Michael Love stories, Page 124

Josh Boak Burrell, jr., RB/LB The leading tackler in the Bucs’ defensive effort last Friday against a potent Deer Lakes offense, Boak has totaled 44 stops on the season, good for second on the team to fellow linebacker Mike Scherer (48). Dean Cecere Riverview, so., RB/DB The Raiders’ running game...

It’s been three weeks and two days since the first meeting between the Burrell and Deer Lakes girls soccer teams. The Bucs posted a 5-1 win on their home turf Sept. 9, and they haven’t lost since, scoring 40 goals over a seven-game stretch and surrendering four. The Lancers, likewise,...

Class AAAA Team, record, previous 1. North Allegheny, 9-1-1, 2 2. Peters Township, 10-1-1, 1 3. Moon, 10-1-1, 3 4. Seneca Valley, 8-2-1, 4 5. Norwin, 10-1, 5 Out: None Class AAA 1. Mars, 9-0-1, 1 2. Plum 10-1, 3 3. Belle Vernon, 9-2, 4 4. West Allegheny, 9-2, 5...

Cross country titles will be on the line Wednesday afternoon when the Division I, Section 4 teams gather at Northmoreland Park. The one-day championship meet will feature Armstrong, Central Catholic/Oakland Catholic, Fox Chapel, Gateway, Indiana, Kiski Area, Penn Hills, Penn Hills, Plum and Woodland Hills. Individual and team crowns will...

Class 4A Northwest 8 Highlands (2-4, 2-2) at Montour (2-4, 1-2) 7 p.m. Friday at Thomas J. Birko Memorial Stadium, Robinson Township Last week: Highlands 33, Ambridge 0; Montour 14, Knoch 7 (OT) Coaches: Dom Girardi, Highlands; Lou Cerro, Montour Players to watch: Chandler Thimons, Highlands (Fr., 6-0, 190, QB/LB);...

Fox Chapel’s Nina Busch and Erin Drahnak cut their teeth as freshmen in a deep field at last year’s WPIAL Class AAA girls individual golf championship at Diamond Run Golf Club. Both returned this season with a goal of getting back to Diamond Run for another shot at the course...

During the Knoch girls tennis team’s quest for a Section 3-AA championship this fall, senior Libby Conlon and freshman Ally Bauer find themselves on different courts for matches. Conlon is at No. 1 doubles, while Bauer plays at No. 3 singles. But last week, when the duo drew on past...

For the fourth consecutive week, North Allegheny (Class AAAA), Knoch (Class AAA), North Catholic (Class AA) and Bishop Canevin (Class A) own the top spots in their respective Western Pennsylvania Volleyball Coaches Association rankings. All 120 WPIAL head coaches had the opportunity to vote in the latest poll released Monday...

The Plum girls soccer team last captured a section championship in 2016 when it tied Fox Chapel for the top spot of Section 3-AAAA. The Mustangs hope to have that title feeling again, and Monday’s Section 3-AAA rematch with Oakland Catholic will go along way in determining that. The Eagles...

With wins over Allderdice in Week Zero and Fox Chapel on Sept. 13, the Kiski Area football team put itself in position for the 300th win in program history. The Cavaliers came close last week in a 7-3 loss to Penn Hills. Wins 100 and 200 came against the Indians....

The Plum varsity girls slow-pitch softball team saw its 36-game winning streak snapped Sept. 5 with a 16-2 loss at North Hills. But the two-time defending Western Pennsylvania Interscholastic Softball League champions bounced back in a big way three days later with a sweep of Mt. Lebanon by a combined...

Cole Oravitz suited up for the Madison Capitols at last year’s United States Hockey League Fall Classic in Cranberry, and he also played in a pair of games in April to wrap the 2018-19 season. The Plum product, a high school senior, said his first taste of play in the...

Deena DeBaldo enjoyed receiving last week’s Atlantic 10 Offensive Player of the Week honor so much she decided to go out and win the award again this week. The Fox Chapel graduate and junior on the Duquesne women’s soccer team solidified the accomplishment Sunday in the conference opener against Virginia...

The Penn State football team will play at Michigan State on Oct. 26, but Beaver Stadium, the home of the Nittany Lions, will not lie dormant that day. Plans were finalized Wednesday to have the venue host the Beaver Stadium Classic between Class 6A schools State College and Cumberland Valley....

Class 5A Big East Plum (2-3, 1-3) at No. 1 Penn-Trafford (4-1, 3-0) 7:30 p.m. Friday at Warrior Stadium Last week: McKeesport 62, Plum 40; Massillon, Ohio 42, Penn-Trafford 21 Coaches: Matt Morgan, Plum; John Ruane, Penn-Trafford Players to watch: Jacob Miller, Plum (So., 6-0, 175, QB); Gabe Dunlap, Penn-Trafford...

Kenny Blake Kiski Area, jr., RB/WR/DB Blake logged 30 carries last Friday against Penn Hills, and through five games, he leads the Cavaliers with 319 rushing yards and four scores on 65 totes. He added three catches for 28 yards and 43 kick-return yards against the Indians. Justin Rice Fox...

Overtime loomed for the Deer Lakes and Freeport girls soccer teams Monday as their key Section 2-AA matchup wound down to the final minute of regulation tied 1-1. But Lancers junior midfielder Abigail Boulos was given the opportunity to make a difference in the game’s outcome, and she delivered. Her...

At last year’s WPIAL Class AA boys individual golf championship at Sewickley’s Allegheny Country Club, Marcus Pinchok finished among a group one shot away from advancing to the PIAA Western Regional. The Burrell senior is back at the WPIAL finals, set for Thursday at Allegheny, and this time, he hopes...

Here’s a look at this week’s WPIAL girls soccer rankings: Class AAAA Team, record, previous 1. Peters Township, 9-0-1, 1 2. North Allegheny, 8-1-1, 5 3. Moon, 8-0-1, — 4. Seneca Valley, 6-2-1, — 5. Norwin, 8-1, 2 Out: Pine-Richland, 6-2, 3; Penn-Trafford, 7-3, 4 Class AAA 1. Mars, 7-0-1,...

The WPIAL girls volleyball schedule contains several key matchups Tuesday, and one resides in Section 5-AA, where Deer Lakes will host Freeport at 7:30 p.m. The senior-laden Yellowjackets are 5-0 with wins against every other team in the section, and Deer Lakes is tied with Derry for second at 4-1....

The Western Pennsylvania Volleyball Coaches Association released its Top 10 girls’ rankings for each of the four WPIAL classifications Monday, and the top teams in each poll maintain their positions as the fourth week of section play begins. North Allegheny owns the top spot in Class AAAA. The Tigers, 5-0...

While not happy with the way things turned out in Friday’s battle of the unbeatens between his Apollo-Ridge football team and Allegheny Conference foe Avonworth, Vikings coach John Skiba also talked in positive terms about the opportunities his team has coming out of the 42-14 loss. Included in that is...