Jerin Steele stories, Page 15
Surging Mt. Lebanon tops Pine-Richland behind gutsy shutout from Matt Delvaux
The first week of the season, Matt Delvaux injured his hamstring while playing shortstop for Mt. Lebanon, an injury that sidelined him in the field for the year. So it was decided that Delvaux would become a full-time pitcher and what was a tough start to a senior season has...
Pine-Richland notebook: Spring sports teams win playoff openers
It was a successful first week of the postseason for the Pine-Richland spring sports teams. The Rams softball and boys and girls lacrosse teams all scored victories in their first playoff games. Boys lacrosse A year after suffering a first-round exit on their home field, the fifth-seeded Rams made amends...
Before anticipated U.S. Open Cup match, Riverhounds smoke Las Vegas
Any worries about the Pittsburgh Riverhounds looking ahead to their big home U.S. Open Cup match next week with Columbus Crew were squashed pretty early Saturday night. Edward Kizza scored twice in the first half, and the Hounds dominated the winless Las Vegas Lights, 4-1, at Highmark Stadium. Arturo Ordonez...
Fox Chapel baseball breaks through with playoff win over Mars
The Fox Chapel baseball team has been close in recent years, and after six seasons a breakthrough in the WPIAL postseason happened Wednesday night. And they needed all facets to do so, fittingly enough against a Mars team that has been a thorn in the Foxes’ sides in recent years....
Pine-Richland notebook: Rams top podium on home track
With its spot on the calendar fairly close to the WPIAL individual track and field championships, the Pine-Richland Invitational serves as a good tune-up for the biggest events of the season. This year, the host Rams had a pretty good day, and several athletes showed that they’ll be challenging for...
Rally against rival keyed Pine-Richland baseball’s section title defense
Pine-Richland baseball successfully defended its section crown by taking two out of three in a series with North Allegheny. How they won that series is a microcosm of what’s made the Rams special the last couple of seasons. They were down six runs early in Game 2 but clawed their...
Red-hot Albert Dikwa carries Riverhounds past Birmingham Legion
Albert Dikwa has always had a high workrate through his time with the Pittsburgh Riverhounds. He’s always in motion, giving center backs fits with the size and energy he brings. While he’s also been a good goal scorer in the past, he’s becoming one of the elite finishers in the...
Leechburg rewarded for strong season, gets Class A’s No. 3 seed in WPIAL baseball playoffs
In the regular season Leechburg was the lone Class A team to push two-time defending champion Union to the limit. The Blue Devils lost both games, 4-2 and 17-16, and finished second in Section 2-A, but they were rewarded for their performance against the Scotties, receiving the third seed and...
Lexie Hames dominates as Seneca Valley beats Hempfield for section title, top seed
Seneca Valley softball coach Marleese Hames said she sometimes has to remind herself that her daughter, standout pitcher Lexie Hames, is only a sophomore. That’s understandable because the younger Hames showed poise well beyond her age Thursday afternoon. With the Section 1-6A title and top seed in the WPIAL playoffs...
Burrell softball strolls to section rout of Freeport
The last couple senior days hadn’t gone as planned for the Burrell softball team, so it wanted to change that trend Saturday. The Bucs did so by exercising patience at the plate. Burrell drew 17 walks and earned a 16-1 win in three innings over a short-handed Freeport team in...
High-octane offense carries Pine-Richland girls lacrosse to section title
With an 18-0 win over Freeport on May 1, the Pine-Richland girls lacrosse team secured its first section title since 2018. It was part of an excellent run of form for the Rams, who won eight of nine games entering a matchup at Bethel Park on May 5. It was...
Pine-Richland boys lacrosse building toward playoff run
The Pine-Richland boys lacrosse team’s season has paralleled last year as far as results go. They lost six of their first nine games, while going up against some difficult opponents inside and outside the WPIAL, but used those games as a springboard. Starting on April 18, the Rams won six...
