Chris Harlan stories, Page 12
2025 PIAA Class A boys basketball championship breakdown: Neighborhood Academy vs. Sankofa Freedom
PIAA Class A boys basketball final Neighborhood Academy vs. Sankofa Freedom Academy 2 p.m. Thursday, Giant Center, Hershey On the air: NFHS Network livestream PIAA titles: Neighborhood Academy 0; Sankofa Freedom Academy 1 (2019) Neighborhood Academy (28-1) Coach: Jordan Marks Projected starting lineup Pos., Name, Ht., Yr., Pos. 0, Courtney...
‘The best story nobody has talked much about:’ Neighborhood Academy, Courtney Wallace Jr. storm into state finals
As a future Ivy League finance major, it’s safe to say Courtney Wallace Jr. is good with numbers. That was true on the basketball court this winter, where the Neighborhood Academy senior is averaging a triple-double for a team headed Thursday to the state finals. A 6-foot-2½ point guard committed...
Imani Christian’s David Davis commits to Penn State
Imani Christian is among the WPIAL’s smallest schools, but Penn State has landed a big football recruit from there two years in a row. David Davis, a highly recruited junior, committed Tuesday to the Nittany Lions. The 6-foot, 190-pound defensive back shared a top-six list in January that included Penn...
In WPIAL hearing, Baldwin seeks clarity on ‘very gray’ PIAA rule banning preseason workouts
Holding a preseason workout with a baseball team from another school was a mistake, Baldwin’s representatives said at a WPIAL hearing Monday, but they also questioned whether a PIAA rule was too vaguely written. The rule prohibits teams from “participating in any team competition” in the 10 days leading up...
South Fayette avenges loss to Peters Township, earns trip to state finals
The South Fayette girls are headed to the state finals after avenging a WPIAL finals loss to Peters Township. For the Lions, that was two wins at once. “We really wanted to get them back,” said South Fayette sophomore Lailah Wright. “It feels good for revenge and feels really good...
South Allegheny sparks another late rally, stuns Aliquippa again in PIAA semifinal
Aliquippa surely felt some déjà vu. South Allegheny’s Josh Jackowski stole the ball and threw down a tie-breaking dunk with 90 seconds left Saturday as the Gladiators pulled off yet another stunning rally. Just like in the WPIAL finals, the Quips lost a late lead in the fourth quarter. South...
Chartiers Valley’s playoff run ends with bitter loss to Hershey in PIAA semifinals
CLEARFIELD – Chartiers Valley’s mission was written across the chest of its opponent: Hershey. But the school from the so-called “Sweetest Place on Earth” handed Chartiers Valley a bitter loss one round short of the state championships Friday night. A nearly four-minute scoring slump just before halftime put the WPIAL...
College summer league baseball team to call Highlands High School field home
The former Butler BlueSox, a summer league team for college baseball players, is moving to Natrona Heights after many years at Pullman Park. The team has a new home — the ballfield at Highlands High School — and soon a new nickname that’s still to be determined, said Mike McNabb,...
Valley collects 14 hits in ‘backyard brawl’ baseball win over rival Burrell
The teams don’t share a section anymore, but Valley’s Dante Taliani said he and his teammates get just as excited for any baseball game with Burrell. “This is a backyard brawl,” said Taliani, who doubled twice and drove in four runs Wednesday as Valley defeated rival Burrell, 13-3, for a...
WPIAL says baseball, softball teams violated PIAA rules with preseason workouts
A PIAA rule about open gyms has tripped up some WPIAL baseball and softball teams this spring. The rule prohibits PIAA teams from “participating in any team competition” in the 10 days leading up to their first official preseason practice. Four WPIAL teams violated the rule by holding a joint...
Tyler Robbins, Upper St. Clair fight off McDowell in overtime, move on to PIAA semifinals
Nothing came easy for Upper St. Clair or senior Tyler Robbins, who was roughed up by McDowell’s defense for four quarters and nearly all of overtime. One dunk relieved all their frustration. Tied in the final seconds of overtime, Kaamil Jackson blocked a shot at one end of the court,...
Chartiers Valley exploits Johnstown’s ‘rough’ shooting night, charges into PIAA semifinals
Chartiers Valley likes to counterpunch whenever an opponent’s shot misses, and Johnstown gave the Colts plenty of chances Friday night. The District 6 champion struggled from 3-point range and missed 24 of its first 25 attempts from beyond the arc, empty possessions that propelled Chartiers Valley to a 58-38 victory...
McKeesport hires WPIAL champion Dan DeRose as boys basketball coach
The McKeesport boys basketball team hasn’t won a WPIAL title in a few decades, but the Tigers hired a new coach with one already on his resume. Dan DeRose, who led Penn Hills to a WPIAL title, was hired Thursday night by the McKeesport School Board. DeRose also had WPIAL...
