Paul Schofield stories, Page 51
Latrobe looking to take next step in quest for WPIAL Class 3A wrestling title
Latrobe wrestling coach Mark Mears had high hopes for his Wildcats in 2021. He knew if things worked out right, the Wildcats would be in the running for a WPIAL Class 3A team title, challenging No. 1 Waynesburg for a championship. And while the Wildcats (15-3) didn’t get a chance...
Greensburg Salem football, baseball coaches resign
Being a high school coach has its rewards and drawbacks. There is the thrill of victories and the building of relationships with student-athletes. Those are some of the good things. Some of the difficult thing for coaches is not being there for the sons and daughters as they grow up....
WPIAL Class 3A wrestlers to watch in 2022-23
WPIAL Class 3A wrestlers to watch: Vinny Kilkeary, Latrobe The senior captured his second PIAA title by dominating Mason Leiphart of Dover, 12-3, in the 120-pound finals last season. He was the 106-pound champion in 2020. Kilkeary (102-12, 46-2) was the WPIAL champion in 2021 and placed third at the...
WPIAL Class 3A wrestling preview: Waynesburg still the team to beat
Waynesburg is looking for its fourth consecutive WPIAL Class 3A team title after overcoming numerous obstacles last season. A serious arm injury kept senior Cole Homet from competing in all but three matches, and weight problems kept the Raiders from having their strongest lineup. Still, they found a way to...
Coach Ron Prady doesn’t want Latrobe football to be 1-hit wonder
Things couldn’t have gone much better for Latrobe football coach Ron Prady during his first season. The Wildcats finished 7-5 and reached the WPIAL Class 4A quarterfinals. The remarkable season included the program’s first seven-win season since 2001, the first winning season since 2011, the first playoff win since 1968...
Penn-Trafford girls shooting for more consistency on offense
Making open shots. That’s one of the biggest things the Penn-Trafford girls basketball team will be working on this season, veteran coach John Giannikas said. “Last year, we were hot and cold from the outside,” he said. “If we shoot better, we’ll be pretty good.” The Warriors graduated only one...
Young Penn-Trafford boys roster ready to tackle new challenges
Just because the Penn-Trafford boys basketball team dropped from Class 6A to Class 5A this season, it doesn’t mean things will be easier. In fact, third-year coach Doug Kelly said he knows the Warriors’ new section, which includes McKeesport, Latrobe, Gateway, Franklin Regional and Kiski Area, will be tough. “All...
Instant offense from Cruce Brookins leads Steel Valley past Beaver Falls in WPIAL Class 2A title gameVideo
Steel Valley football coach Ray Braszo got the proverbial monkey off his back Friday at Acrisure Stadium. For the first time in his 34-year career, a Braszo-coached team defeated Beaver Falls. And by doing so, Braszo got his first Gatorade dousing at the former Heinz Field. Steel Valley quarterback Cruce...
Mt. Pleasant boys need to overcome big loss of top scorer
If the Mt. Pleasant boys basketball team wants to improve on its dismal 2021-22 season, it must do so without leading scorer Dante Giallonardo. The junior forward who averaged 12 points per game will be sidelined this season with a knee injury sustained during football season. And while the loss...
After regrouping, Mt. Pleasant girls ready to make inroads in Class 3A
Scott Giacobbi is beginning his 18th season as girls basketball coach at Mt. Pleasant. He called last season a regrouping year. The Vikings were sometimes overmatched in Section 4-4A, but with a drop in classification, Giacobbi is looking forward to the new challenges his squad will face. Instead of playing...
Ligonier Valley girls basketball looks to take a step forward
When Emily Daugherty was hired as the Ligonier Valley girls basketball coach, she inherited a program that was a mess. It barely had enough players to field a team, and the district thought it would be good to play in Class 4A instead of Class 2A. The Rams went 0-24...
Ligonier Valley boys to lean on Sierocky and Pleskovich
It could be an interesting season for the Ligonier Valley boys basketball program. The Rams were hit hard by graduation and return only two starters from a team that finished 8-4 in Section 3-3A and 12-11 overall. The Rams lost to Avonworth in the first round of the playoffs. But...
Pitt-Greensburg men’s basketball coach Klimchock excited about promising season
Chris Klimchock’s second season as head men’s basketball coach at Pitt-Greensburg is underway, and the Greensburg native is excited about the future. Like every college basketball team, the ultimate goal is to reach the NCAA Tournament. In the Bobcats’ case, it would be the Division III Tournament. Klimchock is a...
