Team of the Week
Washington
A youthful roster and difficult schedule wasn't a great mix for Wash High early, and started the season with five losses in its first seven games.
With the Section 4-AA schedule underway, the Prexies are moving in the right direction. Last week, a pair of wins over Waynesburg and Brownsville gave them a 3-1 section mark. Washington (6-6, 4-1) isn't scoring a lot of points, but wins are wins.
And the win streak ran to three games with a victory Monday night at Charleroi.
Runner-up
Fort Cherry
Rangers coach Bob Miles isn't thrilled his team holds the top spot in the Observer-Reporter's Class A rankings, but it's difficult to argue that Fort Cherry doesn't deserve the distinction.
Undefeated Fort Cherry (11-0) won three games last week, including a double-digit victory over Class AAAA Canon-McMillan. The Rangers also secured wins over Avella and Jefferson-Morgan.
Starting five
Beka Bellhy, Fort Cherry
Tori Foster, Chartiers-Houston
Caitlin McLuckie South Fayette
Melissa Phillis, Burgettstown
Mya Williams, Washington
First sub
Morgan Berardi, Carmichaels
Game of the Week
Mapletown 44, Geibel Catholic 40
There's a lot to be said for toughing things out, and sticking with a team, no matter the results.
For Mapletown, a positive result was finally posted last Thursday when the Maples beat Geibel, 44-40, in a non-section game.
It snapped a 38-game losing streak, which dated back to Jan. 19, 2010 – a 57-40 win at West Greene.
Kristi Guritza and Sarah Taylor scored 15 points apiece for the Maples, who were without head coach Autumn Willis. The former Carmichaels standout received two technical fouls in the Maples' previous game and was suspended for the Geibel game.
Monday, January 9, 2012
Week in review, boys basketball
Team of the Week
McGuffey
The Highlanders put together their best week since Ed Goetz coached there in the late 1990s.
McGuffey knocked off Trinity, 47-41, to pick up its biggest section win in years and followed one day later with a one-point win (42-41) over Chartiers-Houston Saturday at the Chuckie Mahoney Classic.
Highlanders coach Greg Papson, who has logged countless hours trying to get McGuffey to respectability, called the win over Trinity, "Our biggest in years. Who knows how long it's been since we had a better one?"
McGuffey is 1-2 in Section 5-AAA with the losses coming to the top two teams - Montour and South Fayette. The Highlanders are 6-4 overall.
Runner-up
Canon-McMillan
The Big Macs started last week with a loss, but there's little shame in a 73-58 setback to top-ranked Chartiers Valley, which may have its most talented team in recent years.
The Big Macs followed with a 60-59 win at Baldwin in a Section 4-AAAA game, and won on Kenyadda Brown's buzzer-beater. On Saturday, Canon-McMillan beat Hopewell by 20 at the Chuckie Mahoney Classic.
Starting five
Zach Challingsworth, South Fayette
Gabe Pritz, Peters Township
Gannon Walls-Mitchell, Bentworth
Doug Wilson, Canon-McMillan
Josh Wise, Washington
First sub
Shayne Murphy, Chartiers-Houston
Game of the Week
Can't remember a week with more one-point games or buzzer beaters, but none of those are the top choice.
Peters Township 55, Upper St. Clair 52
Peters Township looked like it losing streak was nearing five games - with a game at Chartiers Valley looming - when it trailed Upper St. Clair at home by 11 points entering the fourth quarter.
The up-and-down Indians opened the fourth on a 6-0 run. By the end of the fourth quarter, PT outscored USC 25-11 for its first section victory.
Pritz scored 24 points, with 13 coming in the fourth. Dakota Norton finished with 14.
McGuffey
The Highlanders put together their best week since Ed Goetz coached there in the late 1990s.
McGuffey knocked off Trinity, 47-41, to pick up its biggest section win in years and followed one day later with a one-point win (42-41) over Chartiers-Houston Saturday at the Chuckie Mahoney Classic.
Highlanders coach Greg Papson, who has logged countless hours trying to get McGuffey to respectability, called the win over Trinity, "Our biggest in years. Who knows how long it's been since we had a better one?"
McGuffey is 1-2 in Section 5-AAA with the losses coming to the top two teams - Montour and South Fayette. The Highlanders are 6-4 overall.
Runner-up
Canon-McMillan
The Big Macs started last week with a loss, but there's little shame in a 73-58 setback to top-ranked Chartiers Valley, which may have its most talented team in recent years.
