Tag: Armstrong

2016 National Letter of Intent Day – MSA Sports Elite Eleven College Destinations

February 3, 2016

Wednesday is National Letter of Intent Day where high school seniors make their verbal commitments official by signing on the dotted line to the school of their choice. What were the final college destinations for the members of the 2015 MSA Sports The Elite 11 football all-star team? Here is a look: PLAYER OF THE YEAR: KAEZON PUGH, ALIQUIPPA RB-LB, 6-2, 217, Sr. PITT ZACH CHANDLER, AVONWORTH QB, 6-4, 235, Sr. ALDERSON-BROADDUS   DAMAR HAMLIN, PITTSBURGH CENTRAL CATHOLIC WR-DB, 6-2, 189, Sr. PITT   HUNTER HAYES, SOUTH FAYETTE RB-DB, 6-1, 195, Sr. PENN  

Read More...

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.

Read More...

Scholastic Notebook – 11/06/2015

November 6, 2015

The WPIAL football playoffs start Friday night. Does that mean the Tri-County South Conference turns into the Tri-County Sour bunch once again? The Tri-County South in Class A hasn’t won a playoff game since the 2010 season. Since then, Tri-County South teams are 0-16 in the postseason. But maybe there is hope to end the postseason drought this year. Frazier finished the regular season with a 9-0 record and the Commodores were given the No. 4 seed. Frazier led the entire WPIAL in fewest points allowed this season and it plays host to South Side in a first-round game.

Read More...

WPIAL Big Game Hunting – Week Eight – 10/21/2015

October 21, 2015

Week Eight arrives and we can smell the playoffs now. The post season party is just around the corner at the MSA World Headquarters, in fact pairings shows and medals are already making their appearances. But football is the biggie, the one where everyone shows up and Chix Picks prepares the fresh sushi bar. The Football pairing show is always likely to trigger a Schaasy and Mike Azadian argument about schools from Lawrence County versus schools from Allegheny County. Usually we have two people per classification and there is just enough sushi and just the right amount of seats to avoid problems. Next year though, six classifications for the first time, THAT could be a disaster at headquarters. Just another in the long list of reasons this particular reporter dislikes the move so much.

Read More...

Scholastic Notebook – 09/25/2015

September 25, 2015

It’s a Zane-y world out there in WPIAL football so far this season. After the first three weeks of the season, Zane Dudek is atop the WPIAL in rushing yards – and also points scored. Dudek is a 5-foot-10, 180-pound junior running back at Armstrong High School. This is Armstrong’s first year of existence after Ford City and Kittanning merged to form Armstrong. Dudek is certainly bringing some attention to the Riverhawks. Dudek has rushed for 736 yards on 67 carries, an average of 10.9 yards a carry. No other WPIAL running back has 600 yards rushing. Dudek is tied for the scoring lead with Beth-Center’s Tony Welsh at 72 points.

Read More...

WPIAL Friday Night HighLights – Week Three 2015

September 19, 2015

With two weeks to get a feel of the district high school football landscape, there was plenty of 'big game' feel up and down the FOUR classifications of the WPIAL on the third Friday of the campaign. Some turned into laughers while others were nail-biters well into the fourth quarter. On a picture perfect night around Western Pennsylvania, here are the players who proved to be very photogenic in leading their teams to Week Three wins. Terron Murphy - Bethel Park

Read More...

Scholastic Notebook – 09/11/2015

September 11, 2015

Duane Brown’s sidekick is gone, but Brown’s game apparently still has a lot of kick. Brown is a junior football player at Apollo-Ridge. A year ago, he and Tre Tipton were a one-of-a-kind one-two punch, as both played quarterback and some at receiver/running back. They were believed to be the first quarterback pair in WPIAL history to both rush for 1,000 yards in the same season. Tipton is now at Pitt, but life is anything but the pits for Brown. At least after the first week of the season. Look at the statistical leaders for the WPIAL after Week 1 and Brown is the only one you will see in the receiving, rushing and scoring leaders.

Read More...

CTK 2015 – Class AAA Greater Allegheny Conference Preview

August 21, 2015

While West Allegheny and Central Valley have battled back and forth atop the Parkway Conference and Thomas Jefferson has reigned supreme in the former Big Nine Conference, the Greater Allegheny Conference has had a number of intriguing teams that have enjoyed success recently. Last year, Hampton captured the top spot, while perennial powerhouse Franklin Regional finished in second. Mars, a team which has been near the top of the standings in recent years, overcame key injuries to still contend and make a playoff run. Conference newcomer Gateway, which was a powerhouse for more than a decade in Quad-A, proved disappointing for most of its debut season.

Read More...

CTK 2015 – The River Hawks Have Landed

August 2, 2015

You could say this is one large step for a new high school, a couple of not-so-giant changes for the WPIAL football alignment. While the second year of a two year enrollment cycle rarely offers any changes to alignment, the merger of Kittanning and Ford City High Schools into Armstrong High School has caused the district to shuffle some things affecting three conferences in Class AAA and Class AA. In their first season, the Armstrong River Hawks will play in the Class AAA Greater Allegheny Conference against new rivals Franklin Regional, Gateway, Greensburg-Salem, Hampton, Hollidaysburg, Indiana, Knoch and Mars.

Read More...

Cathedral Prep Rambles to AA Pens Cup Crown

March 14, 2015

A lot has happened in 17 years. 1997 was the second year of the second term for President Clinton, the movie Titanic won 11 Oscars, a gallon of gas was $1.22 and the price of a movie ticket was $4.59. 1997 was also the last time Erie Cathedral Prep won a Penguins Cup high school hockey championship, until Saturday. {Left: Erie Cathedral Prep goalie Jacob Kucharski keeps the puck out despite heavy traffic in front in leading Ramblers to 2015 Penguins Cup Class AA crown} The Ramblers got clutch goaltending from Jacob Kucharski and a pair of goals from Trevor Faulkner to beat the Armstrong RiverHawks 3-1 Saturday at CONSOL Energy Center in Pittsburgh to win the 2015 PIHL Class AA Penguins Cup Championship.  

Read More...