Derry gets past Elizabeth Forward in tense finale to win 1st section title in 69 years
Entering Friday night’s contest between Elizabeth Forward and Derry, both squads knew the stakes of their matchup. In a de facto Section 3-4A championship game, the winner would snap a conference title drought and put themselves in position for a first-round bye in the playoffs. After trailing for the majority...
Norwin boys close out Peters Township tournament with win over Belle Vernon
During the holiday season, local basketball teams play in tournaments hoping to be challenged by different teams in a way that will harden them for the upcoming barrage of section games. Whether that happens or not can depend, but there was no doubt that Norwin and Belle Vernon got their...
Belle Vernon boys ride ‘all kinds of heart’ to win over Derry
Every athlete knows to stay prepared at all times because there’s no telling when one can get a chance to make a big impact. On Friday night, Belle Vernon’s Vincenzo Francia earned a spot in the starting lineup with senior leader Curty Wade suddenly out, and he made the most...
Clairton fends off Bishop Canevin to earn a shot at a return to WPIAL glory
The Clairton football program hasn’t won a WPIAL championship since 2019. While that is fairly recent and not a huge deal to most schools, the standards are simply different for the Bears. With 14 titles, the second-most in WPIAL history, rings are expected to be a yearly reward. After Friday...
Kemon Spell tips scales in favor of McKeesport in 4A semifinal win over Thomas Jefferson
When McKeesport and Thomas Jefferson met in early September during the regular season, there was one key component missing from their spirited rivalry. The Jaguars won, but both teams knew that the absence of five-star superstar Kemon Spell, who left the game after three carries due to a nagging ankle...
Steel Valley makes statement in sending South Allegheny to 1st loss, forcing tie for section title
Despite a difficult 1-2 start to the season, Steel Valley knew that it had what it takes to compete with the best of Class 2A this year. With athletes all over the field, including a Pitt commit in talented RB/CB Da’Ron Barksdale, and a longtime head coach in Ray Braszo,...
Logan Metzger steps into starring role as Belle Vernon opens boys soccer playoffs with win
With everything to play for in a grudge match between neighbors, it was two goals from Logan Metzger that made the difference for Belle Vernon. The 2-1 victory over Ringgold in a preliminary-round game Thursday put the Leopards into the first round of the Class 3A playoffs. No. 16 Belle...
McKeesport’s Kemon Spell scores 6 TDs in win over Mars, wavers on Penn State commitment
McKeesport’s Kemon Spell battled some injury issues early on in the season, but he looked to be at his very best on Friday night against a top Class 4A opponent in Mars. The Tigers and the Fightin’ Planets are not only top teams in the WPIAL, but also the top...
Unique boys soccer clash of Cougars ends in split between Yough, Charleroi
It was a bizarre night of soccer at Yough Stadium as two sets of Cougars in Charleroi and Yough played their scheduled match as well as the remaining 4 minutes, 14 seconds of their previous encounter Sept. 11 that was postponed because of unruly fans. Yough opened up the night...
South Allegheny routs South Park to avenge loss, solidify contender status in Class 2A
Coming into Friday night’s clash against reigning WPIAL Class 2A champion South Park, South Allegheny had a chip on its shoulder. When the sides last met, the Eagles traveled to Gladiator Stadium and outlasted SA in a 48-38 shootout. Three-hundred and sixty-four days later, it was the Gladiators who traveled...
Turnover-prone Monessen pulls out sloppy win over Serra Catholic
A bizarre beginning to Friday’s game between Monessen and Serra Catholic foreshadowed a contest marred by turnovers and mistakes. In the end, it was Monessen that picked up a 13-6 win to kick off Black Hills Conference play. After six-and-a-half minutes of action, there already were five turnovers as Serra...
Peters Township takes down shorthanded McKeesport
In preparation for a clash with a top Class 5A opponent in Peters Township, the McKeesport football team took a big blow Wednesday night when it learned that five-star running back Kemon Spell would be sidelined with an ankle injury. A week after he rumbled for 292 rushing yards and...
Architect of dominant Serra Catholic defenses returns to give Eagles a boost as head coach
From 2017-2022, the Serra Catholic defense was coached by defensive coordinator Akeeme Robinson, known by most as “Coach Keem.” His passion and devotion to player development shined as the Eagles broke a WPIAL record by forcing nine turnovers in the 2021 WPIAL Class 2A championship game, resulting in a lopsided...
With dynamic backfield, McKeesport in position to take championship step forward
Despite enjoying plenty of success over the past few seasons — enough to satisfy the majority of WPIAL football programs — McKeesport has felt bittersweet about its recent results. The Tigers have played well enough to win their conference and advance to the WPIAL championship the last two years, but...
WPIAL, state champ Mya Morgan of Elizabeth Forward to golf, study engineering at Central Michigan
Having just started her final season of high school golf, and after years of evaluating her options as a top player in the state, Elizabeth Forward’s Mya Morgan found her fit as she committed to Central Michigan to continue her academic and athletic careers. The decision has been a long...
Thomas Jefferson’s Maggie Spell commits to Campbell
Thomas Jefferson’s Maggie Spell had been in talks with different college basketball programs when she went with her Western PA Bruins AAU team to the Under Armour Association Finals from July 18-21. After her performance at the tournament, she received a call from Campbell coach Ronny Fisher telling her that...
Parker Lind wins pitchers’ duel as Belle Vernon blanks Beaver in Class 4A quarterfinals
Deep into the WPIAL playoffs, coaches often say strong pitching and defense are mandatory to win games. During Monday’s Class 4A quarterfinal matchup between No. 4 Beaver and No. 5 Belle Vernon, two Division I pitchers faced off, and while Ty Butler was great for the Bobcats, Parker Lind stole...
Burrell baseball earns wild victory over Charleroi in 1st-round slugfest
Many first-round playoff baseball games are grudge matches on the mound with one or two runs being scored against the best pitchers each side has to offer. During Thursday’s WPIAL Class 3A opener, it was the offenses of No. 8 Burrell and No. 9 Charleroi that engaged in a heavyweight...
With Derry pitcher sidelined, top seed Elizabeth Forward cruises into semifinals
Ahead of Wednesday’s WPIAL Class 4A softball quarterfinal matchup against Derry, Elizabeth Forward coach Harry Rutherford emphasized that the No. 8 Trojans wouldn’t be a squad to take lightly. However, an unfortunate development changed the outlook of the game when it was determined that Derry’s ace, Haylee Myers, would be...
Clairton scoring sensation Iyanna Wade to play college ball at Slippery Rock
After one of the best basketball careers in WPIAL history, Clairton’s Iyanna Wade on Friday announced her decision to continue her academic and athletic career at Slippery Rock. Wade, who also held offers from Robert Morris, Lander University, the University of Charleston and Valdosta State, decided on The Rock due...
Belle Vernon sees magical season, coach’s career come to an end with loss to Sharon
With all the circumstances surrounding his team’s PIAA second-round matchup against District 10 runners-up Sharon, Belle Vernon coach Joe Salvino felt that his squad was putting plenty of pressure on itself. After the emotions of winning the second WPIAL championship in school history and knowing that they’re one loss away...
