Don Rebel stories, Page 103

In 34 years of PIAA football playoffs, the WPIAL has never had more than three state champions crowned in a single year. One record already was set this postseason as the WPIAL prepares to send five champions to Hershey to play in the PIAA finals. Another record will be set...

The WPIAL never has sent more than four district teams to the state finals. Until this season. Five WPIAL champions are a win away from adding a state title to their 2021 collection. Mt. Lebanon, Penn-Trafford, Aliquippa, Central Valley and Serra Catholic are headed to Hershey. Aliquippa is looking a...

West Allegheny became the poster boys of “anybody can win it” when it comes to the WPIAL basketball playoffs after taking the 2007 boys Class AAA crown as the No. 16 seed. Well, West A has company on that poster after No. 11 seed Ellwood City went on a shocking...

After beating Mohawk twice in the regular season, North Catholic looked ready to be fitted for a WPIAL girls basketball crown for the 21st time. However, in a district title game eyebrow-raiser, the Warriors upset the Trojans, 54-48, to bring the first basketball championship back to Bessemer. Here is a...

The stage is set for the final six high school football games in the state as we conclude the 2021 season this week in Hershey. Six PIAA champions will be crowned Thursday through Saturday at Hersheypark Stadium with at least three new champions and a possible three repeat winners. St....

Most teams at all levels of football prefer to defer receiving the football until the second half when they win the coin toss. That has been a standard practice for the Mt. Lebanon football season this year — until Saturday. “Normally we defer, but we knew we wanted to get...

The story is well-known now. Aliquippa, a Class A school in enrollment that has always faced the challenge and played up in class in AA and then 3A upon expansion to six classifications in 2016, has spent the last two years forced to play up in Class 4A by the...

The short ride on the Road to Hershey concludes at the same time the winter sports schedule tips off this week on the TribLive High School Sports Network. The PIAA football championships take place over three days in Hershey, and HSSN has audio coverage of four of the state title...

Here are the latest PIHL high school hockey standings through Sunday, Dec. 5. *- indicates clinched a playoff spot x- indicates eliminated from playoff chase Team, Wins-Losses-Overtime/Shootout Loss = Total Points Class AAA North Allegheny, 8-1-0 = 16 Peters Township, 7-3-1 = 15 Baldwin, 5-1-2 = 12 Mt. Lebanon, 5-4-1...

Since moving over from the boys to the girls coaching job at Chartiers Valley, Tim McConnell’s basketball teams have had a direct bull’s-eye on their backs. Winning WPIAL championships and putting together a district- and state-best winning streak will do that for a program. However, when the 2021 WPIAL girls...

The Chartiers Valley boys basketball program was already established as a force in the district when Brandon Sensor took over as head coach three years ago. He has done nothing to change that. In his first year, the Colts won 18 games, finished second in their section and lost in...

Thirty years ago, Penn Hills was winding down one of the most dominant stretches in district girls basketball history, winning a seventh straight WPIAL Class AAAA title. This year, North Allegheny is trying to three-peat and capture a fifth WPIAL Class 6A girls basketball championship in the last six years....

When it comes to 6A boys basketball this season, bigger might be better. A year after Upper St. Clair won the WPIAL 6A boys basketball championship with one starter over 6-0, most of the top players in the classification check in at 6-1 and taller. Here is a rundown of...

The WPIAL playoffs are in the books with five new champions crowned. The results ended several lengthy title droughts among the 2021 champions. Mt. Lebanon in Class 6A ended a 21-year drought, Serra Catholic in 2A went 14 years between crowns, and Bishop Canevin won gold for the first time...

The 2021 football season has reached the final four in the PIAA. Now, only the remaining teams plus one “honorable mention” get to sit on the throne that is the Trib HSSN weekly state rankings. In all but Class 5A, there were few surprise results as the elite across the...

The cruise down the Highway to Heinz is over for 2021. Now the drive on the Road to Hershey kicks into full gear this week here on the TribLive High School Sports Network. The PIAA football playoffs hit the state semifinals and HSSN has audio coverage of the 5A and...

From 2012-2016, the Serra Catholic football team was a combined 10-38 in five seasons with one playoff appearance. After Jose Regus was hired before the 2017 campaign, the Eagles have gone 38-17, have reached the district playoffs all five years with a postseason record of 6-4 and are now WPIAL...

From 2012-2016, the Serra Catholic football team was a combined 10-38 in five seasons with one playoff appearance. After Jose Regus was hired before the 2017 campaign, the Eagles have gone 38-17, have reached the district playoffs all five years with a postseason record of 6-4 and are now WPIAL...

Penn-Trafford started as hot as the weather in its much anticipated WPIAL Class 5A football championship game against top-seeded and unbeaten Moon. Heinz Field was cold and turning white, with snow flurries falling throughout the evening Saturday. Despite the slow start after falling behind 14-3 in the second quarter, the...

Here are the latest PIHL high school hockey standings through Sunday: Team, Wins – Losses – Overtime/Shootout Loss = Total Points Class 3A North Allegheny, 8-1-0 = 16 Peters Township, 7-3-0 = 14 Central Catholic, 5-4-0 = 10 Baldwin, 4-1-2 = 10 Mt. Lebanon, 4-4-1 = 9 Pine-Richland, 4-2-0 =...

With the WPIAL football playoffs and the Highway to Heinz in the rearview mirror, the focus now turns to the PIAA postseason and the Road to Hershey. The state playoffs have reached the final four as six WPIAL champions are one win away this weekend from heading to Hershey in...

WPIAL Class A football championship No. 9 Our Lady of the Sacred Heart vs. No. 3 Bishop Canevin 2 p.m. Friday, Heinz Field On the air: Video: HSSN.TribLive.com; Audio: 92.1 FM Winner plays: Redbank Valley/Northern Bedford winner in the PIAA semifinals Dec. 3 or 4 WPIAL titles: OLSH 1 (2018);...

Having one WPIAL football championship in the trophy case is good, but having two is twice as nice. That is the goal for the two combatants in the 2021 WPIAL Class A championship game set for 2 p.m. Friday at Heinz Field. It was only three years ago when Our...

Last year marked the first time a WPIAL football championship game was not played at either Heinz Field or Three Rivers Stadium since 1982. We’re back! The district finals from Class A to 5A will be played for the first time ever in a two-day event at Heinz Field. You...

With many head-to-head matchups last weekend and the district field whittled to only 11, there was a big shuffling of the power deck heading into the final weekend of November. We hope that this holiday edition of the Trib 10 power rankings is a feast for all. Still feasting on...