South Allegheny works game plan to perfection in 2nd-round win over Bishop Guilfoyle
South Allegheny’s Josh Jackowski circled into the lane, caught an inbounds pass and scored on a nifty play the team debuted Wednesday night. The Gladiators run lots of sets, and those designed plays led to some well-timed baskets in a 55-47 victory over Bishop Guilfoyle in the PIAA Class 3A...
Chartiers Valley celebrates another postseason win over section rival Montour in PIAA playoffs
In celebration, Chartiers Valley’s Jayden Davis let go of a half-court shot at the buzzer and it went in. That 3-pointer was one more than his opponent Montour made the entire night. The Spartans went 0 for 17 from beyond the arc as Chartiers Valley built an early lead and...
PIAA declares Uniontown vs. Meadville fight-marred playoff game a double forfeit
Neither Uniontown nor Meadville will advance in the PIAA boys basketball playoffs. The PIAA declared their fight-marred game a double forfeit and wants involved spectators suspended from attending any school-sponsored sporting events for more than a year, the association announced Monday. The game Friday night at Meadville was halted with...
Driven by WPIAL finals loss, Aliquippa dominates in PIAA 1st-round win
Aliquippa had an entire week to fix what went wrong in the WPIAL finals, which was bad news for Westmont Hilltop. The same mistakes weren’t made twice. “We came out today and did all the little things that we didn’t do that made us lose,” said junior Josh Pratt after...
Fight halts Uniontown vs. Meadville boys basketball game in PIAA playoffsVideo
Officials cut short a state playoff game between the Uniontown and Meadville boys basketball teams Friday night after a fight in the stands spread onto the court. Host Meadville led 63-55 with 3:12 left in the fourth quarter when the Class 5A first-round game was halted. Uniontown athletic director Harry...
Montour takes care of business in PIAA 1st round, sets up rematch with Chartiers Valley
The only trap Friday night was the defense Montour sprung on its opponent. Montour’s Kaleb Platz scored 28 points, and three teammates scored in double figures as the Spartans opened the state playoffs with a 68-49 victory over visiting Milton Hershey in PIAA Class 5A. Clearly, this was no trap...
Nationally ranked West Mifflin running back Armand Hill commits to West Virginia
West Mifflin’s Armand Hill, a nationally ranked running back recruit, committed Friday to West Virginia. The 5-foot-10, 178-pounder rushed for 1,693 yards on 188 carries and scored 23 touchdowns as a sophomore last fall. Hill listed a dozen college offers, including Pitt, Penn State and Michigan. He announced his decision...
PIAA faces criticism from all sides after changing transgender athlete policy
The PIAA is drawing criticism from all sides for changes made to its transgender athlete policy. The changes didn’t go far enough, says one Western Pennsylvania superintendent, who wanted to see the state high school athletic association adopt the NCAA’s stricter policy. Yet LGBTQ+ advocacy groups say the PIAA and...
Chartiers Valley beats Peters Township to cap breakthrough season with WPIAL title
Chartiers Valley went from being a basketball program in turmoil to a WPIAL champion in a little over a year. Led by first-year coach Corey Dotchin and prolific senior scorer Jayden Davis, fourth-seeded Chartiers Valley finished off its turnaround Saturday night by defeating No. 6 Peters Township, 73-66, in the...
2025 WPIAL Class 3A boys basketball championship: Aliquippa vs. South Allegheny
WPIAL Class 3A boys basketball championship No. 1 Aliquippa vs. No. 2 South Allegheny 1 p.m. Saturday, Petersen Events Center On the air: Video livestream: NFHS Network; Audio: Trib HSSN WPIAL titles: Aliquippa 14 (2024, ‘23, ‘16, ‘15, ‘07, ‘06, ‘04, ‘03, ‘00, 1998, ‘94, ‘88, ‘87, ’49), South Allegheny...
2025 WPIAL Class 5A boys basketball championship breakdown: Chartiers Valley vs. Peters Township
WPIAL Class 5A boys basketball championship No. 4 Chartiers Valley vs. No. 6 Peters Township 7 p.m. Saturday, Petersen Events Center On the air: Video livestream: NFHS Network; Audio: Trib HSSN WPIAL titles: Chartiers Valley 6 ( 2015, ‘10, ‘04, ‘01, 1998, ’97), Peters Township 1 (2009) Chartiers Valley (22-3)...
Belle Vernon rewards retiring coach with school’s 1st WPIAL title since 1978
A retirement party at Petersen Events Center for one of the WPIAL’s winningest boys basketball coaches might seem a bit outlandish. Yet three weeks after Joe Salvino shared his retirement plans, he and his Belle Vernon players were there to celebrate. North Catholic tried to crash the party, but the...
