Sports
Vincentian is Wise in Winning Third Straight WPIAL Crown
March 1, 2014
In a rematch of last year’s WPIAL A Championship game, the Vincentian Academy Royals defeated the Serra Catholic Eagles by the score of 66-46. Royals’ sensational junior Brenna Wise scored 25 points, 15 of which came in the pivotal 3rd quarter when Vincentian Academy effectively pulled away from the Eagles. Wise added 13 rebounds and 7 blocks to her dominating performace.
Seton-LaSalle Boys Topple GCC For First Basketball Title in 25 Years
In a classic matchup that saw 16 lead changes, the Seton-LaSalle Rebels (25-1) won their second WPIAL championship and the first since 1989 with a 52-51 victory over the Greensburg Central Catholic Centurions (22-3) in the McDonald’s/WPIAL Class AA title game at the A.J. Palumbo Center.WPIAL Class AAA Wrestling Championships – Day Two
Coming into the AAA WPIAL individual tournament, 160 pounds stood as the deepest weight class in the tournament, with eight wrestlers having the ability to win on any given night. On Friday night the results proved this to be true, as three of the top four seeds were upset. The first came when top seed Dom Scalise of Latrobe lost to TeShan Campbell of Penn Hills 4-0. Campbell picked up 3 back points late in the third period while riding out Scalise to pick up the victory. The next seeded wrestler to do gown was number four seed Devin Austin, who lost a hard fought 7-4 match to Jonathan Avon of North Hills. Finally number two seed Brendan Burnham of Pine Richland gave up a late takedown to Waynesburg freshman Colin McCracken to drop a 4-3 decision.
West Allegheny Girls and Mars Boys Claim WPIAL AA Swimming Gold
The West Allegheny Indians girls swim team avenges a tough loss last year to the South Fayette Lions in the team competition by winning their 3rd WPIAL title in five years. It is their 5th top two finish in the last five years as they settled for second in 2010, and 2013. They started the day with an 18 point lead after the first day of compensation, and at one time the Lions cut the lead to points. However after the 3rd event of the day they surged ahead with solid performances in the last 4 events to win 227 to 199.
Shorthanded Warriors Use Double OT To Win First WPIAL Title
February 28, 2014
It took a little longer than originally planned.?In fact it took a lot longer than anyone originally planned.?But when all was said and done, the Central Valley Warriors had the first WPIAL basketball championship in the school’s brief history after a 70-69 win in double overtime over perennial title contender Chartiers Valley. Tony Gates sealed the victory with a free throw with just .6 seconds left on the clock at the end of the second extra frame. After a desperation heave came up empty, Central Valley players erupted into a wild on-court celebration.
Lincoln Park Crushes Monessen in Boys Class A Championship Game
It was all Lincoln Park (25-1) after the first quarter as the Leopards claimed their second WPIAL championship in a short school history with a 85-41 victory over the Monessen Greyhounds (20-6) in the McDonald’s/WPIAL Class A Boys Championship Game at the A.J. Palumbo Center on Friday evening. Elijah Minnie had a triple double with 20 points, 16 rebounds and 12 blocked shots as the mercy rule took effect with 3:23 remaining in the fourth quarter.
Seton-LaSalle Golden Again With Dominant Win Over Burrell in Girls AA Championship
The Seton-LaSalle Rebels (22-4) rolled to their sixth WPIAL Girls basketball championship Friday afternoon at A.J. Palumbo Center, defeating the Burrell Bucs (25-1) by a score of 55-34. The Rebels opened the game with an 11-0 run and never looked back. Burrell had trouble with the Rebels pressure defense turning it over on their first four possessions and eight times in the first quarter. The Bucs turned it over 26 times on the night. The Rebels were able to convert many of those turnovers into fast break points.
North Allegheny Sweeps WPIAL AAA Boys and Girls Swimming Gold Again
For the third straight year and for the fifth time in six years, North Allegheny can tell a golden 'tail' about the WPIAL Swimming Championships. The Tigers girls teams cruised to their sixth straight WPIAL team swimming championship while the boys team edged Upper St. Clair to capture a third straight title and the teams eighth in the last nine years. Here are the final team standings and the Day Two results from Trees Pool at the University of Pittsburgh on Friday in Class AAA.WPIAL Boys Basketball Championship Preview
Kudos to the WPIAL basketball steering committee for their excellent work in setting up the boys basketball playoffs. In the end, which is their starting goal, they try to get the two best teams playing for gold. This weekend it will be #1 vs #2 in three of the four finals, with the lone exception being the #1 vs #3 matchup in Class A. Here is a look at this weekend four boys championship hoop games. CLASS AAAA: The game: New Castle (25-0) vs. Hampton (22-3) Saturday at 7 p.m.WPIAL Girls Basketball Championship Preview
For one of the few times in district basketball finals history, the WPIAL will have book-end girls basketball championship games with the Class A title games lifting the curtain and the Class AAAA finals concluding two days of championships. Here is a look at all four of the 2014 WPIAL Girls Basketball Championship Games which can be heard only here on the MSA Sports Network. CLASS AAAA: The game: Hempfield (17-8) vs. Penn-Trafford (19-6) Saturday at 9 p.m. Coaches: Aaron Epps, Hempfield … John Giannikas, Penn-TraffordWPIAL Qualifiers for PIAA Basketball Playoffs
