Josh Rizzo stories, Page 14
Shady Side Academy girls taking it one step at a time in WPIAL title defense
Jonna Burke is much more focused on the beginning of the season than the end. The Shady Side Academy girls’ basketball coach said it is nice to have benchmarks from last season to shoot for. The Bulldogs won the WPIAL Class 3A championship and made a run to the PIAA...
Fox Chapel girls wrestling winning matches as program grows
Atia DiGioia fought the battle with uncertainty and nerves before she ever stepped on the wrestling mat. The Fox Chapel junior wasn’t entirely sure how wrestling would go for her. But having a close friend, Emma Srodes, to train with at practice made things easier. “The first week or so,...
Fox Chapel teams, athletes filled trophy cases during successful fall season
There were plenty of moments during the fall sports season to give people in the Fox Chapel school district a reason to follow the action closely. First, Foxes sophomore Carson Kittsley stole the show with a cool performance at the Penn State White Course. By shooting 5-under par on the...
Apollo-Ridge holds off hosts at Leechburg tournament
Apollo-Ridge forward Zane Beatty believes the Vikings boys basketball team learned an essential lesson during its season opener Friday night at the Leechburg Tournament. When the Vikings build double-digit leads, they want to stay on top of their opponents. Apollo-Ridge survived a late comeback from the host Blue Devils to...
After hard-working offseason, Penn Hills junior ready to help wrestlers return to team competition
Bradley Repovich’s resolve was consistently tested during his first season on the Penn Hills wrestling team. Wrestling isn’t a sport that is typically kind to newcomers, especially at the varsity level. Repovich, who will be a junior and wrestle at 145 pounds this season, went through his share of adversity....
Penn Hills 3-sport athlete turns his focus to the pool
Anthony Sipple enjoys the challenge of playing multiple sports, but the Penn Hills junior knows that swimming isn’t the one where it is possible to give a lesser effort. Sipple has the challenge of trying to return to the WPIAL Class 3A championships after qualifying for two individual events and...
Avonworth shuts out Central Valley to win WPIAL Class 3A championship
Avonworth senior running back Nico Neal was itching to have one more opportunity to play at Acrisure Stadium. After two years of being champions in waiting, the fifth-seeded Antelopes battered down the door during a 17-0 win over Central Valley in the WPIAL Class 3A title game Saturday evening. Neal...
High-flying Fox Chapel hockey team looks to play with more grit
First-year Fox Chapel hockey coach Ryan Loebig believes the Foxes were at a perfect spot for a breather after five games. The Foxes proved they are an offensively gifted team that is capable of winning wild shootouts. But a pair of one-goal losses offered a chance for reflection. “We’ve been...
Plenty of highlights for Fox Chapel girls soccer during ‘wonderful season’
The Fox Chapel girls soccer team dealt with the immense pressure of being the defending WPIAL Class 4A champions all season. Dropping to Class 3A, Fox Chapel opened the season on 18-match unbeaten streak before ultimately advancing to the second round of the PIAA playoffs. “I thought the girls had...
Plum girls planning to think fast, play fast to help replace graduated top scorer
Senior Serena Carnahan would like the Plum girls basketball team to be in the best position to make quick decisions. It’s a skill that will come in handy as the Mustangs lost their leading scorer and will have a group looking to blend youth and experience. To cultivate that skill,...
After struggles last season, Plum boys basketball ‘hungry to succeed’
Belief, in and of itself, isn’t going to carry the Plum boys basketball team to the WPIAL Class 5A playoffs for the first time since 2016. But the Mustangs have shown an immense amount of dedication to the sport in the offseason that senior guard Will Beckner believes will produce...
Highlands boys basketball team seeks respect under new coach
Ali Shareef doesn’t have to bear the burden of being saddled with the same high expectations as recent Highlands boys basketball teams. But not being paid the same amount of respect as previous seasons doesn’t sit right with the Golden Rams senior point guard, either. “I’m looking forward to competing...
Highlands girls basketball welcomes fresh faces
First-year coach Dan LaGamba is open to all possibilities for the Highlands girls basketball program this season. The Golden Rams only have one starter — Tyarah Woody — returning from a team that reached the PIAA Class 4A playoffs. That means Highlands will need to grow together if it wants...
