Giustino Racchini stories, Page 3
Will Robertson helps North Allegheny take care of business in PIAA 1st round
The WPIAL champions took the mystery out of who was the top dog in a PIAA Class 3A boys volleyball first-round matchup at North Allegheny on Tuesday. North Allegheny defeated Palmyra of District 3 in three games, following up on a win over Seneca Valley in an action-packed WPIAL championship...
After thrilling regional rally, West Virginia ready for 2nd straight Super Regional appearance
For the second year in a row, the West Virginia baseball team is headed to the NCAA Super Regionals. The Mountaineers outlasted Clemson and Kentucky in the Clemson Regional to advance to play LSU in the Round of 16 this weekend in Baton Rouge. North Carolina swept the Mountaineers last...
Schick to the script: Unlikely hero gives Hampton a dramatic 1st-round PIAA win
Hampton advanced to the second round of the PIAA softball playoffs off the bat of an unlikely hero at the bottom of the lineup. Ashley Schick sent a no-doubt walk-off home run over the left-center field fence to give Hampton a 1-0 victory over Punxsutawney in a Class 4A first-round...
Hampton wins 1st WPIAL softball title after 6th-inning comeback
A battle between section foes turned into history at North Allegheny on Thursday, as Hampton and Blackhawk were both reaching for something they had never accomplished before — a WPIAL softball title. Hampton rose to the occasion and overcame an early three-run deficit to claim the school’s first WPIAL championship...
2025 WPIAL Class 3A softball championship breakdown: South Park vs. Mohawk
No. 1 South Park vs. No. 2 Mohawk Noon Thursday at Lilley Field, Cal (Pa.) On the air: Audio: Trib HHSN: Video NFHS Network WPIAL titles: South Park 1 (2003), Mohawk 1 (2024) South Park (20-0) Coach: RJ Matetic Projected starting lineup 21, Kylie Mettrick, CF, Sr. 13, Sydney Dubyak,...
Charlie Manzi’s walk-off homer lifts Indiana to 1st WPIAL baseball titleVideo
Charlie Manzi came through in the clutch and paid the price for it. The Indiana junior third baseman smashed an opposite field walk-off homer in the bottom of the 11th inning Tuesday evening to lead the top-seeded Little Indians to a 4-2 victory over No. 3 Elizabeth Forward in the...
2025 WPIAL Class 4A baseball championship breakdown: Indiana vs. Elizabeth Forward
WPIAL Class 4A baseball final No. 1 Indiana vs. No. 3 Elizabeth Forward 4 p.m. Tuesday, EQT Park, Washington On the air: Audio: Trib HSSN; Video: NFHS Network WPIAL titles: Indiana 0, Elizabeth Forward 2 (2011, 1976) Indiana (21-1) Coach: Dan Petroff Projected starting lineup 14, Tim Birch, LF, sr....
Mars scores early, clamps down late to battle past South Fayette for 9th straight WPIAL boys lacrosse title
Few schools can say they have won nine straight titles in any sport in the WPIAL and beyond, but the Mars boys lacrosse team has shown that its dynasty will live on. Second-seeded Mars won a heavy defensive battle, controlling possession in the second half when necessary and slamming the...
McGrath twins double up on Charters Valley, send Mars to 3rd straight WPIAL 2A girls lacrosse title
A dominant performance by the McGrath twins, Anna and Tess, led top-seeded Mars to its third straight WPIAL championship Friday. There were bumps and bruises along the way, but in the end, the McGraths combined for eight goals to give the Fightin’ Planets a 15-6 victory over No. 3 Chartiers...
‘Being Pittsburgh strong’ sold transfer Barry Dunning Jr. on coming to Pitt
After playing for three college basketball teams the past three seasons, Barry Dunning Jr. was drawn to being part of Jeff Capel’s rebuilt roster at Pitt and chasing success in the ACC. “Being Pittsburgh strong and going in with a chip on my shoulder, playing for something bigger than themselves,...
Emmy Klika joins fellow Pitt women’s volleyball players on national teams
Emmy Klika, a recent alum of the Pitt Panthers women’s volleyball team, has been selected to play for the women’s U23 national team. The libero joins 17 other athletes who will be training for the NORCECA U23 Pan American Cup. The tournament takes place in Leon, Mexico from July 25-Aug....
Penn State welcomes key transfer portal additions at wide receiver, linebacker
Penn State football officially announced a few key transfer portal acquisitions and a 2025 class signee Tuesday morning. Transfers Trebor Peña and Amare Campbell and incoming freshman Daniel Jennings were added to Penn State’s roster. Campbell (6-0, 230) comes to the Nittany Lions from North Carolina where he played two...