As we wind down the Battle to the Bluff this weekend, we look ahead to next weekend and the start of the Road to Hershey. Here is a list of WPIAL boys and girls basketball teams that will be participating in this years state basketball playoffs, plus those teams on the bubble heading into WPIAL Championship Weekend through Friday nights action. BOYS CLASS AAAA (5): IN: 1 - New Castle Red Hurricane 2 - Hampton Talbots 3 - Kiski Area Cavaliers 4 - North Allegheny Tigers 5 - Bethel Park Black Hawks BOYS CLASS AAA (6): IN: 1 - Central Valley Warriors 2 - Chartiers Valley ColtsBaldwin & Harbor Creek Win PIHL Open Class Cup Titles
It took Baldwin over three months, but they finally were given the chance to avenge their lone loss of the 2013-2014 season and boy, did they capitalize on it. The top-seeded Highlanders (21-1-1) used a smothering defensive effort and aggressive forecheck to take down #3 Hempfield, 5-1, in the PIHL Open Class Northeast Conference Championship Game at Robert Morris University's Island Sports Center on Thursday night. Baldwin's leading scorer, Anthony Alaimo, kept up his blistering pace, recording two goals and two assists in the win. It was Alaimo, in fact, that opened the scoring at the 10:55 mark of the first period on a wrist shot that trickled through the pads of Spartans' goalie Garrett Ciaramella.WPIAL Class AAA Wrestling Championships – Day One
February 27, 2014
The biggest surprise from day one of the AAA WPIAL Championships was not the action on the mats but the news off the mat. The number four seed at 113 pounds, Ethan McCoy of Latrobe, was scratched from the tournament. McCoy was dealing with health issues in the morning and was held out for precautionary reasons. Also held out of the tournament due to health issues was Ethan Smith, who came in as the number six seed at 145 pounds. Outside of the scratches, few upsets rang in on Thursday. The top four seeds in all fourteen weight classes advanced, with only one number five seed in Paul Dunn of Bethel Park falling short of the quarterfinals. Dunn lost to John Cole of Pittsburgh Central Catholic by fall in 5:11.WPIAL Class AAA Boys and Grils Swimmings Results from Thursday
A tight race on the boys side thru day 1 of the McDonald’s/WPIAL Class AAA swimming championship, not so much on the girls side. North Allegheny leads Upper St. Clair by 1.5 points for the boys championship, after the Panthers beat out the Tigers in the final event, the Boys 200 Freestyle Relay. North Allegheny has won the last two championships but USC has been breathing down their necks. For the girls, NA has won the last 5 titles, the last by 160 point margin over Oakland Catholic. The Tigers led by 150 points entering Friday’s action. Several WPIAL records fell during the day. North Allegheny set a new mark in the 200 Medley Relay,WPIAL Class AA Boys and Grils Swimmings Results from Thursday
It was a family affair to claim gold at the Boys and Girls 50 yard freestyle on Day 1 of the McDonalds/WPIAL Class Swimming Championships Thursday at Trees Pool. Sophomore Emily Zimcosky of Geibel Catholic claimed the top spot, minutes later senior John Paul Zimcosky reached the top of the medal stand as the Gators swept the event. The boys team race is close, Mars leads Indiana by 4 points, 116-112. West Allegheny leads Blackhawk by 18 points in the girls standings.
WPIAL Semifinals Wednesday Spotlight Game: New Castle 77 – Kiski Area 23
Totally dominant. That is the best description for New Castle’s 77-23 semifinal win over Kiski on Wednesday night at North Allegheny High School. The Red Hurricanes (25-0) used scoring runs of 7, 6 and 6 points in the first half to build a 22-point lead at halftime, then put the pedal down with full throttle in the third, outscoring the Cavaliers 27-3 to kick in the mercy rule. Senior Malik Hooker, an Ohio State football recruit, scored 20 points and continued his streak of YouTube moments with a tremendous one-handed jam down the lane. The thunderous jam brought a standing ovation from the over one thousand New Castle fans in attendance.WPIAL Basketball Playoffs – Wednesday 2/26 Recaps
February 26, 2014
Things got off to an interesting start in several of the early games, but by the time the final horn sounded in the late games, all was well as the higher seeds won most of the contests on Wednesday setting up some outstanding matchups for Championship Weekend. Here are the summaries for the eight Boys AAAA, Boys AA, Girls AAA and Girls A games on Semifinals Wednesday around the WPIAL. A special thanks to Steve Nagler, Bob Gregg, Don Rebel, Randy Gore, Bob Barrickman and Mark Schaas for their help on these recaps. WPIAL CLASS AAAA Semifinals:2014 PIHL Open Class Playoffs Update
Don't blink or you may miss the PIHL Open Class postseason. Two champions were crowned Thursday night at the RMU Sports Complex as Harbor Creek won the Southwest Cup title while Baldwin won the Northeast Cup crown with convincing 5-1 victories each. The Huskies and Highlanders will now clash on Sunday for the 2014 PIHL Open Class title here on MSA Sports. Here are all the results of the Southwest Cup and Northeast Cup chase in the 2014 PIHL Open Cup Playoffs, plus the matchup for the Open Class Championship Game Sunday on MSAsports. 2014 OPEN CLASS CHAMPIONSHIP GAME:Blackhawk Cougars Hockey Playoff Semifinals recap for 2/25/14
At the Morgantown Ice Center, Kienan Battin knocked home a loose puck past Cory Steinle in overtime to push the Mohawks past the Cougars and into the PIHL Open Class Southwest Division championship game on Thursday night. Battin recorded his second hat trick of the playoffs, he leads the Mohawks with 6 goals during the post season and 34 overall for the season.
