Varsity notebook

Talk about splash hires.

First, McGuffey High School made waves when it hired Ed Dalton as its athletic director and football coach. The hire put a possible end on lengthy headbutting between Dalton and the Trinity School Board.

It also landed the Highlanders an energetic, passionate football coach with previous experience as an athletic director.

The opportunity to move back into an administrative position was an attractive choice for Dalton, who served as Trinity's athletic director for a little more than a decade. That ended when the board moved Dalton back to the classroom.

Must say it was weird seeing Dalton's first tweets as McGuffey football coach, urging followers and McGuffey football players to go and "Like" the football team's new Facebook page. Associating Dalton with McGuffey will take time, but I'm sure the returning players are already excited.

Less than a week after Dalton landed at McGuffey, Waynesburg welcomed back Russ Moore.

The outgoing Moore galvanized a fan base at Waynesburg during the latter half of the 1990s. His stint culminated with the Raiders winning the 1999 WPIAL Class AA championship in convincing fashion, a 30-3 win over then arch rival Washington. It's the lone football title in Waynesburg history, though the Raiders did reach the championship game in 1958, 1959 and 2000.

Moore resigned following the 1999 season in hopes his resignation letter would instead get the school to upgrade stadium facilities. It's a decision Moore regrets.

Now, after a two-year head coaching tenure at Ringgold, where Moore teaches, and several assistant coaching stops, he's head back to the place he calls home.

* Dalton and Moore are replacing fine head coaches, and two well-respected guys with the reputation of getting the most of their talent.

Derek Bochna didn't always win at McGuffey but the soon-to-be WPIAL Hall of Famer didn't always have a lot to work with there. When Bochna had good running backs, the Highlanders were a good team.

Joe Kuhns spent three years at Waynesburg after a successful tenure at California. The Raiders progressed under the direction of Kuhns and flirted with the postseason in 2011.

* Each coach faces a difficult task.

 McGuffey is dropping to Class AA and will compete in the Century Conference following a winless season. The Highlanders first two games are at South Fayette and home against Seton-La Salle - each quarterbacked by a Brumbaugh brother (Brett at South Fayette, Luke at Seton-La Salle).

Waynesburg losses its top rusher and a strong offensive line. The Raiders must also deal with increasing interest.

* For all the attention given to the incident during the boys basketball game between Woodland Hills and Peters Township, it's surprising and a bit alarming that one subject never came up in conversation.

What if Shakim Alonzo's punch to the ear of Peters Township's Gabe Pritz had connected with Pritz's temple instead of his ear? Or what if the unsuspecting Pritz had suddenly turned as Alonzo connected and the punch shattered an eye socket?

When I asked Peters Township coach Gary Goga that question last Thursday, he said I was the first person not affiliated with his team to ask that. Amazing.
* I say let Alonzo keep his scholarship to the University of Cincinnati football team. In reading extensively on this story, the punch appears to be an isolated incident. While it should be considered a criminal act, Division I recruits have faced more serious charges and played college football.

* Here's a name to keep in mind as Trinity searches for a football coach - Todd Young.

Young has spent the past 12 years at Washington & Jefferson College, and is the Presidents offensive line coach and recruiting coordinator.

* Here's a few names that pop into mind when thinking about the Observer-Reporter All-District boys basketball first team: Zach Challingsworth (South Fayette), Jaisen Irwin (Monessen),Christian Koroly (Trinity), Earl Pinkney (Monessen), Gabe Pritz (Peters Township), Gannon Walls-Mitchell (Bentworth),  Josh Wise (Washington) and Joe Yamber (Avella).


On the girls side, possibilities are Beka Bellhy (Fort Cherry), Jessica Dorazio (Bentworth), Erika Ford (South Fayette), Carolena Gasbarro (Fort Cherry), Morgan Kurtz (Trinity), Jessie Merckle (Fort Cherry), Mariah Ward (Monessen) and Sammie Weiss (McGuffey).

Basketball team chooses faith over championship chase

HOUSTON (AP) — A Texas agency has turned down a request by an Orthodox Jewish school in Houston to reschedule a championship game potentially involving its boys’ basketball team because the game time falls during the Sabbath.
The Beren Academy advanced to the semifinals in the Texas Association of Private and Parochial Schools’ 2A tournament with a 23-5 record and was scheduled to play Dallas Covenant at 9 p.m. on Friday.
Beren players observe the Sabbath between Friday night and Saturday night and won’t play basketball during those hours.
The academy appealed to TAPPS to have the game time moved, but the agency’s nine-member board unanimously voted it down.
Dallas Covenant will instead play Kerrville Our Lady of the Hills, the team that Beren defeated in the regional final. The Beren team, meanwhile, will continue practicing this week, hoping that TAPPS moves the game time to earlier Friday.
“They say the inconvenience of rescheduling the games outweighs any other factors,” Beren coach Chris Cole said Tuesday. “I don’t know where that decision goes. That’s a decision for people who are a little higher than I am. The main thing for us is to do the best we can, keep working hard and just be hopeful. We feel like it’s still Tuesday, and things can still happen.”
TAPPS director Ed Burleson said Tuesday that he doesn’t expect the agency to reverse course. He said he has received hundreds of emails and phone calls, some from as far away as Canada, accusing him of bigotry and anti-Semitism since word spread of the agency’s decision.
Burleson said the decision had nothing to do with religion, but rather has to do with the organization’s longstanding policy not to change the playoffs date — a rule that has been in place since TAPPS’ inception in 1978.
Beren joined TAPPS last year, and Burleson said the school was told then to not expect TAPPS to adjust its postseason schedule.
“We think it’s clear-cut,” Burleson said. “They were advised, up front, that TAPPS would not change that, and they chose to join TAPPS anyway. There was never any indication from TAPPS that their appeal would be approved.”
Cole, the coach since the 2002-03 season, acknowledged that he was aware of the possibility of such scheduling conflicts but was still hoping TAPPS would make an exception.
“It was our feeling that we could complete the playoffs,” Cole said. “There was no reason we saw (not to compete), other than changing the game times. We felt like we could make those changes, and the request was reasonable.”
Cole argued that there was a precedent to Beren’s request. Last year, the soccer team at Arlington Burton Adventist Academy reached the TAPPS semifinals and faced a similar conflict with the Sabbath.
Burleson said the logistics were much easier for the soccer tournament, which has one classification and is played on a single field. The basketball tournament involves five classifications for both boys’ and girls’ teams for a total of 40 teams playing 30 games in two days.
“It’s a big affair and requires a lot of planning and scheduling and coordination to play that many games in that narrow amount of time,” Burleson said. “We have to rent facilities and we’re limited in the amount of time we have to rent those facilities.”
TAPPS is comprised of 220 schools, and Cole said the benefits of joining outweighed the drawbacks when Beren decided to apply for membership. He says most schools have been “very understanding and accommodating” in adjusting game times to allow the Beren players to observe the Sabbath.
Only now, they realize they’ll have to watch others vie for a championship that could’ve been theirs.
“I will feel disappointed, and I think it’d be silly to feel something different,” senior guard/forward Isaac Buchine said.
The lure of championship glory, though, isn’t enough to uproot the players’ deep-seeded beliefs. The enrollment at Beren is only 274, and most of the students have grown up together, in a culture where faith and religion trump virtually everything else.
“There’s nothing in the Jewish religion that doesn’t want us to play basketball,” Beren senior point guard Isaac Mirwis said. “But it’s tradition, it’s principle, and we stick true to our principles and that’s what makes an identity ... God doesn’t take a week off from us, so we can’t take a week off from God.”
Harry Sinoff, the Beren headmaster and a rabbi, thinks that his school’s request is reasonable and he doesn’t understand why TAPPS remains so rigid.
“It’s good for basketball, it’s good for sports,” Sinoff said. “Inclusion is good for sports.”

Who will make the WPIAL championship games?

Blogger's note: Check back later today for a notebook with topics ranging from Ed Dalton at McGuffey to the return of Russ Moore at Waynesburg to WPIAL basketball and more.

As an unbiased observer, there are still times when a performance by a team or individual can energize and even inspire.

It's a rarity for a crafty veteran such as myself, but Saturday's game between Peters Township and Pittsburgh Central Catholic served as a reminder of what can make high school athletics a special thing.

Count me among the many who didn't give Peters Township much of a chance to beat talented PCC. The odds were stacked against the Indians. Junior guard Trent McPherson was unavailable. Junior forward Gabe Pritz had 11 stitches in his left ear. PT players and head coach Gary Goga were subjects of conversation on talk radio and television news. Some of the conversation was not flattering.

All things pointed toward a PCC rout.

Not so fast.

Credit Goga with having undermanned PT prepared. Strong performances came from Kevin Glod, Nick Parello and J.C. Brush, while Pritz turned in the best first half of his varsity career.

At halftime, Pritz - going against PCC's big front line - had 22 points and nine rebounds. Peters Township led thought much of the first half. And the Indians led 35-31 when a collision with a PCC defender popped the 11 stitches out of Pritz's ear.

Pritz was unable to return. Glod played the entire second half in foul trouble. Smartly, PCC attacked inside and eventually took control in the fourth quarter.

