Football
Big Game Hunting for State Finals
December 7, 2016
And then there were four. Four WPIAL teams still alive as we head to the final weekend of the 2016 high school football season in the state of Pennsylvania. That final week takes place here in 2016 in week 15, as opposed to week 16 in years past. Doesn’t feel any different to me, the weather is still going to be frigid, and despite the number of teams in Hershey, I am willing to bet attendance won’t be very different with games being played on school or work days and school or work nights. The teams that are in Hershey are very familiar as well. So one year in, the staff at Big Game Hunting, after a secret ballot, has officially declared its hatred for six classifications.
WPIAL Alum Q&A – Quad Law
December 5, 2016
While the football season is still ongoing for four WPIAL teams, the majority of high school and college teams have concluded their seasons. For many seniors at both levels, it's the final time they will play in a competitive game. Former Ringgold star Quad Law recently concluded his college career at Gannon University, but he made quite an impact in his many years on the gridiron.Scholastic Notebook – 12/05/2016
Clairton’s Lamont Wade and Steel Valley’s DeWayne Murray have run their way into the WPIAL record book. They are two of only seven runners in WPIAL history to rush for 6,000 yards in a career. While the yards are impressive, maybe the thing that is most impressive about the two is how many yards they gain every time they touch the ball. The yards-per-carry average of both Wade and Murray is among the best in WPIAL history. Wade is now the third-leading rusher in WPIAL history with 7,005 yards while Murray is sixth with 6,418 yards. But what’s incredible is that both are averaging 11 yards a carry for their career. Wade has carried 604 times for an 11.6-yard average, while Murray has carried 576 times for an average of 11.1.This Week on the MSA Sports Network – 12/05/2016
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:Friday HighLights AND Saturdays Scholastic Starz – 12/05/2016
Five WPIAL champions entered the State Semifinals with hopes of collecting more gridiron gold, and four keep that championship dream alive with victories to earn a trip to Chocolate Town. While Pittsburgh Central Catholic, Beaver Falls, Steel Valley and Clairton advanced to Hershey with wins on Friday or Saturday, only WPIAL 5-A champ West Allegheny saw their season come to an end two wins shy of a state crown. Here are the district standouts who helped lead their team to the PIAA Finals or refused to go quietly into the cold goodnight. J.J. Younger - Pittsburgh Central CatholicPIAA Football Semifinals Recaps 2016
December 2, 2016
The WPIAL has never won more than three state football championships in a single season under the old four classification format. Now in the first year of the expanded six classes postseason, the district has four teams headed to the finals. In the Final Four of the 2016 PIAA Playoffs, the WPIAL was a four for five as Pittsburgh Central Catholic, Beaver Falls, Steel Valley and Clairton all won their Semifinals contests to advance to the state championships next weekend in Chocolate Town. The lone WPIAL champ that saw their season end was West Allegheny in 5-A on Saturday. Here are recaps from the five games, all of which were broadcast here on the MSA Sports Network.
WPIAL Alum Q&A – Jawan Turner
December 1, 2016
When George Novak retired as the football coach at Woodland Hills earlier this month, he left a legacy of helping hundreds of players continue their careers at the college level. One of Novak's success stories is Jawan Turner, a standout defensive lineman at California University of Pennsylvania. Turner, who has been instrumental in the Vulcans undefeated season, is the focus of this week's WPIAL Alum Q&A.Big Game Hunting for Week Fourteen
November 30, 2016
Before we start this week’s Big Game Hunting, we would like to extend our sympathy to the family of DiMantae Bronaugh, the Aliquippa community and the WPIAL community as well, DiMantae’s battle with leukemia could not have been fought more fiercely or with more class. I pray it continues to bring us all closer together and, that he will be remembered forever. To the PIAA semi-finals we send five WPIAL Champions, for the first time ever. All five semi-finals featuring WPIAL teams will be right here on the MSA Sports Network for those of you who cannot make the sometimes considerable drive to follow your clubs. No choices to make means no complaints to the boss, which makes these next two weeks my favorite two weeks of the season to go Big Game Hunting!Friday HighLights AND Saturdays Scholastic Starz – 11/28/2016
November 28, 2016
Pittsburgh Central Catholic, West Allegheny and Thomas Jefferson won their gold on 11/18 at Heinz Field and began their quest for more gold this past weekend in the PIAA Quarterfinals while Beaver Falls got a rare weekend off. Steel Valley and Clairton claimed their WPIAL titles this past Saturday at Robert Morris University. Here are the five players who stood above the rest in four district wins and one season ending loss. J.J. Younger - Pittsburgh Central CatholicScholastic Notebook – 11/28/2016
If they made a TV show on this Steel Valley offense, they might call it the 700 Club. Steel Valley is having an offensive season like few have in WPIAL history. Or even state history. Steel Valley beat Neshannock, 49-14, in the WPIAL Class 2A title game Saturday night and Steel Valley now has scored 708 points in 13 games (54.5 average). Steel Valley becomes only the 12th team in WPIAL history to score 700 points in a season and the 20th in state history. But Steel Valley could climb near the top of the WPIAL list if the Ironmen go on to the PIAA championship game.This Week on the MSA Sports Network – 11/28/2016
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 Broadcasts2016 WPIAL FOOTBALL PLAYOFFS Final Results
November 27, 2016
The very first WPIAL six classification football postseason is now history. While the playoff path was split between The Highway to Heinz and The Road to RMU, six worthy district champions were crowned. Once the dust settled, five top-seeds and a #2-seed claimed gold and three of the winners successfully defending their titles. Here are ALL the results from the 2016 WPIAL Football Playoffs. ALL games can be heard archived here on the MSA Sports Network. 2016 WPIAL CLASS 6-A FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME: Pittsburgh Central Catholic Vikings 42 - Seneca Valley Raiders 7 (MSA) WPIAL CLASS 6-A Semifinals:
