Chris Harlan stories, Page 26
WPIAL Softball rankings: Week ending May 5, 2024
Class 6A Rank, Team, W-L, Last 1. Hempfield, 16-1, 2 2. Seneca Valley, 17-1, 1 3. North Allegheny, 11-5, 4 4. Pine-Richland, 9-9, 3 5. Norwin, 8-9, 5 Out: none Class 5A Rank, Team, W-L, Last 1. Armstrong, 14-1, 1 2. North Hills, 13-2, 2 3. West Allegheny, 16-2, 3...
Trib HSSN baseball rankings for May 4, 2024
Class 6A Rank, Team, W-L, Last 1. Mt. Lebanon, 16-3, 1 2. Pine-Richland, 16-4, 3 3. North Allegheny, 13-5, 2 4. Hempfield, 14-5, 4 5. Seneca Valley, 10-7, 5 Out: none Class 5A Rank, Team, W-L, Last 1. Penn-Trafford, 15-1, 3 2. West Allegheny, 13-3, 1 3. North Hills, 10-4,...
Deep group of North Allegheny sprinters breaking speed ‘minimums’ this season
There are miles per hour signs posted at North Allegheny track practices, but these aren’t speed limits. They’re speed minimums. “If you run 17 miles per hour, you get to sign the 17 miles per hour sign,” North Allegheny coach John Neff said. “If you run 18, you sign the...
‘Get one day better, every day’: Coach Ed Helbig inspires Baldwin athletes through cancer battle
Baldwin track coach Ed Helbig has a favorite saying that he offers up as motivation to athletes on his team: “Get one day better, every day.” With tears in his eyes Friday at the Baldwin Invitational, Helbig shared a story about how the cross country team took a detour to...
Pine-Richland celebrates section title with walk-off win over rival North Allegheny
Pine-Richland had already left the bases loaded three times, but that’s not what Jake Waddell was thinking about when he came to the plate in seventh. “You’ve got to have a next-pitch mentality,” said Waddell, who drove in the winning run with a two-out, bases-loaded single as Pine-Richland outlasted rival...
With focus on staying healthy, Riverside ace Christian Lucarelli works tirelessly on craft
Christian Lucarelli arrived at Riverside baseball practice with a clear, plastic sphere that was partially filled with water. The peculiar fitness tool, which has handles on the sides, is designed to strengthen core muscles. Lucarelli uses it while simulating the twist he does on the pitcher’s mound. “You’re supposed to...
WPIAL cancels eligibility hearings for 2 Aliquippa transfers after Central Valley drops opposition
The WPIAL has canceled eligibility hearings for Aliquippa sophomore Joseph “J.J.” Work and freshman Khalil Ellerbee, saying Central Valley no longer contests their transfers. The two students were among seven football players who transferred to Aliquippa from various schools in recent weeks. The hearings for Work and Ellerbee were scheduled...
Former Bishop Canevin standout Daiveon Taylor, now at Aliquippa, commits to West Virginia
Daiveon Taylor wasn’t traveling to Morgantown this weekend just to watch West Virginia’s annual Gold-Blue spring game. He was there to commit. “I had it planned all week,” said Taylor, a 6-foot-2, 227-pound sophomore linebacker who recently transferred from Bishop Canevin to Aliquippa. Taylor shared his decision with WVU head...
WPIAL baseball rankings: Week ending April 28, 2024
Class 6A Rank, Team, W-L, Last 1. Mt. Lebanon, 13-3, 3 2. North Allegheny, 12-3, 1 3. Pine-Richland, 13-3, 4 4. Hempfield, 12-4, 2 5. Seneca Valley, 7-6, 5 Out: none Class 5A Rank, Team, W-L, Last 1. West Allegheny, 10-2, 2 2. Shaler, 11-3, 1 3. Penn-Trafford, 12-1, 3...
Trib HSSN softball rankings for April 27, 2024
Class 6A Rank, Team, W-L, Last 1. Seneca Valley, 14-0, 1 2. Hempfield, 12-1, 2 3. North Allegheny, 8-4, 4 4. Pine-Richland, 7-7, 3 5. Norwin, 7-8, 5 Out: none Class 5A Rank, Team, W-L, Last 1. Armstrong, 12-1, 3 2. North Hills, 10-2, 4 3. West Allegheny, 14-2, 2...
WPIAL schedules eligibility hearing for Imani Christian all-state basketball player R.J. Sledge
Imani Christian junior R.J. Sledge won his third straight PIAA boys basketball title in March, but his ability to win a fourth next winter is in limbo. The WPIAL has scheduled a hearing for May 6 to decide whether the all-state player is eligible for his senior year. Imani has...
19 WPIAL players picked for 2024 all-state girls basketball team
A month after winning a PIAA title, Blackhawk teammates Alena Fusetti and Aubree Hupp were among 19 WPIAL girls basketball players to earn all-state honors Friday. Blackhawk coach Greg Huston, who guided the Cougars to a 27-3 record in his first season, was voted as the state coach of the...
