Freeport’s Sean Selinger named 2024 Valley News Dispatch defensive player of the year
Defensive player of the year Sean Selinger Freeport, TE/LB, sr. Before the season, Sean Selinger was focused on the team’s success as he hoped Freeport would return to the WPIAL Class 3A playoffs. The Yellowjackets rebounded from a 3-7 season in 2023 to finish 8-4 and clinch a WPIAL playoff...
Deer Lakes routs Freeport at home in section opener
The last time Deer Lakes took the court, the Lancers barely defeated Mohawk in a double-overtime win Tuesday. You might expect the Lancers to come out in their matchup against Freeport a little sluggish as they regained their legs. However, the Lancers didn’t use the extra time on the court...
Plum wrestling ready for next wave of WPIAL qualifiers to emerge
Last year, the Plum wrestling program had a handful of wrestlers qualify for the WPIAL tournament. Even though most of those were seniors, the Mustangs are hopeful to have another handful reach the tournament this season. Plum will look to replace Antonino Walker (152) and Rylen Campbell (127) who each...
New coach expects Plum swimmers to maintain level of success
The Plum swimming program is aiming for more consistency as Shane Ging takes over as head coach. Ging, who replaces Shawn Haupt, is familiar with the Plum swim program since he has been an assistant coach with the team the past four years. “I’ve been here a while with these...
Fox Chapel boys team picks up steam in win vs. Plum
After a shaky first half, Fox Chapel immediately came out of the halftime locker room and set the tone for the second half as the Foxes defeated Plum, 52-37, in the Chartiers Valley Tournament on Friday night. The Foxes (2-0) were led by senior Caden Kaiser, who scored the first...
Gateway bowlers have sights set on returning to state championships
After falling short in the state championship a season ago, the Gateway boys bowling team has some unfinished business with the majority of the team returning. The Gators finished fourth at the Pennsylvania state championship in March at Leisure Lanes in Lancaster. Gateway was swept in their best-of-three quarterfinal matchup...
Springdale girls look to keep building program after showing signs of progress
The Springdale girls basketball program looks to continue to build a new culture in its second year under coach Mike Dudjak. Last year, the Dynamos finished 7-15 overall with a 3-9 record in Section 3-2A. The seven wins were the most wins for the program in the past 11 years....
1st-time head coach eager to jump right in with Springdale boys
Scott Ruppert might be in his first head coaching job, but coaching has been in his blood since a young age, even if he didn’t realize it at the time. Ruppert was named Springdale’s boys basketball coach in late October after Kobe Phillippi was hired to coach at Mars on...
After championship season, Norwin girls looking for ‘best 5’ to make another run
Last year, Norwin found itself on top of the WPIAL Class 6A girls basketball mountain. However, with the departure of key seniors from the championship team, the Knights will need to do it with a new group as they put last year’s success behind them. Norwin, which finished 23-4 overall...
New coach hopes to make talent stand out for Norwin boys
The Norwin boys basketball program looks to have culture change in store as the Knights begin a new era with a familiar face in charge. Cam Auld, a 2016 Norwin graduate, takes over as coach after spending the last two seasons at Greensburg Salem. Auld, 26, went 9-34 overall and...
Hempfield boys plan to pick up pace, close out more wins
Even though the record might not show it, Hempfield’s boys basketball program found itself leading a majority of its losses at halftime last season. The Spartans just couldn’t put together a full game to pull out wins. This season, coach Bill Swan hopes a change in pace as well as...
With new mix of players, Hempfield girls up for challenge in tough 6A section
In the first season under Bob Madison, the Hempfield girls basketball program started 7-2 but only won one game the rest of the season. The Spartans look to improve in Madison’s second season in a tough Section 2-6A. Hempfield (8-14, 1-9) returns five players who started at various points last...
Westinghouse fires on all cylinders in PIAA win over Windber
Westinghouse forced Windber to punt on the opening drive Friday night, but the Bulldogs muffed the punt and the Ramblers recovered in Westinghouse territory.A few plays later, Windber scored a touchdown. The rest of the game belonged to Westinghouse. The Bulldogs (9-1) put on a dominant performance, defeating Windber, 61-6,...
