Every season before the chaos starts, I try to sit down at my desk and spread out all my schedules and see if there are any matchups that jump off the paper at me. A good rivalry, a possible playoff matchup or perhaps the chance to see some really extraordinary competition.

One game that met that criteria was Hampton’s Lady Talbots versus the Vincentian Academy Lady Royals basketball squad. This nonsection clash between a Class AAA team and a Class A program probably won’t create a stir on the surface.

Obviously, both schools are within the coverage area, and being a one-man staff, it only makes sense to see two teams for the price of one. But that was not my rationale.

Hampton sports a forward named Sara Pilarski, a 6-foot-1 senior who was an impact player as a sophomore and worked up some Division I interest during her junior season.

Vincentian has a similar player in sophomore center Brenna Wise, a 6-foot-1 star, who has as many WPIAL gold medals as she has varsity seasons under her belt.

Pilarski is a Division I prospect, and Wise will be.

The outcome of the game had little bearing on the season. It basically gave the teams a chance to test their best stuff against a playoff-caliber team they have no chance of seeing in the playoffs.

The star forwards didn’t disappoint, as Pilarski scored 33 points as part of a double-double, and Wise scored a game-high 39 in an overtime affair.

Both players fed off their teams and carried them at points. Watching two athletes of that caliber in the small setting at Vincentian was perhaps the best opening-night game I have seen in 10 years.

Knowing these two were playing for the final time against each other (they met once last year), I had this game in ink at the top of my schedule. It exceeded my expectations.

Mind your business …

I was born a Steelers fan in the 1970s, morphed into a Dolphins fan with Dan Marino in the 1980s, and I split my allegiance between the two teams much of the rest of my life. I have kind of graduated to being more of an NFL fan these days. I used to get sick when the Marino-led Dolphins would lose (especially in the playoffs). It literally ruined my week. Fortunately, I got to see the Steelers hoist a pair of Lombardi Trophies in more recent memory. I still love both of my teams.

What I mean about being an NFL fan is, I watch the games more for what they are these days. The Dolphins should have won 2-3 more games, and the Steelers dropped a pair to the lowly Raiders and Browns … oh well. It is unfortunate, but hear-ye, hear-ye: Life goes on.

Where I am going with this is I talk to a lot of people about sports. I read a lot, I watch a lot. I read a story about a kid from Plum getting harassed by fellow Steelers fans for trading his Terrible Towel with Ray Rice for a pair of the Prow Bowler’s game gloves. Hmm … let me see, a towel that costs $7 at Giant Eagle for a pair of gloves worn by one of the top backs in the league. Come on, how do you pass on a cool piece of memorabilia like that? I am no fan of Tom Brady, per sé, but if I met him after a game and he engaged me in conversation, I would oblige him. Sure, I root against him 99 percent of the time, but it would be a cool story to tell.

Record assault

Obviously I was saddened to see my favorite quarterback of all time have his season passing yardage record shattered twice last year by Brady and Drew Brees, but that segways into two of the other biggest records in the league: Eric Dickerson’s 2,105 rushing yards in a season in 1984 and Jerry Rice’s 1,848 receiving yards in 1995. These long-standing records are sought after every season, but seldom are in danger. This season, there is much speculation Adrian Peterson (1,812 yards rushing) and Calvin Johnson (1,667 yards receiving) are in line to set a new standard. Johnson has a much better chance, and although I am old enough now to utter the phrase “back in my day,” I do hope to see the players from my childhood remain the top dogs, but the new generation is just insane when it comes to talent. So, best of luck to both Megatron and ADP in their quest for immortality. I did take solace in the fact Brees set the new standard, and the way the league is going, no record is safe. Which is how it should be.

Jerry Clark is a staff writer for Trib Total Media. He can be reached at 724-779-6979 or jeclark@tribweb.com.

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