Jefferson-Morgan opens football coaching position

There have been a few consistents in WPIAL football the past two decades.

Aliquippa contends for the Class AA championship.

The Class AAAA team believed to have the most talent rarely wins the title.

Teams feel slighted after the playoffs pairings meeting.

Chuck Wagner coached at Springdale.

And, until Monday evening, Jan Haiden coached at Jefferson-Morgan High School.

In news less publicized than Wagner's retiring after 50 years of coaching football at Spirngdale, but a surprising move nonetheless, the Jefferson-Morgan School Board voted to open the varsity football coaching position during Monday's meeting. For the past 20 years, Haiden held that job. Haiden guided J-M to a 4-5 record in 2011, and a 4-4 mark in the Tri-County South Conference.
A Beth-Center graduate, Haiden's career record is 96-99-1.

Well-respected in the local coaching community, Haiden rarely had the most talent to work with in the Tri-County South, but his teams were always tough and competitive. In 2006, Jefferson-Morgan reached the WPIAL Class A semifinals, where it nearly upended Rochester. The Rockets beat Fort Cherry during that postseason run, and raised eyebrows when they defeated Duquesne in the quarterfinals. It was the final football game in Duquesne High School's history.

With the opening, Jefferson-Morgan is the second school in Greene County without a football coach. At Waynesburg, Joe Kuhns resigned last month.

Twitter Thursday on Friday afternoon

For Tyler Palko aficionados, Twitter provided some great #PalkoFacts the past week. Palko – the former West Allegheny and Pitt quarterback – will start for Kansas City this weekend against New England.

The following were a few of my favorite "Palko facts" on Twitter the past week.

"Kansas City had their hearts set on moving the #Pens there until they found out Tyler Palko was available."

"After Tyler Palko was born, he drove his mother home from the hospital."

"The Pirates announced a Tyler Palko bobblehead day."

"Joe Flacco didn't transfer to Delaware. That's where he landed when Tyler Palko threw him."

"Tyler Palko taught Attorney Edgar Snyder his pointing motion."

"Palko was playing for Long Beach State."

"BREAKING: Matt Cassell announces he intends to transfer."

"John Harbaugh once made Joe Flacco cry by threatening to sign Tyler Palko."

Now, on to some local tweets.

Andrew Erenberg, Peters Township football/Fordham recruit
@andrew_erenberg
Nov. 16
"Can rushel shell play basketball for Pitt too?"

Eric Ellis, Washington football
@That_Dude_68
Nov. 11
"Ready for dem quips #letsbang"

Justice Rawlins, Monessen football
@ThatKid_JRaww
Nov. 17
"Basketball season for most but baseball season for this kid, well I'm gunna try"
Note: Rawlins suffered a season-ending knee injury during football season.

Joe Graziani, Canon-McMillan football
@JoeGrizz52
Nov. 15
"Peyton Hillis and Clay Mathews are the biggest white men I have ever seen."

Tanner Garry, Fort Cherry football
@TannerGarry3
Nov. 13
"Next goal, Observer-Reporter player of the year. #ihope"

Trey Wingo, ESPN
@wingoz
Nov. 13
"Gene Steratore, just another hard working nose bleeding bicep building NFL referee"
Steratore is a Washington County resident

Tweet of the Week
Peters Township Soccer
@PTHSSoccer
Nov. 15
"Lady Indians must have a sweet tooth 'cause they're going back to Hershey! 1-0 PT! Terrific game, great win!"

Picking the winner, WPIAL semifinals

After a strong first week, kept things rolling in the quarterfinals with a 14-2 record. That improves the overall mark to 42-6.

As Deuce Skurcenski, whom I spoke with on the phone this evening, would say, "Not too shabby."

Class AAAA
North Allegheny over Gateway
Pittsburgh Central Catholic over Upper St. Clair

Class AAA
Central Valley over Montour
Franklin Regional over Knoch

Class AA
Aliquippa over Greensburg Central Catholic
Seton-La Salle over Jeannette

Class A
Clairton over Rochester
Sto-Rox over Bishop Canevin


A few tweets have been compiled for Twitter Thursday, but scanning for a few more. Should be up tomorrow. My apologies.

Trinity tables motions

The Trinity Area School Board voted 5-4 to table motions to open head coaching positions for varsity football, softball and volleyball.

Ed Dalton is Trinity's football coach. Bill Loar is softball coach. Gretchen Mountain is volleyball coach.

All three coaches were told Tuesday by athletic director Bobby Jones that their positions would be opened during Thursday's school board meeting.

For more information, please read Friday's Observer-Reporter.

Trinity to open Dalton's position; Bentworth hires football coach

The Trinity Area School Board will open the head varsity football coaching position held by Ed Dalton.

Dalton, who has coached football at Trinity since 1999, was informed Tuesday by athletic director Bobby Jones of the action.

The Hillers went 5-4 this fall, and finished tied with Chartiers Valley and Belle Vernon for third place in the Big Eight Conference but missed the WPIAL Class AAA playoffs via head-to-head tiebreakers with both teams. It snapped a six-year playoff streak for Trinity.

For more information, please read Thursday's Observer-Reporter.

* Bentworth didn't wait long to fill its vacant football position.