Still, it was one incredible postseason performance. With only one senior (Glod) in the rotation, PT will enter the 2012-13 season with increased expectations.

In the WPIAL quarterfinals, I went 26-6, including a spiffy 14-2 record in girls games. That improves the postseason record to 98-34, a .742 win percentage.

Here's who is getting to the A.J. Palumbo Center this weekend:

AAAA - Shaler over Pittsburgh Central Catholic; Gateway over Butler
AAA - New Castle over Beaver; Montour over Hampton
AA - Monessen over Greensburgh Central Catholic; Beaver Falls over Sto-Rox
A - Lincoln Park over Vincentian Academy; North Catholic over Cornell

Girls
AAAA - Oakland Catholic over Baldwin; Mt. Lebanon over Upper St. Clair
AAA - Hopewell over Chartiers Valley; South Park over Blackhawk
AA - Seton-La Salle over Keystone Oaks; Bishop Canevin over Steel Valley
A - North Catholic over Riverview; Fort Cherry over Vincentian Academy

Picking the winners, WPIAL quarterfinals

Butler over Chartiers Valley?

Seneca Valley over Mt. Lebanon?

Peters Township over Woodland Hills?

When it comes to the WPIAL Class AAAA boys basketball playoffs in 2012, expect the unexpected. No. 2 Chartiers Valley - my championship pick - along with No. 3 Mt. Lebanon and No. 4 Woodland Hills all lost first-round games. The upsets not only blew open the bracket, it shows how difficult predicting playoff games can get.

Through the first round of boys games, the record is a solid but far from standout 34-14. A .708 win percentage is impressive in baseball, but when it comes to picking playoff winners, it's a bit shabby.

Through the first round of girls games, it's almost an identical 34-15 for a .694 win percentage.

Boys
Class AAAA
Shaler over Plum, Pittsburgh Central Catholic over Peters Township, North Allegheny over Butler, Gateway over Seneca Valley
Class AAA
New Castle over Mars, Trinity over Beaver, Montour over Blackhawk, Hampton over Central Valley
Class AA
Monessen over Shady Side Academy, Greensburg Central Catholic over Northgate, Beaver Falls over Jeannette, Quaker Valley over Sto-Rox
Class A
Lincoln Park over Sewickley Academy, Vincentian Academy over Serra Catholic, North Catholic over Union, Clairton over Cornell

Girls
Class AAAA
Bethel Park over Oakland Catholic, Baldwin over Shaler, Mt. Lebanon over Pine-Richland, Hempfield over Upper St. Clair
Class AAA
Hopewell over Elizabeth Forward, Chartiers Valley over Uniontown, South Park over South Fayette, Blackhawk over New Castle
Class AA
Seton-La Salle over Beaver Falls, Keystone Oaks over Greensburg Central Catholic, Bishop Canevin over Avonworth, Steel Valley over New Brighton
Class A
North Catholic over St. Joseph, Riverview over Monessen, Vincentian Academy over Winchester Thurston, Fort Cherry over Cornell

Twitter Thursday

It's a short week ... but on to the Tweets.

Amanda Balzer, @mandabalz
Feb. 23
"Everyone tune into KDKA tonight at 6:40 to watch my sister @ashbalz earn her extra effort award #itskindofabigdeal"

Chris Dugan, @CDuganOR
Feb. 22
"On way to basketball game, passed the North Huntingdon McDonald's. #memories"

Ashley Hull, @A_Hull12
Feb. 21
"Is it sad that I would totally put my daughter into pageants like toddlers and tiaras? #loveit"

Jeremy Merich, @JEMmerich007
Feb. 22
"Do something today that your future self will thank you for #realtalk"

Brent Williams, @Bweezy_13
Feb. 20
"I would do anything to play for the Pittsburgh Pirates #Hometown #Dreams"

Hiller Hooligans, @HillerHooligans
Feb. 23
"I thought McGuffey was illiterate....then Beaver started tweeting us"

Jordan Drew, @JayyDrew_33
Feb. 23
"Let it be clear wherever LeBron goes that's the team I like. #TeamBandWagon"

Doug Wilson, @Dougie_Fresh055
Feb. 23
"Still shocked that CV lost. Tim McConnell was probably so pissed that he made his players carry the bus home instead of riding it"

Joe Hough, @avellaeagle
Feb. 21
"New sec 3 class A....clairton, monesson, geible, mapletown, carmichales, avella # lotsoftravel!"

Casey Guernsey, @caseguerns
Feb. 22
"Um, I'm pretty sure I could keep up with these contestants on jeopardy #EASY"

Statement from Pritz family regarding punching incident

Media Release

February 23, 2012

The Pritz family, and especially Gabriel, is very grateful to his teammates, coaches and
the Pittsburgh community for the outpouring of support shown following the injury
sustained during the Peters Township- Woodland Hills basketball game on Saturday,
February 18, 2012.

Although we hoped this would be “old news” by this time, the continuing coverage has compelled us to issue this note of gratitude and clarification regarding Gabe’s role in the incident.

No words were exchanged between Gabe and Shakim the entire game. They competed

cleanly and intensely through 3 ½ quarters of play.In Shakim’s own words in his apology to Gabriel he stated,

“You were a cool dude on the court I had no problem with,therefore I had no reason to hit you.” The McKeesport Daily News having spoken directly to Shakim

reported that “Alonzo said Pritz was not his intended target.”

He expressed this previously in his statement to the California University Police.Gabe did not hear any racial slur from either team during the contest and certainly he didn’t make any. He is a victim in an unfortunate incident.

We remain watchful of Gabriel’s health and healing and are so grateful that he was notmore severely hurt during this incident. We continue to pray for Shakim and his family
as we are certain this has been a difficult time for them. And we hope the broader
community can now focus on the conclusion of the WPIAL Basketball Playoffs as
Gabriel just wants to get back to being a student and a basketball player. Go Indians!

WPIAL press release regarding boys basketball game between Monessen and Brentwood

From the WPIAL office:

"After carefully listening to and considering the testimony and evidence presented by no less than nine witnesses over the span of approximately three hours (Tuesday) concerning the Feb. 3 boys basketball game between Brentwood High School and Monessen Sr. High School, the WPIAL Board of Control consisting of seventeen members with hundreds of years of collective educational and/or amateur athletic experience issued a decision letter (Wednesday) morning to Brentwood and Monessen.

In the decision letter, the Board determined that Brentwood administrators and security officials took swift, decisive and appropriate action in addressing the limited disturbances which took place prior to, during or after the game, including but not limited to, the immediate ejection and subsequent suspension of the two students dressed in banana costumes because they ran onto the court in violation of contest and school rules. Thus, neither Brentwood, Monessen nor any of their respective employees or representatives will be subject to penalties such as suspension, probation or public ensure as a result of the events that took place prior to, during or after the game.

The Board made no specific findings based upon the substantial testimony and evidence presented that any Brentwood student, student-athlete or fan in fact used racial slurs or engaged in racially insensitive behavior. However, the Board also found that a strong perception exists within the Monessen community that Brentwood students and/or fans have engaged and/or will continue to engage in racially insensitive behavior. Whether the perception is well-founded based upon alleged events which occurred on Feb. 3 or prior to thereto is irrelevant. The fact that such a perception exists is a problem that the Board strongly believes must be dealt with swiftly and proactively.

To their credit, both school districts expressed the desire to work proactively together, with WPIAL's assistance, to prevent any similar situations from occurring in the future and turn what has thus far been a negative experience into a positive one. As a result, the Board directed the Brentwood and Monessen high school principals to work cooperatively with each other and their student bodies in formulating a joint action plan designed to (a) promote the spirit of sportsmanship that WPIAL expects at all contests; (b) promote the fact that all individual must be treated with dignity and respect at all WPIAL contests; (c) make clear that Brentwood, Monessen and WPIAL will not tolerate the use of racial slurs or other forms of racial intimidation at WPIAL contests; and (d) make clear to students and student-athletes that the use of racial slurs or other forms of racial intimidation at WPIAL contests will lead to their immediate ejections from a contest and perhaps other disciplinary measures.

The joint action plan must be submitted for the Board's review and approval on or before June 1. A member of the Board has been tasked with assisting Brentwood and Monessen in formulating the joint action plan and monitoring their efforts. The Board member will be meeting with the respective principals within the next three weeks to discuss a strategy going forward. WPIAL's offices have been made available to both school districts for purposes of meeting and formulating the joint action plan."

