Josh Rizzo stories, Page 7

Jeff Perlis was eager to see his 3,200 meter relay team in action during the indoor season. The Shady Side Academy girls track and field coach knew the Bulldogs had the potential to have a strong team. The Bulldogs returned 75% of their starters — Charlotte Baker, Sarah Kushnir and...

Larry Troutman hasn’t had to worry about some of the typical pratfalls that revolve around taking over a spring sports program. The first-year Fox Chapel softball coach has had excellent weather to get settled into the job. Following two years leading Leechburg, the Foxes’ new coach didn’t want to waste...

Karis Thomas leapt in the air and chest bumped a yelling Leah Buford in front of the Shady Side Academy bench as the time wound down Friday night at Fox Chapel. The Bulldogs’ junior guard and her teammates made adjustments on the fly to become a team capable of reaching...

Mike Morascyzk would have liked to lift the PIHL’s varsity Division 2 Penguins Cup championship trophy Tuesday night at UPMC Lemieux Complex. While the Buccaneers were denied making program history when Morgantown (W.Va.) picked up a 5-1 win, Burrell was comforted by having an opportunity to play in the first...

Chantz Watkins can relate to the Burrell hockey team’s feelings following a 5-1 loss to Morgantown in the Penguins Cup Tuesday night at the UPMC Lemieux Complex. Watkins, a Buccaneers assistant coach, was on the ice for Burrell’s Division 2 Pens Cup loss to Neshannock the year before. Losing to...

Tucker Cullen sat in the locker room Monday night at UPMC Lemieux Complex bawling next to Fox Chapel senior forward Dom Casile. Cullen, a sophomore, wanted to help Casile be a part of the first Foxes team to lift the PIHL’s Class 2A Penguins Cup. Cathedral Prep forward Ethan Cuningham...

Ryan Loebig felt fortunate he didn’t have to build the Fox Chapel hockey program from the ground up. When Loebig took over before this season, his desire was to tinker with some small things to make the team more productive. The Foxes will see if that is enough to get...

Thiel junior Hayden Wightman wasn’t sure she was even going to attend college. If Wightman did go, she wasn’t sure she wanted to follow the family tradition of playing lacrosse. While Wightman was in high school at Shaler Area, she didn’t play any varsity sports. But once her dad took...

The Penn Hills swim team recently competed at the WPIAL Class 3A championships at Trees Pool. While the Indians didn’t send anyone to Bucknell for the state championships, there was improvement throughout their lineup. Anthony Sipple placed 21st in the 50-yard freestyle with a time of 22.76 seconds, which was...

Even with nine starters returning, Shaler softball coach Tom Sorce was hesitant to describe exactly what this year’s team will be like. The Titans finished 15-4 last season and bowed out in the WPIAL Class 5A quarterfinals to Penn-Trafford. “We want to play one game at a time and get...

South Fayette girls basketball coach Bryan Bennett always has the future in mind. The Lions work on some concepts that may not be employed for months, if ever. South Fayette showcased that Saturday during a 70-52 PIAA Class 5A quarterfinal against District 6 champion Hollidaysburg on Saturday at Armstrong High...

Aliquippa guard Josh Pratt felt comfortable at the start of the PIAA Class 3A boys basketball quarterfinal Saturday against District 6 champion Forest Hills. Collectively, the Quips seemed businesslike in their approach. Aliquippa turned up the heat defensively from the opening whistle and cruised to a 73-34 win at Armstrong...

Harran Zureikat wants to give precise answers to questions about kicks. Anyone talking about the Fox Chapel junior kicker should be prepared for his thoughts to turn to game-like scenarios immediately. For example, ask him what the longest field goal he can make is, and he needs more details. “In...

The Fox Chapel baseball team has the starting pitching to once again be in the mix for a section title. The Foxes hope the bats will follow. Fox Chapel’s rotation will be led by a one-two punch including West Virginia commit Blake Krushinski and Jeremy Haigh. “I think we have...

The first meeting between Burrell and Morgantown (W.Va.) during the PIHL varsity Division 2 season seems like a long time ago. The Buccaneers went to Morgantown on Oct. 10 and rallied from a two-goal deficit in the third period to eke out a 6-5 win. Luke Mink scored the game-winner...

Jacob Rose lit the fire to the Burrell hockey team’s goal barrage 16 seconds into the third period. Once Rose’s breakaway effort found the back of the net, there was little Deer Lakes could do to wrestle back the momentum Thursday night at the RMU Island Sports Center. Julian Kemp...

Realignment presents challenges for many baseball teams around the WPIAL. That will be the case for some of the teams in the Alle-Kiski Valley this season. Valley baseball coach Jim Basilone lost three seniors who did a lot of pitching last season, but the Vikings still have their share of...

Saint Francis junior guard Chris Moncrief saw Daemar Kelly practice the situation he found himself in during the Northeast Conference championship game hundreds of times. There weren’t always cameras or opponents around, but Kelly wanted to be the guy who could make big shots. Kelly, a Penn Hills graduate, stuck...

Michael Worsen was cutting weight in a frenzy. The Fox Chapel senior wrestler got the call 36 hours ahead of the PIAA Western Regional that he was being put into the 121-pound bracket as an alternate. Worsen immediately hit the sauna and did some running to drop close to five...

The PIHL’s promotion and relegation system makes it challenging for programs to sustain their success as they climb the ladder. Fox Chapel reached the Class A Penguins Cup two seasons ago. After being bounced in the first round last year after taking the step up to Class 2A, the Foxes...

Michele Stiller was excited to have the opportunity to take over the Penn Hills softball program. Stiller, a 2012 Penn Hills graduate, was confident the pipeline supplying the varsity program was in good shape. “There is a lot of good coaching at the middle school and rec level,” Stiller said....

The bright yellow signs taped on the padded walls behind the batting cages inside the Fralic Center are impossible to miss. In large black letters, the Penn Hills baseball team has a blunt reminder of what they hope to avoid in the future. The signs read 0-22, of the Indians’...

Dan Casarcia was eager to help coach. When Casarcia joined the Plum track and field coaching staff in 1997, he was given a clipboard and told by Mustangs head coach Joe Ionta to write down each runner’s splits at the 1-mile mark. But when Casarcia reached the mile marker, he...

The reward for a good season from the Knoch boys basketball team was more work for coach Alan Bauman. It’s time he’s happy to invest. The Knights, who earned the fifth seed out of the WPIAL, will attempt to knock off District 10 champion Cathedral Prep in a PIAA Class...

Mackenzie McIntyre has continued to inch toward her goal of being one of the best sprinters in the state. The Penn Hills senior earned her opportunity to showcase what she can do in front of the whole state at the Pennsylvania Track & Field Coaches Association indoor state championships March...