Dave Mackall stories, Page 26
Duquesne fades late against Richmond in 1st game in 17 days
Like any coach, Duquesne’s Keith Dambrot is never happy with a loss. In a college basketball season of uncertainty, though, perhaps there’s a spot for some wiggle room. Duquesne’s 79-72 road loss to Richmond on Saturday still falls under the wrong column in Dambrot’s book, but the fourth-year Dukes boss...
Robert Morris falls to Oakland in final home game of season
Robert Morris’ first men’s basketball season in the Horizon League has been a challenge. After winning the Northeast Conference Tournament championship a year ago, the Colonials find themselves in the cellar of the Horizon’s standings with just two regular-season games remaining. They just lost their leading scorer and rebounder, too,...
Gateway goes on 2nd-half run in rout of Franklin Regional
Gateway turned a tight battle into a rout in a hurry Friday night, overwhelming section co-leader Franklin Regional with a big third-quarter run en route to a 61-28 Section 3-5A boys basketball victory at home, the Gators’ fourth win in five games. A 24-0 run in the second half buried...
Robert Morris drops 2nd OT game in row to Youngstown State
The first season in the Horizon League for the Robert Morris men’s basketball team has been a struggle for the stubborn Colonials, yet they don’t appear ready to stop until they get it right. Say one thing: These guys keep on trying. “We’re battling at times,” coach Andy Toole said....
Robert Morris’ skid hits 7 after OT loss to Youngstown State
It went down to the wire Friday night for a pair of familiar opponents facing one another for the first time in a Horizon League game. Robert Morris and Youngstown State met for the 21st time in men’s basketball after 20 matchups came in nonconference play before Robert Morris decided...
Saint Vincent women, men expect to compete despite roster turnover
Saint Vincent returns the Presidents’ Athletic Conference player of the year in women’s basketball this season, hoping to make another run at the NCAA Division III PAC championship, but the Bearcats must overcome the loss of their leading scorer in the process. They get started on a modified schedule at...
Robert Morris men’s basketball team frustrated but undaunted during Horizon League debut
In a near-empty UPMC Events Center, the incessant sound of Andy Toole’s clapping was a familiar reminder not everything has changed around the Robert Morris men’s basketball program. It only feels that way. “It’s certainly not been ideal the way the season has been so far,” said Toole, who, at...
Amid refurbished home court buzz, Duquesne tries to keep focus on Dayton
While the pregame buzz at Duquesne has centered mainly on the long-awaited reopening of the refurbished and renamed UPMC Cooper Fieldhouse, the Dukes hope to keep their focus on a familiar opponent. The nemesis known as the Dayton Flyers will serve on Tuesday night as the first men’s basketball team...
Duquesne routs St. Joseph’s with suffocating defense
Goodbye to the “La Roche Hex.” Duquesne made its final home-away-from-home men’s basketball game a rousing success before shedding its vagabond status Saturday night. Riding senior Marcus Weathers’ 24 points and 12 rebounds and a suffocating defense, the Dukes posted a 67-50 victory over St. Joseph’s at Kerr Fitness Center....
Duquesne men’s basketball loses to St. Bonaventure — again
Mark this one down for the archives. If you didn’t watch it, you might want to dial it up at a later date. Fast. Physical. Entertaining. Take your pick. And probably, there are many more superlatives to describe St. Bonaventure’s 65-61 Atlantic 10 Conference men’s basketball victory over Duquesne on...
Northern Kentucky pulls away in 2nd half to defeat Robert Morris
In the first men’s basketball meeting between the schools, Robert Morris and Northern Kentucky spent much of the night on Friday trading baskets at UPMC Events Center. Then Northern Kentucky stepped on the gas and powered to its first road win of the season. Marques Warrick notched 20 points, Trevon...
Girls basketball preview: Latrobe loaded with veteran talent
The 2021 senior class at Latrobe includes four girls basketball players who represent the first group to play the sport at the seventh-grade level when the current coaching staff, led by sixth-year coach Mark Burkhardt, took over the program in 2015. As a result, Latrobe’s varsity roster is loaded with...
Boys basketball preview: Latrobe looks for return to winning ways
Latrobe boys basketball has seen its share of success under longtime coach Brad Wetzel, who has experienced just four losing seasons since taking over the program in 2002-03. The Wildcats enter the current campaign, though, hoping to erase the memory of one of those off years that resulted in a...
