COUNTDOWN TO KICKOFF 2012

By: Bruce Markey
Tuesday, July 31, 2012 | 5:20 PM

The countdown to the start of the 2012 high school football season is underway. High School football training camps throughout Western Pennsylvania open up on Monday, August 13th as teams prepare for a new season starting Friday, August 31st and Saturday, September 1st. As has been the case in the thirteen previous years here at MSA Sports, the ONLY place to turn for original DAILY updates that help prepare fans for all the excitement of the 2012 high school football season in the WPIAL is 'Countdown to Kickoff' here at www.msasports.net

COMPLETELY UPDATED:

——————————————————————————-
 

* Football Schedules for Every WPIAL and Pittsburgh City League High School (UPDATED 8/1)

MSA Sports 'Countdown to Kickoff 2012' began with the releasing of this seasons football schedules for every team in the WPIAL and the Pittsburgh City League. Just click the high school link at the top of the page and locate your favorite school. Then click on the football link on the left side. Every game, whether it be non-conference or conference for all 125 teams in the WPIAL and 6 Pittsburgh City League teams is just a few clicks away.

——————————————————————————–

* This Week in the WPIAL and the Kennywood Preseason All-Star Team Presentation Show LIVE from Kennywood Park (DONE 8/1)

MSA Sports 'Countdown to Kickoff 2012' kicked off with a special edition of This Week in the WPIAL from Kennywood Park on Wednesday, August 1st. Don Rebel, Mark Schaas, Josh Rowntree, Brandon Showers and Mike Azadian took an early look at the 2012 campaign, plus the players from the 2012 MSA Sports/Kennywood Park Preseason All-Star Team were honored during the presentation show by MSA Sports.

——————————————————————————–

*  New Conference Alignment in WPIAL (UPDATED 8/2) 

So will your favorite team kick off their Friday night games at 7:00pm or at 7:30pm? Find out which schools around the WPIAL will get the ball rolling on their Friday night fun with a 7:00pm kickoff for home games?

———————————————————————————      

* 7:00pm Kickoffs (UPDATED 8/3)

So will your favorite team kick off their Friday night games at 7:00pm or at 7:30pm? Find out which schools around the WPIAL will get the ball rolling on their Friday night fun with a 7:00pm kickoff for home games?

——————————————————————————–

* New Football Rules for 2012 (UPDATED 8/3)

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.

——————————————————————————–

* A Look Back at the 2011 WPIAL and Pittsburgh City League Football Season (UPDATED 8/6 through 8/10)

2011 AAAA Football Flashback
They weren't ranked number one at the start of the season, but for a second straight season, North Allegheny proved that #1 at the end was all that mattered. after going undefeated through the regular season, the Tigers made it back to Heinz Field where they held on to beat Upper St. Clair in a Quad Classic. The magical run for North Allegheny came to an end however in the PIAA playoffs as the defending champions were edged in the state Semifinals, ending their winning streak at 21 in a row.

2011 AAA Football Flashback
It was another banner year for Parkway Conference. For the third straight year, the WPIAL Class AAA champion came from the 'toughest conference in the state." After losing in the finals to Central Valley in 2010, Montour won their first title in nearly 50 years by cruising past upstart Knoch. However you can't talk WPIAL Triple A football without mentioning the end to a scholastic Hall of Fame career for Hopewell running back Rushel Shell. Shell ended up not only breaking the all-time rushing record in the WPIAL, but set a new rushing mark in the PIAA as well along with countless other records in an amazing career.

2011 AA Football Flashback
In a season in which two once proud programs bounced back from recent struggles to make it into the WPIAL Quarterfinals, two of the districts richest traditions survived the postseason to do battle at Heinz Field. There was no Darrelle Revis or Terrelle Pryor, but there was plenty of great action to the end as Aliquippa came from behind late to pull out a memorable 14-7 victory over Jeannette.

2011 A Football Flashback
The beat continued for the Big Bad Bears in Class A. It seemed every time Clairton took the field, another record would fall after another victory. The Bears once again were perfect in the regular season, then captured their fourth straight WPIAL crown with a sound victory over previiously undefeated Sto-Rox in the district finals at Heinz Field, then capped off a third consecutive PIAA state championship with a record setting 47th consecutive win.

2011 Pittsburgh City League Flashback
It was a year of hello's and a season of goodbye's in the Pittsburgh City League. 2011 marked the final year for both the Langley Mustangs and the Oliver Bears as both schools were closed following the 2011-2012 school year. However it was a fabulous first year for University Prep. Much like Central Valley in 2010, the Panthers celebrated their first season with a District 8 title after U Prep beat Allderdice in the City League football championship game.

——————————————————————————–

* New Head Football Coaches (UPDATED 8/10)

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

——————————————————————————–

 * Players to Watch in Each Classification (UPDATED 8/12 through 8/15) 

Top talent in the WPIAL Class AAAA

Top talent in the WPIAL Class AAA

Top talent in the WPIAL Class AA

Top talent in the WPIAL Class A

——————————————————————————–

 * Complete WPIAL/City League Saturday High School Football Schedule (UPDATED 8/11) 

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 "old school" under the sun on Saturday afternoons or under the lights on Saturday night.

——————————————————————————–

 * Complete Scrimmage Schedule – Week #1 (UPDATED 8/13) 

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

——————————————————————————–

* 2012 MSA Sports Preseason Elite 11 (UPDATED 8/19)

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 2012 season.

——————————————————————————–

* Complete Scrimmage Schedule – Week #2 (UPDATED 8/20)

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

——————————————————————————–

* MSA Sports Preseason Rankings (UPDATED 8/26 THROUGH 8/29)

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 2012.

Top 10 – WPIAL Class AAAA

Top 10 – WPIAL Class AAA

Top 10 – WPIAL Class AA

Top 10 – WPIAL Class A

——————————————————————————–

* Previews of Every Conference in Each Classification (UPDATED 8/13 THROUGH 8/27)

Class AAAA

Northern Eight Conference

Southeastern Conference

Foothills Conference

Class AAA

Parkway Conference

Big Nine Conference

Greater Allegheny Conference

Class AA

Midwestern Conference

Interstate Conference

Century Conference

Allegheny Conference
 

Class A

Black Hills Conference

Big 7 Conference

Eastern Conference

Tri-County South Conference
 

Pittsburgh City League