Josh Rizzo stories, Page 31
Fox Chapel boys look to build consistency in season’s 2nd half
After graduating every starter from a team that won a WPIAL Class 6A title and reached the PIAA semifinals last season, Fox Chapel boys basketball coach Zach Skrinjar expected to put his roster through a bevy of learning experiences this year. That’s why anyone following the Foxes has seen plenty...
Highlands boys find right pace, win 10th straight meeting with Freeport
Fast, moderate or slow makes no difference to Highlands guard Cam Reigard. The Golden Rams will be ready for any potential pratfall that will come their way. Coming off a two-game losing streak and dealing with tragedy in the community this week, Highlands was able to bounce back by beating...
Penn Hills senior thrilled by surprise scholarship announcement
Jamie Wade had a difficult task ahead of her. After finding out her daughter, Maura, had won a $5,000 scholarship as part of The Point’s Friday Night Rivalry series, Jamie wanted to find the right way to surprise her with the news. What Jamie told Maura was that someone was...
Penn Hills notebook: Bowlers show early promise
Local bowling teams have gotten off to a tough start to the season. Penn Hills’ boys team has lost its first two matches. However, Indians sophomore bowler Nick Hepler has shown promise. If he can continue how he bowled in the first match, Hepler will be in for a strong...
Penn Hills notebook: Longtime volleyball coach steps down
Longtime Penn Hills volleyball coach Jay Mitlo had stepped down. Mitlo, a 1989 Penn Hills graduate, has been head coach of the girls volleyball program since 1997. He took over the boys program in 2011. His resignation was accepted at a Dec. 7 school board meeting. “It basically came down...
With an assist from football team, Penn Hills wrestling gets numbers boost
Dom Frollo looks around the wrestling room at Penn Hills and is happy with an opportunity to mentor young wrestlers. Thanks to the effort of Penn Hills football coach Charles Morris, the Indians were able to beef their roster up to 17 kids. “It’s different,” said Frollo, who is a...
Penn Hills track team looks to build confidence during indoor season
Lee Zelkowitz is excited to get the track team moving through the indoor season. Practice was scheduled to start Dec. 5, and the Indians hope to utilize the season to build confidence and capitalize with some strong performances. Zelkowitz emphasized the goal is getting everyone ready for the outdoor championships...
Pitt senior to coach Shaler swim teams
Maddie London believed she had something to offer the athletes on the Shaler swim team. The current Pitt swimmer has had many experiences with coaching and hopes to make a positive impact for the Titans. London, a native of Collierville, Tenn., started her swimming career at Arkansas before transferring to...
Shaler girls bring exciting mix of young prospects, proven talent
The Shaler girls basketball program is excited to have an influx of sophomores ready to contribute at the varsity level. Coach Cornelious Nesbit is also excited he doesn’t have to rush their development, either. Shaler will feature 5-foot-9 senior guard Haley Kostorick, a Clarion commit, and 5-11 senior forward Mackenzie...
Valley goes through growing pains in Dave Heavner’s 1st season
Dave Heavner wanted to make being a member of the Valley football team centered around expectations. Showing up and working hard at practice wasn’t going to be the be-all, end-all. To stick around, Heavner wanted the Vikings to show they were committed. “We put some rules and regulations into place,”...
Penn Hills girls basketball eager to get back on course
Hannah Pugliese doesn’t need to dig into the history books to know what the tradition of the Penn Hills girls basketball program means. All she has to do is talk to volunteer assistant coaches Desiree Oliver and Jade Ely, who have been helping the team out in the preseason. Both...
Penn Hills boys look to use playoff run as springboard
The Penn Hills boys basketball team got a jolt from what it did beyond the WPIAL Class 5A playoffs last season. While the Indians didn’t bring home a PIAA crown, Penn Hills did leave a remarkable wave behind it during the state tournament. The Indians knocked off Lampeter-Strasburg and East...
