Giustino Racchini stories
Albert Gallatin looks to carry momentum from 6-win season
It’s been seven years since Albert Gallatin played a WPIAL schedule in the Class 5A Big East conference. Since moving out of the WPIAL and into an independent schedule in 2019, consistency has been the goal of coach Drew Dindl. The Colonials have had at least five wins in four...
Chartiers-Houston working to keep moving in right direction
When coach Dan Lis took over at Chartiers-Houston last year, the Buccaneers were coming off an 0-10 season, two years after making the WPIAL playoffs with seven wins. It was all about gaining support in the community and raising expectations in his first year. “I tell the kids all the...
EJ and CJ: Running back duo looks to carry on Plum tradition in ground game
Over the last several years, Plum has had the running back position locked down. Whether it was Eryck Moore’s record-breaking 2022 season or Nick Odom bursting onto the scene and leading the way the last two seasons, a good running back has been a staple at Plum. This season, a...
Experienced line leads way as Leechburg aims for 5th straight playoff season
For Leechburg and coach Randy Walters, everything starts in the trenches, and the Blue Devils return a veteran group up front. Four of the five starters from a season ago are back for 2025. “Our offensive line is going to need to have a big-time year,” Walters said. “It’s going...
Changing of the guard: Jaxon Vargo takes reins as Leechburg’s starting quarterback
Leechburg has seen its football stock rise over the past several years, and while the Blue Devils have had elite skill position talent, the quarterback play has helped lift them to contending levels. Jayden Floyd, the 2024 Valley News Dispatch Player of the Year, graduated, ending his three-year run as...
After communication errors in 2024, Steelers defenders see broader picture
After a tumultuous end to the Pittsburgh Steelers’ 2024 season, a key word seemed to echo among the defensive players in the locker room: communication. Or a lack of it. Entering this season, many members of the Steelers defense seem encouraged that problem is behind them. With the addition of...
Armstrong football looking to establish footing in 2nd season in Class 5A
The Armstrong football team has put its focus on turning around a disappointing season behind a more experienced roster. It something different than what coach Frank Fabian has become accustomed to with his program. Last season’s 2-8 record was the first losing season for Armstrong since 2019. It was also...
Pitt, Penn State players picked for Sporting News preseason All-American team
Football players from Pitt and Penn State continue to be recognized among the best in the nation as the 2025 season inches closer. Members of the Panthers and Nittany Lions were picked for the Sporting News Preseason All-American team released Wednesday. Pitt redshirt junior linebacker Kyle Louis and senior running...
Feeling ‘light years ahead from last season,’ Plum seeks playoff return
For Plum coach Matt Morgan, the 2024 season didn’t end the way he or the team wanted. The Mustangs finished with a 2-8 record and missed the playoffs for the second consecutive year. “All the juniors that are now going to be seniors this year were upset with how last...
2025 Trib HSSN Preseason Football All-Star Team: Pine-Richland’s Khalil TaylorVideo
It’s a change of scenery this year for four-star prospect Khalil Taylor, who last week transferred from Seton LaSalle to Pine-Richland. The Penn State commit is looking forward to making an immediate impact for the Class 5A power after two impressive seasons for the Rebels, pending an eligibility ruling by...
2025 Trib HSSN Preseason Football All-Star Team: McKeesport’s Javien RobinsonVideo
Most high school football teams don’t have a four-star recruit who will grace the field this season. McKeesport, however, will feature four-star teammates Javien Robinson and Kemon Spell, two of the nation’s top juniors who will play alongside one other. Spell was profiled earlier this month as a member of...
Plum native Pat McAfee draws large crowd for his show at Steelers training campVideo
T.J. Watt, Aaron Rodgers, Cam Heyward and Co. weren’t the only people drawing swarms of fans to Saint Vincent on Wednesday. Three-and-a-half months after appearing in Pittsburgh for his “Big Night Aht” at PPG Paints Arena, Plum native Pat McAfee returned to the region to host his talk show at...
2025 Trib HSSN Preseason Football All-Stars: McKeesport’s Kemon Spell
After a slow start and a strong finish to the 2024 football season, a lot was left on the table for the McKeesport football team. Thomas Jefferson beat the Tigers in the WPIAL 4A championship game, and that feeling hasn’t left Kemon Spell’s mind. “Last year we lost our first...
