Paul Schofield stories, Page 18
Neal brothers, defense carry Avonworth to PIAA Class 3A finals
It took the Avonworth offense a little time to find its groove Friday at snowy Norwin, but once it did, it took control of the game. The Neal brothers – junior Luca and senior Nico – combined to rush for 300 yards, and the Antelopes defense limited high-scoring Penn Cambria...
WPIAL Class 2A wrestling preview: Burrell looking for another title
A look at the 2024-25 WPIAL Class 2A wrestling season: The Favorite Burrell has a new head coach, Steve Ansani, but the goals haven’t changed. The Bucs are out to win a section title and WPIAL Class 2A title and finish top four in the state. Ansani was hired to...
Derry wrestling on verge of breaking into WPIAL elite
Derry wrestling coach Troy Dolan Jr. was having a tough time keeping the excitement about the future from showing. “It’s going to be fun around here the next several years,” Dolan said. “We’ve got some good wrestlers (in seventh and eighth grade) coming up. We should be much improved this...
WPIAL Class 3A wrestling season preview: Connellsville in position to repeat
A look at the 2024-25 WPIAL Class 3A wrestling season: The Favorite Reigning Class 3A champion Connellsville lost one starter, Nick Rohal at 172 pounds, to graduation. The Falcons have a huge roster (40) that could field three teams. Heading the returnees are four PIAA qualifiers: sophomore Nolan Rice (38-10)...
Franklin Regional wrestlers ready to make a run at a WPIAL title
Franklin Regional wrestling coach Matt Lebe knew how good his team was last season. Few believed him. The Panthers ended up third in the WPIAL Class 3A team tournament, losing to WPIAL champion Connellsville in the semifinals and edging Bethel Park in the consolation match, qualifying for the PIAA team...
Fort Cherry knocks off Clairton to go back-to-back as WPIAL Class A champs
Fort Cherry captured its second consecutive WPIAL Class A title by using a little trickery and luck to stun Clairton, 21-20, Saturday at Acrisure Stadium. The top-seeded Rangers (14-0), who struggled against Clairton’s defense in the second half, put together a 13-play, 82-yard game-winning drive utilizing two trick plays on...
Franklin Regional grad Palmer Jackson earns spot on Challenger Tour
Murrysville native Palmer Jackson spent two weeks earlier this month competing in the DP World Tour (PGA European Tour) Q-school qualifier. And while he fell short of earning full exemption to the tour by two shots, he did return home with a job. He earned exemption to the Challenger Tour,...
Penn-Trafford girls have veteran lineup, high hopes for season
A quick survey of several girls basketball coaches about Section 2-5A in the coming season indicates Penn-Trafford should be considered the favorite. The Warriors finished 14-9 overall in 2023-24 and return four starters from a team that lost to Lincoln Park, 43-42, in the opening round of the WPIAL Class...
Penn-Trafford boys have depth, potential
Injuries derailed the Penn-Trafford boys basketball season in 2023-24. The Warriors played their WPIAL Class 5A playoff game against Thomas Jefferson without leading scorer Tyler Freas and point guard Jason Sabol. Despite the injuries, which also sidelined Derek Carr and Carmen Metcalfe, the Warriors finished 11-12 overall and 5-5 in...
State champs from Greensburg Central Catholic cap careers in WCCA All-Star game
It’s been quite a month for Greensburg Central Catholic seniors Erin Grace and Maura Oslosky. For the past few weeks, the duo helped the Centurions to WPIAL and PIAA Class A volleyball titles. On Tuesday, they represented the Centurions in the annual Westmoreland County Coaches’ Association Volleyball All-Star game at...
Tickets for U.S. Open at Oakmont now on sale with a wide range of prices
Tickets for the 2025 U.S. Open at Oakmont Country Club are now on sale, the United States Golf Association announced. The tournament will be held from June 9-15, 2025. It will be Oakmont’s record 10th U.S. Open. Gallery tickets start at $60 for Monday’s practice round and top out at...
Latrobe boys looking to bounce back from disappointing season
It was an unusual season in 2023-24 for the Latrobe boys basketball team. Not only did the Wildcats miss the WPIAL playoffs, but they also had an injury-plagued season and finished with a rare losing record. The Wildcats were 8-13 overall and 3-7 in the section, dropping their last five...
Latrobe girls basketball team hoping to contend
As Mackenzie Livingston begins her second season as girls basketball coach at Latrobe, she said she feels like she’s already ahead of the game. “Last year it took me awhile to learn the players’ names,” Livingston said. “This year I do.” Latrobe returns one starter from last season’s squad that...
