Tag: Albert Gallatin

WPIAL football conference preview: Class 4A Big 9

August 13, 2017

The favorite Thomas Jefferson (12-1 overall, 8-0 Big 9 in 2016) Thomas Jefferson has become a regular visitor to Heinz Field, claiming seven WPIAL titles,

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2017 Diamond Dolls Softball All-Stars

June 24, 2017

Morgan Ryan finished off a great career as a Hempfield pitcher this season. Bailey Parshall still has one year left as a pitcher at Belle Vernon, but already has had a great career. The two were so good this season - and in their careers - that the MSA Sports staff found it impossible to pick one over the other as Player of the Year. So there is a double take on Player of the Year this year. Ryan and Parshall have been selected co-Players of the Year and lead the MSA Diamond Dolls softball all-star team. The Diamond Dolls are the top 12 players in the WPIAL, regardless of position, and they are picked by the MSA staff. Here are thumbnail sketches of the players of the year and the rest of the Diamond Dolls team.

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MSA Sports Friday Night HighLights for Week Eight

October 22, 2016

While the weather outside was frightful (including a game postponed until Saturday), the play of some on the slick turf or the muddy grass was downright delightful as these WPIAL football players proved Eddie Rabbit correct as they all Loved a Rainy Night. Steady to heavy rain throughout the day and into game time did nothing to slow these guys from leading their team to victory in Week Eight. Max DeVinney - Pine-Richland

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Scholastic Notebook – 09/30/2016

September 30, 2016

Fort Cherry is in a drive for five. If the Rangers complete the drive, it will be the first time in 18 years. The Fort Cherrry football team is 4-0. The Rangers have been somewhat of a surprise this year after going 2-7 and 3-6 the past two seasons. Fort Cherry is likely to go to 5-0 because the Rangers play Friday night against West Greene, which is 1-4. This is the fourth time in nine seasons that Fort Cherry has started the season 4-0. The others were in 2008, 2009 and 2013. But every year, Fort Cherry lost its fifth game to Clairton. The last time Fort Cherry started 5-0 was 1998. That year, the Rangers finished the regular season with a 9-0 record before losing in the first round of the playoffs to Clairton.

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CTK ’16: 4-A Big Nine Conference Preview

August 21, 2016

While realignment created some radically different conferences for the upcoming football season, the 4-A Big Nine bears a tremendous resemblance to the former AAA Big 10 Conference. Eight of those teams made the transition to the Big Nine, while only Yough and Elizabeth Forward moved elsewhere. In their place, Greensburg Salem, formerly of the AAA Greater Allegheny Conference, has joined the section. Thus, many of the rivalries are already in place in the section, and teams and coaches will have a high level of familiarity. A notable difference for this season, though, is that only four teams will earn playoff bids, whereas the conference produced five teams a year ago.

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CTK ’16: New WPIAL Football Coaches

August 15, 2016

New Faces - New Places - New Hopes - New Dreams. While there were two fewer coaching changes this off-season then before the 2015 campaign, there were a couple of big names that hung up the whistle after last fall. Legendary McKeesport coach George Smith retired for a second time while record setting coach Tom Nola exited at Gateway. There are a lot of rookie head coaches getting their first crack, and some coaches who are just changing hats and addresses. Whatever the case, there are 17 coaching changes coming into this 2016 season. Here are the new football coaches that will be running the sidelines in the WPIAL this fall. CLASS 6-A: ALTOONA - Nick Felus replaces John Franco

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CTK 2015 – Class AAA Big Ten Conference Preview

August 22, 2015

Before we get to whether Thomas Jefferson will win the conference again, and whether West Mifflin has another top tailback, there is one main question with this conference: What the heck is the name of the conference? For the past three seasons, this has been the Big Nine Conference. Great idea, since there were nine teams. But this conference also has had eight teams. During those years, it was the Big Eight. There were years it had seven. Thus, the name Big Seven. But Yough was added this year to make a 10-team conference. So, what now? We here at MSA Sports change with the numbers. Welcome to the Big Ten. Or should it be the Big 10 with numbers? Whatever, here is a look at the Big Ten, er, 10 Conference:

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Scholastic Notebook – 02/06/2015

February 6, 2015

Penn State football coach James Franklin lost out on the top player in the WPIAL class of 2015 when Central Valley’s Jordan Whitehead signed with Pitt. Other than Whitehead, Penn State had plenty of success in the WPIAL. At least more than the Nittany Lions have had in recent history. Penn State signed four players from the WPIAL this season. That might not seem like a lot, but it is more than the past four classes combined. In fact, only twice in the past 10 years has Penn State landed four or more players from the WPIAL. In 2010, Penn State signed five WPIAL players and four in 2007. Two of the past four years, Penn State did not sign one WPIAL player.

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CTK ’14: WPIAL AAA Big Nine Conference Preview

August 16, 2014

The WPIAL realigned football conferences for this season, but the Big Nine stayed absolutely the same. Look for the conference race to stay the same as it has for a number of years. In other words, look for Thomas Jefferson on top. Thomas Jefferson has won or tied for the conference title eight consecutive seasons. The last time a team other than Thomas Jefferson won the title outright was West Mifflin in 2005. Many project Thomas Jefferson as the team to beat. Ringgold could challenge, though. A few teams have new coaches this season. Here is a look at all of the teams in the Big Nine: ALBERT GALLATIN COLONIALS

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Scholastic Notebook – 04/20/2014

April 20, 2014

If you look at the three sports of football, basketball and baseball, Baldwin has been more like Baldloss the past few years. But finally, the baseball team is putting the win back in Baldwin. Things have been absolutely perfect so far this spring for the Baldwin baseball team. The Highlanders have a perfect 7-0 record after a 13-3 victory over Gateway on Saturday. This winning is new for the three teams of football, basketball and baseball at Baldwin. There hasn’t been a winning season in those three major sports since the basketball team went 14-8 in the 2009-10 season and the baseball team went 12-6 in the 2010 season. The football team hasn’t had a winning season since 2003.

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