Michael Love stories, Page 106

No matter where Apollo-Ridge coach John Skiba turns on the practice field, he sees a returning starter. Experience abounds for the Vikings, who hope to build on last year’s 7-4 overall record and WPIAL Class 2A playoff appearance. The team also hosted its first postseason game since 2014. “I and...

Serra Catholic battled No. 4 Neshannock in last year’s WPIAL Class 2A first round before falling, 31-17. Eagles fourth-year coach Jose Regus said despite the playoff loss, much was gained by his players throughout the 2019 campaign, which finished with a 6-4 overall record. With increased numbers — from 23...

Shady Side Academy’s football team made headlines last year when low roster numbers and injuries conspired to cause the forfeit of a Week 5 conference game at Apollo-Ridge. But the players regrouped, and the next week, they defeated conference foe Summit Academy to solidify their position in the WPIAL Class...

In accordance with a design developed by the Atlantic Coast Conference, the Pitt women’s volleyball team will play eight matches this fall against four regional conference opponents. The three-time defending ACC champion Panthers released their schedule Friday morning. They will face Syracuse, Boston College, Notre Dame and Louisville. Play begins...

Gateway captured a WPIAL championship last year, its second district football title in three years and seventh in the storied history of the program. The Gators return this season with similar intentions, and they also hope to make another run to Hershey after falling in the state semifinals a season...

Armstrong went to battle with a rather young and inexperienced team last year, and coach Frank Fabian said that, compounded with a rash of injuries to key players, led to a record he and his returning players hope to improve on this fall. “We found out that our depth was...

Dawson Dietz says it’s a perfect fit. After several seasons competing as one of the smallest teams in Class 5A, Hampton dropped down to Class 4A, and it landed among similar programs in terms of both size and geography. “Mars Week 1, that’s going to be the most exciting game...

The Knoch football team has a clear goal in mind this season. The Knights are focused on returning to the WPIAL playoffs for the first time since 2014, and with a core group of starters back along with others ready to make an impact, coach Brandon Mowry is optimistic his...

After several years of play in WPIAL Class 5A, Plum turns its attention to a new venture this season. The Mustangs are one of the several teams to make the move to Class 4A, and coach Matt Morgan said the change, along with a large group of starters back, presents...

Lou Eleuteri doesn’t plan on slowing down any time soon. The 63-year-old competitive powerlifter, with 11 national and five world championships to his credit, has Oct. 18, the date of the Ohio Powerlifting Championships in Youngstown, circled on his calendar. In his gym at his house in Blairsville, Eleuteri, who...

As Molly Goss watched the Gateway Heights synchronized swimmers perform their summer routine at the swim club’s pool earlier this month, she said she was overcome with pride for all that the 18 members accomplished throughout the previous month and a half to two months of work. “All of the...

The Plum Stephans 12U girls fast-pitch softball team dominated the competition this summer to claim the World Series title in its Eastern Girls Fast Pitch Softball League division. In 12 games — nine in the regular-season and three in the playoffs — Plum posted six shutouts and outscored its opponents...

A coaching tenure that stretched to more than two decades came to an end Tuesday as Bill Denniston announced his retirement as coach of the Robert Morris men’s soccer team. Hired in the spring of 1997, Denniston served 23 years at the helm of the Colonials and is one of...

Alexa Psotka is looking forward to putting her feet in the sand on the Atlantic Coast in South Carolina. No, she’s not eyeing up a sunny and warm vacation spot but rather a golden opportunity in volleyball at the Division I level. The Bethel Park senior standout recently gave a...

Kaitlyn Killinger probably couldn’t have imagined a better start to her high school soccer career. The Plum sophomore striker led her team in scoring last season with 18 goals, and she came up big numerous times in the Mustangs’ run to the WPIAL Class AAA championship game and state playoffs....

Laura Greb wants to make WPIAL tennis history. The Knoch senior standout hopes to put herself in position to win a fourth WPIAL Class AA singles championship. She would be the first player to accomplish the feat in the history of either classification. “There’s a little bit of pressure, but...

It was a season to remember for the Avonworth football team. The Antelopes rolled to the program’s second WPIAL title and remained undefeated until falling to Southern Columbia in the PIAA Class 2A championship contest in Hershey. “It was an incredible ride, week in and week out,” said Avonworth coach...

Hockey parents and players gathered at Center Ice Arena in Delmont on Wednesday evening to call for changes to the state government mandate limiting indoor athletic events. This summer, the office of Gov. Tom Wolf released a series of safety guidelines for a return for all amateur sports, from youth...

The Pennsylvania Interscholastic Hockey League on Wednesday sent information to officials from each league member detailing the status of its varsity, junior varsity and middle school seasons based on the state-government mandate of a 25-person limit for indoor gatherings amid the coronavirus pandemic. Varsity games will not start unless there...

The Hebrew Oilers (Class AA) and the North Park Senators (Class A) recently brought home Pittsburgh North American Baseball Association championships with sweeps in their respective finals series. Both teams also won NABA titles in 2018. The Senators, seeded first in Class A after compiling a 12-4-1 record in the...

Editor’s note: This is the first installment of Trib HSSN’s high school football preview series. One WPIAL conference will be previewed each day through Wednesday, Sept. 9. Thomas Jefferson returned to the top of the WPIAL mountain last season, and the Jaguars hope to stay there this fall. The Jaguars...

Former McKeesport girls basketball standout Johnasia Cash will play her final collegiate season a little closer to home. Penn State announced Wednesday afternoon that Cash, a cousin of former WNBA star Swin Cash, will join the Nittany Lions after three seasons as a starting forward at Southern Methodist University. Because...

Zoe Skirboll was not cavalier when she made the announcement Tuesday of her verbal commitment to swim for the Virginia Cavaliers. The rising junior at Fox Chapel and one of the top swimmers in the state and the country expressed her excitement with photos and a message on Instagram. Skirboll...

The renovation of Buccaneers Stadium at Burrell High School continues forward, and the project now is expected to be completed in about a month, athletic director Drake D’Angelo said Tuesday. The Burrell School Board voted unanimously in March to move ahead with the renovations, which include the installment of artificial...

Nico Popa aspires to play professional baseball. The Seton LaSalle graduate and standout right fielder for Pitt hopes an extra year with the Panthers will have multiple benefits, including bolstering his draft stock. Popa, who graduated in May with a degree in marketing, is one of three Panthers — Chris...