Josh Rizzo stories, Page 40
Penn Hills shot putter goes back to basics, hits PIAA qualifying mark
Angelo Allen knew something wasn’t right with his approach in the weeks leading up to the WPIAL Class AAA track and field championships. The Penn Hills junior shot putter responded by consulting his team of advisers, including his coaches and dad. “It’s definitely a hand-in-hand process,” said Allen, who qualified...
Penn Hills notebook: Allen qualifies for states in shot put
Angelo Allen delivered on his promise at the WPIAL Class AAA Track and Field Championships last Wednesday at Slippery Rock University. The Penn Hills senior thrower hit a PIAA qualifying standard in the shot put with a best throw of 53 feet, 5.5 inches, placing him fourth in the district....
Late-season winning streak gives Penn Hills baseball hope for future
Anthony Scuilli thought the season finale was a good representation of this year’s Penn Hills baseball team. The Indians showed plenty of glimpses of their offensive potential during a wild 10-8 nonsection win over Knoch on May 13 at home. Penn Hills also had several lapses — on defense and...
Small numbers help Penn Hills track put emphasis on training, improving
Low numbers was never something Penn Hills track and field coach Lee Zelkowitz wanted to experience. But for this season, having fewer kids on the roster actually has been a help in terms of bringing an inexperienced group up to speed. Competing at the West Mifflin Last Chance meet gave...
Penn Hills baseball focused on future
Penn Hills baseball got the offensive jolt it needed during its final Section 2-5A series of the season. Facing rival Woodland Hills, the Indians plated 20 runs in two games to close the section schedule on a positive note with 14-4 and 6-3 victories. The 14 runs in the first...
Tamo-Noche, fellow seniors continue development for Penn Hills boys volleyball
Alain Tamo-Noche picked up volleyball as a sophomore looking to build skills for basketball season. The 6-foot-1 Penn Hills senior outside hitter is now considering playing in college. Learning the sport has been a fun process for Tamo-Noche, who learned from veteran players when he started and is now part...
Penn Hills’ Big Red Rugby building foundation for future
Every match the Big Red Rugby club team plays is a learning experience. After opening against a few clubs that were newer programs like Penn Hills’ squad, the Big Red took one on the chin against West Allegheny. At an event hosted by Moon, the Big Red Rugby club fell...
Penn Hills grad Sipple makes splash at Edinboro
Stephanie Sipple’s boyfriend would be on dry land holding bungee cords, while she would take 20 butterfly strokes in Edinboro Lake. The Edinboro junior swimmer and Penn Hills graduate didn’t want to fall behind. With the school enforcing tight covid-19 restrictions, Sipple wanted to stay in shape. With few organized...
Penn Hills catcher back and better than ever
Jordan Sullivan Jr. didn’t sit around and pout when the pandemic forced the Penn Hills baseball team to have last season canceled. Tommy John surgery would have kept him sidelined either way. The junior catcher for the Indians felt when he returned, he didn’t feel any ill effects. “I feel...
Penn Hills’ Angelo Allen carries momentum into spring track season
Angelo Allen laid the groundwork for what could be an outstanding spring with a strong winter track and field season. Everything the Penn Hills junior has done far has shown the winter was a preview of what is to come. Allen won the shot put with a throw of 50...
Early season win shows potential for Penn Hills softball
Kiern Mack sent a pitch left hanging over the plate solidly over the fence April 19 at Milltown Field in Penn Hills. The home run was a first in varsity competition for the junior outfielder. Mack’s grand slam helped propel the Indians to a 13-1 win over St. Joseph, snapping...
Penn Hills sports notebook: Indians’ Allen medals at South Hills Classic
Angelo Allen took advantage of the 17th annual South Hills Classic being hosted closer to home. The Penn Hills thrower finished second in the shot put with a throw of 49 feet, 6 1/2 inches and seventh in the discus with a throw of 118-7. While Baldwin was the event...
Big Red Rugby’s debut a smashing success
Ethan Payne-Hawkins and his teammates had plenty of assistance during the Big Red Rugby club team’s debut match against Central Catholic. There were coaches on both sides to help guide the program through the rigors of a rugby 7s match. The referee also stopped the match several times, with the...