WPIAL girls basketball alignment

Class AAAA
Section 1
Albert Gallatin
Connellsville
Hempfield
Kiski Area
Latrobe
Laurel Highlands
Norwin
Penn-Trafford
Section 2
Fox Chapel
Franklin Regional
Gateway
McKeesport
Penn Hills
Plum
Woodland Hills
Section 3
Butler Golden
North Allegheny
North Hills
Oakland Catholic
Pine-Richland
Seneca Valley
Shaler
Section 4
Baldwin
Bethel Park
Canon-McMillan
Chartiers Valley
Mount Lebanon
Peters Township
Upper St. Clair

Class AAA
Section 1
Freeport
Hampton
Highlands
Kittanning
Knoch
Mars
Valley
Section 2
Ambridge
Blackhawk
Central Valley
Ellwood City
Hopewell
New Castle
West Allegheny
Section 3
Derry
Greensburg-Salem
Indiana
Mount Pleasant
Southmoreland
Uniontown
Yough
Section 4
Belle Vernon
Brownsville
Elizabeth Forward
Ringgold
Thomas Jefferson
Waynesburg
West Mifflin
Section 5
Keystone Oaks
Montour
Moon
Quaker Valley
South Fayette Lions
South Park
Trinity Hillers

Class AA
Section 1
Apollo-Ridge
Burrell
Deer Lakes
Elderton
Ford City
Leechburg
West Shamokin
Section 2
Beaver Falls
Laurel
Mohawk
Neshannock
New Brighton
Riverside
Shenango
Section 3
East Allegheny
Greensburg Central Catholic
Jeannette
Riverview
Springdale
Shady Side Academy
South Allegheny
Section 4
Bishop Canevin
Brentwood
Chartiers-Houston
Fort Cherry
Seton-La Salle
Steel Valley Ironmen
Wilkinsburg
Section 5:
Bentworth
Beth-Center
Burgettstown
Charleroi
McGuffey
South Side Beaver
Washington
Section 6
Avonworth
Beaver
Carlynton
Freedom
Northgate
Our Lady of the Sacred Heart
Sto-Rox

Class A
Section 1
Aliquippa
Cornell
Quigley
Rochester
Sewickley Academy
Union
Western Beaver
Section 2
Eden Christian Academy
Ellis School
Imani Christian Academy
North Catholic
St. Joseph
Trinity Christian
Vincentian Academy
Section 3
Avella
California
Carmichaels
Jefferson-Morgan
Mapletown
West Greene
Section 4
Clairton
Frazier
Geibel
Monessen
Serra Catholic
Winchester Thurston

WPIAL boys basketball alignment

Class AAAA
Section 1
Albert Gallatin
Connellsville
Hempfield
Kiski Area
Latrobe
Norwin
Penn-Trafford
Section 2
Fox Chapel
Franklin Regional
Gateway
McKeesport
Penn Hills
Pittsburgh Central Catholic
Plum
Woodland Hills
Section 3
Butler Golden
Hampton
New Castle
North Allegheny
North Hills
Pine-Richland
Seneca Valley
Shaler
Section 4
Baldwin
Bethel Park
Canon-McMillan
Moon
Mount Lebanon
Peters Township
Trinity
Upper St. Clair

Class AAA
Section 1
Freeport
Highlands Golden Rams
Indiana
Kittanning
Knoch
Mars
Valley
Section 2
Ambridge
Beaver
Blackhawk
Central Valley
Ellwood City
Hopewell
West Allegheny
Section 3
Derry
Greensburg-Salem
Laurel Highlands
Mount Pleasant
Southmoreland
Uniontown
Yough
Section 4
Belle Vernon
East Allegheny
Elizabeth Forward
Ringgold
Steel Valley
Thomas Jefferson
West Mifflin
Section 5
Chartiers Valley
Keystone Oaks
McGuffey
Montour
South Fayette
South Park
Waynesburg

Class AA
Section 1
Apollo-Ridge
Burrell
Deer Lakes
Elderton
Ford City
Summit Academy
West Shamokin
Section 2
Aliquippa
Beaver Falls
Laurel
Mohawk
Neshannock
New Brighton
Riverside
Shenango
Section 3:
Greensburg Central Catholic
Jeannette
Riverview
Serra Catholic
Shady Side Academy
Springdale
South Allegheny
Section 4
Bishop Canevin
Brentwood
Burgettstown
Chartiers-Houston
Fort Cherry
Seton-La Salle
Washington
Section 5
Bentworth
Beth-Center
Brownsville
California
Charleroi
Frazier
Jefferson-Morgan
West Greene
Section 6
Avonworth
Carlynton
Freedom
Northgate
Quaker Valley
South Side Beaver
Sto-Rox
Class A
Section 1
Cornell
Lincoln Park
Our Lady of the Sacred Heart
Rochester
Union
Western Beaver
Section 2
Aquinas Academy
Eden Christian Academy
North Catholic
Quigley
Sewickley Academy
Vincentian Academy
Section 3
Avella
Carmichaels
Clairton
Geibel
Mapletown
Monessen
Section 4
Imani Christian Academy
Leechburg
St. Joseph
Trinity Christian
Wilkinsburg
Winchester Thurston

Picking the winners ... midweek edition

The opening weekend didn't go well, but there's plenty of first-round games remaining to up the record heading into the WPIAL quarterfinals.

Boys
Class AAAA
Shaler over McKeesport, Plum over Kiski Area, Chartiers Valley over Butler, North Allegheny over Bethel Park
Class AAA
New Castle over Highlands, Mars over West Mifflin, Trinity over Keystone Oaks, South Fayette over Beaver, Montour over Indiana, Blackhawk over Uniontown, Hampton over Elizabeth Forward, Greensburg-Salem over Central Valley
Class AA
Monessen over Riverside, Shady Side Academy over Frazier, Summit Academy over Northgate, Greensburg Central Catholic over Shenango, Beaver Falls over Brentwood, Wilkinsburg over Jeannette, Aliquippa over Sto-Rox, Quaker Valley over Seton-La Salle

Girls
Class AAAA
Oakland Catholic over Peters Township, Bethel Park over North Allegheny, Mt. Lebanon over Norwin, Pine-Richland over Plum
Class AAA
Hopewell over Belle Vernon, Hampton over Elizabeth Forward, Chartiers Valley over Beaver, Central Valley over Uniontown, South Park over Greensburg-Salem, South Fayette over Mars, Blackhawk over West Mifflin, Mt. Pleasant over New Castle
Class AA
Seton-La Salle over OLSH, Beaver Falls over Quaker Valley, Deer Lakes over Keystone Oaks, Greensburg Central Catholic over Burrell, Bishop Canevin over Mohawk, Avonworth over Bentworth, Jeannette over New Brighton, Steel Valley over Riverside
Class A
North Catholic over West Greene, Carmichaels over St. Joseph, Vincentian Academy over Avella, Chartiers-Houston over Winchester Thurston

Postgame video from Peters Township and Woodland Hills coaches

It's one of the bigger stories to happen in the WPIAL this school year, a sucker-punch thrown by Woodland Hills' Shakim Alonzo, who happens to be a University of Cincinnati football recruit, that landed on the ear of Peters Township's Gabe Pritz.

Pritz needed 11 stitches to repair cartiledge damage to his ear, but he finished with 30 points, a double-double and six blocks as PT upset Woody high in the first round of the Class AAAA playoffs at California University.

Observer-Reporter sports editor Chris Dugan, who actually covered the game, wrote a pair of outstanding pieces on the game and the incident. For his game story, click here. For a follow-up column, click here.

Alonzo is claiming a Peters Township player used a racial slur, which triggered his emotional eruption.

For postgame reaction, check out the video.

Twitter Thursday ... on a Sunday

Let's see ... there was a wild basketball game between Peters Township and Woodland Hills, which was won by the 14th seeded Indians. (FYI, Gary Goga has won three straight first round playoff games, two as the lower-seeded team.)

There was Ed Dalton leaving Trinity to become McGuffey's athletic director and football coach.

Oh, and for those who don't think anyone in Western Pennsylvania pays attention to the NBA (you're dead wrong), there was whole lotta Jeremy Lin talk.

As always, you can follow me on Twitter @TheMikeKovak.


Gannon Walls-Mitchell, @GWaLLS15
Feb. 18
"Dear ankle do not keep me awake like last night even though I hurt u worse"

Christian Koroly, @C_Koroly3
Feb. 17
"gotta prepare for the next one. all i know is the @HillerHooligans better be at the next game  #realrap"

Doug Wilson, @dougie_fresh055
Feb. 19
"Working retail has made me realize that college is very very important cuz I don't wanna work it and I couldn't make it as a drug dealer"

Rob Zewe, @TheRealRobZewe
Feb. 18
"I would take Gary Goga over anyone in a fight"

Tanner Garry, @TannerGarry3
Feb. 19
"Fries on everything I eat. #Pittsburgh"

Michael LaRocka, @MikeLaRocka
Feb. 19
"I can take Pitt losing.. But I can't take this effort. #pathetic"

Pat Zedreck, @PZedreck
Feb. 19
"retweet if mike lamberti should get a twitter"

Sarah Kapis, @SarahKapis
Feb. 16
"Looking forward to the #BackyardBrawl although I'm sure I'll fall asleep. Go WVU!!!

Chris Niemiec, @niems23
"6'10 SR going to temple, 6'6 So who may have chances at duke and kentucky, and neither leads the team in scoringm #coachingproblems"

Gabe Pritz, @Gabepritz21
Feb. 19
"I have 11 stitches in my ear and had to go through them reconstructing the cartlidge in my ear"

The Rowdy Red, @PTHS_RowdyRed
Feb. 18
"Damn right boys ball damn right"

Kevin Glod, @mini_brow
Feb. 18
"Upset city #letsgoo"

Andrew Erenberg, @andrewerenberg
Feb. 18
"Kudos to Goga for calling out Shakeem Alonzo. I wish everyone could've heard his post game interview. I hope he loses his scholarship."

