"They look like a droid from Star Wars."

We go off the rails almost immediately, from pistachio chocolate to rainbow vacuum clearers, cutting the grass and, well ... you get the picture.

Butler baseball and volleyball are in the PIAA tournament this week, plus Mars and girls lacrosse and a few other teams. Derek and Jake preview the first-round matchups and talk about some of the history being made by local teams.

And one of those historic figures, legendary Tornado volleyball coach Lew Liparulo makes his debut on the pod and shares his stories from 50 years of coaching and finally getting the chance to lead a team to a WPIAL championship game.

And we wrap up with Derek stumping Jake on a gimme Eagles question, debating which sports franchise nickname we'd want to change and recapping and sometimes-wild state track and field championships.

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For more on Butler Eagle Sports go to:

https://www.butlereagle.com/section/sports/

Follow on social media:

https://www.instagram.com/altereaglepodcast/

https://www.instagram.com/butlereaglenews/

www.alter-eagle.com

#WesternPA #butlercounty #highschoolfootball #predictions #Sports #sportspodcast #eyeonsports #altereaglepodcast #movember #menshealth #mentalhealth #butlereagle #sportswriters #swedishfish #pittsburgh #downtownbutler #butlerdowntown #podcast #butlerpa #butlercounty #collegefootball #steelers #eagles #coach #steelers #WPIALS #piaa #HighSchoolSports #HighSchoolFootball #Fall2025 #EyeOnsportsPodcast #SeasonTwo #2026 #WPIAL #PIAA #NCAA #Butler #PittsburghPA #LewLiparulo #ButlerBoysVolleyball

This podcast is recorded and produced by Alter Eagle at The Butler Eagle, Eagle Printing, located in Butler, PA.

Cast:

Host: Derek Pyda, Eagle Sports Writer

Co-Host: Brendan Howe, Eagle Sports Writer

Co-Host: Jake Merda Adams, Eagle Sports Editor

Producer, Host & Editor: Laura Crago, Alter Eagle Producer & Host

Summer Intern: Dominic Frye

The 2026 Wing Fest is June 7, and Jake broke containment from the office for the difficult task of taste-testing some of the wings that might be entered in the competition to by the Beacon Hotel this year. It was a difficult assignment, don't let his sauce-covered hands fool you in this special episode of Eye on Sports.

Get your ticket to Wing Fest fast. They can sell out in advance. Go to https://www.gotothebeacon.com/wingfest for more information and to find out how to get your spot to judge dozens of wings next week at one of the biggest events of the year.

For more on Butler Eagle Sports go to:

https://www.butlereagle.com/section/sports/

Follow on social media:

https://www.instagram.com/altereaglepodcast/

https://www.instagram.com/butlereaglenews/

www.alter-eagle.com

#WesternPA #butlercounty #highschoolfootball #predictions #Sports #sportspodcast #eyeonsports #altereaglepodcast #movember #menshealth #mentalhealth #butlereagle #sportswriters #swedishfish #pittsburgh #downtownbutler #butlerdowntown #podcast #butlerpa #butlercounty #collegefootball #steelers #eagles #coach #steelers #WPIALS #piaa #HighSchoolSports #HighSchoolFootball #Fall2025 #EyeOnsportsPodcast #SeasonTwo #2026 #WPIAL #PIAA #NCAA #Butler #PittsburghPA #WingFest2026 #TheBeaconHotel #HotWings #SweetWings #competition

This podcast is recorded and produced by Alter Eagle at The Butler Eagle, Eagle Printing, located in Butler, PA.

Cast:

Host: Derek Pyda, Eagle Sports Writer

Co-Host: Brendan Howe, Eagle Sports Writer

Co-Host: Jake Merda Adams, Eagle Sports Editor

Producer, Host & Editor: Laura Crago, Alter Eagle Producer & Host

"You're not Derek!"

Nope, she's not. Laura steps into the host seat for the first time with Derek and Brendan in parts unknown so we can drop a special Memorial Day episode previewing this week's WPIAL and District 9 baseball and softball championships.

