Josh Rizzo stories, Page 45
Internal competition fuels North Allegheny hockey team
Mike Bagnato has 23 players who he considers varsity performers. The North Allegheny coach has all the members of that group practice together, attend team functions and train to help form the program’s culture. During the Tigers’ season-opener Oct. 10 against Mt. Lebanon at the Baierl Ice Complex, three members...
Seneca Valley girls volleyball moves into playoff position
Brett Poirier’s time as interim coach of the Seneca Valley girls volleyball team came following an interesting season for the Raiders. For the first time in Poirier’s seven seasons with the program, Seneca Valley missed the playoffs last year. Poirier, who is serving as interim coach as Karen Martini recovers...
Shaler notebook: Girls golf team eager to build on successful season
The Shaler Area girls golf team isn’t a program that will have to do much soul searching after this season. Second-year Titans coach David Lapmarado already has players willing to give back after the best season in program history. “I’ve had interest from the seniors, Darian Lees and Dana Wolf,...
Shaler cross country trying to peak at right time
Justin Eskra has tried to carefully build up several Shaler Area athletes to make a run for qualifying for the PIAA Class AAA championships. By altering training, entering new races and setting up specific workout plans, the school’s cross country coach wanted to make sure everyone was on the right...
Shaler tennis team, top player Kayli Hannan savor success
Kayli Hannan’s second go-round as the Shaler Area girls tennis team’s top singles player hasn’t lacked for excitement. After being moved into the role midway through last season, the Titans senior has endured a ferocious learning curve. Hannan leaned on her experience during the Section 3-AAA singles tournament last week...
North Allegheny cross country teams narrow focus as big meets loom
For the North Allegheny cross country team, competing at the PIAA Foundation Meet is a nice primer for a program that always has high expectations. Last season, North Allegheny won the meet at the Hershey Parkview cross country site and went on to become the first program in PIAA history...
Shaler girls golf team making big strides
David Lapmarado has tangible evidence of the success of the Shaler Area girls golf program which goes beyond wins and losses. Not that the Titans are lacking in that area. With a 203-201 road win Sept. 5 over Shady Side Academy, Shaler (4-2, 4-2) equaled its win total from last...
Shaler soccer coach preaches patience
Adam Hunter doesn’t want the Shaler Area boys soccer team to be too frustrated. While the Titans coach knows the results haven’t been there early in the season, he believes they are on the horizon. Shaler has been limited to two goals over its first five games. “I keep reassuring...
Defense guiding North Allegheny to fast start
Attempting to grind out a victory against North Allegheny football would be ill-advised. Behind an aggressive defense, the Tigers have snuffed out opposing offenses in three straight victories to start the season. North Allegheny, which snuck by Central Catholic, 11-10, on Sept. 6 at Shaler, has recorded two shutouts and...
Peterson powers Shaler volleyball to successful start
Emily Peterson isn’t expecting to make the list of the WPIAL’s hardest hitters. What the Shaler Area junior middle blocker is hoping to carve out a reputation for is being efficient. The Titans are hoping Peterson can be part of a developing middle that will add another weapon to their...
Offensive line combination builds strong foundation for Shaler Area
Shaler Area coach Jim Ryan received a call from a few of his assistant during an early portion of training camp. They felt a solution to how to assemble the Titans’ offensive line was available. Shaler had two returning starters — Nevin Summerfield and Austin McKaveney — and a lot...
North Allegheny volleyball sets sights on championship 3-peat
Heidi Miller isn’t looking three or four months down the road. Still, the North Allegheny girls volleyball coach had no choice but to mention what the program is looking to try to accomplish. The Tigers’ program has set the standard too high over the past two seasons, winning back-to-back WPIAL...
Shaler cross country wants to continue program’s growth
Years of rebuilding the middle school cross country program started to show progress at the varsity level for Shaler Area last season. After a five-year absence, the Titans had two runners — Samantha Hennen and Dalton Kalbaugh — reach the PIAA Class AAA championships. While neither earned a medald, Hennen,...
