Dreams to play at Heinz Field are still realistic for the 64 WPIAL football teams beginning the playoffs Friday night. Those teams are spread among four classes with 16 teams in action for each class. Here are some key matchups in each class to watch out for Friday night: Class AAAA (11) Plum Mustangs at (6) Mt. Lebanon Blue Devils How They Got Here: The Mustangs got to their first round matchup by finishing with an overall 6-3 record good enough for third in the competitive Quad ... Read More
TJ rolls into AAA playoffs with rout of West Mifflin
Class AAAA Connellsville 29, Altoona 21 Altoona - 0 - 7 - 14 - 0 - -- - 21 Connellsville - 14 - 0 - 8 - 7 - -- - 29 C -- Steve White 4 run (Corey Fogle kick) C -- Braden Hone 2 run (Fogle kick) A -- Josh Russo 6 run (Evan Lingafelt kick) A -- Kyle Good 56 pass from Ryan Shope (Lingafelt kick) A -- Nick Hayden 2 run (Lingafelt kick) C -- Luke White 7 run (Hone run) C -- Hone 77 run (Fogle kick) Prugar's Prediction: Altoona 21, Connellsville 14. Class ... Read More
Rivalry games on tap for WPIAL Week 9
Class AAAA Altoona Mt. Lions (3-5) at Connellsville Falcons (1-7) The last week of the season has the Mt. Lions on the cusp of a playoff berth if things go Altoona's way. Winning would put Altoona in position for a Quad-A Wild Card and the 16th seed if it all works out. The 1-7 Falcons look to end their season on a high note coming off a 23-13 loss to Hempfield last week. Prugar's Prediction: Altoona 21, Connellsville 14 Class AAA Thomas Jefferson Jaguars (6-2) at West Mifflin Titans ... Read More
N.A. comes from behind to beat Central Catholic
Class-AAAA North Allegheny 24 Central Catholic 17 Central Catholic - 7 - 7 - 0 - 3 - -- - 17 North Allegheny - 0 - 7 - 3 - 14 - -- - 24 CC -- Jacob McKee 19 pass from Troy Fisher (Jacob Rocchi kick) NA -- Mike Pope 1 run (Seth Mancuso kick) CC -- Bricen Garner 51 pass from Fisher (Rocchi kick) NA -- Mancuso 23 FG NA -- Riley Trueman 2 run (Mancuso kick) CC -- Rocchi 33 FG NA -- Trueman 28 run (Mancuso kick) Prugar's Prediction: Central Catholic 35 North Allegheny ... Read More
AM Joe: Friday night lights return to Western Pa.
Good morning, Pittsburgh. Here's your day in sports for Friday, September 4, 2015. What's on tap for today: It's Fireworks Friday in Washington, Pa. as the Wild Things (40-53) are back at home following a 4-0, 11-inning win last night. First pitch against the Windy City Thunderbolts is at 7:05 p.m. 95.3 WJPA-FM The Pirates (79-53) will need to turn things around quickly if they want to catch the St. Louis Cardinals (86-47) in the National League Central. The Bucs have an opportunity ... Read More
WPIAL Championship Preview
Single-A #2 North Catholic vs #1 Sto Rox (11:00 A.M.) In what might be the best all around game of the day, Bob Ravenstahl's 12-0 Trojans take on Dan Bradley's 12-0 Vikings. Sto Rox is my pick to come away with the championship. At the beginning of the season, I was all in on North Catholic, and running back P.J. Fulmore has done nothing but proved he's one of the premiere running backs in the whole WPIAL. Teammates Ryan Kirby and Jarred Fragapane have been huge contributors in North ... Read More
WPIAL Semifinal Playoff Preview
The quarterfinal games are in the books, and this week features eight exciting games in which the teams will play for their opportunity of a WPIAL championship next week at Heinz Field. Single-A North Catholic vs Neshannock (at Mars) Neshannock pulled off the upset last week beating Monessan, while North Catholic squeaked out a hard-fought 14-7 victory over Avonworth. Junior running back P.J. Fulmore for North Catholic is a difference maker and will send Bob Ravenstahl's squad to Heinz ... Read More
WPIAL Round-2 Playoff Preview
Single-A #1 Sto-Rox vs #9 Apollo-Ridge (at Deer Lakes) Winner: Sto Rox #12 Fort Cherry vs #4 Clairton (at Elizabeth Forward) Winner: Clairton #7 Avonworth vs #2 Cardinals Wuerl North Catholic (at Hampton) Winner: Cardinal Wuerl North Catholic #3 Monessen vs #6 Neshannock (at Chartiers Houston) Winner: Neshannock Game of the Week: Avonworth vs Cardinal Wuerl North Catholic This Single-A showdown features the first and second best teams out of the Eastern Conference ... Read More