Less than three weeks after Lou Rood resigned following three difficult seasons, the school district hired Bob Niziol as its varsity football coach. Niziol served as one of Rood's assistants and works in the school district.

Tuesday notebook

Blogger's note: Final thoughts on the local 2011 football season are being formulated and will appear soon.

Two of the area's premier high school baseball players - Nick Riotto and Stephen McCaw - recently made commitments to college programs.

Riotto, a junior from Trinity, will play at Penn State. McCaw, a senior from Waynesburg, will play for Mercyhurst.

Riotto burst onto the high school scene as a freshman with a .500-plus batting average and big-time numbers. The lefty landed a spot on the Observer-Reporter All-District team that year. His batting average dipped during his sophomore season as Trinity missed the playoffs, but Riotto continued to play well in fall and summer leagues.

McCaw was the leading hitter for a Waynesburg team that reached the WPIAL Class AA championship last season, and a standout defensive catcher. He earned WPIAL Class AA Player of the Year honors.

* The Peters Township girls soccer team is one win from reaching the PIAA Class AAA championship for the third time in four years.

That's extraordinary.

Peters Township plays Upper St. Clair in tonight's semifinals. The two split a pair of games, with PT winning during the regular season and USC winning in the WPIAL championship match.

There's no doubt that Peters Township is the WPIAL's premier athletic power in what can be labeled as "non-revenue" sports.

What's the Indians' best fall program?

Over time, it's been boys soccer. Lately, girls soccer, girls tennis and boys golf has joined the conversation.

* Avella's difficulties filling a football roster with able bodies is well-documented. That wasn't always the case at the tiny school in the Western foothills of Washington County.

Avella will host Burgettstown Sunday in an Alumni Football USA event. Kickoff is scheduled for 5 p.m. and, with the Steelers on a bye week, a crowd of at least 1,000 is expected.

Players from the 1980s, 90s and 2000s will suit up for the Eagles, who have a roster of 45 players. That's about three times larger than the numbers of players head coach Ryan Cecchini, who will start at linebacker, had for the Eagles' regular season finale at Bentworth.

Observer-Reporter WPIAL football rankings

Class AAAA
1. Pittsburgh Central Catholic 11-0
2. North Allegheny 11-0
3. Upper St. Clair 10-1
4. Gateway 9-2

Class AAA
1. Central Valley 11-0
2. Franklin Regional 11-0
3. Knoch 11-0
4. Montour 9-2

Class AA
1. Aliquippa 11-0
2. Seton-La Salle 11-0
3. Jeannette 11-0
4. Greensburg Central Catholic 10-1

Class A
1. Clairton 11-0
2. Sto-Rox 11-0
3. Bishop Canevin 11-0
4. Rochester 10-1

Twitter Thursday

Penn State football has dominated headlines. With all the local connections to the program, Twitter Thursday features tweets concerning the program.

Mike Yancich, Penn State linebacker/Trinity grad
@Ymike33
Nov. 8
"In spite of all the recent events, my heart still swells with #pennstatepride. #WeStillAre Penn State."
Nov. 9
"So proud to say that I played for the best/winningest coach in college football history... #WeAre"
Nov. 9
"Watching Joe announce his retirement was pretty emotional..It's tough to see him go out like this.. #WeWillAlwaysBe Penn State."

Nick Riotto, Trinity baseball who recently committed to Penn State baseball
@NRiotto
"#pennstate will be penn state in the end, one messed up guy cant ruin a place like #happyvalley"

Ryan Dupain, Burgettstown football
@RyanDupain
Nov. 8
"I can't find it in me to support Paterno. #IwishIcouldfindsomegoodinthis but there is none. It's absolutely ludicrous and disgusting."

Josh Wise, Washington football
@jlwise_whs11
Nov. 9
"Damn shame that penn state is losing the best thing to ever happen to the university! smh thank you joe pa for everything you've done!!!!"

Pat Zedreck, Clarion U basketball/South Fayette grad
@PZedreck
Nov. 10
"I dont agree with all the allegations but after 61 years, don't u think the guy has earned at least 1 last home game to say goodbye?"

Doug Wilson, Canon-McMillan basketball
@dougie_fresh055
Nov. 10
"Don't feel bad for Joe paterno he's had his life, feel bad for the victims because they may never have one"


Follow me on Twitter @TheMikeKovak.

Picking the winners, WPIAL football quarterfinals

Put together a solid 28-4 record in the first round, including an 8-0 mark in Class AAA.

Class AAAA
North Allegheny over Seneca Valley
Gateway over Penn-Trafford
Pittsburgh Central Catholic over Mt. Lebanon
Upper St. Clair over Erie McDowell

Class AAA
Central Valley over Ringgold
Montour over West Mifflin
Franklin Regional over Hopewell
Knoch over Thomas Jefferson

Class AA
Washington over Aliquippa
Greensburg Central Catholic over Ellwood City
Jeannette over Shady Side Academy
Seton-La Salle over South Fayette

Class A
Clairton over Springdale
Rochester over Avonworth
Sto-Rox over Brentwood
Fort Cherry over Bishop Canevin


Follow me on Twitter @TheMikeKovak.