The WPIAL had another strong showing in winter sports this year, claiming 32 state championships over eight sports.

Eight of those were team titles while 24 individuals claimed PIAA crowns as well. Butler was at or near the top of the state in two sports — a pair of sports that don’t immediately come to mind for the average fan.

The Golden Tornado won the PIAA coed title in Competitive Spirit, tallying 87.53 points to edge perennial powerhouse McDowell by 3.34 points. The victory marked the fourth state championship since 2013 for Butler’s competitive cheering program.

The Tornado rifle team finished second in the state, falling 4.4 points short of Penn-Trafford. The Golden Tornado’s Hayleigh Gorog took second in the Pennsylvania State Prone Rifle Individual Championships as well, posting a score of 412.7. She fell just 3.3 points shy of the title.

While basketball teams, wrestlers and swimmers are in the winter spotlight when it comes to high school athletics. there are other student-athletes shining in other sports behind the scenes.

Rifle in the winter is comparable to cross country in the fall — outstanding efforts being witnessed by few.

The competitive cheer season never ends, really. They go to competitive camps during the summer and use months to prepare their performance for the WPIAL and, hopefully, PIAA competitions.

Their dedication and eventual success should be commended.

End of an era?

We may be seeing that with the Pittsburgh Penguins.

The Fenway Sports Group fired Pens general manager Ron Hextall, team president Brian Burke and assist G.M. Chris Pryor Friday, only two days after the team was officially eliminated in the playoff chase.

The Penguins’ streak of 16 successive Stanley Cup playoff appearances — the longest active playoff streak in North American sports — came to an end and that trio paid the price.

The Penguins organization should be applauded for such a streak. To do so in this age of salary caps and player movement isn’t easy. It’s just the way this season ended that leaves a bad taste in everyone’s mouth.

Losing to last-place Chicago at home, knowing your season was on the line, didn’t cut it. Neither did player personnel decisions that proved disastrous.

Coach Mike Sullivan is under contract through 2027. He’s probably not going anywhere.

The direction the Penguins’ on-ice fortunes is headed is anybody’s guess. With only two functioning forward lines, lack of speed and physical presence overall, and questionable goaltending, there is serious work to do.

Going too far

The NBA’s Dallas Mavericks have been fined $750,000 by the league for sitting their best players in a game they had to win to make the play-in round for the NBA playoffs.

Mavericks owner Mark Cuban wanted the top-10 draft pick over a shot at playing into the playoffs.

Good move by the NBA. A professional sports league needs integrity. Cuban crossed the line there.

John Enrietto is sports editor of the Butler Eagle