Basketball
Scholastic Notebook – 12/11/2015
December 11, 2015
There is a Wildcat strike in WPIAL boys basketball this season. Big things are expected of the Latrobe Wildcats and coach Brad Wetzel’s crew has been impressive in the first week of the season. Latrobe is 3-0, including Tuesday’s victory against Pine-Richland, which was the No. 2-ranked Class AAAA team in the MSA Sports preseason Class AAAA rankings. This could be one of Latrobe’s best teams in a while, at least the best since the 2009 team that went 19-4. Latrobe is the odds-on favorite to win Section 1. If Latrobe wins the section, it would be only their fourth crown in the past 30 years. The others were in 1987, 1990 and 2009.This Week on the MSA Sports Network – 12/06/2015
December 6, 2015
We continue our ride on the Road to Hershey on a bust first full week of December this week here on the MSA Sports Network. We follow the two remaining 2015 WPIAL champions in Aliquippa on Friday and Pittsburgh Central Catholic on Saturday as they play in the PIAA Semifinals state football playoffs. We also continue our early season coverage of WPIAL and District 6 boys and girls high school basketball, WPIAL and District 6 scholastic wrestling, audio and video coverage of PIHL high school hockey and men's and women's college basketball featuring Carlow University, plus the PIHL Power Play Show and the first edition of Inside the WPIAL Wrestling Circle ALL here at MSAsports.net Monday, December 7th:Scholastic Notebook – 12/04/2015
December 4, 2015
Bill Cherpak’s coaching resume is as impressive as it gets. It took him less than 20 years to win 200 games at Thomas Jefferson High School. He has five WPIAL championships on his list of accomplishments. But this season may have very well been Cherpak’s best coaching job. This was not one of Cherpak’s best teams in terms of talent. Just about anyone will tell you that. Even Cherpak will admit it. But when they handed out the WPIAL Class AAA gold championship trophy last week at Heinz Field, it went to the black and gold of Thomas Jefferson. Thomas Jefferson beat Central Valley for the title. Who would’ve thunk that after the first two games of the season, the Jaguars would be calling themselves champions.2015-2016 WPIAL Boys Basketball Preview
December 3, 2015
Three elite boys basketball programs added to their trophy case this past spring, ending personal droughts at the same time. In Quad-A, Chartiers Valley won a sixth title and their first since 2010...In Double-A, Aliquippa won an eleventh crown, but first since 2007...While Monessen captured their seventh district gold ball and first since 2011. There was a new kid on the block as Indiana won a first ever WPIAL basketball crown by edging Beaver Falls at the buzzer in a Class AAA thriller. That success did not carry over to the state playoffs however as only ALiquippa made it to the PIAA Finals in Hershey but settled for silver as District 12 won all four state basketball championships.2015-2016 WPIAL Girls Basketball Preview
December 2, 2015
The 2015-2016 WPIAL girls basketball season tips off on Friday, December 4th with several teams on a golden run hoping to continue their hardwood success this upcoming season. Vincentian Academy has won four straight Class A district titles while Blackhawk in AAA and Seton-LaSalle in AA are looking for a third straight WPIAL title. Class AAAA gold has run through Section 1 the last two years with Penn-Trafford winning it all in 2014 and Norwin taking the crown last year. Plus Blackhawk and Vincentian Academy are defending state champions coming into this years campaign. Here are the Pre-Season Top 10 in each classification along with the players to watch in each class.2014-2015 WPIAL Boys Basketball Review
December 1, 2015
While WPIAL Class AA champion Aliquippa was the only district team to make it to Hershey to play for a state championship, they had to settle for state silver as District 12 teams from Philadelphia swept the boys PIAA hoops titles. But the Quips joined Chartiers Valley in Class AAAA, Indiana in Class AAA and Monessen in Class A as well deserved WPIAL basketball champs from the 2014-2015 campaign. Here is a look back at the 2014-2015 WPIAL Boys Basketball regular season standings, WPIAL postseason results and PIAA state playoff finals from a year ago. 2014-2015 BOYS BASKETBALL WPIAL FINAL STANDINGS:2014-2015 WPIAL Girls Basketball Review
