Josh Rizzo stories, Page 11
Redeemer Lutheran basketball teams savor playoff experience
The Redeemer Lutheran girls basketball team is conditioned to play all 32 minutes if necessary. But the Rams are happy the program has grown enough so they can all get a rest. Redeemer opened the Southwestern Pennsylvania Athletic Association playoffs Feb. 10 by beating Neighborhood Academy, 51-25, on the road...
1st-year Penn Hills diver qualifies for WPIAL meet
Mikael Epperson had to retrain his thought process if he was going to become an effective diver for the Penn Hills swim team. The Indians sophomore chose to come out for swimming for the first time this year after previously competing in track and field. “About halfway through the season...
Pieces in place for Shady Side Academy girls as postseason run begins
The Shady Side Academy girls basketball team is in a strong position to defend its WPIAL Class 3A crown. The Bulldogs turned in an impressive regular season, compiling a 22-0 record with an average margin of victory of 31.6 points per game. While Shady Side Academy players settled comfortably into...
Confidence grows for Fox Chapel girls wrestlers in program’s 2nd season
The Fox Chapel girls wrestling team has spent less time focusing on learning the basics. In the Foxes’ second full season as a varsity wrestling program, Fox Chapel felt much more prepared for the second WPIAL wrestling championships. “Last year, I felt like I was wide-eyed walking into the tournament,”...
Resilient Obama Academy, powerful Allderdice to meet in 4th straight City League girls final
The Obama Academy girls basketball team was forced to use many different lineups throughout the regular season. The Eagles were limited by injuries and had to send many underclassmen onto the floor. Obama Academy (10-10) opened the season with six straight losses but found its footing in league play. The...
Seeking 5th straight City League title, Allderdice boys to be tested by tough Obama Academy defense
Allderdice boys basketball coach Devin Crummie would prefer to see his team on the move during the City League championship game Sunday at UPMC Cooper Fieldhouse. But the Dragons likely will need to be more methodical against Obama Academy. The Eagles, who are attempting to halt Allderdice’s streak of four...
Fox Chapel junior breaks through in shot put
Claire Conti set the Fox Chapel indoor track and field record in the shot put during her freshman season. Now a junior, Conti spent the past two seasons attempting to find a way to hit the 33-foot mark. During Tri-State Track Coaches Association meet No. 4 on Feb. 1 at...
Penn Hills swimmer puts in work in pursuit of goals
Penn Hills junior swimmer Sydney Smith doesn’t want to take her mind off what she is working toward. Smith has inched closer to earning a berth in the WPIAL Class 3A championships in the 100 breaststroke. Smith has a personal best time of 1 minute, 15.20 seconds, which is behind...
As regular season wraps up, Penn Hills boys in position to reach goals
The Penn Hills boys basketball team fought into the position coach Chris Giles hoped they could land at. The Indians already had their ticket to the WPIAL Class 5A playoffs punched before their final section game with Kiski Area. Penn Hills entered the game, the result of which was too...
North Catholic boys win section crown by beating Deer Lakes
Beating Deer Lakes on the road to wrap up sole possession of the Section 1-4A boys basketball title came from a foundation North Catholic built in early December. The Trojans lost their first three games, two by 15 or more points. But the lessons North Catholic learned from losing to...
Goals still in sight for reloaded Fox Chapel boys roster as playoffs approach
Fox Chapel coach Zach Skrinjar isn’t worried about the classification the Foxes fall under when the PIAA realigns their boys basketball divisions every two years. The Foxes plan to adjust and contend. When Fox Chapel returned to Class 6A this season, the Foxes stuck to the plan. Fox Chapel has...
Catullo’s energy leads Burrell wrestling to victory in PIAA Class 2A tournament
Ben Catullo didn’t look like someone who had wrestled for 61⁄2 minutes when he leaped to his feet and flexed toward the Burrell wrestling team’s bench. After Catullo’s overtime win at 160 pounds, his teammates were happy to celebrate with him Tuesday night at Burrell High School. Buccaneers heavyweight Ayden...
