Josh Rizzo stories, Page 34
New coach focuses on fundamentals, teamwork at Summit Academy
Anthony Becoate thought this was the right time to take his first job as a head coach. The McKeesport and Clarion graduate had previously coached junior varsity football at Summit Academy seven years ago but took time away from coaching after having a child. Stepping back into coaching by taking...
Father-son coach-quarterback duo out to earn elusive playoff win for Chartiers-Houston
Terry Fetsko Jr. started in Chartiers-Houston’s program as a ballboy. Often Fetsko would travel with the team coached by his dad, who is in his 18th year as coach, to see away games. Playing quarterback for the program, as Fetsko did last season, was a nice honor. “I was always...
Victory at CrossFit Games culmination of recovery for Penn-Trafford grad Charles Pienaar
Charles Pienaar and his wife Stephanie attended the CrossFit Games together in 2021 just for their enjoyment. The trip turned into a motivational one. After watching a few events, Stephanie turned to Charles and said you should do this. Pienaar, a 2003 Penn-Trafford graduate, was eager to take on the...
Deer Lakes grad Brett Horchar named Fittest Man on Earth at CrossFit Games
Competing in the CrossFit Games doesn’t provide a clearly defined path for athletes. Brett Horchar, who competed in the men’s neuromuscular division, knows that Crossfit is always working to involve what fitness means. Being able to find different ways to work out is a perfect challenge for Horchar, who was...
Top runners on Penn Hills cross country team set for competitive season
Austin Stuchul and Sawyer Kinney went east to make improvements for the Penn Hills cross country team this fall. Attending a cross country camp at Shippensburg University provided both runners with a tremendous amount of perspective. When the team practices started for the fall, Indians coach Lee Zelkowitz saw the...
Imani Christian to pick up pace with coach LaRoi Johnson back
Producing a winning football program at Imani Christian isn’t an impossible dream. Coach LaRoi Johnson knows it because he was there in 2017. The Saints finished a point away from grabbing the WPIAL Class A crown from eventual state champion Jeannette. Things have changed since Johnson, who was the offensive...
Penn Hills’ Lucy Brayton aims for trip to PIAA golf championships
Lucy Brayton spent all summer getting ready for another shot at the PIAA Class 3A golf tournament. The Penn Hills senior was fuming after a slow start on the back nine doomed her performance at the WPIAL Class 3A championship at Hannastown Golf Club. Brayton shot a 8-over par 80...
Penn Hills boys soccer ready to build on 1st playoff appearance in 17 years
Finishing last season on a strong note has had a lasting impact on the Penn Hills boys soccer team. Energized by their first WPIAL playoff appearance in 17 years, the Indians’ players spent the offseason participating in several tournaments to build up more experience. About a month ago, Penn Hills...
New Penn Hills coach wants to ramp up aggressiveness
Penn Hills coach Charles Morris isn’t so worried about X’s and O’s for his first season in charge. The foundation for the Indians’ success on the field has been shaped over the previous few years by the players and coaching staff. Morris, a Penn Hills graduate, wants to know that...
Shaler looks to learn lessons from losing streak
There was a real opportunity last season for the Shaler football team to get off to a 3-0 start. But after two double-digit wins to open the season, the Titans were tripped up by Hampton by three points. What followed that loss is something Shaler coach Jim Ryan hopes another...
Penn Hills junior shows 1-on-1 skills at summer showcase
Penn Hills basketball player Hannah Pugliese was excited to participate in a one-on-one competition that was part of the NEO Summer Showcase last month. To win, all the junior had to do was navigate through a field of 30 players. No problem. “I was trying to be as confident as...
Hard work pays off with league championship for 15U Penn Hills softball squad
Steve DeCarlo has spent seven years with Penn Hills teams of various age groups in the Eastern Fastpitch Softball League. With half of his roster on the 15U team set to age out following this season, the league is considering adding an 18U division to have a recreational summer league...
Shaler teen following goaltending dreams
Mental toughness isn’t something Gino Texter will have to seek out. Hockey has provided the 15-year-old Shaler native with plenty of challenges. Five times Texter tried out to be a goaltender with the Pens’ Elite program. Every attempt ended without an invitation. Texter instead found a home with the Cleveland...