Penn-Trafford notebook: Hockey team stays perfect with another shutout
Penn-Trafford’s hockey team recorded another victory and their fourth shutout of the season Nov. 7. The Warriors (6-0) went to Johnstown for the second time this season and came back with their second shutout victory against Bishop McCort, winning 5-0. They won 6-0 on Oct. 21. This time, it was...
Penn-Trafford football seasons ends with loss to Peters Township, optimism for future
Too many turnovers and a talented Peters Township team were the biggest reasons the Penn-Trafford’s football season came to an end Nov. 8. The returning Class 5A champs scored on their first two possessions, did a good job stuffing Penn-Trafford’s running game and rolled to a 42-13 quarterfinal round victory....
Bright future ahead for Jeannette football team
Jeannette’s football season was on life support six weeks ago. The Jayhawks were in the midst of a three-game losing streak following consecutive losses to Leechburg, Clairton and Greensburg Central Catholic, and a berth in the WPIAL playoffs was not a certainty. But a remarkable come-from-behind 42-41 victory Oct. 11...
Matt Sieg’s 6 touchdowns guide Fort Cherry past Jeannette in WPIAL Class A semifinals
Fort Cherry junior quarterback Matt Sieg put on quite a show Friday against Jeannette in the WPIAL Class A semifinals at Canon-McMillan’s AHN Field. The Penn State commit scored six touchdowns and rushed for 232 yards to lead Fort Cherry to a 49-14 victory. The win puts the top-seeded and...
Nearby rivals Thomas Jefferson, McKeesport set to battle for WPIAL Class 4A title
It is somewhat surprising that Thomas Jefferson and McKeesport, despite their proximity to one other, have only met five times on the football field. The schools, located in the South Hills’ Mon Valley area, are separated by just 11 miles. They didn’t start playing one another until 2020; McKeesport owns...
Returning coach Paul Sapotichne eager to rebuild Greensburg Salem boys program
Paul Sapotichne wasn’t ready to quit coaching when he decided to step down as Riverview coach in 2020 during the covid-19 pandemic. At the time, Sapotichne was battling cancer and understood he had to take care of himself. Now cancer free, Sapotichne wanted to return to coaching. After Sapotichne missed...
Greensburg Salem girls facing new challenges head on
Greensburg Salem girls basketball coach Rick Klimchock never backs away from a challenge. After finishing third in Section 1-4A and winning a WPIAL playoff game last season, the Golden Lions were elevated to Class 5A and graduated four players who are playing basketball in college: Kaitlyn Mankins (D’Youville), Ashlan Price...
Greensburg CC girls volleyball looking to complete goal with state championship
When the Greensburg Central Catholic girls volleyball set goals for the 2024 season, winning a PIAA title was not one of them. “They wanted to reach the WPIAL championship game and win,” GCC coach Erin Salas said. “Now they have reset those goals. They want to win the PIAA title.”...
4 Mt. Pleasant swimmers sign with Division I programs
Mt. Pleasant swimming coach Sandy Felice has had swimmers sign NCAA Division I scholarships before. But not four in one year. On the first day of the early signing period Wednesday, seniors Lily King (N.C. State), Joseph Gardner (Pitt), Kierstin O’Connor (Connecticut) and David Mutter (Alabama) inked their scholarships. “This...
Late momentum shift helps Greensburg Central Catholic top Frazier, advance to PIAA volleyball final
Momentum swung wildly Tuesday during the PIAA Class A volleyball semifinal at Norwin between Greensburg Central Catholic and Frazier. The Centurions had it during the first two games, then the Commodores grabbed it in the third and fourth games. But it was Greensburg Central Catholic that reclaimed it in the...
Derry boys basketball team looking for big season with key players coming back
Derry Area boys at a glance Coach: Tom Esposito Last year’s record: 15-9 (7-5 Section 3-3A) Returning starters: Stanley Rajkovich (So., F); John Wasnick (Sr., G); Brayden Robinson (Jr., G). Top newcomers: Izak Lenhart (Jr., G); Liam McMahen (So., G); Parker Petroskey (So., G); Logan Irvin (Fr., G); Cason Long...
New Derry girls basketball coach faces huge challenge with inexperienced roster
New Derry girls basketball coach Nathan Keller faces a huge challenge this season, one that excites him. Keller isn’t making any brash predictions. He just wants his young, inexperienced group to improve on a daily basis. Keller has spent the past seven seasons coaching the boys and girls middle school...