Shaler track and field athletes getting up to speed after missed season
Shaler Area track and field coach Shawn Ryan had a nice return to competition for the Titans’ girls track team. Shaler beat North Hills, 87-60, in its first dual meet, collecting its first victory since Ryan took over the program in 2019. In a season where many athletes will be...
Shaler’s Szazynski is 1st in at least 17 years to reach WPIAL singles tourney
Shaler Area senior Cameron Szazynski wanted to keep punishing the second serve of Fox Chapel’s Cooper Friday last Wednesday. Szazynski saw an opening during their Section 3-AAA quarterfinal match and worked to exploit it. The seventh-seeded Szazynski kept scoring points with strong returns and broke second-seeded Friday twice in the...
Shaler boys volleyball lacks varsity experience but ‘stacks up well’ with top teams
Ian Weber stepped on the court last Thursday against North Allegheny in an unfamiliar spot. The Shaler Area junior middle blocker is the only returning starter from the Titans’ 2019 boys volleyball season. That season marked a landmark one. The Titans finished third in the WPIAL and won their first...
Shaler girls lacrosse team looking to develop chemistry on the fly
Missing a season due to the pandemic hurt the Shaler girls lacrosse program in a number of ways. Seniors didn’t have the opportunity to close their careers, and those who return for this year’s team missed out on time to develop. Titans coach Ali Nicholas believes that development this season...
Senior Logan Parker leads deep, talented Plum track team
Logan Parker made the most out of his winter competitions. The Plum senior built momentum heading into his senior season by placing 13th in the shot put at the Adidas Indoor Nationals in late February. Parker’s best throw of 53 feet, 9 inches placed him 13th overall and second of...
Hard-hitting lineup to lead the way for Shaler softball
Tom Sorce cackled at the idea of using a designated player to hit for Shaler pitcher Bethany Rodman. The Shaler coach wants to utilize Rodman in every capacity. “If I did that, they’d run me out of here,” Source said. “She did well this summer. We’ve played two scrimmages, and...
Shaler sophomore’s early season win shows tennis team’s depth
Shaler sophomore Josh Jashinski was happy to be the last player on the tennis court. Dragged into a battle while playing No. 1 singles for the Titans against Plum on March 17, Jashinski needed a little extra support. Jashinski dropped a self-described error-filled second set in a tiebreak and would...
Scrappy Plum softball eager to repeat 2019 success
Melanie Mienke was set to take over as the workhorse of Plum’s pitching staff last spring. Losing a year because of the pandemic means Mienke, now a senior, steps into a much different situation. The Mustangs will have three new starters in the infield. This is a Plum squad that...
Riverview softball laying groundwork with inexperienced roster
Jim Ashbaugh isn’t sure what to expect from the Riverview softball team this season. He’s not alone in that concern among WPIAL softball coaches. Having an inkling of what could occur is difficult to ascertain because of the effects from the coronavirus pandemic. Missing a season guaranteed there will be...
Shaler grad Brianna Schwartz has lasting impact with A-10 champion Duquesne runners
Duquesne assistant coach Jeff Gibson went scooting toward the finish line of the Atlantic 10 Championship course March 5 at Pole Green Park in Mechanicsville, Va., to deliver good news. Brianna Schwartz and her fellow Dukes were surprised at what he had to say. Duquesne coach Jim Lear told the...
Shaler notebook: Bowlers finish in top 20 at regionals
Throughout the season, the Shaler girls bowling team demonstrated its depth. At the Western Regional Championships, the Titans were once again led by a different competitor. Megan Schwab bowled an 847 series with a high game of 204 to place a team-high 17th at the event. Due to the pandemic,...
Shaler girls basketball team plans to build on this season’s experience
Shaler girls basketball coach Cournelious Nesbit believed Bethel Park’s Olivia Westphal provided a valuable lesson for his Titans. Westphal, a Duquesne recruit, established her presence early and poured in 33 points to lead the Black Hawks to a 64-37 win in the first round of the WPIAL Class 6A playoffs...