Communication key as Penn Hills girls basketball seeks return trip to playoffs
The Penn Hills girls basketball team will be challenged to continue a winning tradition when its season starts this December. The Indians reached the WPIAL Class 5A playoffs for the second straight season last year, winning a preliminary round game before being knocked out by Oakland Catholic. Penn Hills, which...
Penn Hills youth team repeats as Cheer Bowl champs
The Penn Hills Youth Football and Cheer Association cheerleading team won the Western Pennsylvania Youth Athletic Association Cheer Bowl championship for the third straight year in the big and little divisions. Cheer coach Ashley Blake said that she emphasizes to all the girls on the team that the judging isn’t...
Led by next generation of Letters family, Shaler girls wrestling team eager to hit mat
Shaler girls wrestling coach Robert Taylor remembers when he found out there would be a program for the first time this season. The Titans coach was in a classroom when Lilly Conner burst in. “I remember it vividly,” Taylor said. “Lilly Conner came in and said, ‘Coach, are we going...
New coach takes over promising Shaler swimming program
Stephen Adametz feels fortunate to be taking over the Shaler swim program at a time when it is full of promise. The girls team had its best result at the WPIAL Class 3A championships in a decade last season. Shaler finished in 17th place, and many of the top swimmers...
With plenty of size in starting lineup, Shady Side Academy boys embrace modern game
This season, the Shady Side Academy boys basketball team will reflect the way the modern game is played. The Bulldogs will have four players over 6-foot-3 in the starting lineup, but the largest players on the court won’t be anchored to the low block. Shady Side Academy’s best passer may...
Fox Chapel notebook: Liam Wiseman hits 100-goal mark
Liam Wiseman hit a significant milestone for the Fox Chapel hockey team. During the Foxes’ 6-5 loss to Canon-McMillan on Nov. 4 at the Alpha Ice Complex, Wiseman scored three goals to reach the 100-goal mark for his career. Fox Chapel’s hockey team is off to a 3-2 start in...
Behind Troy Cunningham’s 6 sacks, South Park takes down undefeated Ellwood City in 2A semifinals
South Park defensive lineman Troy Cunningham looked like he had all the answers to the test Friday night at Newman Stadium. Ellwood City quarterback Chris Smiley likely wished Cunningham wouldn’t have studied so hard before they met in a WPIAL Class 2A semifinal playoff game. Cunningham set a school record...
Hailey Marchlewski’s winning goal sends Springdale past Bishop Guilfoyle in state quarterfinals
Springdale junior forward Hailey Marchlewski said her team prepared for if things went sideways during a PIAA Class A girls soccer quarterfinal Saturday at Andy Kuzneski Field in Indiana. When the Dynamos allowed District 6 champion Bishop Guilfoyle to score a tying goal with five minutes remaining, Springdale seemed unbothered....
Fox Chapel finishes strong at PIAA cross country meet
David Black spent most of his time during the PIAA Class 3A cross country championships attempting to dig out of a hole from the start of the race. The Fox Chapel senior needed a fast start to get on the medal stand. Black ended up two spots short but was...
Redeemer Lutheran girls volleyball celebrates championship season
Redeemer Lutheran junior outside hitter Anika Vanwyk felt some uncertainty even though the Rams were one point away from an appearance in the Southwestern Pennsylvania Athletic Alliance championship game. Junior setter Clarissa Tinkey rolled her ankle celebrating the point and Redeemer had to quickly reconfigure things on the fly. The...
Discipline, focus pay off for Penn Hills in playoffs
The Penn Hills football team was focused on the task at hand during the first round at the WPIAL playoffs. The Indians have attempted to stay with that line of thinking all season. When things break down or go awry, Penn Hills wants to maintain a simple mantra: Do your...
Fox Chapel girls soccer team’s hopes not dashed by loss in WPIAL finals
The Fox Chapel girls soccer team clearly had hope after losing to South Fayette in the WPIAL Class 3A title game at Highmark Stadium. The Foxes wanted another shot at the now two-time defending champion Lions in the PIAA playoffs. Fox Chapel took a step toward that goal by beating...
