Champs Sports Network Sports Blog
WPIAL Playoffs Pushed Back.....Again?
by Matt Farago on 02/16/10
Last night I attended the OLSH - Sewickley Academy game. Before I went on the air, I over heard WPIAL Executive Director Tim O'Malley (his son plays for Sewickley) say that they will talk tomorrow morning about extending the season another day due to the snow that we got last night, that has put schools into a two hour delay today.
Some schools have two even three section games to play. In talking with Win Palmer the head coach and AD for SA, he feels they will push the season back. Their game with Central Catholic scheduled for tomorrow had to be moved because Central has a section title to play for with Bulter that needs to be played. However if the season gets pushed back, they may move the Bulter - Central game to Wed. alowing the SA to play Sewickley tomorrow.
Needless to say you might want to keep tabs on this blog, we will keep you updated with the schedule has we get them. As well as what games we will be covering. Gotta love this weather.
WPIAL Approves 2010-2012 Basketball Realignement
by Matt Farago on 02/16/10
The WPIAL met yesterday to approve the basketball realignment for both boy’s and girl’s basketball for the next two school years (2010-2011) (2011-2012). Both Chargers squads will see familiar faces along with a good bit of new ones.
The boys will pack up after their post-season run this season and move from Section 4 into WPIAL Class-A Section 1. Their neighbors from Cornell will also make the move into a section that will see quite a bit of a face lift from last season. The three time defending section champions Lincoln Park Leopards will stick around, along with Union and Western Beaver. The Rochester Rams will drop down from Class AA and be the final addition of the section.
OLSH vs. Cornell may return to the fierce rivalry it used to be back in ‘80’s with the Chargers fielding their own team in football in 2010 and eliminating the co-op agreement that wasn’t around during that time. The Raiders and Chargers will still only see each other in basketball and not football for at least the next two years.
The Chargers will lose their rival Sewickley Academy and Vincentian Academy, both of which will play in section 2. That section is the only section in the entire WPIAL that doesn’t have one public school with the likes of Aquinas Academy, North Catholic, Quigley, Sewickley Academy, Trinity Christian, and Vincentian.
In the new section the Chargers may continue to create somewhat of a rivalry with Lincoln Park, while the teams aren’t exactly the closest teams, but have played the last two seasons in pretty close contests. The Chargers took the game back in 2009 in Midland, while it was the Leopards taking this year’s meeting at “home” (Northgate).
For the remaining teams, look for OLSH to build some “relationships” over the next two years. Rochester is a consistent contender for not only the section title but for WPIAL Championships year in and year out. Union is another team that you can’t take lightly, they have three starters returning for next season. Western Beaver may have had a down year this year, after last year being in the chase for the section, look for this young team to mature and make for a top to bottom solid section for the 2010-’11 season.
The lady Chargers will also be packing their bags after this season and moving to section 6 in class-AA. Only one other team that played with the Chargers in section 3 this season that will be making the move is none other than the Northgate Flames, which after this year should be considered a home away from home.
The Chargers will leave rival’s Bishop Canevin (section 5), Seaton LaSalle (5) and South Fayette (moved to AAA) all behind, but should play at least one of them in non-conference play.
There will be no shortage of a rivalry however, as the Chargers will rejoin the Sto-Rox Vikings in the new section, a team that the Chargers battle with in 2008 for the section title and in the WPIAL playoffs. Even without playing the Vikes for a year, there is still no love lost.
As the new girls in neighborhood the Lady Chargers will also join, Avonworth, Freedom, Quaker Valley, and South Side Beaver. With that said it should make for quite a competitive section.
As both the girls and the boys will enter the WPIAL post-season this weekend it makes one reflect on what has been one wild season of Chargers basketball. After a season of finding places to play and not having one true “home” game, looking at the new section alignments, along with knowing that the Chargers new home will be ready come next December, it makes one statement sound so much sweeter than ever before. “There is no place like home.”
CV - Hampton to Play, WPIAL extends regular season....again.
by Matt Farago on 02/11/10
Well I have good news and bad news...which do yo want to hear first? Will go with good news.
The good news is that "Game of the Year" between Chartiers Valley and Hampton has been rescheduled and will go on after all. After being very unlikely the two would play with both having section games still to be played and the WPIAL making those games a priorty (The only way you get into the post-season).
This morning the WPIAL moved the final regular season date once again, this time to Tuesday. The move alowed Char Valley and Hampton to reschedule the game for Saturday at 7pm, back at Hampton.
The game is still sold out, and Hampton will not sell any tickets at the door.
The bad news? Well if you have a ticket this there is no bad news....but if you were counting on Champs to broadcast the game which was our "Game of the Week" last week when it was first scheduled, we will no longer carry that game.
Champs will carry the Kyle Wilson Memorial Basketball game between Sewickley and Central Catholic at Robert Morris. It was the only day that our schedule was not able to be changed. I personally would have change any game, other then this one. Trust me, I was looking forward to the game just as much as the player, fans and students were.
