee selects inductees in five categories: athlete, coach, team, contest official and contributor. The WPIAL also inducts a Heritage Award winner and a Courage Award winner. Here is the 2016 class: ATHLETES

Scholastic Notebook – 04/02/2016

April 2, 2016

The Pittsburgh Central Catholic football team won WPIAL and state titles this past season with a team that had five seniors sign with NCAA Division I-A colleges. Those talented players will never again wear the Vikings blue and gold, but Central Catholic is a must-stop for college recruiters again. It has become apparent that Central Catholic’s 2017 team will again be loaded with another handful of seniors who will play major-college football.

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