Shaler tennis tandem playing beyond its years
Julia Ehrenberger’s tennis career wasn’t born out of passion from watching the game growing up. Far from it. The Shaler Area sophomore grew to like the sport two years ago after attending a summer camp at the behest of her mother. “I didn’t want to. My mom forced me to...
North Allegheny notebook: Girls soccer goes after 4th third straight playoff berth
North Allegheny girls soccer won’t be lacking for firepower when it begins its quest for a third straight WPIAL Class AAAA playoff berth. The Tigers, who opened the season last Friday against perennial power Mars at Newman Stadium, bring back plenty from a team that advanced to the WPIAL quarterfinals...
North Allegheny boys soccer sets goal: Section championship
Losing players to graduation is something North Allegheny boys soccer coach Bobby Vosmaer has to deal with annually. What makes things easier is the depth the program consistently produces. While North Allegheny lost starting goalkeeper Devon Angermeier from last season, the Tigers have three potential replacements Vosmaer believe can help...
Defense comes 1st for Shaler girls soccer team
Craig Wilkins doesn’t want to see the Shaler Area girls soccer team dragged into high-scoring affairs. Trying to match the scoring output of the stalwarts of Section 1-4A would leave the Titans in deep waters. What the second-year Shaler coach would like to see is a team more focused on...
Shaler boys soccer won’t be cowed by tough section
Shaler Area boys soccer coach Adam Hunter is hopeful the Titans are better prepared for the degree of difficulty in Section 1-AAA than at this time last year. When the WPIAL realigned conferences, three talented, competitive programs were added, and the result was a tough season for Shaler (2-15, 1-13)....
Avonworth hopes to challenge in Allegheny Conference with new QB Penrod
Playing quarterback for Avonworth will provide Park Penrod plenty of opportunities to shine. Penrod saw that while backing up Derek Johncour, who passed for 2,694 yards and 24 touchdowns last season. “I know the offense like the back of my hand,” Penrod said. “I know how it’s run. I didn’t...
Burrell boys soccer wants to muscle way into WPIAL playoffs
Starting as an underclassmen provided invaluable experience for junior midfielder Nicholas Kariotis. Having several members of the Burrell boys soccer team in similar situations allowed them to grow together. Unfortunately for the Buccaneers, they were, at times, outmuscled last season. “With us getting older, we have become more mature,” Kariotis...
Burrell girls soccer, 1st-year coach building upon solid foundation
Frank Nesko does not want to put too many expectations on the Burrell girls soccer team. As the Buccaneers’ first-year coach, Nesko wants to continue building on the program’s solid foundation. During the past two seasons, Burrell lost in the WPIAL Class AA quarterfinals. The Buccaneers, who finished last season...
Fort Cherry pushes on after season-ending knee injury to starting QB
A lot of different factors influence where athletes line up for the Fort Cherry football team. Unfortunately for Rangers coach Jim Shiel, attrition is one of the largest influences on his team over the past two seasons. Long before Fort Cherry steps on the field for its opener Aug. 30...
Shaler Area looking to build on return to playoffs
Ending a long playoff drought last season allowed the Shaler Area football team to shed its label as perennial also-rans. But the Titans also are focused on making sure their surprise run to the Class 5A playoffs isn’t a case of being one-year wonders. How Shaler can make the transition...
Shaler Area to honor Junker in latest hall of fame class
Brian Junker’s spring was one he won’t easily forget. The 1995 Shaler Area graduate got the call for the school district’s athletic hall of fame in May. “No doubt, it’s an honor,” Junker said. “Just to be thought of like this where you were born and raise, it’s nice.” Meanwhile,...
North Allegheny football sets sights on elusive WPIAL Class 6A title
North Allegheny has been knocking on the door for three years for a return to the WPIAL championship at Heinz Field since the state expanded to six football classes. Each time, the Tigers were turned away by a conference rival. Senior offensive lineman Ben Grafton is eager to get back...