Before we look ahead to the upcoming WPIAL girls basketball season, let's look back at the 2014-2015 campaign where Vincentian Academy in Class A and Blackhawk in Class AAA won double gold by winning both the WPIAL and PIAA state championships. While they didn't win a state title, both Norwin in Class AAAA and Seton-LaSalle in Class AA had very successful seasons that netted them a WPIAL championship banner. Here is a look back at the 2014-2015 WPIAL Girls Basketball regular season standings, WPIAL postseason results and PIAA state playoff finals from a year ago. 2014-2015 GIRLS BASKETBALL WPIAL FINAL STANDINGS: TEAM NAME - SECTION RECORD - OVERALL RECORD WPIAL CLASS AAAA:This Week on the MSA Sports Network – 11/29/2015
November 29, 2015
We make the move from The Highway to Heinz to the Road to Hershey while also making the move from fall sports to winter sports as November turns into December this week here on the MSA Sports Network. We follow all four of the 2015 WPIAL champions as they play PIAA Quarterfinals state football playoff games. We also tip off the WPIAL boys and girls high school basketball and scholastic wrestling seasons along with several PIHL high school hockey games and men's and women's college basketball featuring Carlow University, plus the final edition of This Week in the WPIAL and the first edition of The PIHL Power Play Show ALL here at MSAsports.net Monday, November 30th:PIAA Alignment Numbers for 2016-2017 & 2017-2018 – Winter Sports
November 24, 2015
The new alignment list has been released by the PIAA for the 2016-2017 and 2017-2018 winter sports seasons. With the expanded classifications, there are still a lot of questions to be answered by WPIAL school officials and the schools themselves before anything in finalized and conferences are set. Schools must make a decision by mid-December if they want to remain in their designated classification OR decide to move up in class. A school is not permitted to move down.This Week on the MSA Sports Network – 11/22/2015
November 22, 2015
The Highway to Heinz is only open for one more week and only eight special teams are allowed to cruise to their final destination on the North Shore of Pittsburgh for a football feast that they are very thankful for this week here on the MSA Sports Network. We have wall-to-wall coverage of ALL Four WPIAL Championship Games at Heinz Field all day Saturday along with a PIAA First Round Class AAA state football playoff game. We also have ice action with PIHL high school hockey along with men's and women's college basketball featuring Carlow University, plus a Championship Saturday preview during This Week in the WPIAL ALL here at MSAsports.net Monday, November 23rd: No BroadcastsThis Week on the MSA Sports Network – 11/15/2015
November 15, 2015
There is only one exit left on the Highway to Heinz as we determine the playing field for Championship Saturday this week here on the MSA Sports Network. We have ALL 8 WPIAL Semifinals Football Playoff games Friday night starting with the MSA Sports Pregame Show and concluding later that night with the WPIAL Football Scoreboard Show. We also have three District 6 high school football postseason games along with winter sports action with several PIHL high school hockey games along with men's and women's college basketball featuring Carlow University, plus This Week in the WPIAL and this month's edition of Carlow Sports Talk ALL here at MSAsports.net Monday, November 16th:Scholastic Notebook – 11/13/2015
November 13, 2015
A Steel Valley player made some history last week. Now, the Steel Valley team will try to make some more history Friday night. It went pretty much unnoticed, but Steel Valley running back DeWayne Murray surpassed 4,000 career yards rushing last week in the first round of the WPIAL playoffs. Although close to 70 runners have gained 4,000 yards rushing in their careers, it is a noteworthy feat for Murray because he is only a junior and is the first Steel Valley player to reach 4,000 yards. Murray has 4,097 yards on 363 attempts, an impressive 11.3 yards-per-carry average. Because he is only a junior, he has a good chance to next year become the 17th runner in WPIAL history to gain 5,000 career yards.This Week on the MSA Sports Network – 11/08/2015