Freeport baseball takes series vs. East Allegheny seriously
Freeport baseball coach Ed Carr said he and his team are looking at Monday’s series opener with East Allegheny like an MLB team would treat Game 6 in a playoff series. The Yellowjackets will enter with a shot at a Section 3-3A title, whether it is shared with the Wildcats...
West Mifflin softball freezes out Highlands
West Mifflin and Highlands faced off Monday in a key Section 1-4A softball game, but there was an extra opponent each team had to navigate. The elements. Rain, cold temperatures and gusty winds combined to make it feel like March instead of the first day of May, but both teams...
Pine Creek Journal notebook: Doubles teams make run to WPIAL tournament
Both of Pine-Richland’s boys tennis doubles teams qualified for the WPIAL tournament April 25-26, and they even crossed paths along the way. Ryan Moore and Udi Alkokar and Nathan Bang and Ian Hurt met in the Section 2-6A consolation match with Bang and Hurt coming away with a three-set win,...
Pine-Richland baseball embraces the grind, thrives in tight games
The Pine-Richland baseball team doesn’t mind playing in tight games. In fact, the Rams thrive on grinding out wins. They proved that in taking two out of three games against previously unbeaten Seneca Valley during a series April 17-20. A formula of good pitching, defense and solid fundamental offense secured...
Plum baseball gearing up for season’s defining stretch
The Plum baseball team has everything right in front of it. Over the next two weeks, the Mustangs will play the two teams they are currently tied with atop the Section 1-5A standings. They meet Franklin Regional on Monday and Tuesday and Fox Chapel the following Monday and Tuesday. All...
Riverhounds win in U.S. Open Cup; Kiski Area senior makes debut
Pittsburgh Riverhounds coach Bob Lilley used Tuesday’s U.S. Open Cup match as an opportunity to get a look at some of the players who have been reserves in the early part of the season. He was pleased with their efforts, and it took a while, but they finally broke through....
Now recovered from knee injury, Louisville recruit Gianna Rotelli ready to finish Pine-Richland career strong
Gianna Rotelli was excited going into her junior season, because she was the top ranked javelin thrower in the WPIAL after a second-place finish as a sophomore, but she never got the opportunity to showcase her talent. She suffered a serious knee injury while playing volleyball, which sidelined her the...
6-foot-6 freshman sparks Pine-Richland boys volleyball
Doolin Stober has a unique name and an equally distinct skill set on the volleyball court. Standing at 6-foot-6, he provides a major presence in the middle of the net for the Pine-Richland boys volleyball team. He had a big performance that helped the Rams secure their first win of...
Bigger purses to propel drivers as Lernerville Speedway opens 56th year of racing
When the gates open at Lernerville Speedway to begin the 56th year of racing Friday night, the drivers entering them will have a little more incentive. Track officials announced Tuesday there will be a purse increase for 2023 Fab 4 weekly racing. The 410 sprint car and Super Late Model...
Bats lead the way in Pine-Richland softball’s playoff quest
As the halfway point of a 16-game Section 1-6A slate neared, the Pine-Richland softball team put itself in the mix for a top-six section finish and a spot in the playoffs. If the Rams find their way in, it’ll likely be with the powerful aluminum sticks they carry to the...
Pine Creek Journal notebook: Pine native Ty Voit lighting it up in Ontario Hockey League
Pine native Ty Voit has gained a reputation as the best passer in the Ontario Hockey League, tallying a league-leading 81 assists in 56 regular season games. He’s continued setting up his teammates at an astounding rate in the postseason. Voit, 19, had six assists to help the Sarnia Sting...
Riverhounds get something off their chest in win over Rio Grande Valley
Albert Dikwa has scored plenty of goals with his right foot in his two-plus years with the Pittsburgh Riverhounds, but Saturday he used a different area of his body. In the 49th minute, Dikwa finished off a nice cross from Luke Biasi by using his chest to direct the ball...
Leechburg baseball team making presence felt loud and clear
Leechburg baseball coach Heath Shimer looked at his roster coming into the season and knew the potential was there for success. “I have seven seniors that start and I’m thankful, but I also realize that we have to make noise this year,” Shimer said. “When you have seven seniors that...