Zach Challingsworth, @ZChally10
Feb. 14
"Got my first offer today!!! #Toledo couldn't do it without my football family and friends #Iloveallyou"

Josh Wise, @jlwise_whs11
Feb. 19
"#TrackSeasonGoals win WPIAL TEAM TITLE...INDIVIDUAL WPIAL CHAMP...STATE CHAMP AND GET MY SCHOLARSHIP TO PITT ONLY NEED #6'9"

Joey Graziani, @joegrizz52
Feb. 16
"Dude walks into mr dills class and he be lookin like Justin beiner. #realtalk"

Trenton Bedillion, @trent_bedillion
Feb. 16
"Ed Dalton would be a very respectable and great asset to the McGuffey School District and McGuffey Highlander football team."

Joey Niklas, @joeynik
Feb. 16
"good move for both Ed Dalton and McGuffey..."

John Laschinsky, @John12Las
Feb. 16
"#daltonmemories you think you're tough cdrizzy?! you only tweet tough cdrizzy! hit somebody cdrizzy! Hahaha"

Ed Dalton, @edalton2
Feb. 16
"MY DEEPEST THANKS TO HILLER NATION AND EVERYONE TRINITYhttp://trinityhillerfootball.stackvarsity.com/news/article.asp?id=310336"

Tweet of the Week
Andrew Erenberg, @andrewerenberg
Feb. 15
"What's the difference between Jermey Lin and Tim Tebow? Jeremy Lin can pass"

Picking the winners, weekend edition

The Varsity Letters' fearless prognosticator has returned. After studying the playoff landscape, it's time of offer up the winners for this weekend's WPIAL boys and girls basketball playoff games.

Boys
Class AAAA
Woodland Hills over Peters Township, Pittsburgh Central Catholic over Hempfield, McKeesport over Norwin, Mt. Lebanon over Seneca Valley, Gateway over Penn-Trafford
Class AAA
Southmoreland over Highlands, Trinity over Kittanning, Beaver over Thomas Jefferson, Indiana over Knoch, Blackhawk over South Park, Washington over Elizabeth Forward, Central Valley over McGuffey
Class AA
Riverside over Chartiers-Houston, Shady Side Academy over California, Frazier over Riverview, Freeport over Northgate, Shenango over West Shamokin, Brentwood over S.S. Beaver, Wilkinsburg over Brownsville, Jeannette over Fort Cherry, Ford City over Aliquippa, Seton-La Salle over Neshannock
Class A
Lincoln Park over Jefferson-Morgan, St. Joseph over Sewickley Academy, Serra Catholic over Western Beaver, Vincentian Academy over Geibel Catholic, North Catholic over Carmichaels, Bentworth over Union, Clairton over Avella, Cornell over Quigley Catholic

Girls
Class AAAA
Peters Township over Franklin Regional, Penn-Trafford over Shaler, Baldwin over Kiski Area, Gateway over Upper St. Clair, Hempfield over Woodland Hills
Class AAA
Indiana over Belle Vernon, Beaver over Knoch, Central Valley over Trnity, Montour over Greensburg-Salem, West Mifflin over Kittanning
Class AA
OLSH over Beth-Center, Quaker Valley over Springdale, Beaver Falls over S.S. Beaver, Keystone Oaks over S.S. Academy, Burrell over Charleroi, Washington over Mohawk, Avonworth over Elderton, Ford City over New Brighton, Steel Valley over Freeport
Class A
Frazier over West Greene, Avella over Clairton, Monessen over Rochester, Riverview over Quigley Catholic, Fort Cherry over Aliquippa, Serra Catholic over Cornell

'Piggback Bandit' banned

This is just ... bizarre.

HELENA, Mont. (AP) — The stocky man showed up in a basketball uniform for a game at Century High School in North Dakota. Players and coaches assumed he was a fan who had come with another team, so nobody objected when he began to pitch in around the bench.
“He helped lay out uniforms, got water. He even gave a couple of kids shoulder massages. Creepy stuff like that,” said Jim Haussler, activities director for the Bismarck Public School District.
After the game was over, the man joined the winning team on the court and asked if he could get a piggyback ride. One bemused player gave it to him.
“He makes himself appear as if he’s limited or handicapped. I think he plays an empathy card, so to speak,” Haussler said. “We didn’t realize what we were dealing with until several days later.”
What they were dealing with the night of Feb. 4 was the Piggyback Bandit — Sherwin Shayegan of Bothell, Wash., a 28-year-old man who ingratiates himself with high school sports teams, then hoists his 5-foot-8, 240-pound frame onto the backs of the student athletes.
Shayegan’s antics stretch back to 2008 and had been mainly confined to Washington and Oregon. But since last fall, he has worked his way east to Montana, North Dakota and Minnesota, leaving a trail of befuddled athletes in his wake.
Shayegan has asked for piggybacks, attempted to pay for piggybacks and just sprung one upon an unsuspecting kid. He favors basketball games, but he also has leapt onto hockey, soccer and football players.
He has pretended to interview athletes for a term paper, acted as a team manager or just tried to blend in with the crowd for a piggyback payoff.
Why he does it is unclear, as is who came up with the “Piggyback Bandit” nickname that now follows him wherever he goes. Shayegan, contacted on his cellphone Tuesday, politely declined to speak of the piggyback rides until he could talk to an attorney.
“I’d prefer not to comment, if that’s OK,” he said.
Seattle resident Paul Huenefeldt, a family friend of Sheyegan’s for about 20 years, said Shayegan is not a threat, but he is obsessive and has emotional problems “that can come across threatening or weird.” Shayegan has never really fit in, but what he wants more than anything is to be liked and accepted.
“He does not have a place to turn. He is one of these individuals living on the sidelines of society,” Huenefeldt said. “I don’t see that there are safety nets for people like that.”
Shayegan has a lengthy criminal rapsheet in Washington as well as nine outstanding warrants in one town in that state. Because of his piggyback antics, he has been banned from high school sporting events in Washington, Oregon, Montana, North Dakota and Minnesota.
“What’s disturbing to me is that he is jumping on our young athletes, he is 240 pounds, and he can hurt someone,” said Mark Beckman, executive director of the Montana High School Sports Association.
In October, Shayegan was arrested in Helena, Mont., for jumping on two unsuspecting high school soccer players during a state tournament.
Shayegan said something to a motel clerk in Helena that day that prompted the clerk to call police. A plainclothes officer went to the tournament and watched Shayegan jump on the back of a player.
Shayegan pleaded guilty on Feb. 1 to two misdemeanor assault charges. He was fined $730, given a 360-day suspended prison sentence and told not to go to any more Montana high school events.
“Go back to Seattle and behave,” Judge Bob Wood told him, according to the Independent Record of Helena.
Shayegan didn’t listen. Just three days later, he struck again at the Bismarck basketball game. He also received a piggyback ride from a hockey player after a hockey game that same day.
That one-day spree led to Shayegan being banned from sporting events by North Dakota High School Activities Association executive secretary Sherman Sylling.
Later that week, Shayegan turned up at three basketball games in Minnesota, including the only college game where his appearance has been noted, St. Olaf versus Concordia. At that Feb. 8 game, Shayegan sat near the St. Olaf bench. Like the Bismarck game, it was assumed he had come with the other team.
“I think at one point he was giving water to individuals,” said Mike Ludwig, St. Olaf’s sports information director.
But he kept getting too close to the players, making one coach uneasy. Someone told Shayegan to back off, and he did, Ludwig said.
There were no piggybacks that night, nor were there any when he later appeared at high school events in St. Cloud and Minneapolis. The Minnesota State High School League joined the other states in banning him, with executive director David Stead writing that Shayegan “Is known to cause a direct threat to the health and safety of student athletes and others.”
Police believe Shayegan may have gone back to western Washington, where he has 16 convictions dating back to 2004 that include multiple counts of criminal trespass, vehicle prowling, resisting arrest and a felony possession of controlled substance without a prescription.
The western Washington town of Mount Vernon has nine outstanding warrants for his arrest, mostly for failing to appear in court or not showing up for work crews as part of a sentence for an earlier conviction. Police in the nearby city of Anacortes have issued a bulletin asking anyone who sees or contacts him to call 911 immediately.
Huenefeldt said Shayegan’s mother and grandmother live in the Seattle area, and his brother is a pediatrician in the Army stationed in Missouri. Shayegan’s father returned to his native Iran, and Shayegan has been adrift and in search of a father figure, Huenefeldt said.
Shayegan called Huenefeldt after his problems in Minnesota.
“He was pretty disturbed. I said, ‘You need to come home and you need to stay home because people aren’t going to put up with this, Sherwin,”’ Huenefeldt said. “He said, ‘You’re right.’ He was very subdued, he was down.”
Another person who has known Shayegan for several years is Mike Colbrese, the executive director of the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association. Colbrese said he became acquainted with Shayegan about seven years ago, when Shayegan was a common fixture at games and used to ask for work as a waterboy in state high school basketball tournaments.
“He would just wander around. You wouldn’t see him interacting with coaches and players when we were first aware of him,” Colbrese said.
Nobody knew where he lived or what he did, Colbrese said. Eventually, he was viewed as an eccentric nuisance who generally bothered staff for jerseys or for a role at games.
Things changed in 2008, when Joel E. Ferris High School of Spokane won that year’s state basketball tournament and Colbrese spotted Shayegan hanging around the locker room after the game.
“He was jumping on players’ backs after they showered and came out of the locker room,” Colbrese said.
Washington high school sports officials stopped viewing him as an eccentric and started looking at him as a possible threat. For the past two years, there have been no reports of Shayegan at Washington high school games.
Colbrese said he is bothered by what appears to be Shayegan’s progressively aggressive behavior in recent months and warned officials in other states not to be fooled by his act.
“He’s certainly socially awkward in any social setting. But he’s also not afraid to approach people. It doesn’t take very long to find out he’s a little bit different,” Colbrese said. “What people don’t realize is that he’s very smart. He knows how to play the system. He just knows what to say and how to say it.”

