Vincentian Academy boys avenge loss to Nazareth Prep, advance to Class A title game
The top-seeded Vincentian Academy Royals had revenge on their minds. The Royals used multiple defenses and a hot start offensively to dominate fifth-seeded Nazareth Prep early on the way to a 65-54 semifinal victory at North Allegheny High School. It was Vincentian Academy’s third win over the Saints since losing...
South Side boys keep playoff hopes alive with win over Burgettstown
The South Side boys basketball team came into its final section game needing a win and some help to qualify for the WPIAL playoffs. The Rams (11-10, 6-6) took care of their end of the bargain, routing Burgettstown (6-16, 2-10), 70-26, in Burgettstown. Now, South Side haa to hope Our...
Avonworth wins game, Freedom clinches playoff spot
The Freedom Bulldogs came into their last section game controlling their playoff destiny. And while the game against Avonworth resulted in a 41-38 loss, Freedom (14-7, 8-6) ended the night having clinched at least a tie for fourth place in Section 1-3A due to a Neshannock loss to Mohawk. Avonworth...
Seneca Valley girls stop Fox Chapel in section showdown
Seneca Valley got 19 points from junior Jaden Davinsizer as the Raiders defeated Fox Chapel, 51-47, in a Section 1-6A showdown Monday night. With both teams sharing the same record coming into the contest and both having already qualified for the postseason, the game represented an opportunity for both teams...
Rochester races to big lead, holds on to clinch section title
Rochester opened the game with an 18-2 run and held off Vincentian Academy down the stretch Thursday night in a 56-49 victory. With the win, the top-ranked Rams clinched the Section 1-A championship and are headed toward a top seed in the WPIAL playoffs. The Rams (19-1, 11-0) capitalized on...
Laurel girls’ freshmen guide way to big home victory, tie for section lead
On a late January night in Lawrence County, the Laurel freshmen grew up. In a game the Spartans (12-6, 10-1 in Section 1-2A) had to win to have any legitimate hope of a girls basketball section championship, freshmen Regan Atkins, Danielle Pontius and Joselynn Fortuna scored 26 of the team’s...
Montour avenges loss to Trinity
Exactly five weeks ago, Montour squandered a 14-point fourth-quarter lead in a three-point overtime loss to Trinity on the road. Montour learned from its mistake Tuesday night. The Spartans built a 15-point lead after three quarters on their home court and this time, they rolled to a 77-59 win against...
Laurel bounces back with rivalry win over Shenango
The Shenango Wildcats came into Tuesday’s rivalry game against Laurel as one of the hottest teams in the WPIAL. Conversely, Laurel had lost four of its last five games. But it was the Spartans who shined on the road, soundly defeating Shenango, 62-38. The Wildcats had run off eight straight...
Aliquippa tops South Park to reach 12th WPIAL title game in row
There are a few certainties in life: death, taxes and Aliquippa appearances in the WPIAL championship game. For the 12th consecutive year, Aliquippa (11-1) advanced to play for a WPIAL football title, this time by defeating South Park, 21-7, in the Class 3A semifinals at Martorelli Stadium. The Quips will...
Moon slams Franklin Regional, gets back in playoff win column
In its first playoff appearance since 2014, fourth-seeded Moon cruised to a 35-7 victory over Franklin Regional in the opening round of the WPIAL Class 5A playoffs Friday night. The postseason victory is the first for the Moon program since 2006, when it defeated Belle Vernon in the first round...
Cornell dominates second half to put down OLSH
Cornell scored the final 20 points and forced five second-half turnovers Friday night to defeat Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, 22-14, and finish in a virtual tie atop the Big Seven Conference with Sto-Rox. The Raiders (9-1, 6-1) were once again led by their senior quarterback Zaier Harrison, who...
Cornell rallies past Laurel as QB Harrison surpasses 5,000-yard mark
After a slow start, Cornell caught fire late in the first half and went on to defeat Laurel in a pivotal Big Seven game, 33-21, on Friday night. After falling behind by 15 points early, the Raiders (6-1, 5-1) outscored the Spartans, 33-6, in the last 25 minutes to win...
North Catholic beats Elizabeth Forward to preserve conference mark
Third-ranked North Catholic stayed unbeaten in Class 3A’s Big East Conference by defeating Elizabeth Forward, 12-7, in front of a home crowd. The Trojans (5-1, 5-0) shined on defense, limiting the Warriors to 202 total yards and getting two turnovers. Senior Dominic Prentice was in the Warriors backfield all night...
Big night from Aiden Wardzinski helps Brentwood run past South Side Beaver
Aiden Wardzinski rushed for 243 yards and two touchdowns and threw for another to lead Brentwood to a 28-13 road win over South Side Beaver. The Spartans (5-1, 4-0 in Three Rivers Conference) came into this pivotal Week 5 contest without their starting quarterback, John Milcic. The senior was involved...
Wilson-led Sto-Rox stays perfect with tight road win over Cornell
Eric Wilson threw for 359 yards and four touchdowns as Sto-Rox remained undefeated as the Vikings beat Cornell, 28-25, on Friday night. Wilson, who came into Week 3 as the WPIAL’s leading passer, got off to a fast start, completing 16 of 30 passes for 289 yards and three TDs...
North Hills rallies past Fox Chapel to win conference opener
North Hills scored three touchdowns in an eight-minute span in the second half and got a late stop on defense to defeat Fox Chapel 35-28 in the Northern Conference opener for both teams at Martorelli Stadium on Friday night. After taking a 14-6 lead into halftime, the Indians (2-0, 1-0)...
Moon gets defensive in Week Zero victory over Montour
Moon sacked Montour quarterback Luke Persinger 11 times and forced two Spartans turnovers en route to a 14-10 victory in a nonconference game Friday night. It was the second year in a row the Tigers defeated Montour (0-1) to begin the season. Persinger was pressured all night, especially in the...
Craska leads Mars to playoff berth after win over Shaler
When it mattered the most Friday afternoon, Mars junior starting pitcher Joey Craska came through, shutting down Shaler en route to a playoff-clinching 3-0 victory in Section 2-5A. Craska, a Virginia Tech recruit, gave up only two hits and struck out nine in recording his fifth win against only one...
Chartiers-Houston softball takes down McGuffey
It had been six days since Chartiers-Houston last played a softball game. But, it didn’t take the Bucs long to shake off any rust that had settled into their game as they defeated section foe McGuffey, 10-0, in five innings. Senior Ella Brookman pitched a three-hit shutout and also singled,...
West Mifflin tops Belle Vernon, sweeps season series
Prior to the 2019 season, the West Mifflin softball team suffered seven straight defeats at the hands of Belle Vernon. Considering the dominance and pedigree of the two-time defending champion Leopards, that isn’t surprising. But for the second time this year, West Mifflin found a way to defeat the rival,...
Tagg lifts Baldwin softball past Mt. Lebanon
Addie Tagg had a day. The Baldwin senior not only pitched a complete game, she also hit two home runs and drove in half of her team’s runs in a 10-3 victory over Section 1-6A foe Mt. Lebanon on Monday afternoon. It’s been the ongoing theme of Baldwin’s early success...