The Big Macs followed with a 60-59 win at Baldwin in a Section 4-AAAA game, and won on Kenyadda Brown's buzzer-beater. On Saturday, Canon-McMillan beat Hopewell by 20 at the Chuckie Mahoney Classic.
Starting five
Zach Challingsworth, South Fayette
Gabe Pritz, Peters Township
Gannon Walls-Mitchell, Bentworth
Doug Wilson, Canon-McMillan
Josh Wise, Washington
First sub
Shayne Murphy, Chartiers-Houston
Game of the Week
Can't remember a week with more one-point games or buzzer beaters, but none of those are the top choice.
Peters Township 55, Upper St. Clair 52
Peters Township looked like it losing streak was nearing five games - with a game at Chartiers Valley looming - when it trailed Upper St. Clair at home by 11 points entering the fourth quarter.
The up-and-down Indians opened the fourth on a 6-0 run. By the end of the fourth quarter, PT outscored USC 25-11 for its first section victory.
Pritz scored 24 points, with 13 coming in the fourth. Dakota Norton finished with 14.
Observer-Reporter WPIAL girls basketball rankings
Class AAAA
1. Oakland Catholic 11-0
2. Mt. Lebanon 9-1
3. Gateway 6-1
4. North Allegheny 9-2
5. Bethel Park 7-3
Class AAA
1. South Park 8-1
2. New Castle 6-3
3. Hopewell 9-1
4. Blackhawk 8-1
5. Elizabeth Forward 10-1
Class AA
1. Seton-La Salle 9-0
2. Greensburg Central Catholic 7-0
3. Bishop Canevin 7-2
4. Burrell 9-0
5. Riverside 9-1
Class A
1. Fort Cherry 11-0
2. Vincentian Academy 10-0
3. North Catholic 8-3
4. Monessen 8-2
5. Riverview 8-2
1. Oakland Catholic 11-0
2. Mt. Lebanon 9-1
3. Gateway 6-1
4. North Allegheny 9-2
5. Bethel Park 7-3
Class AAA
1. South Park 8-1
2. New Castle 6-3
3. Hopewell 9-1
4. Blackhawk 8-1
5. Elizabeth Forward 10-1
Class AA
1. Seton-La Salle 9-0
2. Greensburg Central Catholic 7-0
3. Bishop Canevin 7-2
4. Burrell 9-0
5. Riverside 9-1
Class A
1. Fort Cherry 11-0
2. Vincentian Academy 10-0
3. North Catholic 8-3
4. Monessen 8-2
5. Riverview 8-2
Observer-Reporter WPIAL boys basketball rankings
Class AAAA
1. Chartiers Valley 10-0
2. Gateway 7-3
3. Shaler 8-2
4. North Allegheny 7-2
5. Hempfield 8-1
Class AAA
1. New Castle 10-0
2. Montour 5-0
3. Greensburg-Salem 8-2
4. Uniontown 8-2
5. South Fayette 8-2
Class AA
1. Monessen 11-0
2. Beaver Falls 8-1
3. Sto-Rox 7-1
4. Quaker Valley 9-1
5. Greensburg Centra Catholic 4-4
Class A
1. Lincoln Park 7-2
2. Cornell 9-1
3. OLSH 10-0
4. North Catholic 7-2
5. Bentworth 8-1
1. Chartiers Valley 10-0
2. Gateway 7-3
3. Shaler 8-2
4. North Allegheny 7-2
5. Hempfield 8-1
Class AAA
1. New Castle 10-0
2. Montour 5-0
3. Greensburg-Salem 8-2
4. Uniontown 8-2
5. South Fayette 8-2
Class AA
1. Monessen 11-0
2. Beaver Falls 8-1
3. Sto-Rox 7-1
4. Quaker Valley 9-1
5. Greensburg Centra Catholic 4-4
Class A
1. Lincoln Park 7-2
2. Cornell 9-1
3. OLSH 10-0
4. North Catholic 7-2
5. Bentworth 8-1
Saturday, January 7, 2012
Son of Barry Sanders commits to Stanford
SAN ANTONIO (AP) — Barry J. Sanders’ performance Saturday in the All-American Bowl was a bit like father Barry Sanders’ NFL career. He could have done more before he left.
The younger Sanders will get his chance to show more next season at Stanford. He announced he would sign with the Cardinal — and not his father’s alma mater of Oklahoma State — following the game Saturday.
He had only three carries in the game, including a 10-yard touchdown run late in the first quarter, and his West teammates beat the East 24-12.