McGuffey to hire Dalton

According to multiple sources, the McGuffey School Board is expected to hire Ed Dalton as its athletic director at tonight's meeting. Dalton is also expected to fill the open varsity football coaching position.

Dalton was hired as Trinity's athletic director and football coach before the start of the 1999-2000 school year. He was removed as the school district's athletic director two years ago, but remained as football coach following a move to the classroom. Dalton had his football position opened twice, only to have the school board rescind its decision on both occasions.

Dalton will be McGuffey's first full-time athletic director since Mike Malesic retired at the end of last year. Tom Bedillion was a part-time athletic director.

Derek Bochna had been the Highlanders' football coach. His position was opened two months ago.

WPIAL girls basketball playoff capsules

Class AAAA
Top seeds: 1. Oakland Catholic, 2. Mt. Lebanon, 3. Gateway, 4. Penn-Trafford
Defending champion: Shaler
Players to watch: Sarah Grippi (Peters Township), Destiny Brown (Gateway), Alexis Aiken (North Allegheny), Bobbi Baker (Oakland Catholic), Liz Tommasi (Mt. Lebanon), Makenzie Zidek (Kiski Area)
Sleeper: Bethel Park
"Upset" alert: Bethel Park over North Allegheny
Noteworthy: Before a win at Fox Chapel Monday, Peters Township had lost three consecutive and four of five. ... Gateway's Brown is one of the nation's top recruits, and she has signed with No. 1 Baylor. ... Bethel Park is the No. 9 seed, so not much of an "upset" pick over No. 8 North Allegheny. Both teams are capable of giving Oakland Catholic a competitive game in the quarterfinals. ... Aiken is the daughter of former Pitt point guard Curtis Aiken.
Championship: Mt. Lebanon over Penn-Trafford

Class AAA
Top seeds: 1. Hopewell, 2. South Park, 3. Blackhawk, 4. Chartiers Valley
Defending champion: Blackhawk
Players to watch: Erika Ford (South Fayette), Morgan Kurtz (Trinity), Shatori Walker-Kimbrough (Hopewell), Shelby Lindsay (South Park), Ciara Patterson (West Mifflin), Chassidy Omogrosso (Blackhawk)
Sleeper: Mt. Pleasant
"Upset" alert: Kittanning over West Mifflin
Noteworthy: Trinity is in the playoffs for the first time in seven years. The Hillers competed in Class AAA at the time. ... South Fayette is an intriguing team. In Ford, the Lions have one of the top players in the class, and they're becoming postseason regulars for head coach Matt Bacco. ... New Castle, the 11th seed, was on pace to be one of the top two seeds before a season-ending knee injury to Kaylynn Waters, who was averaging 25.4 points per game.
Championship: South Park over Hopewell

Class AA
Top seeds: 1. Seton-La Salle, 2. Bishop Canevin, 3. Jeannette, 4. Deer Lakes
Defending champion: Seton-La Salle
Players to watch: Anna Shashura (Beth-Center), Mya Williams (Washington), Jessica Dorazio (Bentworth), Shannon Flament (Charleroi), Angela Heintz (Seton-La Salle), Naje Gibson (Seton-La Salle), Erin Waskowiak (Bishop Canevin), Ciara Gregory (Jeannette), Lauren Mayernik (Avonworth)
Sleeper: Burrell
"Upset" alert:  Washington over Mohawk
Noteworthy: Seton-La Salle is probably the WPIAL's best team, regardless of classification. The rebels are coached by Dennis Squeglia, former coach at Peters Township ... If Beth-Center beats OLSH, the Bulldogs will draw SLS. Two years ago, B-C drew Jeannette in a preliminary round game and lost in the last minute. Jeannette went on to win the WPIAL. ... Washington struggles offensively against better teams, but the Prexies defense and a difficult non-section schedule could pay off. ... Bentworth has never received a bye before, and it even surprised head coach Stacy Skerbetz. The Bearcats will need a big game from Dorazio to get past Avonworth next week. ... Charleroi is hoping common opponents mean nothing. The Cougars recently lost by 20 points to McGuffey, which lost to Burrell at home earlier this season. Charleroi plays Burrell Friday night.
Championship: Seton-La Salle over Riverside

Class A
Top seeds: 1. North Catholic, 2. Vincentian Academy, 3. Fort Cherry, 4. Monessen
Defending champion: North Catholic
Players to watch: Olivia English (Avella), Cheyenne Miller (West Greene), Morgan Berardi (Carmichaels), Mariah Ward (Monessen), Beka Bellhy (Fort Cherry), Ashley Balzer (Chartiers-Houston), Mary Andrejko (Riverview), Lauren Wolosik (North Catholic), Brenna Wise (Vincentian)
Sleeper: Riverview
"Upset" alert:  Riverview over Quigley Catholic
Noteworthy: Fort Cherry is 21-1 against a rugged schedule, but the Rangers have rarely fielded a healthy lineup. The Rangers are hoping to get forward Rachel Bellhy back for the postseason. Bellhy hasn't played since a loss to North Catholic. ... In Ward and Geena Shrader, Monessen has a dynamic one-two punch when Shrader is assertive offensively. ... Chartiers-Houston and Carmichaels both have plenty to prove. The Bucs are seeded 7th and the Mikes 8th. Both are 17-5 with two losses to Fort Cherry among the setbacks.
Championship: Fort Cherry over North Catholic

WPIAL boys basketball playoff capsules

Class AAAA
Top seeds: 1. Shaler. 2. Chartiers Valley, 3. Mt. Lebanon, 4. Woodland Hills
Defending champion: Gateway
Players to watch: Gabe Pritz (Peters Township), Wayne Capers (Chartiers Valley), Geno Thorpe (Shaler), Lincoln Davis (Central Catholic), Nolan Cressler (Plum), Shakim Alonzo (Woodland Hills)
Sleeper: Gateway
"Upset" alert: Pittsburgh Central Catholic over Hempfield
Noteworthy: Peters Township is back in the postseason after a one-year absence. Head coach Gary Goga has only lost one first-round game during his tenure, but the Indians have a difficult task in No. 4 Woodland Hills. ... Pritz is a legitimate candidate for Observer-Reporter Player of the Year. ... Hard to argue against the top two teams but, after that, the bracket is full of teams capable of bombing out early or making a deep run. Lower-seeded teams Gateway and Pittsburgh Central Catholic are two of the more talented teams in the playoffs. ... Chartiers Valley is dropping back down to Class AAA next year.
Championship: Chartiers Valley over Woodland Hills

Class AAA
Top seeds: 1. New Castle, 2. Montour, 3. Hampton, 4. Keystone Oaks
Defending champion: Montour
Players to watch: Zach Challingsworth (South Fayette), Christian Koroly (Trinity), Josh Wise (Washington), Kyle Rose (McGuffey), Micah Mason (Highlands), Shawn Anderson (New Castle), Corey Eggleston (New Castle), Devin Wilson (Montour), Rocco Contristano (Keystone Oaks)
Sleeper: South Fayette
"Upset" alert: If Trinity beats Kittanning in prelim, Trinity over Keystone Oaks
Noteworthy: Like Pritz, Challingsworth and Wise are potential Player of the Year candidates. ... McGuffey is making its second playoff appearance. The first came in 2002. ... Washington, which will drop back to Class AAA next year, returned to the postseason after a one-year absence. ... South Fayette won 13 postseason games the previous two seasons. ...  Montour is capable of defending its title, particularly if senior Ryan Lewis is in basketball shape. Lewis became eligible midway through the section season and provides the Spartans a potentially dominating interior presence.
Championship: New Castle over Montour

Class AA
Top seeds: 1. Monessen, 2. Beaver Falls, 3. Sto-Rox, 4. Summit Academy
Defending champion: Monessen
Players to watch: Jaisen Irwin (Monessen), Josh Counihan (Chartiers-Houston), Tanner Huffman (California), Zach Dysert (Fort Cherry), Sheldon Jeter (Beaver Falls), P.J. McLaughlin (Greensburg C.C.), Elijah Minnie (Summit Academy), Robert Gondura (Frazier), Corey Bickert (Riverview)
Sleeper: Wilkinsburg
"Upset" alert: Ford City over Aliquippa
Noteworthy: Whether it is WPIAL or PIAA titles, Monessen tends to win them in twos. Last year, the Greyhounds won a WPIAL title without leading scorer Irwin. ... Jeter may be the WPIAL's best player and Pitt coach Jamie Dixon has attended recent Beaver Falls games. ... Chartiers-Houston can look good one game - like when it lead late against No. 3 Sto-Rox - and struggle shortly after - a narrow four-point win against winless South Allegheny. ... Watch out for Frazier. The Commodores swept Jeannette. ... One of the top players for Summit Academy is 6-8 center Elijah Minnie, who was at Monessen last year. The two teams could meet in the semifinals if the pairings hold.
Championship: Monessen over Beaver Falls

