The WPIAL has finalized its six classifications  Monday Night. The PIAA voted in October to expand classifications in football, basketball, baseball,  and five other scholastic sports.  It means some longtime rivalries are gone.  West Allegheny and Moon will move up to 5a.  They join such powerhouses like Upper Saint Clair and Woodland Hills.  The Parkway Conference has been dissolved.  In it’s place  4A Section 1 was formed. It includes some Parkway  schools  Ambridge,  Blackhawk,  Montour and New Castle.  It also Includes  Mars, South Fayette,  Knoch, Highlands, and Indiana.   Central Valley and Hopewell joins Aliquippa , Beaver, and Beaver Falls in the new section 1 in 3a.   Some longtime rivalries across the WPIAL will come to and end. They include North Allegheny vs North Hills. They have played since 1966.  Also  Upper Saint Claire vs Mt Lebanon, Hampton vs Mars are no more.

Former Penguin Yussi Jokinen  scored   in the shoot out  to lift  the Florida Panthers to a 2-1 win last night over the Penguins last night . Nick  Bjugstad scored twice, once in regulation, for the  Panthers.  Trailing 1-0 late in the third period Chris Kunitz scored to tie the game and forced overtime and the shootout.

After getting trounced by North Carolina Sunday 85-64 , The Pitt Panthers bring home their three game losing streak.  They face the worse team in the ACC Wake Forrest. The Demon Deacons have lost 10-in a row. Tip off is at 7pm at the Peterson Event Center.

New York Rangers goaltender Henri Lundqvist  saved all of the Penguins 34 shots for his  3rd shutout of the season 3-0 at the Consol Energy Center Wednesday Night. The Penguins have been shutout for the 5th time this season.  The shutout ended Pens Captain Sidney Crosby’s career-high seven game scoring streak. After practice today at their Cranberry facility, they will fly to Carolina to play the Hurricanes  Friday night

The WPIAL  Steering Committee   will make recommendations to the full board of the WPIAL.  One of the recommendations  is the Championship Games.  Four games will be played at Heinz Field on Friday November 18th.  Under the new PIAA six classifications, two games will be played a week later at another location. The games at Heinz Field will be 3A to 6A.  The lower classifications, 1A and 2A will be the schools that will play somewhere a week later.   The WPIAL meets next Monday to take action on this recommendation and others.

The Duquesne Lady Dukes won their 22nd game of the season at the Palumbo Center Tuesday Night.  Despite an early game slump, The Lady Dukes out lasted Rhode Island 61-56. In other action Thomas More Women beat the Geneva Women 87-62. Their are two college games tonight.  St. Francis of PA, will be at  Robert Morris. In women’s action Pitt hosts Louisville at the Peterson Event Center.

The AP reports that Brian Vickers  will replace injured driver Tony Stewart for NASCAR’s season  opener “The Daytona 500”.  Stewart – Hass Racing says Stewart will be back sometime in March.  He broke a veterbrae  in a ATV accident in two weeks ago.