Lake Fong, Post-Gazette
Elizabeth Forward junior Steve Swiech, who is 6-9, averaged 22.4 points per game last season.
PG WPIAL Rankings
Class AAA Boys
(Records from last season)
1. Moon
23-5
2. Hopewell
19-9
3. West Mifflin
18-7
4. Greensburg Salem
15-10
5. Elizabeth Forward
17-9
Jeff Ackermann has been Moon's head coach for only four seasons, but he has a chance to join a legend.
Ackermann has guided Moon to the past two WPIAL Class AAA championships and the Tigers enter this season as the Post-Gazette's No. 1-ranked team. If Moon would go on to win another WPIAL title, Ackermann would become only the second coach in WPIAL Class AAA history to win three consecutive titles.
The other is Blackhawk's John Miller, who retired after last season. Miller won more than 600 career games and eight WPIAL championships at Blackhawk.
"We have a fairly big team this year with good experience," Ackermann said. "We return six of nine lettermen, but we have to find a way to replace three very good players from last year.
Moon's top two returners from last season are Dan Walsh and Tyler Hersperger. Walsh, a 6-foot-1 senior point guard, averaged 12 points per game last season and Hersperger, a 6-4 senior center, 9.5 and 6 rebounds. Walsh was an all-section pick.
Among other players expected to contribute are 6-4 sophomore Brian Walsh, 6-6 junior Chris Jeannot and 6-8 senior R.J. Rush.
"Our section is extremely tough," Ackermann said. "Hopewell and Ambridge will be very good and either one of them could win our section."
Here is a look at the rest of Class AAA:
Section 1
Knoch and Hampton tied for the section title last year. Knoch has only two returning starters, but one of them is 6-3 senior guard Jordan Shoop, who averaged 16.1 points.
Hampton will be without Steve Paskorz (11 ppg), who has decided not to play basketball this season. Paskorz is a football star who also plays baseball.
Mars is a team to watch in the section. Coach Rob Carmody has three returning starters at guard in 6-4 senior Tim Frye (14.5 ppg), 6-1 senior Charlie Jaicks (9.5) and 5-10 senior Robbie Herold (8.5).
Section 2
Hopewell finished two games behind Moon in the section last year, and the Vikings have enough to challenge for the WPIAL title. They should be strong inside with 6-6 senior James Turnley (16.3 ppg) and 6-5 senior Zack Fetchin (18.3).
Ambridge was a playoff team a year ago and has a nice one-two guard combination in Slade Unis and Nick Pappas.
West Allegheny could be in the thick of the race and the Indians feature senior point guard Mike Roche.
A new era begins at Blackhawk as Andy Hedrick takes over as coach for Miller. Hedrick was the coach at Everett High School the past five seasons.
Section 3
Greensburg Salem was a WPIAL quarterfinalist last year and the Lions could make some noise again this season. Three starters return who all averaged in double figures -- 6-4 junior guard Paul Matthews (15.8), 6-3 senior guard Wes Siko (11.5) and 6-3 senior forward Matt Snyder (10.5). The starting point guard will be 5-7 freshman Chris Klimchock, son of Jeannette High coach Rick Klimchock.
Yough was a WPIAL finalist last year, but Ben McCauley, the school's all-time leading scorer, is a freshman at North Carolina State. McCauley's brother, Andrew, a junior guard-forward, and junior guard Craig Sedunov are returning starters.
Laurel Highlands has 6-0 senior guard Gregg Forse and 6-3 sophomore forward Kaleb Ramsey, who were all-section picks a year ago.
Section 4
West Mifflin is pegged as the team to beat as the Titans try to win the section title for the second consecutive year.
Elizabeth Forward features one of the best inside players in the WPIAL. Steve Swiech, a 6-9 junior, averaged 22.4 points per game last season as a sophomore and some Division I colleges are expressing interest in him.
Thomas Jefferson has a new coach in Dom DeCicco and his son, Dom Jr., will be one of the team's top players after averaging 14 points last year.
South Park has four returning starters, but the Eagles might start the season slowly. Seniors Connor Dixon and Brendan Detwiler both averaged more than 15 points last season, but are still playing on the Eagles' football team that has advanced to the PIAA Class AA semifinals.
WPIAL AAA Boys : Players to watch
Name
School
Ht
.Pos
.Yr.
Ian Benson
Valley
5-9
G
Sr.
Connor Dixon
South Park
6-5
F
Sr.
Zack Fetchin
Hopewell
6-5
F
Sr.
Gregg Forse
Laurel Highlands
6-0
G
Sr.
Tim Frye
Mars
6-4
G
Sr.
Chris Giles
West Mifflin
6-2
G
Jr.
Paul Matthews
Greensburg Salem
6-4
G
Jr.
Andrew McCauley
Yough
6-4
F
Jr.
Nick Pappas
Ambridge
5-10
G
Sr
Jordan Shoop
Knoch
6-3
G
Sr.
Steve Swiech
Elizabeth Forward
6-9
C
Jr.
Robert Todd
Steel Valley
6-1
G
Sr.
Slade Unis
Ambridge
5-10
G
Jr.
James Turnley
Hopewell
6-6
C
Sr.
Dan Walsh
Moon
6-1
G
Sr.
First Published: November 28, 2005, 5:00 a.m.