North Allegheny faces adversity, rallies past North Catholic to repeat as WPIAL 4A volleyball champs
After dropping the opening set, North Allegheny found itself on the verge of losing the second set to North Catholic in the WPIAL Class 4A girls volleyball championship match Saturday at Peters Township. However, the Tigers scratched and clawed through multiple set points to take the set and won in...
Fox Chapel finds winning goal in 70th minute to get past Plum, win 1st WPIAL title since ’95
It has been close to three decades since the last time the Fox Chapel boys soccer program could call itself the WPIAL champion. From the opening minute of the WPIAL Class 4A championship game Friday night at Highmark Stadium, the Foxes put pressure on Plum’s defense but couldn’t find the...
Leechburg starts strong in high-scoring win over Brentwood
After suffering its first loss of the season last week against Clairton, Leechburg didn’t seem to be fazed by it, as the Blue Devils came out hot offensively and didn’t look back in a 57-34 win over Brentwood in Class A Eastern Conference action at Brentwood Park on Friday night....
Plum controls Fox Chapel for senior night victory
After a back-and-forth first half, it looked like it was shaping up to be a close game Friday night at Mustangs Stadium. However, Plum came out in the second half and excelled in all three phases of the game to win on senior night 49-10 against Fox Chapel in Class...
Greensburg Central Catholic routs Riverview on homecoming
A second-quarter offensive explosion Greensburg Central Catholic broke the game wide open to provide all the Centurions needed to beat Riverview, 45-14, in Class A Eastern Conference play Friday night at Centurion Stadium. Juniors Jerry Davis and Landon Honick reached the end zone twice in the second quarter for the...
No. 1 Imani Christian scores late TD to beat Highlands in defensive struggle
It looked like fans were possibly going to get the high-scoring game some might have expected when both teams scored on their opening drives. However, the game turned out much differently. Highlands held a 10-6 lead heading into the fourth quarter, but No. 1 Imani Christian (5-0, 2-0) made the...
Riverview makes late stop on 2-point attempt to hold off Valley
After rallying from down two scores entering the fourth quarter, Valley found itself just a 2-point conversion away from forcing overtime and completing the comeback. However, the Riverview defense stood strong and got their fingertips on a Mason Simmons pass to escape Memorial Stadium in New Kensington with a 38-36...
Avonworth overcomes early mistakes to defeat Burrell in season opener
Going into the matchup, Burrell knew it would need to capitalize on every mistake to stay close with Avonworth, the WPIAL Class 3A runner-up from a season ago. The Bucs defense forced turnovers on the Antelopes’ first two drives, but, Burrell was unable to turn the turnovers into points. No....
Brashear out to control its own destiny this season
After having a winless season in 2022, the Brashear Bulls improved by winning two games last season, which has provided a launching point for their upcoming season. Last season, the Bulls (2-7, 1-3) won in back-to-back weeks with a 52-24 victory over Carrick and a 26-24 win over Perry in...
Allderdice aims to contend for City League title in memory of coach Jerry Haslett
The Allderdice football team is coming off a disappointing season that the senior class doesn’t want to repeat, but now they are playing for a deeper purpose this season after the loss of their head coach just weeks before the start of the regular season. Longtime coach Jerry Haslett, 59,...
Westinghouse renews quest for state title after drop to Class A
After almost climbing to the mountain top in Class 2A but falling short to Southern Columbia in the state finals in back-to-back seasons, the Westinghouse Bulldogs will look to reach new heights in Class A this season. Westinghouse (13-1, 4-0) was one quarter away from being the first City League...
University Prep reloads, sets sights on return trip to City League championship game
With an experienced team, University Prep found itself in the City League championship game last season, but the Panthers couldn’t break the stranglehold Westinghouse has on the league title in recent years. If the Panthers want to return to the championship game, they will have to do it with a...