Class A
Top seeds: 1. Lincoln Park, 2. North Catholic, 3. Clairton, 4. Serra Catholic
Defending champion: Vincentian
Players to watch: Gannon Walls-Mitchell (Bentworth), Joe Yamber (Avella), Brandon Lawless (Carmichaels), Travis Taylor (Jefferson-Morgan), Devontae Watson (Lincoln Park), Ryan Skovranko (Lincoln Park), Chris Koryak (Vincentian), Brandon Camic (Serra), Danny Savulchack (North Catholic)
Sleeper: Cornell
"Upset" alert: Union over Bentworth
Noteworthy: Not surprisingly, Section 3 got little love in the pairings. Section champ Bentworth is seeded seventh. Avella, Carmichaels and Jefferson-Morgan are seeded 14th, 15th and 16th. ... The Bearcats are balanced offensively and could surprise if they stay out of foul trouble. ... Lincoln Park is led by Temple recruit Watson (6-11) and the Leopards beat Simon Gratz earlier this season. ... Clairton has won nine of 10, including wins over Serra and Bentworth.
Championship: Lincoln Park over Clairton

Projecting the field ... girls basketball playoffs

A total of 81 girls basketball teams qualified for the WPIAL playoffs. Repeat ... 81 teams.

Class AAAA
1. Oakland Catholic, 2. Mt. Lebanon, 3. Gateway, 4. Penn-Trafford, 5. North Allegheny, 6. Hempfield, 7. Baldwin, 8. Bethel Park, 9. Pine-Richland, 10. Plum, 11. Shaler, 12. Kiski Area, 13. Woodland Hills, 14. Upper St. Clair, 15. Franklin Regional, 16. Norwin, 17. Peters Township
Class AAA
1. Hopewell, 2. South Park, 3. Charters Valley, 4. Blackhawk, 5. Uniontown, 6. Mt. Pleasant, 7. Elizabeth Forward, 8. South Fayette, 9. Hampton, 10. Indiana, 11. New Castle, 12. Central Valley, 13. West Mifflin, 14. Beaver, 15. Greensburg-Salem, 16. Knoch, 17. Montour, 18. Belle Vernon, 19. Kittanning, 20. Trinity
Class AA
1. Seton-La Salle, 2. Riverside, 3. Bishop Canevin, 4. Deer Lakes, 5. Jeannette, 6. Quaker Valley, 7. Avonworth, 8. Steel Valley, 9. Burrell, 10. Greensburg Central Catholic, 11. Bentworth, 12. Beaver Falls, 13. Ford City, 14. Keystone Oaks, 15. OLSH, 16. Mohawk, 17. Beth-Center, 18. New Brighton, 19. Washington, 20. Shady Side Academy, 21. Charleroi, 22. Elderton, 23. Freeport, 24. Wilkinsburg, 25. S.S. Beaver, 26. Springdale
Class A
1. Vincentian Academy, 2. North Catholic, 3. Fort Cherry, 4. Monessen, 5. Quigley Catholic, 6. Chartiers-Houston, 7. Serra Catholic, 8. Riverview, 9. Carmichaels, 10. St. Joseph, 11. Cornell, 12. Winchester Thurston, 13. Rochester, 14. Frazier, 15. Avella, 16. West Greene, 17. Clairton, 18. Aliquippa

Projecting the field ... WPIAL boys playoffs

Seeding the WPIAL boys basketball playoffs can be a difficult process. For a tricky situation, look at Section 5-AAA, which produced four local postseason participants in South Fayette, McGuffey, Trinity and Washington.

The Lions finished second in the section, which was easily the best state-wide in the classification a year ago and better than people expected this season. SF is considered a top-five team this year and probably won't be seeded lower than sixth when the pairings are released Tuesday night.

The question remains, what to make of McGuffey, Trinity and Washington?

All three teams tied for third place and split the season series amongst each other.

At 13-8, McGuffey finished with the better overall record of the three, but lost its most recent games against Washington and Trinity. Considering the Highlanders are making their first postseason appearance since 2001 and played the weakest non-section schedule of the three, expect them to receive a lower seed.

Trinity is 12-9 headed into tonight's game against Sto-Rox, which should only help the Hillers' seeding if they win. The Hillers won three straight, including wins over McG and Wash High. Plus, let's not forget Trinity beat Washington early in the season at the EQT Energy Classic.. That gives Trinity a stronger case for a higher seed.

The one bracket I'd want no part of is Class AAAA. The top two teams - Shaler and Chartiers Valley - are easy, but it's a jumbled mess after that.


Class AAAA
1. Shaler, 2. Chartiers Valley, 3. Woodland Hills, 4. Hempfield, 5. Mt. Lebanon, 6. North Allegheny, 7. Plum, 8. Gateway, 9. Penn-Trafford, 10. Bethel Park, 11. Kiski Area, 12. Pittsburgh Central Catholic, 13. Seneca Valley, 14. Peters Township, 15. Butler, 16. McKeesport, 17. Norwin
Class AAA
1. New Castle, 2. Montour, 3. Hampton, 4. Keystone Oaks, 5. South Fayette, 6. Mars, 7 Greensburg-Salem, 8. Uniontown, 9. West Mifflin, 10. Blackhawk, 11. Central Valley, 12. Beaver, 13. Trinity, 14. Washington, 15. Southmoreland, 16. Thomas Jefferson, 17. Knoch, 18. McGuffey, 19. Indiana, 20. Elizabeth Forward, 21. Kittanning, 22. Highlands, 23. South Park
Class AA
1. Beaver Falls, 2. Monessen, 3. Sto-Rox, 4. Greensburg Central Catholic, 5. Shady Side Academy, 6. Quaker Valley, 7. Summit Academy, 8. Wilkinsburg, 9. Frazier, 10. Jeannette, 11. Shenango, 12. Seton-La Salle, 13. Riverside, 14. Brentwood, 15., Ford City, 16. Neshannock, 17. Chartiers-Houston, 18. Northgate, 19. Brownsville, 20. Aliquippa, 21. West Shamokin, 22. Freeport, 23. S.S. Beaver, 24. Riverview, 25. California,  26. Fort Cherry
Class A
1. Lincoln Park, 2. North Catholic, 3. Vincentian Academy, 4. Clairton, 5. Serra Catholic, 6. Cornell, 7. Bentworth, 8. Union, 9. St. Joseph, 10. Sewickley Academy, 11. Geibel, 12. Avella, 13. Western Beaver, 14. Jefferson-Morgan. 15. Quigley Catholic, 16. Carmichaels

Observer-Reporter WPIAL girls basketball rankings

Class AAAA
1. Oakland Catholic 21-1
2. Mt. Lebanon 19-2
3. Gateway 19-2
4. Penn-Trafford 18-4
5. North Allegheny 17-5

Class AAA
1. Hopewell 20-2
2. South Park 19-2
3. Chartiers Valley 19-2
4. Blackhawk 18-3
5. Uniontown 17-4

Class AA
1. Seton-La Salle 20-0
2. Bishop Canevin 17-4
3. Riverside 16-5
4. Deer Lakes 16-4
5. Steel Valley 16-5

Class A
1. Vincentian Academy 20-1
2. North Catholic 17-4
3. Fort Cherry 21-1
4. Monessen 19-3
5. Quigley Catholic 18-4

Observer-Reporter WPIAL boys basketball rankings

Class AAAA
1. Shaler 20-2
2. Chartiers Valley 19-2
3. Mt. Lebanon 17-5
4. Woodland Hills 16-5
5. Hempfield 19-3

Class AAA
1. New Castle 21-0
2. Montour 17-2
3. Hampton 19-3
4. Keystone Oaks 19-2
5. South Fayette 16-5

Class AA
1. Beaver Falls 20-2
2. Monessen 20-2
3. Sto-Rox 19-2
4. Wilkinsburg 16-4
5. Greensburg Central Catholic 17-5

Class A
1. Lincoln Park 18-4
2. North Catholic 16-4
3. Vincentian Academy 18-3
4. Clairton 12-6
5. Cornell 16-5

WPIAL basketball playoff clinchings

Boys
Class AAAA
Section 1 - Hempfield, Penn-Trafford, Kiski Area, Norwin
Section 2 - Woodland Hills, Gateway, Plum, McKeesport
Section 3 - Shaler, North Allegheny, Pittsburgh Central Catholic, Seneca Valley, Butler
Section 4 - Chartiers Valley, Mt. Lebanon, Bethel Park, PETERS TOWNSHIP

Class AAA
Section 1 - Hampton, Mars, Knoch, Kittanning, Highlands
Section 2 - New Castle, Blackhawk, Central Valley, Beaver
Section 3 - Uniontown, Greensburg-Salem, Southmoreland, Indiana
Section 4 - Keystone Oaks, West Mifflin, Thomas Jefferson, Elizabeth Forward, South Park
Section 5 - Montour, SOUTH FAYETTE, MCGUFFEY, WASHINGTON, TRINITY

