Don Rebel stories, Page 73
Countdown to kickoff: Handful of WPIAL teams still playing Saturday home games
With the onslaught of high school stadium renovations over the last two decades, the number of WPIAL schools that play their home games on Saturday afternoons because they have no lights at their facility has shrunk to only three. Western Beaver, Riverview and Summit Academy are the only teams that...
Countdown to kickoff: More than 2 dozen new coaches prowling WPIAL sidelines
They are new faces in new places supplying new hopes and golden dreams. Some are rookie head coaches replacing experienced coaches while other veteran coaches are starting over at new venues. Some schools have a new football coach for the first time in decades while others continue to play roulette...
2023 Trib HSSN preseason Pennsylvania high school football rankings
The curtain rises on a new high school football season across Pennsylvania this weekend as Week Zero kicks off another year of Friday and Saturday scholastic gridiron action across the Keystone State. Before 2023 begins, a shout out to the state champions from 2022: St. Joe’s Prep in 6A, Pine-Richland...
Countdown to kickoff: Rule change for 2023 alters how penalties are marked off
As with any new high school football season, there are plenty of changes with players, coaches and and even rules. There are five rule changes for the 2023 football season. Some are minor and more aesthetic than anything else. Others are somewhat significant as administrators and officials continue their efforts...
Countdown to kickoff: WPIAL set for Year 2 of current football playoff format
This is the second year of the current two-year cycle for scheduling, conference alignment and playoff formats in all high school sports in the WPIAL and PIAA. When it comes to district football, there will be once again four playoff teams that qualify for the playoffs in Class 6A, eight...
This week on Trib HSSN for week of Aug. 21, 2023
Let the games begin! We kick off another scholastic sports season with the start of high school football, August style this week on the TribLive High School Sports Network. Trib HSSN has video coverage of Week Zero with five WPIAL football games. Plus, a new season of the Rebel Yell...
2023 WPIAL Class 6A football breakdown: New coaches add intrigue to competitive fieldVideo
Nearly half of the teams in the WPIAL’s largest classification have new football coaches in 2023. Now before launching an investigation into the coaching landscape in the district, keep in mind, there are only five teams in Class 6A. The two coaches who stepped away are quite significant. Terry Totten...
Saturday’s scrimmage schedule in WPIAL football
Training camps officially began Monday for all 127 WPIAL, City League and independent teams in Western Pennsylvania. That week concludes for all with a scrimmage. The second week of camp ends with most team’s playing a Week Zero game Friday, Aug. 25 or Saturday, Aug. 26, while a few schools...
Montour expects to drive far in Class 4A Parkway Conference
In high school football, having a three-year starter at quarterback usually gives a team the upper hand. In 2023, it will be advantage Montour. Jake Wolfe returns for his third year as starting QB for the Spartans. “To have a three-year starter at quarterback is great for us and a...
Chartiers Valley looking to improve, compete in tough Parkway Conference
Led by Penn State recruit Lamont Payne Jr. and several other returning seniors, there was hope for Chartiers Valley in the first year of the Aaron Fitzpatrick era. However, 2022 became a painful season for the Colts, as they finished in sixth place in the eight-team Class 4A Parkway Conference...
After being left out last season, Seneca Valley aims to return to Class 6A playoffs
Editor’s note: Starting today, Trib HSSN will preview one WPIAL conference per day until the start of high school football season Aug. 25. Last fall, Seneca Valley was sitting at 1-1 in Class 6A and 6-2 overall heading into Week 8. Two wins and the Raiders would earn at least...
Defending champion North Allegheny has experience to repeat in Class 6A
Editor’s note: Starting today, Trib HSSN will preview one WPIAL conference per day until the start of high school football season Aug. 25. It had been a decade of close calls for the North Allegheny football program since the Tigers hoisted WPIAL gold. That 10-year drought ended last fall when...
New coach, players looking to keep winning tradition going at Mt. Lebanon
Editor’s note: Starting today, Trib HSSN will preview one WPIAL conference per day until the start of high school football season Aug. 25. Two years ago, the Mt. Lebanon football team was on top of the golden mountain. The Blue Devils had just completed a perfect 15-0 season with the...