Penn Hills Pony League baseball team caps off strong season with championship
Mason Wade felt the Penn Hills Pony A team was in the middle of what would be a good run. By the time the championship game rolled around July 18 against Squirrel Hill, Wade was confident. “I got a good feeling in the middle of the season,” said Mason, who...
Recent Penn Hills grad chosen for international rugby tournament
Penn Hills rugby coach Matthew Rosemeyer doesn’t know where his son, Charlie Joe, gets the motivation to tackle so many different activities. During his time at Penn Hills, the 2022 graduate played on the football, soccer, rugby and golf teams. Of all the sports Charlie Joe played, rugby may be...
CCAC Boyce baseball program on upward trajectory after strong comeback season
Larry Bielawski was happily working for a rug company in the Strip District when he saw a poster advertising CCAC. Seeing a chance to pick up some skills in music production, Bielawski decided to go back to school while working. Despite not playing baseball since 2018 in the OVDL Summer...
With drive to improve, Penn Hills dives into summer basketball competition
Summer basketball isn’t just about improving skills. Penn Hills boys basketball coach Chris Giles enjoys watching his 3-year-old daughter, Jaxx, co-exist with the teams she’s around. Jaxx has an opportunity to spend time with two teams — her dad’s Penn Hills squad as well as her mom Jordan’s Seton LaSalle...
New coach presiding over positive offseason for Penn Hills football
The excitement still hasn’t worn off for Charles Morris. Spending time working with his players on the Penn Hills football team feels right. Morris, a 2005 Penn Hills graduate who spent time as an assistant at Gateway and Plum, is excited to take over the Indians program with his first...
State playoff loss puts heartbreaking ending on successful season for North Hills softball
Sophia Roncone didn’t bend when facing the pressure of the first round of the PIAA Class 5A softball playoffs. What the North Hills senior pitcher did was turn in one of the best performances of her career. Roncone, a Holy Cross commit, took a no-hitter into the sixth inning against...
Penn Hills grad Jordan Sullivan looks to hit books, baseballs at CCAC Boyce
During his freshman and sophomore years at Penn Hills, Jordan Sullivan wasn’t dedicated to academics and his grades suffered. He spent most of his junior and senior years digging out of the hole. “I obviously wasn’t putting the effort in,” said Sullivan, who graduated from Penn Hills this spring. “I...
Ashley DeVito built program, relationships during 7 seasons with Penn Hills girls soccer
Dayvona Hogan enjoyed being able to keep her eyes on the varsity girls soccer team’s practice while she played for the Linton Middle School team. Hogan would wait until practice ended and eagerly wander over to talk to varsity coach Ashley DeVito. There was a natural curiosity for Hogan, who...
Penn Hills ball hockey team wins national tournament
Hayden Ferra, Nate Morgan and Macin DeFazio were all on different dek ball hockey teams a year ago. When the three came together on the Penn Hills Arsenal Beaver Division team, there was little previous history tying the trio together. “I don’t know if Hayden and Macin knew each other,...
Angelo Allen wraps up decorated Penn Hills track career with pair of state medals
A 2012 trip to the Baltimore area solidified Angelo Allen’s feelings. The graduating Penn Hills thrower always enjoyed track and field. Setting a USATF 8-and-under record in the shot put cemented Allen’s thoughts that he might be good at it. But Allen’s 8.39-meter record throw in that event wouldn’t be...
Kiera Mack among Penn Hills softball standouts honored for turnaround season
Kiera Mack helped set the standard for the Penn Hills softball team. During the preseason, Mack talked about her game still being a work in progress. Even when the Indians’ third baseman/outfielder acknowledged improvements made, she had more ideas for how things could get better. “I can always improve with...
Penn Hills notebook: Julian Dugger on college football recruiting radar
Penn Hills sophomore Julian Dugger is receiving plenty of attention on the college football recruiting scene. Dugger received an offer from the University of Massachusetts last week. He announced the offer on his Twitter feed. It has been a busy spring for Dugger, who also has offers from Toledo and...