Cleveland Browns training camp preview: Crowded quarterback room an early-season storyline
CLEVELAND BROWNS (3-14) OPEN CAMP: July 23, CrossCountry Mortgage Campus, Berea, Ohio LAST YEAR: The Browns finished at the bottom of the AFC North after making the playoffs in 2023. It was a season full of quarterback shuffling as Deshaun Watson, Jameis Winston, Dorian Thompson-Robinson and Bailey Zappe started games....
New coach aims to help strong North Allegheny hockey program back to championship form
After spending the past 10 years as the head hockey coach at Baldwin, Justin Glock is transitioning to the North Hills, taking over the North Allegheny program for this upcoming season. He replaces Andrew Seiss, who was the bench boss for three years. Glock brings 15 years of coaching experience...
Arrival of phenom Gavin McKenna turns eyes of hockey world to Penn StateVideo
With eight words — “the best spot for me is Penn State” — Gavin McKenna made a monumental announcement that changed the way hockey’s top prospects make their way to the NHL. McKenna, the no-doubt No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NHL Draft, committed to play at Penn State...
Fox Chapel native Jack Kartsonas agrees to free agent contract with Tampa Bay Rays
Jack Kartsonas did not hear his name called during the MLB Draft on Sunday or Monday, but, soon after, he was ready to put pen to paper. The West Virginia pitcher and Fox Chapel native agreed to a free agent contract with the Tampa Bay Rays after the draft. Kartsonas,...
2025 Trib 25 Preseason Football All-Star Team: Steel Valley’s Da’Ron Barksdale
Most players that are star-powered and have an all-time skillset look up to older players at their school for guidance and advice, and Da’Ron Barksdale is no different. “I give so much high praise to Cruce Brookins,” Barksdale said. “If he wasn’t on my team a few years back, I...
Penguins prospect Joona Vaisanen looks to build on championship season at Western Michigan
Last season was a dream come true for Pittsburgh Penguins sixth-round pick Joona Vaisanen. The defenseman from Espoo, Finland, was drafted into the NHL and was living out his hockey dreams. Now, one year removed from that selection, Vaisanen has continued to work on his game and improve into a...
Rich Rodriguez ‘blessed, fortunate’ to be back at West Virginia despite unclear QB picture
Nearly seven months after he was hired, Rich Rodriguez is still beaming about his return to West Virginia. Rodriguez originally coached for the Mountaineers from 2001-07, leading them to three straight AP top-10 finishes from 2005-07. “I’m blessed, and I’m fortunate because this doesn’t happen very often,” Rodriguez said at...
Francisco Cervelli’s Baseball Academy highlights field for 2025 PONY League World Series in Washington
The PONY League World series is set to return to Washington as organizers have unveiled plans for the 2025 rendition of the tournament. The 10-team double elimination tournament will take place Aug. 8-13 at Lew Hays PONY Field in Washington. Among the list of teams in this year’s field is...
1st rounder Will Horcoff happy to land in Pittsburgh, driven to follow in father’s NHL footsteps
Most players drafted into the NHL don’t care what team picks them on draft night, but for new Penguins forward Will Horcoff, Pittsburgh was one of the cities he had circled. “I really had my fingers crossed that I’d come here,” Horcoff said. “I had a double interview with them...
1st-round draft pick Bill Zonnon grateful for opportunity with Penguins
Bill Zonnon was 4 years old when he moved across the globe from Togo, a western Africa country, to Montreal. The massive life change at such a young age was difficult to navigate but, with the help of family and loved ones, helped form his future in hockey. “I had...
Thrilled to play for hometown team, Plum alum Gina Proviano leads Riveters into playoffs
As the team’s inaugural regular season comes to a close and the playoffs draw near, the Pittsburgh Riveters have received key contributions from one of Plum’s own. Gina Proviano, a 2021 Plum graduate, has been an impact midfielder for the Riveters. “It is a surreal feeling to play in front...
Geneva football coach Geno DeMarco to step down following 2025 season
Geno DeMarco is entering his 33rd season as head coach of the Geneva football program. It will be his last. DeMarco, the Golden Tornadoes’ all-time winningest coach with 167 victories, will step down into an assistant role after the 2025 season. “No one is more dedicated than Geno DeMarco to...
