Jerin Steele stories, Page 10
Springdale’s Billy Lawrence wins Valley News Dispatch boys soccer player of year honors
Player of the year Billy Lawrence Springdale, Sr., Forward Billy Lawrence was used to being man-marked by opponents as Springdale’s striker, but this year, he received even more attention. Lawrence saw junk defenses and, at times was harassed by opponents hoping to distract him and get him off kilter. “It’s...
Riverview boys put focus on winning close games in Section 3-2A
Riverview boys basketball’s fortunes came down to a few possessions last year. Tight losses to Clairton, Serra Catholic, Jeannette and Leechburg left the Raiders on the outside looking in when it came to the postseason. The goal for this season is to flip the results of those tight games while...
Bolstered by soccer team’s success, Riverview girls basketball team has high expectations
One day after playing in a state championship, several members of the Riverview girls soccer team showed up to basketball practice. Raiders coach Jill Catanzaro implored them to take the day off, but that’s not in their DNA. “Even a day probably wasn’t enough, because that was a long (soccer)...
After dramatic turnaround last season, Leechburg girls plan to keep climbing
If the WPIAL gave out a most improved award, the Leechburg girls basketball team might have won it last year. The Blue Devils went from a winless 2021-22 season to seven victories and a playoff spot. Now the goal is to keep trending upward. “It was an exciting year,” Leechburg...
Leechburg boys prepare for season of change with new coach, new-look roster
There is a lot of newness around the Leechburg boys basketball team. Andrew McDermott takes over for longtime Blue Devils coach Damian Davies, who stepped down after last season. McDermott and his staff of young coaches, including his brother Ryan, Dylan Romaniw and Caleb Orendi, are Leechburg grads. They take...
Highlands boys basketball well stocked for another run
The Highlands boys basketball program has been among the elite programs in whatever classification it’s been in 10 years, and the expectation is to be a force again among an elite Class 4A crop. Having a future NCAA Division I forward certainly helps the Golden Rams’ prospects. Bradyn Foster, a...
Highlands girls basketball team looks to build off trip to state playoffs
It was quite the season for Highlands girls basketball last year. A trip to the WPIAL semifinals and clinching a spot in the state playoffs were highlights in a major leap forward. With four returning starters, the goal is to make the 2023-24 campaign a special one. “We just want...
Pine-Richland notebook: 6 Rams make college choices official
A half dozen Pine-Richland athletes made their college choices official during the early national signing day Nov. 8. Three softball players — Mackenzie Gillis (Mercyhurst), Jocelyn Langer (Millersville) and Izzy Sulesky (Susquehanna) — girls lacrosse player Ashley Woodward (Mercyhurst), boys lacrosse player Cooper Zancosky (Oberlin) and girls basketball player Madison...
Freeport boys establishing culture under new coach after losing 10 seniors
Rich Macura basically has been involved with Freeport basketball his entire life. He started as a player in third grade and was a longtime assistant coach for the Yellowjackets, so getting the opportunity to be the bench boss at his alma mater is a dream come true. “What’s exciting is...
Experienced Freeport girls rally around new coach Mallory Ketterer
It’s been a year of positive transition for Mallory Ketterer. She recently welcomed a new baby into the world and now is gearing up for her first season as the Freeport girls basketball coach. Ketterer spent the last four years as an assistant to former Freeport coach Fred Soilis, who...
QB Matt Sieg comes up big in 4th quarter as Fort Cherry beats Bishop Canevin
Matt Sieg stood on the field after the game with friends, family and Fort Cherry fans asking him to take a picture with them. Everyone wanted a snapshot to remember what the Rangers and Sieg accomplished Friday night. Sieg rushed for five touchdowns, including three in the fourth quarter, and...
Moon scores in final minutes to slip past Mars in PIAA battle of WPIAL girls soccer titans
On a night where, not surprisingly, a tight defensive battle raged on, Sydney Felton found her moment to make an impact. And it gave Moon a chance at a state three-peat. Felton scored on a shot off a cross by Marina Mollica with 1 minute, 19 seconds remaining in regulation...