Class AA
Section 1 - Shady Side Academy, West Shamokin, Ford City, Freeport, Riverview
Section 2 - Summit Academy, Shenango, Riverside, Neshannock
Section 3 - MONESSEN, Wilkinsburg, Seton-La Salle, Brentwood
Section 4 - Greensburg Central Catholic, Frazier, Jeannette, Brownsville, CALIFORNIA
Section 5 - Sto-Rox, CHARTIERS-HOUSTON, S.S. Beaver, FORT CHERRY
Section 6 - Beaver Falls, Quaker Valley, Northgate, Aliquippa

Class A
Section 1 - Lincoln Park, Cornell, Union, Western Beaver
Section 2 - North Catholic, Vincentian Academy, Sewickley Academy, Quigley Catholic
Section 3 - BENTWORTH, AVELLA, JEFFERSON-MORGAN, CARMICHAELS
Section 4 - Serra Catholic, Clairton, St. Joseph, Geibel Catholic


Girls
Class AAAA
Section 1 - Penn-Trafford, Hempfield, Kiski Area, Norwin
Section 2 - Gateway, Plum, Woodland Hills, Franklin Regional
Section 3 - Oakland Catholic, Pine-Richland, North Allegheny, Shaler
Section 4 - Mt. Lebanon, Baldwin, Bethel Park, Upper St. Clair, PETERS TOWNSHIP

 Class AAA
Section 1 - Hampton, Mars, Knoch, Kittanning
Section 2 - Hopewell, Blackhawk, New Castle, Central Valley, Beaver
Section 3 - Uniontown, Mt. Pleasant, Indiana, Greensburg-Salem
Section 4 - South Park, Elizabeth Forward, West Mifflin, Belle Vernon
Section 5 - Chartiers Valley, SOUTH FAYETTE, Montour, TRINITY

Class AA
Section 1 - Deer Lakes, Burrell, Ford City, Elderton, Freeport
Section 2 - Riverside, Beaver Falls, Mohawk, New Brighton
Section 3 - Jeannette, Greensburg Central Catholic, Shady Side Academy, Wilkinsburg, Springdale
Section 4 - BENTWORTH, WASHINGTON, BETH-CENTER, CHARLEROI
Section 5 - Seton-La Salle, Bishop Canevin, Steel Valley, Keystone Oaks
Section 6 - Quaker Valley, Avonworth, OLSH, S.S. Beaver

Class A
Section 1 - Quigley Catholic, Cornell, Rochester, Aliquippa
Section 2 - Vincentian Academy, North Catholic, Riverview, St. Joseph
Section 3 - FORT CHERRY, CHARTIERS-HOUSTON, CARMICHAELS, WEST GREENE, AVELLA
Section 4 - MONESSEN, Serra Catholic, Winchester Thurston, Frazier, Clairton

Twitter Thursday

Will Moore, @heelwjm17Feb. 8
"Paul Alexander and @angeloarmenti talking...what a great conversation this must be."

EJ Borghetti, @PittBorghetti
Feb. 4
"With 8 Pitt Panthers in Pro HOF, there is now officially a "Cardiac Hill" wing in Canton. #HailtoPitt"

Ryan Babirad, @ryanbabs4
Feb. 4
"A mom just yelled at a wrestler for messing up his hair???"

Tom Nettles, @Tom Nettles
Feb. 3
"Dang another beautiful day...watch out Florida kids I'm practicing everyday now too"

Xavier Severns, @daboihollowman
Feb. 7
"Could really go for a big carmel frappe"

Chivar Brown, @trackstarvar22
Feb. 9
"Came to conclusion the 100 is impossible to break because, it's measured in yards instead of meters @DSpinks23 @browthekid"

Michael LaRocka, @MikeLaRocka
Feb. 3
"Shout out to my brother for hitting the game winning shot and dropping 16. #burnthefortlater"

Jordan Drew, @jayydrew_33
Feb. 9
"Really close to picking up a book and reading. I hate being bored"

David Williams, @dwilliams_5
Feb. 8
"Austin Rivers is too clutch!!!!! He is #NBAREADY"

Doug Wilson, @dougie_fresh055
Feb. 5
"Skip Bayless still thinks Tim Tebow is better than both Mannings"

Nick Riotto, @NRiotto
Feb. 5
"Anyone who thinks one game on a Sunday In February is better than a 7-game series in late October is out of their mind"

Tweet of the Week
Ryan Dupain, @RyanDupain
Feb. 5
"I've done it, Brady can. #SSBeaver #85yardsin1minute #hsfootballmemories"

The search is on ...

The search for an athletic director at McGuffey High School is down to two finalists, including one person familiar to readers.

Jeremy Smith is one finalist. Smith is working with the Chartiers-Houston boys basketball team as the top assistant for Eugene Briggs. Smith is a former men's basketball assistant at Bethany College and a former football assistant at Waynesburg High School.

The other finalist is Trinity football coach Ed Dalton.

The Trinity Area School Board removed Dalton as athletic director before the 2010-11 school year, and he was replaced by Bobby Jones. Dalton has remained as Hillers' football coach, though the well-documented relationship between the coach and the school board can take a nasty turn at any time.

McGuffey is offering approximately $55,000 for its athletic director position, which would be a significant pay cut for Dalton. The football position at McGuffey, however, remains open, and the possibility of having both positions could be the draw.

* Jefferson-Morgan has yet to fill its football position, and apparently isn't close. The school is keeping the search well-guarded, so much so that athletic director Scot Moore does not know identities of possible candidates.

* According to sources, the Trinity baseball coaching search is down to two candidates - Scott Henson and Nate Voytek.

Henson, a Ringgold grad, coached at Canon-McMillan before being replaced by Steve Bucci after the 2006 season. Voytek was Trinity's pitching coach.

Trinity's next board meeting is Feb. 16.

* Don Williams has coached the Carmichaels boys basketball team for 37 years, including the 2011-12 season. Williams before the start of the start of the 2011 WPIAL Class A playoffs, that he expected his 37th season to be his last.

Now, Williams isn't so sure.

Williams plans on waiting until the WPIAL alignment is released before making up his mind. Carmichaels, which clinched another postseason berth this year, is losing several long-time section rivals. Jefferson-Morgan and West Greene are moving up to Class AA, as is Bentworth.

Where the Mikes are placed could determine if Williams returns for a 38th season.

Brentwood findings do not back racial taunting allegations

http://m.post-gazette.com/sports/high-school-basketball/brentwood-finds-no-truth-to-racial-slurs-1209068

Monessen parents claim Brentwood students taunted with racial slurs

When Monessen High School's boys basketball team is playing well, few teams in the WPIAL are more enjoyable to watch. The Greyhounds blend athleticism, depth and great shooting with team-oriented players molded by veteran coach Joe Salvino.

Monessen ranks as one of Pennsylvania's more tradition-rich athletic programs, and the basketball team ranks among all-time WPIAL leaders in section titles, district titles and state championships.

Last year, Monessen won the WPIAL Class AA title and made it to the PIAA semifinals. This year, behind a balanced blend that includes point guard Jalen Madison, athletic wing Jaisen Irwin, Division I football prospect Chavas Rawlins and tough guy Earl Pinkney, Monessen once again is in the championship conversation.

Monessen, the Observer-Reporter's No. 1 Class AA team, is 20-1 - the lone loss by one point to Imani Christian, a charter school waiting on WPIAL membership. The Greyhounds take on all comers - be it Class AAAA powers or Class AAA traditional powers. And, behind the legendary Salvino, they normally win.

Over the past 43 games, Monessen is 41-2.

Monessen's racial makeup and the program's incredible success playing up in classification (remember the school is small even by Class A standards), sadly make them the occasional target of student sections. Such was the case when Monessen played a Section 3-AA game last Friday at predominantly white Brentwood.

When Monessen called the game results to the Observer-Reporter, I took the call and was told, "They don't like us up there. It was ugly."

Part of the conversation also included hearing how Rawlins, a quarterback being courted by numerous Division I programs, was run into the wall behind the basket by a Brentwood player and allegedly kneed. Rawlins returned to the game, but he mentioned being in pain following the game on his Twitter account.

Then, I read this column in the Valley Independent.

