Josh Rizzo stories, Page 13
Shady Side Academy girls progressing toward championship goals
There is still much work ahead for the Shady Side Academy girls basketball program. But the Bulldogs have laid a solid foundation that should provide many opportunities as the WPIAL Class 3A playoffs approach. The Bulldogs are off to a 12-0 start and have shown plenty of punch on offense....
Fox Chapel Herald notebook: FC boys basketball surges in section
The Fox Chapel boys basketball team didn’t plan to change its approach when it went up to Class 6A. The Foxes have found success in the WPIAL’s largest class before. The Foxes still have a lot of work to do to claim the Section 1-6A crown, but they have put...
With young roster, Penn Hills girls working on paying attention to detail
Robert Cash has been through this before with the Penn Hills girls basketball program. The Indians have a young group that needs to play as underclassmen because Penn Hills doesn’t have many older players on the roster. That has led to growing pains for the Indians. Penn Hills suffered its...
Penn Hills boys shake off early struggles, begin to hit stride
Penn Hills picking up a win over Shaler in a game that was televised locally provided the Indians with a significant boost of confidence. But how the Indians followed up their performance against the Titans may do even more to improve Penn Hills’ psyche. The Indians shot 67% (10-of-15) from...
Kiski Area boys execute game plan to perfection, smother Plum in Class 5A battle
Kiski Area boys basketball coach Corey Smith used the 48 hours before the Cavaliers’ game with Plum to craft the perfect game plan. If Kiski could do what its coach asked, the Cavaliers would set up a first-place battle with Penn Hills at home next Tuesday. The Cavaliers delivered with...
Burrell wrestlers throw weight around in resounding victory over Valley
Carter Thomas felt that weight fell off him much easier last year. But the 121-pound Burrell sophomore wrestler hasn’t let the challenges of staying in his weight class wear on him. Thomas picked up a second-period win over Valley’s Xavier Ross on Wednesday night at Valley High School to help...
Fox Chapel grad Kate Friday signs on with expansion Pittsburgh Riveters SC
Kate Friday didn’t want her mental well-being to be defined by success, or failure, surrounding her soccer career. When the Fox Chapel graduate committed to attend Xavier University in Cincinnati, she wanted to find places around her adopted city where she could escape. “I think my favorite place to go...
Highlands’ Suber mounts major comeback in victory vs. Valley
DeJamire Suber’s mind won’t go toward quitting when things get tough in future matches. The Highlands 127-pound junior wrestler showed what he is capable of when things are bleak Wednesday night. Suber trailed by 11 points when he stuck Valley’s Xavier Ross during the third round. Highlands had a night...
Junior guard making things happen for Penn Hills girls basketball
Penn Hills guard Milani Oliver crammed a game’s worth of moments during the final two minutes against Woodland Hills on Dec. 10. With Penn Hills trailing by four, Oliver chased down a loose ball, pulled up at the 3-point line and knocked down a key jumper. Less than 30 seconds...
Penn Hills boys off to rare slow start
The growing process for the Penn Hills boys basketball program will have many layers this season. One of the most important ones will be becoming comfortable with being in the varisty atmosphere. With the Indians having so many new players in starting roles on varsity, the season’s first few weeks...
Pitt volleyball sweeps Kentucky, heads back to national semifinals for 4th straight year
Pitt outside hitter Valeria Vazquez Gomez’s raising her arms with the NCAA regional championship trophy was mirrored by many of the 9,525 spectators in the crowd Saturday at Petersen Events Center. The raucous throng was celebrating what has become a tradition for the Pitt women’s volleyball team. The No. 1...
Fox Chapel boys rely on defense to spark strong start
The process of getting ready for the basketball season wasn’t any different for Fox Chapel boys basketball coach Zach Skrinjar this season. The Foxes were bumped up to Class 6A during this enrollment cycle, but the basic foundation for Fox Chapel’s success remains the same. “It all starts on defense,”...
Local players dot prep school hockey roster at Shady Side Academy
Killian Kissane knew hockey would be different when he chose to play at Shady Side Academy. The Bulldogs, who play a national prep schedule, would require him to be a different player than when he was at Fox Chapel. Kissane had to be more physical if he was going to...
