EQT hype machine rolls into Canon-McMillan

Television commercials. Radio spots. Electronic billboards ... in Allegheny County.

It's all for a tournament starting Friday at Canon-McMillan High School. And get this ... it has nothing to do with wrestling.

Western Pennsylvania's wrestling hotbed is host to this year's EQT Energy Classic, a boys basketball tipoff tournament that pits a handful of area teams against a couple from Eastern Kentucky. The tournament, which runs from Friday through Sunday and features radio coverage of every game, has its own website. http://www.eqtenergyclassic.com/index.htm. You can even like it on facebook.

Billed as the "Backyard Bluegrass Battle", the EQT Classic brings defending champion Pikesville (Ky.) and Allen Central to Western Pennsylvania. Canon-Mac, Trinity, Wash High, Waynesburg, Burgettstown and West Greene will represent the Washington-Greene region.

(For the record, I'll predict a Canon-McMillan vs. Washington final Sunday at 6 p.m.)

That game could be preceded by an Elvis impersonator.

The sponsor has made a major investment in the tournament, which will return to Kentucky next year. It will be interesting to see how this area responds.

Boys basketball enrollment numbers

The next two-year cycle (2012-13, 2013-14) is approaching and Bob Gregg of WJPA radio had compiled enrollment numbers for boys basketball.

The following is a list of local teams. If you're wondering where your school falls and it's not on the list, just ask. (Bold indicates a move in classification.)

Class AAAA
Canon-McMillan 600
Peters Township 583
Trinity 448

Class AAA
Ringgold 417
South Fayette 294
McGuffey 288
Waynesburg 265

Class AA
Charleroi 216
Washington 212
Burgettstown 194
Bentworth 166
Beth-Center 164
Chartiers-Houston 162
Fort Cherry 155
West Greene 138
California 136
Jefferson-Morgan 134

Class A
Carmichaels 124
Monessen 99 (Monessen plays up in classification)
Avella 89
Mapletown 68

Celebration costs team championship

Imagine, back in 2001, that Washington High School running back J.R. Ward raised his arm in triumph as he ran behind Dan Mozes to score what proved to be the game-winning touchdown in the PIAA Class AA championship game.

Not that Ward did, celebration displays were never a trademark of Prexies teams of that era.

But say Ward got flagged for the display and Pen Argyl won the state title.

Something like it happened recently in Massachusetts.

It's an interesting story.

http://espn.go.com/boston/story/_/id/7327275/celebration-penalty-td-costs-cathedral-high-school-team-title

Ringgold's Law Player of Year, Elite 11 and All-District Team

Ringgold senior Quad Law juked defenders on his way to being the Observer-Reporter Player of the Year. For more, click here.

Law is the first player from Ringgold to be POY, and it marks the third consecutive year a quarterback was honored. Former South Fayette quarterback Christian Brumbaugh, now at William & Mary College, was POY in 2009 and 2010.

The Elite 11 was also released. It wasn't easy finalizing the list. For the Elite 11 and the All-District Team, please visit the O-R website: http://observer-reporter.com/

The All-Area starting lineup

Offense
QB – Tanner Garry, Fort Cherry
RB – Andrew Erenberg, Peters Township
Nick Zupper, Waynesburg
Shai McKenzie, Washington
WR – Zach Challingsworth, South Fayette
DeShan Brown, Beth-Center
Ryan Babirad, Fort Cherry
OL – Clayton Evans, Peters Township
Alex Paulina, Canon-McMillan
Trenton Bosworth, Waynesburg
Greg Kumer, Fort Cherry
Greg Lippert, Peters Township
Sean Lacinski, South Fayette
MP – Percy "Quad" Law, Ringgold

Defense
DL – Eric Ellis, Washington
Joe Phillips, Washington
Xavier Severns, Trinity
Mike Beveridge, Ringgold
LB – Corey Garry, Fort Cherry
Sal Faieta, Beth-Center
Jaylin Kelly, Washington
Garrett Vulcano, Chartiers-Houston

DB – Alfon Cook, Ringgold
Corey Hunsberger, Trinity
Danny Lis, Chartiers-Houston
Chavas Rawlins, Monessen

Special teams
K/P – Skyler Fransko, Ringgold
KR/PR – Demetrius Louis, Ringgold

Player of the Year worthy

Brief bios on players who were considered for the Observer-Reporter Football Player of the Year, which will be published Wednesday.

