Josh Rizzo stories, Page 22
Focus on defense, taking care of basketball propels Fox Chapel boys into playoffs
Will Siegel is proud of the role he plays on defense for the Fox Chapel boys basketball team, and Siegel and his teammates want to make sure they don’t waste their effort on one end with mistakes on the other. Avoiding turning the ball over on offense is paramount for...
Allderdice boys take aim at 4th straight City League crown
Allderdice coach Devin Crummie didn’t care if only five or six players could make it. If there was an opportunity during the summer to get the Dragons some time on the court together, he was willing to enter his squad in any available tournament. Allderdice entered this season with two...
Obama Academy girls chasing 3rd straight championship against Allderdice
Obama Academy girls basketball coach Monique McCoy impresses on her players the importance of playing in the City League championship game. The Eagles shouldn’t take anything for granted. If Obama Academy beats Allderdice at noon Sunday at Duquesne’s UPMC Cooper Fieldhouse, the Eagles will have won their seventh City League...
Penn Hills notebook: Wrestlers look to advance to WPIAL tournament
Jeremy Packer is eager to see how the Penn Hills wrestling team will handle the section qualifiers. The Indians didn’t have anyone make the WPIAL Class 3A tournament last season, but have several prospects who could make the leap this year. Penn Hills wrestled at the Pine-Richland duals Feb. 3,...
Penn Hills girls look to fine-tune game heading into playoffs
Making adjustments late in the season has served the Penn Hills girls basketball team well. The Indians won back-to-back games going into their section finale, putting them in the playoffs for the second straight year. Without having to scratch and claw late for a spot like last season, senior guard...
Eli Teslovich, Shady Side Academy teammates do best work at full speed
Eli Teslovich is always thinking on the break. The 6-foot-1 Shady Side Academy senior guard has the clearest mind when he’s on the move. Teslovich has an idea of his best spots to shoot from and what defenders may be collapsing to require him to kick to teammates. Teslovich and...
Fox Chapel wrestlers won’t sit back, relax once postseason starts
Michael Worsen would like to find a way to stay on the front foot. If Worsen is going to find a way out of the 121-pound bracket at the WPIAL North section qualifier, through WPIALs and to the PIAA championships, being passive won’t be the ticket. “I feel like I...
Nothing slows Serra Catholic freshman, even her school’s lack of a swim team
Emily Ruperto enjoys the satisfaction of finding a way to self-motivate while competing for Serra Catholic in swimming. The Eagles don’t have enough kids to field a full team, so Ruperto competes as an independent swimmer. In many competitions, Ruperto’s only opponent is the clock on the scoreboard. “I feel...
Carter Lance, Penn Hills football players make college plans
Carter Lance would like to stand out when he hits the practice field for Duquesne’s football team this summer. The Penn Hills senior defensive lineman’s misfortune gave him ample time to devise a recovery plan. Lance tore his meniscus in the third game of the season and missed the rest...
Fox Chapel notebook: Wrestling team advances to WPIAL quarterfinals
The Fox Chapel wrestling team demonstrated in the quarterfinals of the WPIAL Class 3A team tournament what it has shown all season. The Foxes weren’t going to be an easy out for any team. A week after sealing its first section title since the early 1970s, Fox Chapel won its...
Junior guard willing to do whatever it takes to help Fox Chapel girls win
Natalia Schaffer always looks for ways to improve on the basketball court. The Fox Chapel junior guard has been working on playing bigger than she is. With the Foxes being forced to be flexible this season, everyone has found different ways to contribute. After Fox Chapel’s 49-46 win over Hampton...
Times dropping for Penn Hills swimmers as WPIAL meet approaches
Penn Hills swimming coach Morgan Bush doesn’t have to worry about checking if her swimmers have been keeping up with their workout regimens. The Indians’ performance against Woodland Hills shows that they are doing what they need to do. “They are taking the time to improve,” Bush said. “Last (week),...
Penn Hills grad Jaden Dugger embraces challenge of transfer to Louisiana
Jaden Dugger didn’t find the decision to leave Georgetown easy. Knowing the benefits of a degree from the prestigious school, Dugger was hesitant to leave the Hoyas’ football program. But after a strong sophomore season, Dugger felt the pull to push himself athletically as well as in the classroom. Dugger...
