Chris Harlan stories, Page 111
Division I linemen clash as No. 2 Central Catholic visits No. 4 Seneca Valley
Ron Butschle apologized for using what might sound to some like an old coaching cliché. “We have to win the majority of battles on the line of scrimmage,” the Seneca Valley coach said. But it’s not just coach-speak when he says Friday night’s game between No. 4 Seneca Valley and...
WPIAL football rankings through Week Zero
Class 6A Team Rec. Prv. 1. Pine-Richland 1-0 1 2. Central Catholic 1-0 2 3. North Allegheny 1-0 3 4. Seneca Valley 0-1 4 5. Mt. Lebanon 0-1 5 Out: none Class 5A 1. Gateway 1-0 1 2. Peters Township 1-0 2 3. Penn-Trafford 1-0 3 4. Penn Hills 0-1...
5 takeaways from Week Zero of high school football action
Two hundred yards is a good night for any WPIAL passer, but nowadays that’s not enough for some quarterbacks. Thomas Jefferson’s Shane Stump, Washington’s Zack Swartz and Pine-Richland’s Cole Spencer all topped the 200-yard passing mark while also rushing for more than 100 in Week Zero victories Friday night. They’re...
Pine-Richland uses fast start to defeat Penn Hills in clash of championsVideo
Pine-Richland didn’t ease into this new football season. Junior quarterback Cole Spencer threw two touchdowns in the first 2½ minutes as host Pine-Richland defeated Penn Hills, 21-0, in a Week Zero contest that matched the defending WPIAL Class 6A and 5A champions. The Rams scored on their first two possessions...
McGuffey-Ambridge Week Zero football game postponed in 11th hour
Friday night’s football game between Ambridge and McGuffey was postponed because no game officials were hired to work the game, said McGuffey athletic director Ed Dalton. The two teams were supposed to play a Week Zero game at Ambridge’s Moe Rubenstein Stadium, but Dalton said he received a call while...
WPIAL soccer star Jayden Sharpless ruled ineligible after transferring
Jayden Sharpless, one of the WPIAL’s top girls soccer players, was ruled ineligible to play this fall. The sophomore transferred to North Catholic after leading the WPIAL in goals last season and Freedom’s administration flagged her move as potentially motivated by athletics, said WPIAL executive director Tim O’Malley. Based on...
WPIAL rules 2 transfers eligible for football, delays decision on another
The WPIAL ruled Woodland Hills transfer E’Shawn Carter eligible Thursday, clearing the junior to play football and basketball this school year for the Wolverines. The board approved Carter for regular-season play, WPIAL executive director Tim O’Malley said. However, Carter remains ineligible for the postseason under a PIAA rule enacted last...
5 things to watch in high school football for Week Zero
Scrimmage or schedule a game? When WPIAL football teams first were given that choice four years ago, the response was split down the middle. There were 61 teams that scrimmaged and 61 that played a Week Zero game. Now, their choice appears clear. Ninety-eight of the 119 WPIAL teams have...
WPIAL football position-by-position breakdown: Scouting the new coaches
The South Hills has some new faces this fall. Gone from the sidelines are two longtime coaches, Upper St. Clair’s Jim Render and Bethel Park’s Jeff Metheny. Both resigned this past winter, along with Mt. Lebanon’s Mike Melnyk, who led the Blue Devils for seven seasons. Taking their place are...
Aliquippa returns ‘good nucleus’ from WPIAL, PIAA championship lineup
If they all can accept their invitations, Aliquippa football greats Ty Law, Darrelle Revis, Sean Gilbert and Mike Ditka will return home for a Week 1 ceremony. The field house at Aschman Stadium will be named for the four former NFL stars, an effort by the Quips to celebrate their...
Woodland Hills transfer Eshawn Carter among 3 WPIAL hearings scheduled for Thursday
Woodland Hills transfer Eshawn Carter and two incoming freshmen at Aliquippa will have their football eligibility decided Thursday during hearing at the WPIAL office in Green Tree. Carter, a junior, transferred from Steel Valley. He played wide receiver and defensive back for the Ironmen, who won the WPIAL Class 2A...
WPIAL football position-by-position breakdown: Scouting the kickers
Sharing your field with a good soccer team can sometimes be a boost for football programs across the WPIAL. That’s because quite a few coaches have recruited soccer players as kickers. The two-sport athletes might not always available for football practice — pulled elsewhere by soccer games and other responsibilities...