Penn-Trafford seniors sign on with college programs
Three baseball players and a bowler from Penn-Trafford took advantage of the NCAA early signing period to ink their letters of intent Nov. 9. Senior bowler Alyssa Balest, who took home the girls individual honor at last year’s Westmoreland County Coaches’ Association competition, signed with Mount St. Mary’s from the...
Belle Vernon shuts down Freeport in Class 3A to return to WPIAL championship game
Belle Vernon is headed back to the WPIAL championship game looking to reverse a trend. The top-ranked Leopards scored touchdowns on their first three possessions and rolled over No. 4 Freeport, 42-0, on Friday in the WPIAL Class 3A semifinals at Gateway’s Antimarino Stadium. The Leopards (9-2) will face No....
WPIAL’s youngest coach leads Greensburg Salem boys into Class 4A
The youngest boys basketball coach in the WPIAL couldn’t wait to get started. He wants to bring energy to a struggling program that went 3-32 the past two seasons in Class 6A. That’s what Greensburg Salem coach Cam Auld said Friday on the first official day of winter sports practice....
Greensburg Salem girls look to stay healthy, compete in new Class 4A section
Things were going well for the Greensburg Salem girls basketball team at the start of the 2021-22 season. The Golden Lions won their first eight games on the way to a 9-1 start. But during their game against Franklin Regional, sophomore center Kaitlyn Mankins went down with a season-ending injury...
Mt. Pleasant girls soccer team comes up short in PIAA semis
Mt. Pleasant’s dream run to the PIAA Class 2A girls soccer championship ended Wednesday at Slippery Rock. A stifling defense and a lucky bounce off the post helped District 10 runner-up General McLane to a 3-0 victory in the semifinals. General McLane (16-5-1) will face Central Columbia at 10 a.m....
Students learn leadership at 13th annual WPIAL Sportsmanship Summit
Becoming role models and difference-makers at your school and community was the theme of the 13th annual WPIAL Sportsmanship Summit on Wednesday at the Heinz History Center and Sports Museum. At least four students from 62 high schools attended the event and listened to numerous speakers urging them to create...
Belle Vernon, Freeport ground games thrive in old-school football weather
It didn’t take Belle Vernon or Freeport long to shake off the rust after receiving a first-round bye in the WPIAL Class 3A football playoffs last Friday. Even though the remnants of Hurricane Nicole made things difficult to throw the ball, dominant running games were featured, and both teams easily...
Derry girls basketball relying on team effort to replace star scorer
If the Derry girls basketball team is to have a successful season, the word “team” needs to be emphasized. The Trojans relied on Tiana Moracco to lead the offense the past few seasons, but Moracco took her 23 points per game average to Pitt-Greensburg. “We need everyone to improve their...
Derry boys basketball team eyes step forward after down season
Things are looking up for the Derry boys basketball team. After a disappointing season in 2021-22 that saw the Trojans finish 6-13 overall and 1-11 in Section 1 (Class 4A), veteran coach Tom Esposito has his team looking to turn things around. Esposito begins his 25th season as coach, 16th...
Penn-Trafford notebook: Field hockey team falls in PIAA playoffs
A win in the PIAA playoffs is coming for the Penn-Trafford field hockey team. Even though the squad dropped a 2-1 decision to Twin Valley in the opening round of the PIAA playoffs Nov. 8, the Warriors are closing the gap on the teams from the eastern part of the...
Penn-Trafford ends frustrating football season with playoff loss
High school football season at Penn-Trafford ended earlier than expected with a first-round loss to Pine-Richland in the WPIAL Class 5A playoffs Nov. 4. It was an unusual season for the Warriors, the reigning WPIAL and PIAA Class 5A champions. Many felt the Warriors were primed for another run at...
Thomas Jefferson runs over Latrobe, gives coach Bill Cherpak 300th win
The remnants of Hurricane Nicole on Friday night forced Thomas Jefferson to go back to what it has done successfully under Bill Cherpak’s reign as coach: old-school football. Thomas Jefferson used a strong running game and an overwhelming defense to defeat Latrobe, 21-6, in the WPIAL Class 4A quarterfinals. Latrobe...