Zach Challingsworth, South Fayette
Challingsworth has received interest from West Virginia, Penn State, Toledo, Maryland, Pitt and Villanova. Maryland was the most recent to visit South Fayette and talk with Lions head coach Joe Rossi about the dynamic Challingsworth, a first-team Century Conference receiver and punter. Challingsworth caught 48 passes for 740 yards, rushed for 520, passed for 60 and scored nine touchdowns to go with five interceptions.

Eric Ellis, Washington
Ellis made the Century Conference second team as an offensive lineman, but it's on defense where the senior made his biggest impact. Among Ellis' 55 tackles were a single-season school record 18 sacks and 25 tackles for loss. Ellis forced turnovers - five fumbles, one interception - and recovered six fumbles. He even blocked two punts and two kicks.

Andrew Erenberg, Peters Township
One of the area's better baseball players, Erenberg enjoyed his best football season as a senior. Erenberg turned down a scholarship offer from Kent State (the first local running back since Wash High's Travis Thomas to be recruited by D1 schools at the position) to commit to Fordham. Erenberg, also a starting safety, rushed for 1,343 yards and scored 18 touchdowns and he rushed for 3,500 yards during his three years with the Indians.

Sal Faieta, Beth-Center
A four-year starter at linebacker, Faieta made significant strides as a quarterback during his senior season. Colleges like Youngstown State like Faieta at linebacker, and he finished with 85 tackles. His efficiency as a quarterback was noticeable. Faieta passed for 1,315 yards and averaged 16.6 yards per completion. He passed for 18 touchdowns and rushed for 10.

Tanner Garry, Fort Cherry
The Offensive MVP of the Black Hills Conference, Garry put together a record-setting season at Fort Cherry. He completed 110 passes for 2,171 yards and 23 touchdowns. As the season progressed, Garry became fort Cherry's top option in the run game and he gained 702 yards with 12 rushing touchdowns. Garry also started at linebacker and safety, and had a knack for making a big play in key games.

Percy "Quad" Law, Ringgold
Dynamic, shifty and fast, Law turned negative plays into highlight-reel material. As the quarterback in Ringgold's version of the spread offense, Law rushed for 1,341 yards and 14 touchdowns despite missing parts of two games due to injury. Before his leg injury, Law was averaging nearly 15 yards per carry. He also passed for 637 yards and made key plays with his arm in both of Ringgold's biggest wins – at Greensburg-Salem and versus Highlands in the first round of the WPIAL Class AAA playoffs.

Football player of the year

What do UFC fighter Josh Koscheck, Chicago White Sox minor league first baseman Jim Gallagher and Penn State linebacker Mike Yancich have in common?

Before the trio went on to bigger and better things, all three were honored as Observer-Reporter Football Player of The Year.

Koscheck was the Offensive Player of the Year in 1996, his senior year at Waynesburg. More than one person I know involved in high school sports now or at some point say that Koscheck was the best hard-nosed running back they've seen from this area.

Gallagher, who fielded several Division I football offers, was the Offensive Player of the Year in 2003 as he guided Peters Township to a playoff win. Gallagher was also the area's top baseball player at the time, and he turned down football offers to play baseball at Duke. Eventually, he was a seventh-round draft choice of the Chicago White Sox and plays for the Class AAA Durham Bulls. I still believe that Gallagher is the best athlete from Washington County that I've covered at the high school level.

Yancich played linebacker at Trinity as a sophomore and junior. He was there as a senior, too, but he finally got a chance to become the Hillers' tailback in 2007 and did not disappoint. That year, Yancich was the Observer-Reporter Player of the Year.

In Wednesday's edition, the Observer-Reporter Player of the Year will be recognized, as will the Elite 11 and All-District Team.

Turns out Merckle's not the first

With Division I track programs recruiting Fort Cherry senior Jessie Merckle, it led to a natural topic of coversation.

Had a school known for producing NFL coaches, 4,000-yard running backs and the Garry coaching family ever produced a Division I female athlete.