Matchups set for WPIAL lacrosse championships
Mars and Mt. Lebanon will try to defend their boys and girls lacrosse titles in their respective classifications at the WPIAL championships Wednesday and Thursday at Upper St. Clair. WPIAL officials announced championship details Tuesday. The Class 2A girls and boys championships will be Wednesday, and the Class 3A finals...
Motivated Franklin Regional rolls past Bellefonte in PIAA 1st round match
Coming off a loss in the WPIAL championship game, Franklin Regional was as motivated as ever to perform well in its first state playoff game since 2021 on Tuesday night. On a warm Tuesday night, the WPIAL Class 3A runner-up Panthers (14-4-2) did just that, easing past District 6 champion...
Valley looking to stack more wins in year 2 under coach Mark Adams
In Year 2 under coach Mark Adams, the Valley football program is ready to show progress. One of the key factors to help stack more wins this season is the return of quarterback Mason Simmons, who is entering his second season as the starter. “I think I’ve really improved in...
Imani Christian looks to keep momentum going after 8-win season
Editor’s note: Trib HSSN will publish team-by-team previews for one conference per day until the start of the high school football season Aug. 23. Heading into this season, the bar continues to be set higher for Imani Christian Academy after an eight-win season and playoff victory in 2023. Coach LaRoi...
Slippery Rock picked No. 1 in PSAC-West football preseason poll
Fresh of a trip to the NCAA Division II quarterfinals last season, Slippery Rock was tabbed the preseason favorite in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference West Division. The Rock received six first-place votes in the PSAC-West preseason poll conducted by the conference’s coaches. Slippery Rock returns plenty of talent after...
Pittsburgh Grass Open at South Park Fairgrounds once again deemed a success
After another successful weekend of grass-court volleyball, Ned Bacheson is looking forward to what the future holds for Pittsburgh Grass Open tournament. A total of 740 players across 326 teams took part in this years event, held July 26-28, at the Allegheny County Fairgrounds in South Park. That number is...
Armstrong looking for new cast to step up as team makes jump to Class 5A
With a move up to Class 5A, Armstrong knows that this season will definitely be a tough one, with a new class and new section opponents. The section includes traditional powerhouses Gateway and Woodland Hills, to go along with Penn-Trafford and Franklin Regional, which have each won the section at...
Bethel Park native Eric McElvenny to compete in his 2nd Paralympic Games
It was more than 10 years ago when Eric McElvenny lost part of his right leg when he stepped on an improvised explosive device while serving with the Marines in Afghanistan. He didn’t want to let that hold him back from staying in shape, so he decided to turn to...
Kaori Yamamoto retains lead after weather delayed round at U.S. Senior Women’s Open
After a long, weather-delayed third round at the U.S. Women’s Senior Open on Saturday at Fox Chapel Golf Club, Kaori Yamamoto held on to her lead after shooting 1-over-par. She will be in last pairing Sunday for the final round, leading the field at 7-under. Four others are chasing Yamamoto...
2024 Trib HSSN Preseason Football All-Star Team: Central Catholic’s Elijah Faulkner
Elijah Faulkner won a WPIAL title last spring as the league’s long jump champion, but the Central Catholic senior wants gold in football, too. As one of the more explosive athletes on the football team, the running back has spent his summer working toward that goal. “I just want to...
Notable changes to WPIAL cross country alignment for 2024-25 seasons
The WPIAL released new section alignments for the next two-year cycle in all sports, and changes will be implemented starting this fall. This summer, the Tribune-Review will break down changes for each of the WPIAL sports. Here’s a look at the upcoming WPIAL cross country season. 2023 WPIAL boys champions...
WPIAL rifle sections impacted by realignment for 2024-25
The WPIAL released new section alignments for the next two-year cycle in all sports, and changes will be implemented starting this fall. This summer, the Tribune-Review will break down changes for each of the WPIAL sports. Here’s a look at the upcoming WPIAL rifle season. 2023-24 WPIAL champions WPIAL team...
2024 Trib HSSN Preseason Football All-Star Team: Central Catholic’s Xxavier Thomas
Central Catholic’s Xxavier Thomas committed to play cornerback at Penn State next fall, hoping to follow in a long line of talented defensive backs playing at the next level. The three-star defensive back, according to 247Sports, chose the Nittany Lions over an offer from Akron. “It was mainly coach Terry...