His father, the 1988 Heisman Trophy winner at Oklahoma State, stood near his son and other family members when Barry J. announced his decision to go to Stanford on national television in the fourth quarter of the game.
“I think everyone understood my position (about the college choice),” Barry J. Sanders said, wearing a black hat with the block Cardinal “S” on the front. “That program (Oklahoma State) made my family, and I thank them for it. I’ll always have orange in my blood.”
The Cardinal might have won the recruiting, but they lost the game. Oklahoma State beat Stanford this week in the Fiesta Bowl.
Sanders put Stanford on the top of his list weeks back. But he couldn’t commit until he met the school’s eligibility standards. Sanders said he was told Friday that he would be admitted after taking the college entrance exams more than once.
“I believe I’ll be playing with the greatest student athletes in the world,” he said.
Sanders, 5-foot-11 and 190 pounds, rushed for 1,324 yards (9.5 yards per carry) and 27 touchdowns this season at Oklahoma City Heritage Hall. The team won two state championships while he was there.
It wouldn’t bother Sanders if Stanford developed another efficient passer such as Andrew Luck, who finished second in the Heisman voting the past two seasons.
“I have faith in the program, that they’ll find a quality quarterback,” he said. “The bowl game showed that with a Heisman Trophy candidate they still ran the ball 30 times. It’s definitely not going to take away from me, whatever quarterback they have.”
Sanders’ final decision also came down to Florida State and Alabama. All commitments are nonbinding. It won’t become official until Feb. 1 at the earliest, the first day letters of intent can be signed.
The other touchdowns from the West came from quarterback Cyler Miles, who starred this year at Mullen High School in Denver and has committed to Washington. Miles was 7 of 8 (the incompletion was a drop), including a game-record 79-yard TD pass to Dorial Green-Beckham and had the game’s first score with a 4-yard run.
Miles also was sacked three times, including once by Shelby (Crest High School), N.C., lineman Johnathan Bullard, who plans to head to Florida after a strong defensive game that also included another tackle behind the line for 12 yards in losses.
The younger Sanders will get his chance to show more next season at Stanford. He announced he would sign with the Cardinal — and not his father’s alma mater of Oklahoma State — following the game Saturday.
He had only three carries in the game, including a 10-yard touchdown run late in the first quarter, and his West teammates beat the East 24-12.
His father, the 1988 Heisman Trophy winner at Oklahoma State, stood near his son and other family members when Barry J. announced his decision to go to Stanford on national television in the fourth quarter of the game.
“I think everyone understood my position (about the college choice),” Barry J. Sanders said, wearing a black hat with the block Cardinal “S” on the front. “That program (Oklahoma State) made my family, and I thank them for it. I’ll always have orange in my blood.”
The Cardinal might have won the recruiting, but they lost the game. Oklahoma State beat Stanford this week in the Fiesta Bowl.
Sanders put Stanford on the top of his list weeks back. But he couldn’t commit until he met the school’s eligibility standards. Sanders said he was told Friday that he would be admitted after taking the college entrance exams more than once.
“I believe I’ll be playing with the greatest student athletes in the world,” he said.
Sanders, 5-foot-11 and 190 pounds, rushed for 1,324 yards (9.5 yards per carry) and 27 touchdowns this season at Oklahoma City Heritage Hall. The team won two state championships while he was there.
It wouldn’t bother Sanders if Stanford developed another efficient passer such as Andrew Luck, who finished second in the Heisman voting the past two seasons.
“I have faith in the program, that they’ll find a quality quarterback,” he said. “The bowl game showed that with a Heisman Trophy candidate they still ran the ball 30 times. It’s definitely not going to take away from me, whatever quarterback they have.”
Sanders’ final decision also came down to Florida State and Alabama. All commitments are nonbinding. It won’t become official until Feb. 1 at the earliest, the first day letters of intent can be signed.
The other touchdowns from the West came from quarterback Cyler Miles, who starred this year at Mullen High School in Denver and has committed to Washington. Miles was 7 of 8 (the incompletion was a drop), including a game-record 79-yard TD pass to Dorial Green-Beckham and had the game’s first score with a 4-yard run.
Miles also was sacked three times, including once by Shelby (Crest High School), N.C., lineman Johnathan Bullard, who plans to head to Florida after a strong defensive game that also included another tackle behind the line for 12 yards in losses.
Thursday, January 5, 2012
Twitter Thursday
After several months on Twitter (you can follow me @TheMikeKovak), I'm still amazed at some of the tweets from high school students.
