Greg Macafee stories, Page 2

The Fox Chapel softball team is in the midst of the best playoff run in program history, and as the Foxes enter the first round of the PIAA Class 5A tournament, they are hoping it doesn’t stop soon. The Foxes (13-8) will have a tough challenge Monday at North Allegheny...

The Riverview Raiders hadn’t been to the WPIAL championship game in 20 years, and no one necessarily expected them to get there in 2021 either. Before the coronavirus pandemic stole their 2020 season from them, the Raiders went 4-10 and allowed 10 or more runs in nine of their 10...

Two years ago, the Hopewell Vikings coughed up a three-run lead in the bottom of the seventh inning against Steel Valley in the WPIAL Class 3A championship game. They weren’t about to do it again on Wednesday. No. 3 South Park (15-5) tied the game in the top of the...

After making trips to the WPIAL Class A baseball championship game in 2018 and ’19 without claiming a championship, the Union Scotties weren’t leaving Wild Things Park empty handed Tuesday. Senior Jake Vitale made sure of it. The 5-foot-9 southpaw threw a no-hitter with 15 strikeouts and three walks in...

Baseball Class 4A 1-Montour (15-5) vs. 7-New Castle (13-9) 7:30 p.m. Wednesday at Wild Things Park, Washington Road to the finals • Montour — As the top seed, the Spartans received a first-round bye and might have had a little rust heading into their quarterfinal matchup against Quaker Valley. The...

4-Union (10-5) vs. 7-Riverview (11-6) 1:30 p.m. Tuesday at Wild Things Park, Washington Road to the finals • Union — The Scotties have plowed through their competition in the Class A bracket. After receiving a first-round bye as the fourth seed, they took down a promising Our Lady of the...

After a year off because of the coronavirus pandemic and so many unknowns coming into the season, the Sewickley Academy boys lacrosse team entered the campaign with no expectations. And yet the Panthers just completed one of the best seasons in the program’s recent history. Behind seven seniors, including captains...

When baseball season started in late March, Quaker Valley got off on the wrong foot, losing back-to-back games against eventual Section 2 champion Montour by a combined 10 runs. That rough start continued, but the Quakers turned their season around in late April, made a playoff push through the beginning...

At the beginning of the season, not many people might have given the Riverview baseball team a shot. The Raiders hadn’t made the playoffs since 2015 and hadn’t won a playoff game since 2014. Just two years ago, they were a measly 4-10. But here they are. For the first...

Almost six months after choosing “Bulldogs” as its new mascot, Shady Side Academy has released its new logo and branding for its next era. The school revealed its new branding in a virtual event Friday that was live-streamed to the entire student body, Pre-K through 12th grade. Shady Side’s new...

A month ago, North Allegheny freshman Evan Lyon was playing JV lacrosse for the Tigers. In fact, when the Tigers took the field at Robert Morris’ Joe Walton Stadium on Thursday for the WPIAL Class 3A title game against top-seeded Shady Side Academy, the freshman wasn’t even listed in the...

The Mars boys lacrosse dynasty continues. After a tight first quarter that saw the No. 1 Fightin’ Planets (19-0) come away with just a one-goal lead, they opened the floodgates and scored nine goals in the second quarter, five in the third and two in the fourth to cruise to...

Two years ago, the Shady Side Academy girls lacrosse team staved off a weather-suspended game before winning the first WPIAL title in program history. On Wednesday night at Robert Morris’ Joe Walton Stadium, the Bulldogs did it again. This time around, the Bulldogs didn’t need an extra day to get...

The Mars girls lacrosse team scored seven minutes into its WPIAL Class 2A championship matchup with top-seeded Blackhawk and never looked back Wednesday at Robert Morris’ Joe Walton Stadium. Between a standout performance from goalkeeper Alaina Metal and six goal scorers, the Fightin’ Planets dominated from the opening whistle and...

Franklin Regional starting pitcher Brian Pirone flirted with danger for two innings Tuesday as the Panthers took on Peters Township in the WPIAL Class 5A baseball semifinals. The No. 13 Indians (10-11) got to the right-hander for a run in the first inning and loaded the bases in the first...

Heading into Monday’s WPIAL Class 4A quarterfinal matchup against Blackhawk, Highlands had been playing some of its best baseball. The Golden Rams had won their past six games and outscored their opponents 41-4, but their next foe, the No. 4 Cougars (15-4), were a different story. The No. 6 Golden...

Monday’s games Class 4A Quarterfinals 3-Blackhawk (14-4) vs. 6-Highlands (13-8) 3 p.m. at North Allegheny Coaches: Lou Wolber, Blackhawk; Jeff Campbell, Highlands Winner plays: Winner of 2-West Mifflin (12-4)/ 7-New Castle (11-9), 4:30 p.m. Tuesday at Hampton. Players to watch: Anthony Malagise, So., C, Blackhawk; Jett Slepak, Jr., INF, P,...

Coming into this season, players on the Sewickley Academy baseball team wanted to change how they were perceived. After missing out on the playoffs the last two playable years, the Panthers wanted to show they weren’t a team to roll over every time they took the field. “The guys approached...

After their run to the WPIAL Class 2A team championship May 12, the Quaker Valley girls track and field team had the opportunity to compete at the individual championship on May 19. They put on quite the show. Four individuals qualified for the PIAA state track meet at Shippensburg on...

The Pittsburgh Riverhounds returned to Highmark Stadium on Saturday for their home opener in front of 2,079 fans, but it didn’t quite go as planned. Despite playing with a man advantage for nearly 30 minutes in the second half, the Riverhounds couldn’t counter a first-half goal by the Charlotte Independence...

Heading into its WPIAL Class 3A quarterfinal matchup against top-seeded Hopewell, the Deer Lakes baseball team knew it had a big challenge. The Vikings had gone to the WPIAL championship two years ago and came into Saturday afternoon’s game at North Allegheny losing five games all season. Despite playing from...

Two years ago, the Shady Side Academy baseball team won less than 30% of its games, including two of 12 section matchups. But after a year off because of the coronavirus pandemic, the Bulldogs completely flipped the script. In the 2021 season, the Bulldogs won eight of their 10 section...

Teams often feed off the energy from their fans. It is one of the many things that make home-field advantage so important. For the past three years, the Riverhounds have benefited from large crowds and sold-out games at Highmark Stadium on Pittsburgh’s South Shore. It’s one thing that has made...

Today’s Games Class 3A Saturday 1-Hopewell (14-5) vs 8-Deer Lakes (10-6) 2 p.m. at North Allegheny Coaches: Morgan Singletary, Hopewell; Josh Tysk, Deer Lakes Winner plays: Winner of 5-Derry (12-4)/4-McGuffey (13-4), 4:30 p.m. Tuesday at West Mifflin. Players to watch: Lucas Arington, So., Hopewell; Justin Brannagan, Jr. OF, Deer Lakes...

Throughout this season, Latrobe baseball coach Matt Basciano has admired his team’s ability to scrap and claw its way to victories. No deficit was ever too big. A defensive play here. A base hit there. The Wildcats always seemed to find a way. But in Friday’s WPIAL Class 5A quarterfinals...