The stars have aligned for Butler to finally win a WPIAL baseball title. They have the ace pitchers (plural) and some serious pop in the lineup. They haven't lost in nearly a month. Can the Tornado finish the job? And what might sink them?

Then we break down Moniteau baseball's title tilt with Redbank Valley over in District 9, plus Karns City softball's clash with St. Marys.

And can Seneca Valley softball finally slay the Hempfield dragon in the third try in the last four years?

Jake lays out the matchups and hints at some predictions for a few of these games. Check out butlereagle.com for coverage from these games all week.

For more on Butler Eagle Sports go to:

https://www.butlereagle.com/section/sports/

Follow on social media:

https://www.instagram.com/altereaglepodcast/

https://www.instagram.com/butlereaglenews/

www.alter-eagle.com

#WesternPA #butlercounty #highschoolfootball #predictions #Sports #sportspodcast #eyeonsports #altereaglepodcast #movember #menshealth #mentalhealth #butlereagle #sportswriters #swedishfish #pittsburgh #downtownbutler #butlerdowntown #podcast #butlerpa #butlercounty #collegefootball #steelers #eagles #coach #steelers #WPIALS #piaa #HighSchoolSports #HighSchoolFootball #Fall2025 #EyeOnsportsPodcast #SeasonTwo #2026 #WPIAL #PIAA #NCAA #Butler #PittsburghPA #Baseball #Softball

This podcast is recorded and produced by Alter Eagle at The Butler Eagle, Eagle Printing, located in Butler, PA.

Cast:

Host: Derek Pyda, Eagle Sports Writer

Co-Host: Brendan Howe, Eagle Sports Writer

Co-Host: Jake Merda Adams, Eagle Sports Editor

Producer, Host & Editor: Laura Crago, Alter Eagle Producer & Host

Summer Intern: Dominic Frye

Can Freeport's Mackenzie Magness defend her PIAA pole vault title? And who else will join her on the podium at Shippensburg University this weekend?

Derek, Jake and Brendan break down the Butler County contingent heading to the PIAA Track and Field Championships. Butler's 4x800 relay is coming off a WPIAL title, as are Seneca Valley's Audrey Wolfe and Tennyson Voll, Karns City's Alex Wilson and Phoebe Brandon (in District 9) and several others. Wilson, Magness, North Catholic's Lazzara twins and Butler's Kevin Shriver and Carter Ekas are among the returning state medalists. And it looks like they and a few newcomers could be busy this weekend.

Derek and photographer Rob McGraw will have wall-to-wall coverage of the state championships this weekend at butlereagle.com/section/sports.

And then we switched gears a bit. You may have heard: that Aaron Rodgers guy is returning for another year with the Steelers?

And speaking of the Stillers, the NFL gave them a Black Friday home game. What will happen with the WPIAL football championships that weekend? Or what should the district do as the NFL encroaches on more days of the week?

Smash the like and subscribe buttons! Do it!

For more on Butler Eagle Sports go to:

https://www.butlereagle.com/section/sports/

Follow on social media:

https://www.instagram.com/altereaglepodcast/

https://www.instagram.com/butlereaglenews/

www.alter-eagle.com

#WesternPA #butlercounty #highschoolfootball #predictions #Sports #sportspodcast #eyeonsports #altereaglepodcast #movember #menshealth #mentalhealth #butlereagle #sportswriters #swedishfish #pittsburgh #downtownbutler #butlerdowntown #podcast #butlerpa #butlercounty #collegefootball #steelers #eagles #coach #steelers #WPIALS #piaa #HighSchoolSports #HighSchoolFootball #Fall2025 #EyeOnsportsPodcast #SeasonTwo #2026 #WPIAL#PIAA #NCAA #Butler #PittsburghPA #TrackandField

This podcast is recorded and produced by Alter Eagle at The Butler Eagle, Eagle Printing, located in Butler, PA.