Seriously, anyone (coaches, teaches, etc.) can read these things.
Think before you tweet.
Dan Conley, Burgettstown legend/PIAA wrestling champ/former Observer-Reporter Athlete of the Year
@danimal27
Jan. 5
"Starting to think about the real world a lot lately ... I don't know if I'll ever be ready to grow up..."
Fake Todd Graham
@TugMyRope
Jan. 3
"I am in Pittsburgh today to talk to my boys and set things right. Where is everyone?"
Billy Edwards, Washington football
@WilliamBrandon_
Dec. 30
"My goal is not to make it to the pro's but to be known as the greatest to ever play the game #Period"
Ben DuCarme, Canon-Mac golf
@benducarme
Jan. 1
"The steelers, pens, and panthers have lost it in the last month...looks like im gonna start watching the WNBA"
Nick Riotto, Trinity baseball
@NRiotto
Jan. 4
"Shoutout to the janitors once again for a great job in the parking lot for the second straight day....You guys really do too much."
Michael Yancich, Penn State linebacker/disgruntled airline customer
@Ymike33
Jan. 3
"When you fly US Air, the flight that you originally booked is the flight you will have no chance of actually being on."
Later that day ...
"Broken luggage?? US Air haha you are really a pathetic excuse for an airline.."
Tanner Garry, Fort Cherry wrestling (during the winter sports season)
@TannerGarry3
Jan. 5
"I was talking to a teacher in the hall when a 7th grade girl poked me in the back with a pen, giggled, then ran away. #highschoolromance."
Corey Garry, same as Tanner Garry
@coreygarry
Dec. 29
"Haven't made twitter Thursdays in forever. Gotta step my twitter game up."
Tweet of the Week
Andrew Sweat, Ohio State linebacker
@asweat42
Jan. 1
"What lies behind us and what lies before us means nothing compared to what lies within us"
Seriously, anyone (coaches, teaches, etc.) can read these things.
Think before you tweet.
Dan Conley, Burgettstown legend/PIAA wrestling champ/former Observer-Reporter Athlete of the Year
@danimal27
Jan. 5
"Starting to think about the real world a lot lately ... I don't know if I'll ever be ready to grow up..."
Fake Todd Graham
@TugMyRope
Jan. 3
"I am in Pittsburgh today to talk to my boys and set things right. Where is everyone?"
Billy Edwards, Washington football
@WilliamBrandon_
Dec. 30
"My goal is not to make it to the pro's but to be known as the greatest to ever play the game #Period"
Ben DuCarme, Canon-Mac golf
@benducarme
Jan. 1
"The steelers, pens, and panthers have lost it in the last month...looks like im gonna start watching the WNBA"
Nick Riotto, Trinity baseball
@NRiotto
Jan. 4
"Shoutout to the janitors once again for a great job in the parking lot for the second straight day....You guys really do too much."
Michael Yancich, Penn State linebacker/disgruntled airline customer
@Ymike33
Jan. 3
"When you fly US Air, the flight that you originally booked is the flight you will have no chance of actually being on."
Later that day ...
"Broken luggage?? US Air haha you are really a pathetic excuse for an airline.."
Tanner Garry, Fort Cherry wrestling (during the winter sports season)
@TannerGarry3
Jan. 5
"I was talking to a teacher in the hall when a 7th grade girl poked me in the back with a pen, giggled, then ran away. #highschoolromance."
Corey Garry, same as Tanner Garry
@coreygarry
Dec. 29
"Haven't made twitter Thursdays in forever. Gotta step my twitter game up."
