Jerin Steele stories, Page 12
David Gravel grabs Commonwealth Clash winner’s check in Lernerville’s richest race
When the Commonwealth Clash A-Main rolled to green Tuesday night at Lernerville Speedway, it looked as if brothers-in-law and co-owners of the High Limit Sprint Car series, Brad Sweet and Kyle Larson, were going to have a duel for the win. But David Gravel and a treacherous cushion in turn...
Dale Earnhardt Jr. draws crowd to Lernerville Speedway
With a large group of people around him, hoping for a picture or an autograph, Dale Earnhardt Jr. walked along the front of the grandstands at Lernerville Speedway. It was a major moment in the long, storied history of the Buffalo Township racetrack, and it brought out a standing-room-only crowd....
Riverhounds use their heads in victory over New Mexico United
Kenardo Forbes always looks for a signal from his center backs before he lines up to take corner kicks. “Joe (Farrell) and Arturo (Ordonez) will tell where they want me to put it, and I try to get it there as accurate as possible,” Forbes said. Forbes was certainly on...
Pine-Richland boys soccer ramps up defense, gets back in playoff chase
In the last couple weeks, the Pine-Richland boys soccer team put itself back into the conversation for a playoff spot with three consecutive shutouts. It was a much-needed stretch for the defending WPIAL Class 4A champion Rams after an 0-4 start to Section 1 play. The four teams ahead of...
Pine-Richland’s Ethan Pillar picks up where he left off for PIAA champions
Ethan Pillar is a lifelong Cleveland Browns fan, which he knows isn’t a normal occurrence for someone living in the Pittsburgh area. “I hope the people in Pittsburgh don’t hold that against me too much,” Pillar said with a laugh. If he continues to run the ball like he has...
Wild play lifts Highlands to victory over Indiana
It was a play that came from utter desperation and ended in jubilation. Golden Rams quarterback Menage Lucas was hemmed up well behind the line of scrimmage on a third-and-long in the fourth quarter when he decided to pitch the ball back to Darius Cherry. Cherry then navigated his way...
Tight-knit Burrell boys soccer team embracing big moments
Andrew Kariotis has the smallest roster in his time coaching Burrell boys soccer, but his group is proving they have quality over quantity. The Bucs have established themselves as contenders for the WPIAL Class A championship and are tied atop the Section 3-A standings with Springdale with a big first-place...
Freshman’s smashing debut sparks Pine-Richland tennis team
The Pine-Richland girls tennis team is in position for a 22nd consecutive playoff berth, and there’s a freshman that’s leading the charge. Caroline Prisk has been the Rams’ top singles player and is showing plenty of potential in her first varsity season. She’s helped Pine-Richland start 7-1 on the season...
Pine-Richland senior recovers from injury, rekindles passion for field hockey
Most athletes love the sport they play, but Khushi Saini’s connection with field hockey is special. It became her outlet to flourish after moving to the Pine-Richland school district from India in seventh grade. Last year, though, that outlet was temporarily taken away. Saini suffered a torn ACL in her...
Strong sophomore class acing every test so far for Deer Lakes boys soccer
Anyone who followed Deer Lakes’ run to the WPIAL Class 2A boys soccer championship last season knew the future of the program was bright. A pair of freshmen, Peyton Kushon and Jacob Orseno, combined to score the game-winning goal in the 1-0 victory over Beaver in the final. There was...
Pine-Richland notebook: Former Rams make mark on college gridiron
Phil Jurkovec took the headlines earlier this month by coming back to his hometown and making his debut as the Pitt quarterback, but there were plenty of other former Pine-Richland football players who suited up around the country. Jeremiah Hasley (Duke), Mike Katic (Indiana), Andrew Kristofic (Notre Dame), Jalen Klemm...
Riverhounds scrap out home victory over Loudoun
The Pittsburgh Riverhounds got the result, winning 3-1 over a struggling Loudoun United team Saturday night at Highmark Stadium, but coach Bob Lilley was less than pleased with the way they achieved it. He called it a poor performance, and though his group is the current league leader in points,...
