Paul Schofield stories, Page 88

Mia Cochran came minutes away from not defending her WPIAL and PIAA Class AAA titles. After receiving a negative covid-19 test and getting cleared to compete just before the WPIAL championship race, Cochran went on to capture another district gold medal. A week later she won the state championship. For...

The Robert Morris women’s basketball team’s season opener Sunday was canceled amidst the coronavirus pandemic. The Colonials were scheduled to play Norfolk State on Saturday, but the game was postponed until Sunday. The game was then canceled. “The health and safety of the RMU and Moon Township community remains paramount...

There will be a new set of challenges for the Penn-Trafford girls basketball team this season, and it has nothing to do with the coronavirus. Penn-Trafford has jumped from Class 5A to Class 6A, and veteran coach John Giannikas knows the competition will be a lot tougher. The Warriors are...

When Penn-Trafford district officials went searching for a new boys basketball coach after Jim Rocco resigned following five seasons, they were looking for someone familiar with the program. Doug Kelly, who was the P-T boys junior varsity coach in 2018-19, was hired in June. He was a P-T girls basketball...

There could be massive changes to high school wrestling this season because of the ongoing pandemic. Some early season tournaments have been canceled, moved or are on hold. The WPIAL and PIAA tournaments also could see a drastic change if things involving the coronavirus don’t improve. If the effects of...

It’s official. Emily Daugherty is the new Ligonier Valley girls basketball coach. And the 2010 Ligonier Valley graduate is eager to get started. The Ligonier Valley school board voted 9-0 on Wednesday to hire her to replace Tim Gustin, who was recently hired as the boys coach. Daugherty, 28, is...

Joseph G. Mucci was a legendary football coach in Westmoreland County. But he was much more than that, according to his former assistant coaches, players and people in the community. The beloved coach and administrator at Jeannette and Greensburg Central Catholic influenced a lot of people whose lives he touched....

When Tim Gustin became the Ligonier Valley boys basketball coach a month ago, he hoped the district’s school board picked the right person to replace him as girls coach. The Ligonier Valley School Board is scheduled to meet Wednesday and on the agenda is hiring a new girls coach. Athletic...

A little more than a month ago, Tim Gustin was preparing the Ligonier Valley girls for their return to the WPIAL after 40 years. Then Ligonier Valley boys coach John Berger decided his regular job, Chief of Police in Ligonier Valley, was too demanding during the pandemic. So Berger stepped...

If the Jeannette boys basketball team can duplicate the success of the football team, then the Jayhawks could be looking at a long season. That’s what veteran coach Adrian Batts is hoping for. The elder statesman of Section 3-2A is looking forward to the season. With four starters returning, a...

When Jonathan Bass took over the Jeannette girls basketball program in 2018, he was hoping to have things turned around in three years. This is the start of his third season at Jeannette, and Bass feels things are on the right track. Even though Jeannette is coming off a 4-18...

The Jeannette football team experienced the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat during the 2020 season. It was a season of uncertainty — a shortened season with the specter of covid-19 looming constantly. It also was thrilling, with their 10th WPIAL championship. But Friday, the season ended with...

One more gigantic test remains for the Jeannette football team. That’s what the defense faces at 11 a.m. Friday in the PIAA Class A championship game at Hersheypark Stadium. High-powered Steelton-Highspire strolls into the chocolate capitol of the world with a powerful running back and dangerous group of wide receivers...

Two of the winningest teams in the state will play for the PIAA Class A title Friday. Steelton-Highspire, with 772 victories, according to PennLive.com and Dr. Roger Saylor’s records, and the WPIAL’s No. 1 team, Jeannette, with 766, will square off at 11 a.m. at Hersheypark Stadium. The schools have...

No. 2 Jeannette vs. No. 1 Steelton-Highspire 11 a.m. Friday, Hersheypark Stadium, Hershey On the air: Audio: TribHSSN.triblive.com PIAA titles: Jeannette 2 (2007 in Class AA, 2017). Steelton-Highspire 2 (2007, 2008) Jeannette (10-1) Player to watch Brett Birch, Junior, 5-10, 170, WR/DB Birch received an offer from Central Michigan after...

Things couldn’t have gone much better last season for Derry girls basketball coach Gene Brisbane, who took over a program in flux. The Trojans finished second in Section 3-3A and qualified for the WPIAL playoffs. Derry lost to Freedom, 47-32, in the opening round, but the former Hempfield and Westmoreland...

When Derry boys basketball coach Tom Esposito stepped into the gymnasium on Monday, he didn’t know what to expect. “I didn’t know if 15 players would show up for the first day of practice or 25,” Esposito said. “I told them we should cherish every moment and every game we...

As Jeannette’s football team prepares for Friday’s PIAA Class A Championship game against Steelton-Highspire, coach Roy Hall is dealing with the death of his beloved sister-in-law. Dana Hall, 56, was a secretary in the school district. She died Sunday from complications from covid-19. To honor her, the team will wear...

How did you spend your Saturday afternoon? Jeannette football coach Roy Hall spent it watching his team’s next opponent on video stream. His tone was a lot better than it was less than 24 hours earlier after his team’s 48-12 win against Reynolds in the PIAA Class A semifinals. Jeannette...

Since Cindy Dutt took over the Penn-Trafford field hockey program, the gap between her team and teams in Eastern Pennsylvania has shrunk. But the Warriors, who claimed their fifth consecutive WPIAL Class AA title this season, are searching still for that elusive first win in the PIAA playoffs. “When we...

It’s been a season of firsts for the Franklin Regional girls volleyball team. The team won its first WPIAL championship and is making its first trip to the PIAA championship game. Will the season end with another first? Senior Aly Kindelberger thinks so. “I think we’re playing with great confidence...

Ligonier Valley boys basketball coach John Berger recently resigned, athletic director Wesley Siko said. Berger cited work demands as the reason he can no longer coach the team. Berger is the Ligonier Borough Chief of Police. Berger coached the Rams the past two seasons. The team played in the District...

The first thing Jeannette football coach Roy Hall told his players at Monday’s practice was to forget about winning the WPIAL title. That game is over. Jeannette won the school’s 10th WPIAL championship Saturday, claiming the Class A title with an impressive and shocking 45-14 victory against Eastern Conference rival...