New coach Ryan Lehmeier hopes to make Central Catholic champions again
Editor’s note: Starting today, Trib HSSN will preview one WPIAL conference per day until the start of high school football season Aug. 25. Do you remember the old children’s story about Old Mother Hubbard? When she went to give her old dog a bone, the cupboard was sadly bare. Ryan...
Canon-McMillan leaning on seniors for breakout season in Class 6A
Editor’s note: Starting today, Trib HSSN will preview one WPIAL conference per day until the start of high school football season Aug. 25. Canon-McMillan is nearing the end of the Evans era. Not the head coach, the quarterback. In the two years since taking over as Big Macs quarterback, Michael...
2023 Trib HSSN Preseason Football All-Star Team: Central Catholic’s Peter Gonzalez
For some programs, coming close is not good enough. There is no such thing as a silver lining. Central Catholic wide receiver Peter Gonzalez believes the Vikings are one of those programs. Gonzalez and his fellow seniors are champing at the championship bit after losses in the WPIAL Class 6A...
2023 Trib HSSN Preseason Football All-Star Team: North Allegheny’s Khiryn Boyd
For all of his individual and team achievements as a junior last fall, Khiryn Boyd has stayed humble. The North Allegheny senior was asked about his 2022 season, in which he was a member of the Trib HSSN Terrific 25 all-star team and was named the WPIAL Class 6A Player...
Younger brother is best friend, inspiration to Chartiers Valley assistant baseball coach
Brett Willner is a young assistant baseball coach at Chartiers Valley after an impressive playing career at South Fayette. Having connections to both southern rivals is appropriate because he possesses both the smoothness of a galloping colt and the heart of a lion. Willner recently concluded his third year as...
AD Mike Gavlik bids farewell to Chartiers Valley after 4-year stay
Mike Gavlik just completed his 20th year as an athletic director in the area when an opportunity arose that would bring him closer to home, so he is headed north. The now-former AD at Chartiers Valley has been hired as the new athletic director at Hampton. “I wasn’t necessarily looking...
South Fayette returns to top spot of Trib Cup standings with Class 5A win
For the fourth time, the South Fayette Lions are the kings of the 5A jungles. The white and green machine used steady success and a couple of winter sports championship runs to win the Trib Cup in Class 5A by a comfortable margin. The Trib Cup is a yearlong competition...
North Allegheny again dominates competition in winning Class 6A Trib Cup
Last year, North Allegheny won another HSSN Trib Cup, but the 500-point margin of victory was closer than most years for the black and gold. The dynasty continued in the district’s highest classification as NA once again crushed the competition in Class 6A to win the 2022-2023 Trib Cup by...
2023 Trib HSSN Preseason Football All-Star Team: North Allegheny’s Tyree Alualu
A popular trend in football is an effort to de-emphasis the physical aspect of the game, such as NFL Pro Bowl flag football and 7-on-7 summer leagues. That might be OK for some, but not for North Allegheny senior Tyree Alualu. He is an old-school throwback who thrives on the...
Montour edges Belle Vernon for Class 4A Trib Cup in tight race
For years, Montour has come close but could not seal the deal on raising a Trib Cup championship. The chase is now over as we salute and toast the new Class 4A winners from the West Hills. The HSSN Trib Cup is a yearlong competition in 25 varsity sports to...
North Catholic captures Class 3A Trib Cup for 4th straight year
The historic North Catholic victory bell is ringing once again for another championship captured by the red and gold. The Trojans’ athletic success has led to them hoisting the Class 3A Trib Cup for a fourth straight year and the fifth time overall, all in the last six years. The...
2023 Trib HSSN Preseason Football All-Star Team: Union’s Braylon Thomas
In 2021, Union finished 4-6 and in fifth place in the Big 7 Conference, missing out on the WPIAL Class A football playoffs. Last fall, recent Scotties success in basketball, baseball and softball must have rubbed off on the football team as No. 10-seeded Union stunned the district with upsets...