Greensburg Salem girls basketball returns plenty of experience, depth
Four starters return to the Greensburg Salem girls basketball team, giving coach Rick Klimchock hope for a breakout season heading into his fourth year of leading the Golden Lions, whose enrollment rose enough to place them in Class 5A. Though he wasn’t thrilled to learn of the move, Klimchock hasn’t...
Greensburg Salem boys basketball preparing to face Class 6A competition
The lure of familiar names was too much for Mark Zahorchak, the third-year Greensburg Salem boys basketball coach and former Golden Lions player. So much so that he elected to take the jump. All the way to Class 6A. “At least, we’ll have some connection with most of the teams,”...
Boys basketball preview: Belle Vernon could thrive again in underdog role
It seems anyone discussing coach Joe Salvino’s long and successful high school basketball career can’t help but refer to all those victories achieved by the 69-year-old Mon Valley staple. Salvino’s combined record in 36 seasons at neighboring schools Monessen and Belle Vernon stands at 667-279. But it’s his latest loss...
Girls basketball preview: Former Belle Vernon star takes reins of exciting young team
Talk about respect. Belle Vernon has yet to play a game under new girls basketball coach Kaitlyn Slagus, but her players already have heard a great deal about her. A former Belle Vernon star, Slagus is learning quickly about her players, too. “Some of us were walking out of the...
Franklin Regional volleyball impresses with straight-sets win in PIAA quarterfinals
There is a thing or two about his girls volleyball team coach Mike Feorene might wish he could change. It’s just Feorene doesn’t feel the need to tinker much amid another season of thrills at Franklin Regional. When you’re shooting for a state championship, you must be doing things right....
Peters Township avenges loss to Gateway, returns to WPIAL Class 5A title game
That bad taste Peters Township had had since a one-point loss to Gateway in a WPIAL championship football game a year ago finally is gone. For real, it isn’t there anymore. There’s nothing sweeter for the Indians, now that they’re headed to their second Class 5A championship game following a...
Gateway defense stands strong, defeats Penn Hills in Class 5A opening round
Gateway couldn’t score many points Friday night on its home turf, but the Gators didn’t need to. Their defense took matters personally and stonewalled a determined Penn Hills bunch in a physical WPIAL football playoff victory at Antimarino Stadium. Carsen Engleka passed for 147 yards, and the Gateway defense backed...
Greensburg Central Catholic girls soccer follows script, advances to WPIAL semifinals
For a high school soccer program not used to early playoff exits, the Greensburg Central Catholic girls team continues to follow the script to a tee. Sara Felder, Tatum Gretz and Jessica Nemeth scored two goals apiece, and top-seeded GCC stayed unbeaten while advancing to the WPIAL Class A semifinals...
Ligonier Valley caps 1st season back in WPIAL with wild win over Shady Side Academy
Consider Ligonier Valley’s return to WPIAL football a success, because the Rams won their season finale Friday night to post a winning record in their first year in District 7 since 1969. Hayden Sierocky’s interception at midfield in the final minute secured Ligonier Valley’s wild 53-48 victory over visiting Shady...
Penn-Trafford pulls away in second half, dusts Connellsville
No. 4 Penn-Trafford, idled by coronavirus-related issues for a week, found itself in a battle Friday with winless Connellsville through one half of a WPIAL Class 5A Big East football game before shaking off the rust and pulling away for a 64-28 thumping of the visiting Falcons. Ethan Carr passed...
Top-ranked North Allegheny rolls past Norwin
A late arrival by North Allegheny to Westmoreland County didn’t manage to derail the WPIAL’s No. 1-ranked Class 6A football team on Friday night at Norwin. Chalk it up to experience in matters like these: When the lights go on for North Allegheny, they generally go out for the Tigers’...
Mt. Pleasant holds off dogged challenge by Yough
Mt. Pleasant kept trying to put away the outcome. Yough wouldn’t allow it to happen. Until time ran out on the Cougars. Pete Billey rushed for 138 yards and three touchdowns, and Asher O’Connor threw two scoring passes to Donavin Bair and scored on an 8-yard run late in the...