November 8, 2015
When it comes to delivering playoff and championship high school action, we are season veterans! Adn while we take time this week to salute the true hero's, America's Veterans, we also gear up for another ride on the Highway to Heinz this week here on the MSA Sports Network. We have ALL 16 Quarterfinals WPIAL Football Playoff games Friday night starting with the MSA Sports Pregame Show and concluding later that night with the WPIAL Football Scoreboard Show.This Week on the MSA Sports Network – 11/01/2015
November 1, 2015
We are done with the WPIAL football regular season and ready to ride on the Highway to Heinz starting this week here on the MSA Sports Network. We have ALL 32 First Round WPIAL Football Playoff games Friday night starting with the MSA Sports Pregame Show and concluding later that night with the WPIAL Football Scoreboard Show. We also have six District 6 and District 9 high school football games along with the Quarterfinals, Semifinals and Championships of the WPIAL Girls Volleyball Playoffs and the Semifinals and Championships of the WPIAL Boys and Girls Soccer Playoffs. We also have the debut of men's college basketball, plus The WPIAL Football Playoff Pairings Show. This Week in the WPIAL and the season finale of the Indiana County Coaches Show ALL here at MSAsports.netScholastic Notebook – 10/30/2015
October 30, 2015
If you want to see variety, check out Paris this fall. But we’re not talking the city of Paris. We’re talking the junior do-it-all player for the Seton-LaSalle football team named Paris Ford. He is a Ford that is souped up with versatility. He is undoubtedly one of the most versatile – and best – players in the WPIAL. Ford is listed as a receiver and defensive back. He is a stud at both positions. But he also runs the football and returns kicks and punts. How versatile is he? Well, Seton-LaSalle has moved the 6-foot-1, 170-pound Ford to linebacker because that’s where they could use him the most.PIAA Approves 6 Classes for Football, Hoops, Baseball & Softball
October 8, 2015
Are you ready for six classifications in Pennsylvania high school football? And boys basketball? And girls basketball? And baseball? And softball? Six classifications in all of those sports will be a reality in the 2016-17 school year. That was the gigantic news that came out of a PIAA board of directors meeting Wednes day in Mechanicsburg. Heading into the meeting, the main topic on the agenda was supposed to be a final vote on the expansion of classifications in football from four to six. The PIAA had already passed that in two other votes, and needed only to pass one more vote before going into effect for the 2016-17 season. That proposal easily passed by a 26-4 vote. But there was more big news to come.
WPIAL Coaching News – North Allegheny Girls Hoops
July 15, 2015
After two golden years as head coach of the Seton-LaSalle girls basketball team, Spencer Stefko is headed north to bigger and what he hopes are even better things. Stefko was named the new girls basketball coach at North Allegheny High School on Wednesday. Stefko replaces Sherri McConnell, who resigned in April after eight years as Tigers head coach. Coach McConnell enjoyed great success in her tenure, guiding North Allegheny to an overall record of 147-48. While NA was always a contender, they fell short of winning a district and/or state title. In 2014-2015, North Allegheny was 24-4 overall but lost in the WPIAL Semifinals and the PIAA Quarterfinals.
2014-2015 MSA Sports Male Athlete of the Year
June 27, 2015
Riley Stapleton comes from a family of athletes. Growing up, he and his three brothers used to play every sport imaginable and even invent their own events. “My oldest brother [Kevin] used to come up with competitions like who can race around the block the fastest or who can touch the highest spot on the wall,” said Stapleton. But never mind the brothers. If you could put all of the athletes in the WPIAL on a wall, Stapleton would be at the highest spot. Stapleton, who graduated from Indiana High School earlier this month, is the MSA Sports Male Athlete of the Year. All athletes in the WPIAL are eligible for the award. Stapleton competed in three sports at Indiana High School and had a big impact in every one.