Small roster doesn’t shrink expectations for Monessen girls
Monessen girls basketball coach Janine Vertacnik has kept a close eye on how hard she is working with everyone. The Greyhounds don’t have a roster with a lot of room for a lot of flexibility. Avoiding injuries and ailments will be important for a team trying to repeat last season’s...
Returning starters, influx of talent make Monessen boys contenders in Class A
Becoming a better basketball player wasn’t going to be accomplished by doing the same old things. Jaisen Blackman, a senior at Monessen, decided he was going to find an outlet to help improve. By playing in a league in the Mon Valley, Blackman gave himself a boost. “It was my...
Knoch boys will rely on biggest strength: Depth
There was no need for Knoch boys basketball coach Alan Bauman to apply any extra pressure. What the Knights needed were honest expectations for the season ahead. Not returning many starters from last season’s team will mean a lot of fresh faces in new roles. “We’ve been talking a lot...
Knoch girls basketball raring to go after WPIAL success
Making a run to the Petersen Events Center didn’t necessarily impact the passion surrounding the Knoch girls basketball program. For the Knights players who made school history by winning 22 games and reaching the WPIAL final and winning a PIAA playoff game for the first time, that passion was always...
New coach sets lofty goal for Highlands girls basketball
Finding a way to adjust to a new coach can be difficult. But in the case of some players on the Highlands girls basketball team, they have a bit of a history with first-year coach Shawn Bennis. He has coached at the AAU level with the PK Flash AAU program....
Experienced Highlands boys counting on defense to lead them on another playoff run
Jimmy Kunst takes defense personally. The senior point guard for the Highlands basketball team knows his teammates feel the same way. Expect Kunst and his teammates to hit the floor, either to draw charges or grab loose balls. Entering a season with high expectations means the Golden Rams will need...
After 2nd straight playoff trip, Burrell coaches, players continue to push program forward
Burrell football coach Shawn Liotta isn’t going to try and cram any square pegs into round holes. Twenty-four years of coaching experience has shown Liotta the way to properly structure a program requires coaches and cultures evolving to their environments. For the 13 seniors on this year’s team, they’ve seen...
Penn Hills athletes participate in WPIAL Sportsmanship Summit
Getting a chance to look at the past while keeping an eye on the near future provided Penn Hills junior Hannah Pugliese with an opportunity for reflection. Pugliese was one of six Penn Hills athletes who represented the school at the WPIAL’s 13th annual Summit on Sportsmanship on Nov. 16...
New coach knows progress Penn Hills swim team could make
Taking over as the Penn Hills varsity swimming coach is a fun challenge for Morgan Bush. Bush, a 30-year-old Oakland Catholic graduate, has spent much of her post-college life coaching swimming for clubs and in the summer. One challenge she hasn’t tackled is leading a high school program. After serving...
Shaler boys basketball intent on breaking through playoff barrier
Brandon London was forced to sit out last basketball season when a football injury relegated him to the sidelines. As London’s shoulder healed, he and his Shaler boys basketball teammates were all focused on a common goal: getting past the WPIAL Class 5A quarterfinals. Last season, the Titans didn’t meet...
Oakland Catholic senior commits to college volleyball, signs with Stony Brook
Maddy Cigna didn’t have a clear-cut path laid out in front of her when it came to planning for college. The Oakland Catholic senior and Shaler Township resident knew she liked volleyball, but did she love it? “When I was in eighth grade, I wasn’t sure I wanted to play...
‘Second family’ of Belle Vernon girls basketball ready for run
Jenna Dawson was happy to find something that clicked in place. Falling in love with basketball was something the Belle Vernon senior guard picked up from her dad, Eric, who also played for the Leopards. Out of Dawson and her two siblings, she was the only one who stuck with...
Belle Vernon boys basketball in holding pattern for now
Joe Salvino is fortunate to have a large amount of experience behind him to handle what in other states would be a unique issue. Due to the success of Belle Vernon’s football program, and how the PIAA does the football schedule, getting the boys basketball team on track will take...
