2005 W.P.I.A.L. Sports in Review...
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THE CHOPS
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2005 W.P.I.A.L. Sports in Review...
"2005" WPIAL SPORTS YEAR IN REVIEW - Part One
12/27/2005 -
For the third straight year, MSA Sports wraps up the year with a look back at the Top "25" biggest stories for local high school sports in "2005".
Back in 2003, the Pine-Richland overtime loss to Manheim Central in the snow at Hershey in the PIAA Class (AAA) football title game was #1.
Last year, the W.P.I.A.L. starting the football season a week earlier than anybody else in the state to preserve the four-week district playoffs were the top story.
What will be numero uno from 2005? Stay tuned.
For now, the countdown begins with stroies #25 through #21.
#25 - Waynesburg Freshman Wins WPIAL and PIAA Girls Golf Gold
Freshman Rachel Rohanna from Waynesburg High School won the "2005" W.P.I.A.L. Girls Individual Golf Championship at The Club at Nevillewood by shooting a four over par 76 to win the title by three strokes over defending champion Meghan Trachok of Upper St. Clair.
What makes Rohanna's performance even more impressive was she gave herself a two stroke penalty on the 15th hole when she realized she hit the wrong ball.
"I hit my approach shot in the grass behind the green," Rohanna said. "I found a ball that was also a Titelist and chipped it on the green. When I saw it on the green, I realized it was the wrong ball."
Rohanna was not thinking about any sort of title when she arrived Monday at Nevillewood. "I wasn't thinking about winning, I just wanted to make sure I qualified for the state tournament," Rohanna said.
Rohanna not only qualified, but she finished in a six-way tie for the P.I.A.A. title in the one-day rain shortened event in York, PA two weeks later.
#24 - USC Pulls off Big Upset in Boys LaCrosse
When you looked at the boys lacrosse resume of the two boys lacrosse finalists back in May, Mount Lebanon had the clear adantage over Upper St. Clair. However all of that was wiped away in the final quarter as the Panthers claimed the 2005 W.P.S.L.A. title with an 8-6 win over the Blue Devils.
Mount Lebanon, ranked #1, had won four of the past six W.P.S.L.A. titles and were playing in their league leading 12th championship game.
The boys lacrosse championship is the first ever for Upper St. Clair.
Trevor Yealy led U.S.C. by scoring a hat trick, with his second and third goals coming in the 4th quarter to provide the two goal margin of victory.
#23 - North Catholic Players Suspended for Playoff Opener
The top-seed North Catholic Trojanettes began defense of their W.P.I.A.L. Class (AAA) girls crown in the W.P.I.A.L. girls basketball playoffs shorthanded after an off court left five players, including four starters suspended for an opening round game against Steel Valley.
The players were among "11" North Catholic students who were suspended from school for 3 days after being found intoxicated at a school dance.
The Trojanettes were already with head coach Molly Rottmann, who was sitting out a year-long suspension for a recruiting violastion.
North Catholic beat Steel Valley 45-36 in that opening round game, but the Trojannettes would not win another contest. They were upset in the Quarterfinals by Montour 37-36, then lost in the first round of the P.I.A.A. state playoffs to Mercyhurst Prep 59-35.
#22 - Riverside Football Coaching Revolving Door
Every year, there are schools that make coaching changes in the off season. But what happened prior to the start of the "2005" football campaign at Riverside High School was enough to make any Panthers player or fan dizzy.
After former coach Bill Hand resigned to take a college coaching job in March, Riverside named Western Beaver long time assistant coach Mike Wickline as their new head football coach.
Citing personal reasons, Mike Wickline resigned as Riverside's football coach eight days before the start of the 2005 season.
Panthers assistant Jesse Rosenberger was named as Wickline's replacement.
Then two days later, Wickline announced he had changed his mind and was coming back to coach the Panthers, only to change his mind again and stick by his resignation 24 hours later.
Despite the rollercoaster pre-season, Rosenberger helped guide the Panthers to a playoff berth after a 5-4 season, which ended with a first round loss to Class (AA) runner-up Greensburg Central Catholic.
#21 - Freshman Sweep Boys W.P.I.A.L. Tennis Finals
One W.P.I.A.L. boys singles tennis championship was over quickly, while the other was a marathon match. However in the end, the one common denominator was a pair of freshman coming away with the gold.
The Class (AA) title match was in the books in just over an hour as Quaker Valley freshman Alex Sinu finished off Sewickley Academy's Evan Siegel in straight sets 6-2, 6-3.
The match of the tournament took place in the Class (AAA) championship. A "5" hour match, including a 1 1/2 hour rain delay, featured just about everything as Casey Watt of Pine-Richland squared off against Zach Skorupka of North Allegheny.
There was yelling, finger pointing, accusations flying, racquet throwing, verbal lobs...and oh yeah, some great tennis.
In the end, the freshman Watt outlasted the junior Skorupka 7-6 (7-2), 6-7 (6-8), 7-5 in a match that may not have featured the best sportsmanship, but was filled with outstanding tennis, and the berth of a rivalry.