Even without LeDonne in attendance, Penn Hills, Pine-Richland excited for clash of champions
Jon LeDonne won’t take a trip to the Great Smoky Mountains or listen to some Smokey Robinson on his free Friday night. He probably will stay at home and watch his Penn Hills football team play Pine-Richland online or on his television. It’s a marquee matchup between the defending WPIAL...
WPIAL position by position breakdown: Scouting the safeties
Versatile safeties are crucial in today’s WPIAL. With more teams turning to no-huddle, spread offenses, defenses need defensive backs who can cover receivers and also attack the run. The safeties on this year’s list — topped by Blackhawk’s Marques Watson-Trent — are just what coaches want. Combined, they forced nearly...
Moon basketball star Donovan Johnson joining brother Cameron in Arizona
Moon basketball star Donovan “Puff” Johnson is joining older brother Cameron in Arizona. Johnson, whose senior season here was in question, has enrolled at powerhouse Hillcrest Prep in Phoenix, his father said. The decision to transfer was made Monday, he said. “It’s a very, very good school,” Gil Johnson said....
WPIAL position-by-position breakdown: Scouting the cornerbacks
There’s no major college recruit on this list like last year when Aliquippa’s M.J. Devonshire, North Allegheny’s Joey Porter Jr. and Penn Hills’ Daequan Hardy topped the cornerback rankings. That was one of the WPIAL’s best classes in years. Devonshire is now at Kentucky while Porter and Hardy are at...
Coach Rod Steele makes West Mifflin roster battle for jobs in 1st season
A few days of heat acclimation and a week of camp wasn’t enough time for Rod Steele to pick starters. As West Mifflin approaches its season opener, there are at least four running backs in his rotation for carries and a handful of wide receivers still vying to start. That’s...
WPIAL position-by-position breakdown: Scouting the linebackers
The top linebackers in the WPIAL and City League always include some of the area’s best all-around athletes. They often are two-way players who are standout stars on defense and also make an impact on offense. For instance, Aliquippa’s Zuriah Fisher caught a touchdown and a pair of 2-point conversions...
WPIAL position-by-position breakdown: Scouting the defensive linemen
Some years it’s at cornerback. Sometimes it’s the linebackers. This year, the largest collection of WPIAL and City League star power could be at defensive line. Westinghouse’s Dayon Hayes, Central Catholic’s A.J. Beatty and Elliot Donald and West Mifflin’s Nahki Johnson have major-college offers from across the country. Among Pennsylvania...
WPIAL position-by-position breakdown: Scouting the offensive linemen
The offensive line is always strong spot for the WPIAL, and it is among the deepest positions again this season. This year’s group of offensive linemen is led by Mars senior Michael Carmody, a two-sport standout who drew Power 5 scholarship offers from the ACC, Big Ten, Big 12, SEC...
Bethel Park might be going to no-huddle offense, but toughness remains
There won’t be a fullback in the backfield, the tight end is optional and running backs might play wide receiver, but Bethel Park’s offense isn’t completely new. “To the lay person, it will look a lot different,” first-year coach Brian Delallo said. “It’s no huddle. We’re in more spread sets....
Upper St. Clair, Junko start with ‘blank slate’
Upper St. Clair returns only three players who started last season, a seemingly tough spot for a first-year coach. Mike Junko sees things differently. “We’re kind of excited about that,” said Junko, who was promoted to replace coach Jim Render. “In a lot of ways, with these kids it’s a...
WPIAL position-by-position breakdown: Scouting the tight ends
The traditional hand-on-the-ground tight end has disappeared from some offenses around Western Pennsylvania. As high school offenses have evolved, so too has the position. But it’s clear the tight end position isn’t going extinct. In fact, the WPIAL has sent quite a few tight ends to Division I colleges in...
Central Catholic turns the page after frustrating ’18 season
Last season was a difficult one for Central Catholic, hampered at times by turnovers and other self-inflicted mistakes. In a September matchup with Pine-Richland, the Vikings lost the football seven times to their rival, one of the low points in a season that they’re eager to put behind them. The...
Large, veteran offensive line to pave way for Mt. Lebanon
If there’s a difference between Class 5A and 6A football, maybe it’s the size of the linemen. At least, that’s what Bob Palko has seen since taking over Mt. Lebanon’s program in February. Palko coached West Allegheny for 24 seasons and won eight WPIAL titles, but this Blue Devils’ offensive...