WPIAL reveals brackets for 2024 team track championships
The North Allegheny boys and girls will try to repeat as WPIAL champions when the track and field team playoffs start Tuesday. The Tigers swept the WPIAL Class 3A titles a year ago, while the Quaker Valley girls and Greensburg Central Catholic boys will try to repeat as 2A champions....
North Allegheny, Sewickley Academy earn No. 1 seeds for WPIAL boys team tennis tournament
North Allegheny and Sewickley Academy drew No. 1 seeds for the WPIAL boys team tennis tournament when brackets were released Thursday. North Allegheny (12-0) was seeded first in Class 3A ahead of No. 2 Gateway (9-0), No. 3 Upper St. Clair (10-1) and No. 4 Fox Chapel (9-1). Gateway defeated...
Aliquippa injunction hearing vs. PIAA takes 3-week pause with executive director testifying
If the PIAA competitive-balance rule were nullified, “it would probably cause chaos,” the PIAA’s top administrator said Wednesday during testimony in a Beaver County courtroom. Schools are already planning homecoming celebrations and other special nights based on fall sports schedules, said PIAA executive director Bob Lombardi, who insisted that those...
Pirates team doctor Patrick DeMeo among witnesses called by Aliquippa in lawsuit against PIAA
Renowned orthopedic surgeon Patrick DeMeo, while testifying for Aliquippa in its lawsuit against the PIAA, said he wanted to see some numbers. “Show me the data,” said DeMeo, who wondered how the PIAA decided its competitive-balance rule doesn’t increase health risks for the teams forced to play against larger schools....
WPIAL softball rankings, week ending April 21, 2024
Class 6A Rank, Team, W-L, Last 1. Seneca Valley, 11-0, 1 2. Hempfield, 8-1, 2 3. Pine-Richland, 6-5, 4 4. North Allegheny, 5-3, 3 5. Norwin, 6-6, NR Out: Canon-McMillan (3-4, 5) Class 5A Rank, Team, W-L, Last 1. Shaler, 9-0, 1 2. West Allegheny, 13-1, 2 3. Armstrong, 9-1,...
WPIAL baseball rankings: Week ending April 21, 2024
Class 6A Rank, Team, W-L, Last 1. North Allegheny, 9-1, 1 2. Hempfield, 12-1, 2 3. Mt. Lebanon, 10-3, 3 4. Pine-Richland, 12-2, 5 5. Seneca Valley, 6-4-1, 4 Out: none Class 5A Rank, Team, W-L, Last 1. Shaler, 10-2, 1 2. West Allegheny, 6-2, 2 3. Penn-Trafford, 9-1, 4...
Earpieces let high school catchers receive in-game coaching
In a stressful moment behind the plate, when the other team was trying to rally, Franklin Regional catcher Ryan Catello started hearing voices in his helmet. Well, at least one. The calming voice said, “Hey, it’s got to be strikes on this guy,” while reminding him the bottom of the...
With 2 teams in emerging league, North Allegheny coach encouraged with growth of flag football
Girls flag football was popular in southeastern states when Michelle Ruiz was teaching there earlier in her career, which motivated her to later make it an annual tradition for middle school kids at North Allegheny. But to her delight, the sport might soon become sanctioned statewide for Pennsylvania high schools,...
‘Loud and crazy’ invite crowd sees Butler record-setter Drew Griffith nearly run 4-minute mile on his home track
In meets from Boston to Los Angeles, record-setting runner Drew Griffith has wowed crowds from coast to coast over the past three months. On Friday, a crowd wowed him. The Butler senior marveled at the enthusiasm he felt from fans, coaches and fellow athletes as he nearly broke the 4-minute...
Peters Township linebacker Mickey Vaccarello commits to Stanford
Just days after taking a recruiting trip to the West Coast, Peters Township’s Mickey Vaccarello decided to spend his college years in California. The junior linebacker committed to Stanford on Wednesday, choosing the Cardinal over a list of college offers heavy in high-academic schools. Vaccarello had nearly 20 offers in...
WPIAL notebook: Girls flag football tops 100-team threshold, on road to being PIAA sport
Girls flag football is on track to become the next sanctioned high school sport in Pennsylvania. A month after the PIAA crowned its first girls wrestling champions, PIAA executive director Bob Lombardi said girls flag football has reached the 100-team threshold needed to move forward as an emerging sport. Lombardi...
WPIAL to hold hearings for 2 Aliquippa football transfers, approves 3 others
A WPIAL hearing will decide the eligibility of two Aliquippa football players who transferred from rival Central Valley. The WPIAL board granted eligibility to three players who transferred to Aliquippa from others schools, but voted Wednesday to hold hearings for sophomore Joseph Work and freshman Khalil Ellerbee, said WPIAL executive...
Pine-Richland senior delivers walk-off hit in 1st at-bat of season in win over Seneca Valley
A shoulder injury kept Tommy Zimmerman in the dugout for his team’s first 10 games, but the Pine-Richland senior finally got to bat Tuesday. With two on and two out, Zimmerman pinch hit and delivered a walk-off single in the eighth inning that lifted the Rams to a dramatic 5-4...