The story is gaining considerable momentum nationally and Monessen, deservedly so, wants answers for what happened. That's why parents of players turned to area television stations.

http://www.wtae.com/high-school-playbook/30401400/detail.html

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/high-schoolers-allegedly-don-banana-suits-shout-racial-slurs-opposing-team-article-1.1019229?localLinksEnabled=false

Observer-Reporter WPIAL girls basketball rankings

Class AAAA
1. Oakland Catholic 20-0
2. Mt. Lebanon 17-2
3. Gateway 17-2
4. Penn-Trafford 16-4
5. North Allegheny 15-5

Class AAA
1. South Park 17-1
2. Hopewell 17-2
3. Chartiers Valley 17-2
4. Blackhawk 16-3
5. Mt. Pleasant 15-3

Class AA
1. Seton-La Salle 17-0
2. Bishop Canevin 15-3
3. Deer Lakes 14-4
4. Steel Valey 15-4
5. Riverside 15-4

Class A
1. Vincentian Academy 19-0
2. North Catholic 15-4
3. Fort Cherry 17-1
4. Monessen 16-3
5. Chartiers-Houston 16-4

Observer-Reporter WPIAL boys basketball rankings

Class AAAA
1. Shaler 19-2
2. Chartiers Valley 17-2
3. Gateway 14-4
4. Woodland Hills 15-4
5. Mt. Lebanon 15-5

Class AAA
1. New Castle 19-0
2. Montour 15-2
3. Hampton 17-3
4. Keystone Oaks 17-2
5. South Fayette 15-4

Class AA
1. Monessen 19-1
2. Beaver Falls 18-2
3. Greensburg Central Catholic 16-4
4. Quaker Valley 17-2
5. Sto-Rox 16-2

Class A
1. Lincoln Park 14-4
2. North Catholic 14-4
3. Vincentian Academy 15-3
4. Serra Catholic 14-5
5. Clairton 14-6

Meyer's recruiting practices questioned

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — There must have been a lot of interesting give-and-take when the Big Ten football coaches met at the conference offices on Friday.
New Ohio State coach Urban Meyer faced off with at least a couple of coaches who have been reported saying they question his poaching of recruits who had already committed to other programs.
Meyer’s first recruiting class on Wednesday included eight players who initially had said they were attending another school, including four who originally said they were going to Penn State and one each who had declared they would go to Michigan State and Wisconsin. Two others had verbally committed to Notre Dame.
“We had an opportunity to discuss a number of issues with each other and conference staff, including those that have arisen this week,” Meyer said in a statement issued after the meeting on Friday. “It should be noted that my coaching staff is in full compliance with our recruiting efforts, and no one on this staff did anything illegal or unethical.”
He said his staff would continue to be “relentless.”
Wisconsin head coach Bret Bielema and Michigan State’s Mark Dantonio, in particular, have been quoted expressing their displeasure with Ohio State raiding other team’s recruits.
Bielema was upset over losing out on offensive lineman Kyle Dodson, who had said he was coming to Wisconsin, but then ended up signing with the Buckeyes.
“There’s a few things that happened early on I made people be aware of that I didn’t want to see in this league that I had seen take place at other leagues,” Bielema said on Wednesday’s first day for the signing of national letters of intent in football. “Other recruiting tactics, other recruiting practices that are illegal. I was very up front and was very poignant to the fact. I actually reached out to coach Meyer and shared my thoughts and concerns with him and the situation got rectified.”
Bielema did not go into further detail.
The Detroit Free Press reported that Dantonio also said Meyer was not living up to protocol between Big Ten coaches.
The newspaper reports that Dantonio on Wednesday said of Ohio State that, “It’s a new program, a new head coach and a new testing of the waters.”
“It’s a two-way street. It’s always a two-way street. There’s always got to be the other person listening as well. But I do think that when it becomes a matter of twisting somebody — when you’re a 50-year-old man or a 40-year-old man twisting a 17-year-old — that’s when it’s wrong,” he said. “I’m not saying that’s happening in the Big Ten Conference. But I see that happening around the country, when somebody de-commits on the day of signing.
“That’s when you have to wonder about the tactics.”

Twitter Thursday

From signing day to Tim Garry resigning as head football coach at Fort Cherry to the Peters Township boys basketball team likely putting an end to Upper St. Clair's run of 10 consecutive playoffs appearances to more overtime games involving Trinity in Section 5-AAA, it was one bust week.

I'm tired, but you can still follow me on Twitter @TheMikeKovak.

Jason Cass, @WhoisJasonCass
Jan. 27
"I wish there was some kind of exit interview before someone could unfollow you. Just to ask them about their experience with me..."

Alfon Cook, @cooksisland3
Feb. 2
"Report cards today another #4.0"
Tanner Garry, @TannerGarry3
Feb. 1
"Cant believe my dad won't be coaching next year. #letthecriticsbejoyful"

Corey Garry, @coreygarry
Feb. 1
"#FC reportedly has 3 kids attending lifting today the day of Garry's resignation.
 #GoodLuckNewGuy #haha"

Ryan Babirad, @Ryanbabs4
Feb. 1
"@RMUHockey  I plan on trying to join the team next year! I hope I can make it. I always wanted to play hockey #hopeful"

Mike Bittel, @bittel8
Jan. 31
"Sickest dunk I've ever seen #Clippers #griffin"

Chris Niemiec, @niems23
Jan. 27
"Huge win on the road for the rockets 61-52 over carmichaels, #monkeyoffourback"

Taylor Pasquariello, @TP3rello
Jan. 31
"Trinity tonight. #herewegoagain"
(Trinity won in double OT)

Stephen McCaw, @BucktownHero
Jan. 31
"You know your school is grubby when kids almost fist fight over who the better NASCAR driver is.."

Matt Venanzi, @Matt34Venanzi
Feb. 1
"4 mile celebration run? #soundsgood"
(Venanzi signed with Pitt soccer earlier in the day?

Andrew Erenberg, @andrew_erenberg
Feb. 1
"Officially a Fordham Ram."

Casey Guernsey, @caseguerns
Feb. 2
"When someone doesn't say their favorite movie is mean girls, I assume that whatever movie they said is their second favorite to mean girls"

Co-Tweets of the Week
Graham Lescallette, @BigSauce_85
Jan. 30
"I hate that I'm a guy and yet I'm still obligated to follow @BigButtProblems #Ihaveaghettobooty"

Corey Garry, @coreygarry
Jan. 29
"So privileged I'm a low tier athlete so my tweets won't get me in trouble with the big college coaches :)"

National Signing Day

Division I college football coaches across the country are waiting by fax machines to receive binding National Letters of Intent from high school seniors. For many who follow high school and college sports, National Signing Day is one of the biggest days of the year.

For instance, Pitt fans claimed a minor victory in landing Sto-Rox linebacker Deasyean Rippy sent a letter to Panthers coaches instead of West Virginia this morning. And they rejoiced yet again when heralded quarterback recruit Chad Voytik sent his letter via fax and Hopewell standout and PIAA career rushing leader Rushel Shell did the same.

The local scene isn't being followed nationally this year because the senior football class lacked major football recruits, but that doesn't mean schools aren't busy sending out faxes. The Varsity Letters will provide occasional updates today.

One of the first to sign today was Fort Cherry senior Jessie Merckle, who is headed to Wake Forest for track. Merckle is a two-time WPIAL Class AA javelin champion and was one of the country's top high school performers in the event the past year.

* Wash High graduate Zach Barnes has signed to play football at Alderson-Broaddus (W.Va.).

Barnes, a 2011 graduate, originally planned to join the football team at West Liberty State last fall but opted to attend community college for a year. Alderson-Broaddus, which is starting a football program this year, offered Barnes a full scholarship.

The school will compete at the Division II level as part of the West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference.

* Beth-Center senior Sal Faieta signed to play football at Slippery Rock.

Faieta holds several Beth-Center passing records, but was recruited to the Rock to play linebacker. He was a four-year starter for the Bulldogs on the defensive side.

* Three female athletes from Canon-McMillan today signed, two with Division I teams.

Ashley Hull, the goalie for the Big Macs' soccer team, signed with Miami (Ohio), a member of the Mid-American Conference. Hull is a four-year letterwinner and she kicked for the football team too.

Mira Carrozza will join the South Florida track team. Carrozza, like Merckle, throws the javelin,

Becca Veres, one of Hull's teammates on the girls soccer team, has signed with Slippery Rock.

* Washington senior Joe Phillips signed with The Citadel, which competes at the FCS level (formerly I-AA). Phillips chose The Citadel over Army and was recruited to play both sides of the football.

* Peters Township running back Andrew Erenberg signed to play at Fordham. Erenberg was an all-state player as a senior.

* Clayton Evans, who opened a lot of holes for Erenberg during the regular season, signed with Division II Notre Dame (Ohio) College.
* Peters Township midfielder Matt Venanzi signed with Pitt. Venanzi is a two-time all-state selection and a rare four-year letterwinner for PT boys soccer. His father Mark also played at Pitt.

* Ringgold's Alfon Cook signed with Slippery Rock. Cook was an all-conference selection at cornerback and wide receiver and one of the area's premier kick returners.

* A pair of Peters Township softball players - Tara Konopko and Morgan Matetic - signed with Division I programs. Konopka, a pitcher, is headed to Drexel. Matetic, a shortstop, signed with George Washington.

* Peters Township golfer Jeremy Merich signed with St. Francis (Pa.) as the Indians golf program added to its long list of D1 golfers.

* Trinity's Hunter Bigler, one of four left-handed pitchers on the Hillers' roster, signed with IUP. Bigler had received Division I interest.

* Mike Bittel owns one of the few no-hitters thrown in the history of Peters Township American Legion baseball. He accomplished that last June against Elizabeth Forward. A closer on the high school team in 2011, Bittel signed with Seton Hill.

* Courtney Schratz, a member of the Peters Township field hockey team, signed with Robert Morris. Katie Danning, part of PT's girls lacrosse team, signed with Lafayette.

* Charleroi's Mike Kope signed with Slippery Rock to play football. Kope was one of two Cougars to make the All-Interstate Conference team.