Lincoln Park's Lipke faces former teammates in WPIAL Class A final
Posted Mar 3, 2012 | Sports
Posted: Thursday, March 1, 2012 11:15 pm | Updated: 8:49 am, Fri Mar 2, 2012.
Lincoln Park's Lipke faces former teammates in WPIAL Class A final
Mike Bires Times Sports Staff Timesonline.com
MIDLAND -- B.J. Lipke doesn't need added incentive. He wants to win because he's a competitor. Every time he steps on a football field or basketball court, he wants to do his part to help his team experience the thrill of victory.
But for Lipke, there is extra motivation today in the WPIAL Class A championship.
For the past two years, he's attended classes at Lincoln Park Performing Arts Charter School in Midland and played for the Leopards' highly touted basketball team. But he lives in Coraopolis and used to go to Cornell High School
And because Lincoln Park doesn't have a football team, Lipke was allowed to play football at Cornell.
So today, Lipke will compete against athletes who were his teammates a few months ago.
"It's going to be a very heart-pounding experience," Lipke said Thursday before practice.
"Everyone (in Coraopolis) is talking about this game. To be playing my hometown team, to be playing against guys I've known since I was a kid, this is a game I'll remember for the rest of my life.
"If I lose this game, they will never let me let it down."
Today's game at the Palumbo Center isn't the first time Lipke has played against Cornell. Both teams play in Section 1, so Lipke has faced Dorian Maynard, Corey Mackey, Bryce Borne and the rest of the Raiders before.
Lincoln Park beat Cornell twice in section play last year and twice again this year. But today is different. Today, they're playing for WPIAL glory.
"I know people are saying 'Who would win (the WPIAL championship) if I was playing for Cornell?' " Lipke said.
Last year, Lipke said it was tough at times playing against Cornell. There was tension among some of the players and fans, especially during the game at Cornell.
"There was a little hatred there," he said. "But we're cool now."
As the No. 2 ranked Class A team in the state, Lincoln Park (21-4) was expected to advance to today's final. Cornell (19-5) making it to the Palumbo Center wasn't expected. But the Raiders made it by upsetting No. 3 seed Clairton in the quarterfinals and No. 2 seed North Catholic in the semifinals.
"They're a good team, but it would mean so much to me if we beat them," he said.
Lipke, who's going to continue his education and football career at California University of Pennsylvania, transferred to Lincoln Park two years ago for personal reasons.
"Everyone thought it was for basketball. But it wasn't," said Lipke, who's the sixth man in the Lincoln Park rotation.
"Going to Lincoln Park opened the door for me for a lot of opportunities academically. It's the greatest thing that ever happened to me. I'm so happy here. Every day I wake up, I want to go to school."
Mike Bires can be reached online at mbires@timesonline.com or by phone at 724-622-4284