Tweet of the Week
Andrew Sweat, Ohio State linebacker
@asweat42
Jan. 1
"What lies behind us and what lies before us means nothing compared to what lies within us"
Monday, January 2, 2012
Observer-Reporter WPIAL girls basketball rankings
Class AAAA
1. Oakland Catholic 9-0
2. Mt. Lebanon 8-1
3. Gateway 5-1
4. Pine-Richland 6-3
5. North Allegheny 8-2
Class AAA
1. Hopewell 9-0
2. South Park 7-1
3. New Castle 5-3
4. Blackhawk 6-1
5. Elizabeth Forward 9-1
Class AA
1. Seton-La Salle 8-0
2. Greensburg Central Catholic 6-0
3. Bishop Canevin 5-2
4. Burrell 8-0
5. Riverside 7-1
Class A
1. Fort Cherry 9-0
2. Vincentian Academy 9-0
3. North Catholic 6-3
4. Monessen 7-2
5. St. Joseph 5-3
1. Oakland Catholic 9-0
2. Mt. Lebanon 8-1
3. Gateway 5-1
4. Pine-Richland 6-3
5. North Allegheny 8-2
Class AAA
1. Hopewell 9-0
2. South Park 7-1
3. New Castle 5-3
4. Blackhawk 6-1
5. Elizabeth Forward 9-1
Class AA
1. Seton-La Salle 8-0
2. Greensburg Central Catholic 6-0
3. Bishop Canevin 5-2
4. Burrell 8-0
5. Riverside 7-1
Class A
1. Fort Cherry 9-0
2. Vincentian Academy 9-0
3. North Catholic 6-3
4. Monessen 7-2
5. St. Joseph 5-3
Observer-Reporter WPIAL boys basketball rankings
Class AAAA
1. Chartiers Valley 8-0
2. North Allegheny 7-1
3. Gateway 6-3
4. Shaler 6-2
5. Woodland Hills 6-1
Class AAA
1. New Castle 8-0
2. Montour 3-0
3. Greensburg-Salem 6-2
4. Uniontown 6-2
5. South Fayette 6-2
Class AA
1. Monessen 8-0
2. Beaver Falls 7-1
3. Sto-Rox 6-1
4. Quaker Valley 7-1
5. Jeannette 7-1
Class A
1. Lincoln Park 6-2
2. Cornell 7-1
3. OLSH 9-0
4. North Catholic 5-1
5. Vincentian Academy 7-1
1. Chartiers Valley 8-0
2. North Allegheny 7-1
3. Gateway 6-3
4. Shaler 6-2
5. Woodland Hills 6-1
Class AAA
1. New Castle 8-0
2. Montour 3-0
3. Greensburg-Salem 6-2
4. Uniontown 6-2
5. South Fayette 6-2
Class AA
1. Monessen 8-0
2. Beaver Falls 7-1
3. Sto-Rox 6-1
4. Quaker Valley 7-1
5. Jeannette 7-1
Class A
1. Lincoln Park 6-2
2. Cornell 7-1
3. OLSH 9-0
4. North Catholic 5-1
5. Vincentian Academy 7-1
Sunday, January 1, 2012
Top 5 teams of 2011
1. Peters Township girls soccer
As Indians head coach Pat Vereb said before his team played one game, "We're replacing roughly 80 percent of the roster with girls who have little or no varsity experience."
The previous group won PIAA and WPIAL Class AAA titles in 2010 with a physical yet skilled style of play. Peters Township in 2011 would rely more on speed and other skill sets in defense of the program's first state championship.
After two games, the Indians were 0-1-1.
Peters Township eventually meshed and earned the top seed in the WPIAL playoffs, where the Indians needed a two-goal rally in the quarterfinals to remain in competition. A loss to Upper St. Clair in the WPIAL championship, did little to affect PT's play in the state tournament.
Only an honorable mention team in the state's Class AAA rankings, Peters Township (20-3-1) rolled through the competition and beat Pennridge, 1-0, for its second consecutive state championship.
2. Peters Township girls tennis
For WPIAL girls tennis coaches as the Class AAA level, the key is navigating the district bracket.
Every time Peters Township has won a WPIAL girls team title, it has followed with a state championship. It happened in 2006, 2009 and once again in 2011.
The top seed in the WPIAL playoffs, Peters Township dominated the pairings like never before. The Indians beat Fox Chapel, Upper St. Clair and old nemesis Shady Side Academy in the finals. Along the way, Peters Township lost one match.
Peters Township played Shady Side Academy once again for the PIAA team title, and a 4-1 victory clinched the Indians' third title in six years. The Indians lost just one match in the state playoffs.
3. Chartiers-Houston softball
In 2010, Chartiers-Houston finally broke the curse. Not only did the Bucs score a run in a state championship game after previously being blanked in all previous appearances, C-H won the Class A title.
The Bucs entered the 2011 season as the prohibitive favorite to win a seventh WPIAL championship and they delivered, making things look easier than they were with an undefeated record, and a 9-3 win over section rival Fort Cherry in the final.
C-H (22-1) reached the state semifinals, where a 24-game win streak was snapped with a 3-2 loss to Clairion.
4. Monessen boys basketball
Losses to Norwin and North Allegheny - a pair of Class AAAA programs - were all that kept Monessen completing the regular season with an undefeated record. The Greyhounds were that good, yet not good enough to receive the top seed in the WPIAL Class AA playoffs.