Devin Beattie’s big game helps Burrell beat Valley for 300th win in program history
Burrell’s Devin Beattie wasn’t going to miss his final chance to play Valley. The senior running back was injured last week against Deer Lakes but rehabbed all week to be ready. And he made a huge impact in another win over their biggest rival and a major milestone in the...
Puzzle pieces fit as Springdale boys soccer gets off to strong start
The biggest unknown for the Springdale boys soccer team coming into the season was how quickly a fairly inexperienced midfield and forward group would jell. Outside of senior striker Billy Lawrence, there weren’t too many players with extensive varsity playing time. It hasn’t taken long for an answer. Early returns...
Repeat bid begins for WPIAL champion Pine-Richland girls volleyball
Pine-Richland girls volleyball coach Angela Seman told the Rams they should be happy and proud of themselves for winning the WPIAL championship last year, but now they need to move forward. It’s a new year and a new team, and the defending champions are champing at the bit to prove...
Drive for 5 underway for Pine-Richland field hockey
The drive for five is on for Pine-Richland field hockey. After four consecutive WPIAL titles, the Rams return five seniors and a fairly experienced group of underclassmen as they look to continue their championship run. “They want to repeat, but I don’t think they feel a heavy burden to carry...
Freeport jumps out of gate in rout of South Allegheny
Freeport coach John Gaillot wasn’t going to kick to South Allegheny standout Cameron Epps under any circumstances. So, on the opening kickoff Yellowjackets kicker Cole Troutman executed a pooch kick, and Freeport recovered. It was an inadvertent spark to total domination. The Yellowjackets went on to score on three straight...
Dale Earnhardt Jr. to make appearance at Lernerville Speedway’s Commonwealth Clash
The biggest sprint car race in Lernerville Speedway’s history just got even bigger. Dale Earnhardt Jr. announced on his podcast, The Dale Jr. Download, last week that he will be at the Buffalo Township track Sept. 26 for the Commonwealth Clash. The Commonwealth Clash is a $50,000-to-win race sanctioned by...
New coach takes over Pine-Richland girls soccer team with young, talented roster
Alessandro Moreira knows the Pine-Richland/North Allegheny rivalry quite well. For 15 years, he was an assistant for the Tigers’ girls soccer team and helped them win consecutive WPIAL championships in 2019-20. Now he’ll be leading the other side. Moreira is the new varsity girls soccer coach at Pine-Richland and he’s...
Defending WPIAL boys soccer champion Pine-Richland ready for challenges ahead
For the first time, Pine-Richland boys soccer will go into a season with the distinction of being defending WPIAL champions. Last year provided a storybook run that ended with a 1-0 upset over Seneca Valley in the Class 4A final, but the Rams know a repeat will not be easy....
Highlands football recovers to rout Ambridge in opener
The second quarter of Friday’s season opener against Ambridge didn’t go quite as planned for Highlands. Seven penalties and some mental mistakes curtailed the Golden Rams, and they found themselves in a game at halftime. Their response? A dominant performance the rest of the way. Aaran Randolph and Luke Bombalski...
A-K Valley boys soccer preview: Deer Lakes planning encore after ‘special year’
The most successful boys sports year in Deer Lakes history began with the boys soccer team’s run to its second WPIAL title in three years last fall. A pair of freshmen combined for the winning goal as Peyton Kushon passed to Jacob Orseno, who scored in overtime to lift the...
Valley playmaker Darnell Coaston grows into leadership role
Darnell Coaston proudly wears blue and white Penn State receiver gloves during Valley football practices. It isn’t a secret that the Nittany Lions are his favorite college football team, and it would be a dream come true to play in Happy Valley. But if another school were to offer him...
South Side ready to take next step toward championship berth
One win separated South Side from the chance to play at Acrisure Stadium for a WPIAL championship. A 49-21 loss to Bishop Canevin in the Class A semifinals ended an impressive 2022 season, and with many key returners, the Rams are primed and ready to make a championship run. “Our...
Plum quarterback Franzi will benefit from having most of last season’s offense back
Plum coach Matt Morgan called Sean Franzi one of most underrated players in the WPIAL. A combination of athletic ability and intangibles is what Morgan believes sets his senior quarterback apart, and he is looking forward to seeing him showcase those traits. For Franzi, the belief from his coach is...