Following inner-office discussion, and a few conversations with people in the Fort Cherry community - the answer seemed to be "no."

So, when Merckle (shown in this photo with FC track coach Ben Maxin during a national competition) made a commitment to throw the javelin for Wake Forest University recently, I felt comfortable reporting that she was the first female from Fort Cherry to receive an athletic scholarship.

Not so fast.

In 1979, Janet Marquis played softball for Fort Cherry, where she pitched nine no-hitters, and accepted an athletic scholarship to pitch at Indiana State University in Terre Haute, Ind. That's the same Indiana State that Larry Bird led to the NCAA men's basketball championship game.

Marquis pitched at Indiana State for four years before becoming a softball coach at Eastern Illinois University.

Indiana State produced a first for another local school and female athlete. Former Canon-McMillan softball standout Tiffany Wasniewski played four years with the Sycamores and was a team captain. She was the first female in Big Macs sports history to accept a Division I athletic scholarship.

State football rankings

Pennsylvania high school football rankings from The Patriot-News of Harrisburg for the week of Tuesday, Nov. 29, with school’s district in parentheses, followed by the school’s record and last week’s ranking. NR means not ranked. Honorable mention teams listed alphabetically. (P)-2010 PIAA champion.

CLASS AAAA
Team Rec Pvs
1. North Allegheny (P) (7) 13-0 1
2. LaSalle College HS (12) 11-1 3
3. North Penn (1) 11-2 4
4. Upper St. Clair (7) 11-2 2
5. Pittsburgh C.C. (7) 11-1 5
6. Gateway (7) 9-3 6
7. Council Rock South (1) 12-1 7
8. Nazareth (11) 12-1 8
9. Central Dauphin (3) 12-1 9
10. Wilson (3) 12-1 NR
Honorable mention
Central York (3) 10-3, Cumberland Valley (3) 11-2, Easton (11) 11-2, Garnet Valley (1) 11-2, Penn-Trafford (7) 10-1, State College (6) 8-4.

CLASS AAA
Team Rec Pvs
1. Archbishop Wood (12) 11-1 1
2. Grove City (10) 11-0 2
3. Bishop McDevitt (3) 11-2 3
4. Montour (7) 11-2 4
5. Central Valley (7) 11-1 6
6. Knoch (7) 12-1 7
7. Cathedral Prep (10) 9-3 5
8. Franklin Regional (7) 11-1 8
9. Allentown C.C. (P) (11) 8-5 NR
10. Lampeter-Strasburg (3) 12-1 10
Honorable mention
Dallas (2) 10-2, Hopewell (7) 7-4, Pottsgrove (1) 11-2, Valley View (2) 11-2, West Mifflin (7) 9-2, West York (3) 10-3.

CLASS AA
Team Rec Pvs
1. Aliquippa (7) 13-0 1
2. Lancaster Catholic (3) 13-0 2
3. West Catholic (P) (12) 9-3 3
4. Jeannette (7) 12-1 4
5. Mount Carmel (4) 12-1 5
6. Pen Argyl (11) 13-0 7
7. Seton-LaSalle (7) 11-1 6
8. Hickory (10) 11-1 10
9. Tyrone (6) 12-1 NR
10. Lewisburg (4) 9-3 8
Honorable mention: Greensburg C.C. (7) 10-2, Moniteau (9) 12-0, Northern Lehigh (11) 10-2, North Schuylkill (11) 10-1, Wilkes-Barre GAR (2) 11-2, Wyomissing (3) 11-1.

CLASS A
Team Rec Pvs
1. Clairton (P) (7) 13-0 1
2. Southern Columbia (4) 12-1 2
3. Sto-Rox (7) 12-1 3
4. Rochester (7) 10-2 4
5. Pius X (11) 12-1 6
6. Bishop Canevin (7) 11-1 5
7. Sharpsville (10) 12-0 7
8. Penns Manor (6) 11-1 10
9. Line Mountain (4) 10-2 9
10. Port Allegany (9) 11-1 NR
Honorable mention: Avonworth (7) 9-2, Bellwood-Antis (6) 10-2, Dunmore (2) 10-1, North Star (5) 10-1, Old Forge (2) 10-3, West Middlesex (10) 7-5.