Fox Chapel wrestling reaching goals as special season rolls on
Landon Funk was surprised by who he saw when he stepped out on the mat for the final of the Allegheny County Wrestling Championships. Funk’s former youth coach Dustin Widdoss came in from out of town to see him and other wrestlers he coached in the Foxes’ youth program compete....
Fox Chapel indoor track team looks to add state qualifiers
Tom Moul would like to see a contingent of Fox Chapel athletes make it to the PFTSCA championships at the end of the indoor track season. Foxes senior Anna Troutman is the lone returning state qualifier. Troutman qualified in the hurdles and the high jump last season. Troutman, who holds...
With veteran coach leading way, Shaler hockey determined to go on playoff run
The Shaler hockey team started building a solid foundation last season. When the Titans brought in a new coach, they added a name that knows how to win on the PIHL level. Steve Meyers came on board as the Titans’ new coach this season. Meyers previously had a long tenure...
Penn Hills notebook: Daequan Hardy enters NFL Draft, earns spots in East-West Shrine Bowl
Penn Hills graduate Daequan Hardy didn’t have many offers from big-name FBS schools until his virtuoso performance in the 2018 PIAA Class 5A state championship game. Regarding his professional aspirations, Hardy has been trying to best position himself to get to the National Football League. Hardy recently told Penn State...
Penn Hills graduate refines shot put training, breaks records at Seton Hill
Seton Hill sophomore Angelo Allen went into offseason training with a refined focus. The Penn Hills graduate didn’t want to do things half-cocked. Allen wanted to be deliberate and cerebral with his approach. Allen’s dedication to focusing on technique and seeking advice from more experienced throwers produced big results. Allen...
Shaler boys basketball laying foundation for special season
However opponents plan to attack the Shaler boys basketball team, the Titans are likely ready to handle whatever comes at them. For example, Fox Chapel and Shaler were locked in a defensive battle Jan. 16. That was no issue for the Titans. Shaler beat the Foxes, 39-27, despite finishing with...
Fox Chapel senior builds chemistry with linemate, grows as leader
Grady Cullen wants to keep an eye out for wherever Killian Kissane is on the ice. While the Fox Chapel senior enjoys setting up all of his teammates to score goals, Cullen has developed a strong chemistry with his linemate, Kissane. Kissane has scored eight goals in 12 games this...
After 4-1 start, Fox Chapel boys take advantage of break in section play
Getting a 10-day break from Section 2-5A play is something that Fox Chapel coach Zach Skrinjar values. While he is still worried about the Foxes’ two nonsection opponents, Skrinjar enjoys having an opportunity to look at the tape and see where Fox Chapel stands. “It’s a nice mental break not...
Penn Hills wrestler in midst of breakthrough senior season
Cameron Patterson’s transformation as a wrestler came from a willingness to take the first step. The 145-pound senior Penn Hills wrestler wanted to make sure he was going forward with confidence. “I wasn’t a shooter when I first wrestled in high school,” Patterson said. “When I started to shoot, my...
Penn Hills relay team excited for WPIAL meet after hitting qualifying standard
There will be no need to rush the Penn Hills boys 200 freestyle relay team around the Pittsburgh area to compete in different last-chance meets to secure a qualifying time this year. The Indians already have earned their spot in the WPIAL Class 3A championships. With another year of experience...
Fox Chapel celebrates 1st girls wrestling dual meet victory
Vie Filar got the Fox Chapel girls wrestling team in the win column for the first time in history. Filar pinned Valley’s Amaya Hayden in 1 minute, 37 seconds during their 235-pound match Jan. 10 to give the Foxes a 36-33 win at home. It was the first time the...
Fox Chapel notebook: Hockey team to be well-represented at PIHL All-Star game
The Fox Chapel hockey team will be well-represented at the PIHL Class 2A All-Star game. Cam Raidna was chosen as a coach. Fox Chapel also had forwards Liam Wiseman and Dom Casile and defenseman Tyler Goldstein picked to play in the game. Wiseman leads the team with 15 goals and...