Cast:

Host: Derek Pyda, Eagle Sports Writer

Co-Host: Brendan Howe, Eagle Sports Writer

Co-Host: Jake Merda Adams, Eagle Sports Editor

Producer, Host & Editor: Laura Crago, Alter Eagle Producer & Host

We won't make the Jim Mora "Playoffs?!?!" joke this season.

It's a Derek and Jake episode this week, and they're breaking down a couple big WPIAL playoff storylines:

1. Can Butler baseball finally win a title as the top seed?
2. And can Knoch softball do the same?
3. Will Mars boys lacrosse make it 10 straight and the girls four?
4. And who is Dominic The Intern?

The answer to those questions and more this week.

Plus, Karns City's Alex Wilson has been upping the Gremlins pole vault record for a couple years now. The junior, who has the top height in Butler County so far this season, hops on Eye on Sports this week to talk about his season and his goals heading into the District 9 and PIAA track and field championships. He talks about the sibling rivalry that got him into pole vaulting, the training, the weather and more.

And Derek's steps out of retirement for a week to answer a trivia question. Can he get back in the win column?

For more on Butler Eagle Sports go to:

https://www.butlereagle.com/section/sports/

Follow on social media:

https://www.instagram.com/altereaglepodcast/

https://www.instagram.com/butlereaglenews/

www.alter-eagle.com

#WesternPA #butlercounty #highschoolfootball #predictions #Sports #sportspodcast #eyeonsports #altereaglepodcast #movember #menshealth #mentalhealth #butlereagle #sportswriters #swedishfish #pittsburgh #downtownbutler #butlerdowntown #podcast #butlerpa #butlercounty #collegefootball #steelers #eagles #coach #steelers #WPIALS #piaa #HighSchoolSports #HighSchoolFootball #Fall2025 #EyeOnsportsPodcast #SeasonTwo #2026 #WPIAL#PIAA #NCAA #Butler #NFLDraft2026 #NFLDraft #PittsburghPA #flagfootball #Hockey #Penguins #Flyers #polevault #KarnsCity

This podcast is recorded and produced by Alter Eagle at The Butler Eagle, Eagle Printing, located in Butler, PA.

Cast:

Host: Derek Pyda, Eagle Sports Writer

Co-Host: Brendan Howe, Eagle Sports Writer

Co-Host: Jake Merda Adams, Eagle Sports Editor

Producer, Host & Editor: Laura Crago, Alter Eagle Producer & Host

The WPIAL track and field championships are next week, as are District 9 and 10. What can we expect from some of Butler County's top runners, jumpers and throwers? We break it down.

A week off should've given us a rested Jake. Instead, he's in pain from his Broad Street Run.

You know who's not in pain? Butler County's standout track and field athletes who are gearing up for the district championships next week. Derek and Brendan break down the field and some of our expectations for the WPIAL, District 9 and District 10.

Plus, Seneca Valley's Madi Barnyk and North Catholic's Simone Sharpless join the show to talk about their experience on the stage when the Steelers made their pick during the NFL draft, including meeting Jerome Bettis and making sure they kept their cool the whole time.

We also talk about Evgeni Malkin's future with the Penguins (and Jake revels in his Flyers' victory) and Derek's excellent story on Moniteau softball's Graysen Rottman's battle with a rare condition that cut her playing career short.

Follow on social media:

https://www.instagram.com/altereaglepodcast/

https://www.instagram.com/butlereaglenews/

www.alter-eagle.com

#WesternPA #butlercounty #highschoolfootball #predictions #Sports #sportspodcast #eyeonsports #altereaglepodcast #movember #menshealth #mentalhealth #butlereagle #sportswriters #swedishfish #pittsburgh #downtownbutler #butlerdowntown #podcast #butlerpa #butlercounty #collegefootball #steelers #eagles #coach #steelers #WPIALS #piaa #HighSchoolSports #HighSchoolFootball #Fall2025 #EyeOnsportsPodcast #SeasonTwo #2026 #WPIAL#PIAA #NCAA #Butler #NFLDraft2026 #NFLDraft #PittsburghPA #flagfootball #Hockey #Penguins #Flyers

This podcast is recorded and produced by Alter Eagle at The Butler Eagle, Eagle Printing, located in Butler, PA.