"THE CHOPS".
12/27/2005 -
For the third straight year, MSA Sports wraps up the year with a look back at the Top "25" biggest stories for local high school sports in "2005".
Back in 2003, the Pine-Richland overtime loss to Manheim Central in the snow at Hershey in the PIAA Class (AAA) football title game was #1.
Last year, the W.P.I.A.L. starting the football season a week earlier than anybody else in the state to preserve the four-week district playoffs were the top story.
What will be numero uno from 2005? Stay tuned.
For now, the countdown begins with stroies #25 through #21.
#25 - Waynesburg Freshman Wins WPIAL and PIAA Girls Golf Gold
Freshman Rachel Rohanna from Waynesburg High School won the "2005" W.P.I.A.L. Girls Individual Golf Championship at The Club at Nevillewood by shooting a four over par 76 to win the title by three strokes over defending champion Meghan Trachok of Upper St. Clair.
What makes Rohanna's performance even more impressive was she gave herself a two stroke penalty on the 15th hole when she realized she hit the wrong ball.
"I hit my approach shot in the grass behind the green," Rohanna said. "I found a ball that was also a Titelist and chipped it on the green. When I saw it on the green, I realized it was the wrong ball."
Rohanna was not thinking about any sort of title when she arrived Monday at Nevillewood. "I wasn't thinking about winning, I just wanted to make sure I qualified for the state tournament," Rohanna said.
Rohanna not only qualified, but she finished in a six-way tie for the P.I.A.A. title in the one-day rain shortened event in York, PA two weeks later.
#24 - USC Pulls off Big Upset in Boys LaCrosse
When you looked at the boys lacrosse resume of the two boys lacrosse finalists back in May, Mount Lebanon had the clear adantage over Upper St. Clair. However all of that was wiped away in the final quarter as the Panthers claimed the 2005 W.P.S.L.A. title with an 8-6 win over the Blue Devils.
Mount Lebanon, ranked #1, had won four of the past six W.P.S.L.A. titles and were playing in their league leading 12th championship game.
The boys lacrosse championship is the first ever for Upper St. Clair.
Trevor Yealy led U.S.C. by scoring a hat trick, with his second and third goals coming in the 4th quarter to provide the two goal margin of victory.
#23 - North Catholic Players Suspended for Playoff Opener
The top-seed North Catholic Trojanettes began defense of their W.P.I.A.L. Class (AAA) girls crown in the W.P.I.A.L. girls basketball playoffs shorthanded after an off court left five players, including four starters suspended for an opening round game against Steel Valley.
The players were among "11" North Catholic students who were suspended from school for 3 days after being found intoxicated at a school dance.
The Trojanettes were already with head coach Molly Rottmann, who was sitting out a year-long suspension for a recruiting violastion.
North Catholic beat Steel Valley 45-36 in that opening round game, but the Trojannettes would not win another contest. They were upset in the Quarterfinals by Montour 37-36, then lost in the first round of the P.I.A.A. state playoffs to Mercyhurst Prep 59-35.
#22 - Riverside Football Coaching Revolving Door
Every year, there are schools that make coaching changes in the off season. But what happened prior to the start of the "2005" football campaign at Riverside High School was enough to make any Panthers player or fan dizzy.
After former coach Bill Hand resigned to take a college coaching job in March, Riverside named Western Beaver long time assistant coach Mike Wickline as their new head football coach.
Citing personal reasons, Mike Wickline resigned as Riverside's football coach eight days before the start of the 2005 season.
Panthers assistant Jesse Rosenberger was named as Wickline's replacement.
Then two days later, Wickline announced he had changed his mind and was coming back to coach the Panthers, only to change his mind again and stick by his resignation 24 hours later.
Despite the rollercoaster pre-season, Rosenberger helped guide the Panthers to a playoff berth after a 5-4 season, which ended with a first round loss to Class (AA) runner-up Greensburg Central Catholic.
#21 - Freshman Sweep Boys W.P.I.A.L. Tennis Finals
One W.P.I.A.L. boys singles tennis championship was over quickly, while the other was a marathon match. However in the end, the one common denominator was a pair of freshman coming away with the gold.
The Class (AA) title match was in the books in just over an hour as Quaker Valley freshman Alex Sinu finished off Sewickley Academy's Evan Siegel in straight sets 6-2, 6-3.
The match of the tournament took place in the Class (AAA) championship. A "5" hour match, including a 1 1/2 hour rain delay, featured just about everything as Casey Watt of Pine-Richland squared off against Zach Skorupka of North Allegheny.
There was yelling, finger pointing, accusations flying, racquet throwing, verbal lobs...and oh yeah, some great tennis.
In the end, the freshman Watt outlasted the junior Skorupka 7-6 (7-2), 6-7 (6-8), 7-5 in a match that may not have featured the best sportsmanship, but was filled with outstanding tennis, and the berth of a rivalry.
"THE CHOPS".