Don Rebel stories, Page 123

Some of the 12 district tournaments across the state are already completed while others are winding down. Only the district champions can be a part of this year’s PIAA postseason. So the district playoffs this year are truly one and done. As we inch closer to the Road to Hershey,...

One set of final fours is in the books and another batch is ready to go Thursday. So it seems fitting that the middle of the WPIAL semifinals take place in the middle of the work week. The second of three nights of final four basketball takes place on Trib...

Upper St. Clair has been Trib HSSN’s No. 1-ranked boys basketball team in Class 6A from start to finish in the regular season. That doesn’t mean success in the postseason was going to come easy. So when the playoff battles began, there was no surprise that the football player on...

Many coaches feel the toughest loss to deal with is the one that comes one step from achieving a team goal like playing for a WPIAL championship. Those harsh defeats begin to mount Tuesday. The first of three nights of final four basketball tips off with semifinals games from boys...

When Woodland Hills needed a second-half spark, it turned to point guard Jazmine Dunn. Now, Thomas Jefferson is done. Dunn ignited a big second half Monday as the Wolverines rallied to defeat the Jaguars, 58-54, to advance to the WPIAL Class 5A semifinals. Woodland Hills coach Von Pitts said he...

When the WPIAL playoff brackets were released in boys Class 3A, an Ellwood City team that finished strong with four straight wins and was tied for second in the deep Section 1-3A was the No. 11 seed. After preliminary- and first-round wins, were the Wolverines disrespected with a double-digit seed?...

Here are the latest PIHL high school hockey standings through Sunday, March 7. The PIHL Penguins Cup playoffs are set to start April 5. Also the Pennsylvania Cup state hockey championships are set for April 24. Team – Wins – Losses – Overtime/Shootout Loss = Total Points Class AAA Canon-McMillan,...

The final step to the WPIAL Final Four takes place on the final night of the district basketball quarterfinals. We wrap up the Elite Eight on Monday with quarterfinals games from boys Class 4A, boys Class 3A, girls Class 5A and girls Class A. Boys round of 8 • In...

After the quarterfinal round of the WPIAL girls basketball playoffs ends Monday, there will be two double-digit seeds left who are looking to be the Cinderella of the 2021 postseason. The lowest seed alive is Beaver Falls. The Tigers are the No. 14 seed and entered the postseason having lost...

In a program with the greatest girls basketball tradition in the WPIAL and the past four district titles, being expected to help bring the school its 20th championship could be a bit intimidating for a freshman. Somebody must have forgotten to tell that to Alayna Rocco. The 5-foot-10 freshman has...

The Madness is winding down with plenty of gold at the end of the rainbow as HSSN prepares for champions to be crowned in the district and state this week here on the TribLive High School Sports Network. As we have for the first two rounds, we have exclusive video...

The South Fayette wrestling program recently completed the 2020-2021 season without a berth in the WPIAL Class AAA team tournament and with only one wrestler advancing to the individual sectionals. “I would say we somewhat underachieved, not based on the win-loss record in the section, but based on the performances...

Daniel Kuhn just completed his fourth season as Carlynton boys and girls bowling coach. Color him very pleased with how the season played out for both of his Cougars teams this season. “When you expect great things, they tend to happen,” Kuhn said. “Greatness, both physically bowling and the emotional...

Senior Morgan Palmer drained a key 3-pointer in overtime then connected on a free throw with 4.5 seconds remaining to give Mt. Lebanon a thrilling 59-58 overtime win over Bethel Park in the WPIAL Class 6A quarterfinals Saturday afternoon. The win for the Blue Devils avenged a semifinal loss to...

With each round of the WPIAL basketball playoffs on a three-day cycle, Saturday is smack dab in the middle of the elite-eight round. Quarterfinals action on Saturday will feature games from boys 5A, boys 2A, girls 6A and girls 3A. Boys quarterfinals • Mars knows all about the value of...

With preliminary and first-round games now history, the curtain rises on the WPIAL basketball quarterfinals. The elite eight round tips off Friday. Quarterfinals action Friday will feature games from boys 6A, boys A, girls 4A and girls 2A with one 6A girls game sprinkled in for fun. Boys third round...

South Park had several chances to show Ambridge some mercy in their WPIAL Class 4A first-round boys basketball game Thursday. But the Eagles could not deliver the knockout punch, so they settled for a unanimous 90-72 victory. “Crazy one,” South Park coach Jason Dolak said about his team’s win. “Anytime...

We have reached the final night of the first round. On Thursday, all of the brackets will be sliced from the sweet 16 to the elite eight in the 2021 WPIAL boys and girls open basketball playoffs. Round 1 action Thursday will feature games from boys 4A, boys 3A, girls...

The regular season is in the books (woo hoo!) and the WPIAL has started with a unique open tournament. Sure, all were welcomed, but the pretenders have been quickly weeded out. While there wasn’t a whole lot of movement in the power ranking this week, with the quarterfinals and semifinals...

Most of the districts across Pennsylvania have concluded their regular season and are now participating in the all-important district playoffs. In the past, teams could gain a berth into the PIAA postseason by reaching the district semifinals or in some cases, even the quarterfinals. For this year, that is a...

Shaler started Wednesday’s Class 6A first-round girls basketball playoff game playing a box-and-one defense against Bethel Park senior Olivia Westphal. The junk defense didn’t last long because no matter what the Titans did, they couldn’t slow down the district’s top scorer. The Duquesne recruit scored 33 points as Bethel Park...

With one night in the books and another to come Thursday, Wednesday marks the midway point of the first round in the 2021 WPIAL boys and girls open basketball playoffs. Round 1 action Wednesday will feature games from boys 5A, boys 2A, girls 6A and girls 3A. Boys round one...

A Columbia loss to Penns Manor forces the only change among the elite 30 teams in the state as the regular season winds down and the district playoffs begin. The Comets’ win over the Crimson Tide dropped Columbia from the Class 2A rankings, the only change outside of position shuffling...

After two days of old-school preliminary round play in the 2021 WPIAL boys and girls open basketball playoffs, it’s time to lift the lid on the Sweet 16. First-round action Tuesday will features games from boys 6A, boys A, girls 4A and girls 2A. Boys first round • Two years...

Michael Dunn’s father is one of the most respected basketball coaches in the WPIAL. Joe Dunn has had plenty of success in his 26 years as a head coach at Seton LaSalle, Mt. Pleasant and Trinity. He is now an assistant coach at Trinity under Tim Tessmer. Michael Dunn’s sister...