Cast:

Host: Derek Pyda, Eagle Sports Writer

Co-Host: Brendan Howe, Eagle Sports Writer

Co-Host: Jake Merda Adams, Eagle Sports Editor

Producer, Host & Editor: Laura Crago, Alter Eagle Producer & Host

Jake's on vacation, but the sports world isn't slowing down. This week, we dive into JJ Wetherholt's continued impact, highlight standout performances from WPIAL team track, and break down the excitement as the NFL Draft lands in Pittsburgh. From local athletes to the national spotlight, it's a quick look at what's making headlines across the region.

For more on Butler Eagle Sports go to:

https://www.butlereagle.com/section/sports/

Follow on social media:

https://www.instagram.com/altereaglepodcast/

https://www.instagram.com/butlereaglenews/

www.alter-eagle.com

#WesternPA #butlercounty #highschoolfootball #predictions #Sports #sportspodcast #eyeonsports #altereaglepodcast #movember #menshealth #mentalhealth #butlereagle #sportswriters #swedishfish #pittsburgh #downtownbutler #butlerdowntown #podcast #butlerpa #butlercounty #collegefootball #steelers #eagles #coach #steelers #WPIALS #piaa #HighSchoolSports #HighSchoolFootball #Fall2025 #EyeOnsportsPodcast #SeasonTwo #2026 #WPIAL#PIAA #NCAA #Butler #NFLDraft2026 #NFLDraft #PittsburghPA

This podcast is recorded and produced by Alter Eagle at The Butler Eagle, Eagle Printing, located in Butler, PA.

Cast:

Host: Derek Pyda, Eagle Sports Writer

Co-Host: Brendan Howe, Eagle Sports Writer

Co-Host: Jake Merda Adams, Eagle Sports Editor

Producer, Host & Editor: Laura Crago, Alter Eagle Producer & Host

"It's very hard not to see 2 or 3 players on the board (they like)."

The Penguins are down bad, but it's the week of hopes and dreams for all football fans. PennLive Steelers reporter Nick Farabaugh makes his debut on the show to talk all things NFL draft this week.

What's the best-case and worst-case scenarios for the Steelers? Will they take Omar Cooper, Makai Lemon or Jordyn Tyson at 21? What about Penn State's Olaivavega Ioane or another lineman?

On this special 2026 NFL Draft episode, we dive into all the top first-round prospects the Steelers could take, what to watch for in later rounds, scouting reports and how yinzer-fied the broadcasts will be. Get prepped for the biggest football weekend since the Super Bowl.

For more on Nick Farabaugh:

https://www.pennlive.com/staff/nfarabaugh/

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/steelers-breakdown-from-pennlive-com/id1277196913

For more on Butler Eagle Sports go to:

https://www.butlereagle.com/section/sports/

Follow on social media:

https://www.instagram.com/altereaglepodcast/

https://www.instagram.com/butlereaglenews/

www.alter-eagle.com

#WesternPA #butlercounty #highschoolfootball #predictions #Sports #sportspodcast #eyeonsports #altereaglepodcast #movember #menshealth #mentalhealth #butlereagle #sportswriters #swedishfish #pittsburgh #downtownbutler #butlerdowntown #podcast #butlerpa #butlercounty #collegefootball #steelers #eagles #coach #steelers #WPIALS #piaa #HighSchoolSports #HighSchoolFootball #Fall2025 #EyeOnsportsPodcast #SeasonTwo #2026 #WPIAL#PIAA #NCAA #Butler #NFLDraft2026 #NFLDraft #PittsburghPA

This podcast is recorded and produced by Alter Eagle at The Butler Eagle, Eagle Printing, located in Butler, PA.

Cast:

Host: Derek Pyda, Eagle Sports Writer

Co-Host: Brendan Howe, Eagle Sports Writer

Co-Host: Jake Merda Adams, Eagle Sports Editor

Producer, Host & Editor: Laura Crago, Alter Eagle Producer & Host