Smothering defense lifts Knoch boys past Valley in section opener
Teegan Finucan couldn’t help but feel confident after the Knoch boys basketball team opened Section 1-4A play Friday night at home with a dominant defensive performance. The Knights kept Valley off the scoreboard for the first 3 1/2 minutes before coasting to a 74-39 win. Knoch (4-1, 1-0) has established...
Shaler wrestlers expect to be in the hunt for sub-section title, spots at WPIALs
Shaler sophomore wrestler Anthony Jones is in an ideal position for a wrestler competing in the lightest weight class. Jones wasn’t focused on figuring out how to cut weight to get down to 107 pounds in the offseason. Instead, Jones spent the offseason worrying about adding weight. “He has a...
Coach Brandon Sensor happy to kick off new era of Shaler boys basketball
Brandon Sensor was happy to earn the opportunity to lead the Shaler boys basketball program. For one thing, Sensor got to be closer to home for his four children, who are all 6 and under. Sensor and his family live in the Shaler district. He also has the interesting challenge...
Pitt women’s volleyball sweeps Oklahoma, advances to 5th straight round of 16
The Pitt women’s volleyball team can count on the totality of its talent to pull it out of tight situations. The Panthers needed their ability to solve puzzles to sink eighth-seeded Oklahoma during the second round of the NCAA Tournament on Saturday night at Petersen Events Center in front of...
Herald notebook: Zoe Skirboll chasing NCAA cut times at Virginia
Zoe Skirboll competed in the U.S. time trials to try to earn a spot on the Olympic team last summer. The Fox Chapel graduate would like to utilize that experience to help her junior year at Virginia be a big success. While the season is still young, Skirboll already has...
Led by Division I trio, Fox Chapel swimmers poised for memorable season
Coach Matt Mauclair is excited about what the Fox Chapel swimming program is bringing back up and down the lineup. At the top, the Foxes have four captains with plenty of experience swimming at a high level. Three of those athletes — Sarah Pasquella, Owen Howe and Christian Dantey —...
Penn Hills freshman heavyweight showing vast potential
Denairo Price hardly had to break a sweat during his first varsity wrestling match. Thankfully, the Penn Hills freshman heavyweight doubled up on his matches during a triangular with Woodland Hills and Riverview on Dec. 4. Price, who transferred to Penn Hills from Kiski Area, claimed two pins to open...
Penn Hills notebook: Junior high girls wrestler makes history; Strader named All-American
There was plenty to celebrate for the Penn Hills wrestling program as the season opened with a triangular against Riverview and Woodland Hills on Dec. 4. While the Indians varsity boys program picked up wins against the Raiders and the Wolverines, the girls program also got an opportunity to get...
No. 1 Pitt sweeps Morehead State in opening round of NCAA Tournament
Senior libero Emmy Klika and her teammates huddled together in front of the net after the Pitt women’s volleyball team swept Morehead State on Friday night at Petersen Events Center. The Panthers’ tradition of taking a photo after every match is the program’s simple way of documenting the steps along...
Riverview splits dual matches; Wylly notches pair of technical falls
Alex Wylly wants his sophomore season with the Riverview wrestling team to reflect his toughness. Wylly has demonstrated he is willing to put the time in managing the burden that comes with playing three varsity sports. Following a solid freshman season on the mat, Wylly wants to prove to the...
Penn Hills notebook: Hollis Mathis accomplishes rare feat at William & Mary
Hollis Mathis’ career at William & Mary has seen various iterations. Initially, the Penn Hills graduate was slotted in as quarterback for the Tribe. However, things changed over the time Mathis spent in the program. During a season-ending loss to Richmond last week, Hollis ended his career by hitting an...
Penn Hills boys hoping to see players grow into new roles
Penn Hills boys basketball coach Chris Giles has plenty of upperclassmen ready to lead the program this season. The Indians’ ability to win basketball games will be dependent on how quickly they can handle the challenges that come with being varsity athletes. “This team has to be experienced. They have...