Plan comes together for Pine-Richland sophomore in cross country postseason
Lucas Thompson left last year’s WPIAL cross country meet with the mindset that he was going to qualify for states in 2023. It was an ambitious goal for a freshman, but one he was determined to meet. He started doing some research on how he could optimize his workouts using...
Bentworth drops Burrell in playoffs for 2nd time this season
Burrell found itself in the same position Saturday as it was 12 days ago against Bentworth. Searching for a tying goal. This time, however, instead of getting that goal and sending the game to overtime, the Bearcats provided a dagger. Ryan Scott scored in the 65th minute, and Bentworth won...
Riverview girls advance to 1st PIAA semifinal after another win over rival Springdale
In Lola Abraham’s freshman year at Riverview, there weren’t enough girls to field a soccer team, and in her sophomore and junior years, the team didn’t get a win against neighboring rival Springdale. So Saturday’s 3-1 win for the Raiders over the Dynamos in the PIAA Class A quarterfinals at...
Clairton rights ship in 2nd half of win vs. Union
Clairton went to the locker room down a touchdown at halftime, but Wayne Wade thought his team was controlling the game. He just needed his team to limit its mistakes and penalties after being flagged eight times. Once it came back to the field, the miscues subsided and the Wright...
Burrell eager for another crack at WPIAL champion Bentworth in state playoffs
With a trip to Highmark Stadium for the WPIAL championship on the line last week, Burrell and Bentworth put on an entertaining match that the Bearcats won 2-1 in overtime. The Bucs left that night with a feeling that they played well enough to win but didn’t get the job...
Fox Chapel’s girls soccer playoff run continues with PIAA 1st-round win
Two weeks ago, the Fox Chapel girls soccer team was the sixth seed in the WPIAL bracket. Now the Foxes are two games away from playing for a state title after a 3-0 win over Landisville Hempfield in the first round of the PIAA Class 4A playoffs Tuesday. It’s a...
Pine-Richland notebook: Dominant run continues for field hockey team
Led by a pair of goals by Jessica Albertson, Pine-Richland field hockey advanced to another Class 3A field hockey championship with a 3-0 win over North Allegheny in the Class 3A semifinals Oct. 28. The Rams were seeking their fifth consecutive WPIAL championship when they faced No. 2 Peters Township...
Beaver again thwarts Freeport’s bid for WPIAL volleyball 3-peat
The last time Freeport had a chance for three girls volleyball titles in a row was in 2017 and Beaver ended up thwarting that attempt. Despite a furious rally by the Yellowjackets on Saturday after dropping the first two sets, history ended up repeating itself. Beaver regrouped and got a...
South Park dispatches Knoch in WPIAL 1st round
South Park came to Saxonburg Friday night with a clear objective to run the ball and got a special performance from running back Eric Doerue. The Eagles also took advantage of a litany of mistakes by Knoch and walked out with a lopsided upset. Doerue rushed for 159 yards and...
Chance at WPIAL 3-peat gives Freeport girls volleyball team new goal
With as dominant as Freeport volleyball has been in recent years, including seven titles since 2010, it may be hard to find areas to make history. But Saturday, the current group has a chance to do just that. The Yellowjackets never won three WPIAL titles in a row, which is...
North Allegheny answers challenge from Pine-Richland, rolls into WPIAL volleyball finals
Pine-Richland gave North Allegheny a stern test in the second set of Wednesday’s WPIAL Class 4A girls volleyball semifinal and the Tigers responded like six-time defending state champions. Faced with the prospects of a squared-up match, Jamie Frisco had a pair of kills and Kyra Schmidt served a crucial ace...
Freeport girls sweep past Avonworth into WPIAL Class 2A volleyball title game
There weren’t any tricks needed for the Freeport girls volleyball team on this Halloween night. The top-seeded Yellowjackets used the same sound dominance they’ve had all year and for over a decade as a program. Their treat? Another trip to a WPIAL championship after a 3-0 sweep of No. 5...
Bentworth nets OT winner to beat Burrell, reach WPIAL finals for 1st time
Burrell threw everything it had at Bentworth in the final 15 minutes of regulation and Luke Postupack delivered a tying goal. But Ryan Moessner wasn’t going to be denied the chance to make history for the Bearcats. Moessner scored his second goal of the game with just under 10 minutes...