No matter.
A blowout win over Ellwood City - the 500th coaching victory for Joe Salvino - led to close ones against Jeannette and Wilkinsburg. Monessen found itself playing Greensburg Central Catholic for the championship at Duquesne University's A.J. Palumbo Center. For those who don't know the interesting subplots of that contest, well, you must have been far, far away from Western Pennsylvania.
Monessen (26-3) won by 20 points and reached the PIAA semifinals, where GCC ended the Greyhounds' outstanding season.
5. Washington boys 4x400 relay team
The restoration of Wash High athletics was underway during the spring, and the boys track and field team played the key role.
Washington reached the WPIAL Class AA team championship, where it finished second. There were multiple WPIAL and PIAA medalists, but the shining moment came during the final event of the WPIAL championship meet at Baldwin.
That's when the Washington 1,600 relay team of XXXX entered the WPIAL record books.
Mykhael Kelley, Jordan Thomas, Darius Spinks and anchor leg Dustin Fuller ran a scorching 3:26.41, not only good enough for WPIAL gold but the time broke a 10-year meet record, which was held by ... Washington.
As Indians head coach Pat Vereb said before his team played one game, "We're replacing roughly 80 percent of the roster with girls who have little or no varsity experience."
The previous group won PIAA and WPIAL Class AAA titles in 2010 with a physical yet skilled style of play. Peters Township in 2011 would rely more on speed and other skill sets in defense of the program's first state championship.
After two games, the Indians were 0-1-1.
Peters Township eventually meshed and earned the top seed in the WPIAL playoffs, where the Indians needed a two-goal rally in the quarterfinals to remain in competition. A loss to Upper St. Clair in the WPIAL championship, did little to affect PT's play in the state tournament.
Only an honorable mention team in the state's Class AAA rankings, Peters Township (20-3-1) rolled through the competition and beat Pennridge, 1-0, for its second consecutive state championship.
2. Peters Township girls tennis
For WPIAL girls tennis coaches as the Class AAA level, the key is navigating the district bracket.
Every time Peters Township has won a WPIAL girls team title, it has followed with a state championship. It happened in 2006, 2009 and once again in 2011.
The top seed in the WPIAL playoffs, Peters Township dominated the pairings like never before. The Indians beat Fox Chapel, Upper St. Clair and old nemesis Shady Side Academy in the finals. Along the way, Peters Township lost one match.
Peters Township played Shady Side Academy once again for the PIAA team title, and a 4-1 victory clinched the Indians' third title in six years. The Indians lost just one match in the state playoffs.
3. Chartiers-Houston softball
In 2010, Chartiers-Houston finally broke the curse. Not only did the Bucs score a run in a state championship game after previously being blanked in all previous appearances, C-H won the Class A title.
The Bucs entered the 2011 season as the prohibitive favorite to win a seventh WPIAL championship and they delivered, making things look easier than they were with an undefeated record, and a 9-3 win over section rival Fort Cherry in the final.
C-H (22-1) reached the state semifinals, where a 24-game win streak was snapped with a 3-2 loss to Clairion.
4. Monessen boys basketball
Losses to Norwin and North Allegheny - a pair of Class AAAA programs - were all that kept Monessen completing the regular season with an undefeated record. The Greyhounds were that good, yet not good enough to receive the top seed in the WPIAL Class AA playoffs.
No matter.
A blowout win over Ellwood City - the 500th coaching victory for Joe Salvino - led to close ones against Jeannette and Wilkinsburg. Monessen found itself playing Greensburg Central Catholic for the championship at Duquesne University's A.J. Palumbo Center. For those who don't know the interesting subplots of that contest, well, you must have been far, far away from Western Pennsylvania.
Monessen (26-3) won by 20 points and reached the PIAA semifinals, where GCC ended the Greyhounds' outstanding season.
5. Washington boys 4x400 relay team
The restoration of Wash High athletics was underway during the spring, and the boys track and field team played the key role.
Washington reached the WPIAL Class AA team championship, where it finished second. There were multiple WPIAL and PIAA medalists, but the shining moment came during the final event of the WPIAL championship meet at Baldwin.
That's when the Washington 1,600 relay team of XXXX entered the WPIAL record books.
Mykhael Kelley, Jordan Thomas, Darius Spinks and anchor leg Dustin Fuller ran a scorching 3:26.41, not only good enough for WPIAL gold but the time broke a 10-year meet record, which was held by ... Washington.
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