Freeport uses pressure defense to defeat Highlands, earn spot in playoffs
Applying consistent pressure and constantly sprinting left Nia DiSanti, a 5-foot-7 guard for the Freeport girls basketball team, a little tired Monday night. But after losing seven of eight games to start the season, the Yellowjackets became accustomed to having to turn up the energy to dig out of their...
Penn Hills lineman overcomes obstacles to play college ball at VMI
Donovan Burnett wanted his college football experience to be similar to his experience at Penn Hills. When Burnett visited the Virginia Military Institute, he felt he was where he wanted to be. “Well, the brotherhood there and the football stood out to me,” Burnett said. “It’s comparable to the brotherhood...
Fox Chapel wrestler hits 100 wins, still has goals in mind
Landon Funk had the idea planted in his head of reaching 100 wins as a varsity wrestler in 2017. Funk admired Foxes wrestler Mike Mahon and was in the crowd when he hit the century mark. During the Frank Ferguson Brooke Classic at Brooke High School in West Virginia, Funk...
Fox Chapel lineman’s development as a player carries him to Cal (Pa.)
Kristofer Bandurski found what he was looking for on his visit to Cal (Pa.). The Fox Chapel senior wanted to find a place that could mold him on the football field throughout his career. “The hospitality of the coaches was unbelievable,” Bandurski said. “They develop players into who they need...
Getting comfortable with new offense, Penn Hills girls add wins to resume
The Penn Hills girls basketball team found its way back to the fringe of the playoff race. While the Indians would need several things to break their way down the stretch to sneak in, coach Robert Cash feels like the Indians have figured out the formula to be more comfortable....
Knoch boys beat Deer Lakes, keep section hopes alive
Knoch boys basketball coach Alan Bauman was thrilled watching his team mature Friday night during a Section 1-4A contest with Deer Lakes at home. Twice, the Lancers made extended runs in the third and fourth quarters to move within two points. Both times, Knoch dug deep and never returned the...
Despite being down 2 starters, Burrell wrestling rolls into Class 2A team semifinals
Calio Zanella was sporting a nose plug to stymie the bleeding, highlighting one of the major challenges facing Burrell’s wrestling team this week. The top-seeded Buccaneers are battling illness as they attempt to defend their WPIAL Class 2A crown. Burrell was missing two starters, but the Buccaneers didn’t allow that...
Springdale boys manage section victory over Riverview
Nothing came easy for the Riverview and Springdale boys basketball teams Wednesday night at Don McGhee Fieldhouse. The Dynamos had to fight for every point during a 41-32 Section 1-2A win. Springdale coach Scott Ruppert sacrificed the vest he was wearing to help clean the floor late in the fourth...
Penn Hills wrestling team knows next step in program’s rebuilding efforts
Penn Hills wrestling coach Jeremy Packer has gradually worked on building the depth of the program over the last few seasons. The Indians returned to team competition this season after opting out of the WPIAL schedule the past few seasons. Penn Hills saw its next marker for improvement with how...
Penn Hills soccer carries on tradition of winter indoor tournament
Kevin Truman wanted to maintain the traditions of the Penn Hills boys soccer program, much like his predecessor Ryan Hankey did. For the past 31 years, the Indians have hosted an indoor soccer tournament in the winter to raise money for the program. This year, Penn Hills had a minor...
Fox Chapel wrestling’s trademark balance on display at Allegheny County meet
Fox Chapel wrestling coach Michael Frank was proud of how balanced the Foxes’ lineup proved to be at the Allegheny County Championships. The Foxes finished third in the team standings despite not having a wrestler reach the finals. “It shows how well they wrestled as a group,” Frank said. “They...
Fox Chapel girls roster lacks height but isn’t short on talent
Fox Chapel girls basketball coach Marty Matvey went to great lengths to make sure he didn’t miss out on any potential post players for his roster. For one year, Matvey coached seventh grade girls volleyball in the district. The Foxes coach came away with two conclusions: First, he accumulated a...
Burrell wrestlers defeat Highlands to earn 22nd straight section title
Jacob Taylor’s attitude before his 189-pound match Wednesday night highlighted what has allowed the Burrell wrestling program to maintain its section dominance over the past 25 years. The sophomore was making his first start in a dual against Highlands that would determine the Section 9-2A title. But Taylor already had...
