Pine Creek Journal category, Page 72
Pine-Richland taps former Brentwood school director now living in district to fill board vacancy
The Pine-Richland School Board on Tuesday selected a former Brentwood school director who moved into the district 1 1/2 years ago to fill a vacancy created when a school director resigned amid the recent community uproar over the district’s decision to fire its championship winning football coach. The board spent...
In brief: Trunk community sale, spring plant sales and more in Pine, Richland
Trunk Community Sale Spring is coming and it’s time for the annual Parks and Recreation Junk in your Trunk Community Sale. Clear out those closets and garages of all that great stuff. The event will be held May 15 at the Richland Township Municipal Building from 8 a.m. to noon....
Pine, Richland real estate transactions for the week of April 25, 2021
Pine Douglas Hall sold property at 118 Lyndhurst Circle to Frank Kowalkowski Jr. and Yuliya Kowalkowski for $799,000. NVR Inc. sold property at 724 Mulkerrin Court to Stephen and Kristina McNees for $691,090. Richland Charles Pastva sold property at 3700 Centerview Road to Jacob and Erica Schurer for $51,100. Real...
George Guido: Apollo-Ridge baseball halts Serra Catholic’s long streak
The Apollo-Ridge baseball team ended Serra Catholic’s 34-game home winning streak Monday with a 5-4 victory over the Eagles at Boston Field. Junior Brady Schrock’s two-run homer lifted the Vikings to a 5-4 victory over previously undefeated Serra. It proved to be the first home loss for the Eagles since...
Pine-Richland’s Rottinghaus sprinting to success in 400, relays
The Pine-Richland track and field coaches had a premonition that senior Ella Rottinghaus was going to set a new school record in the 400-meter run prior to the Rams’ April 14 meet with Seneca Valley, but she didn’t share the same belief. After all it was her debut in the...
Young Pine-Richland gymnast Lavezoli quickly developing into standout
A few years ago Chase Lavezoli taught himself how to do a front flip by using a trampoline. The curiosity that came from that experience sparked a fast track to becoming one of the top young male gymnasts in the region. Lavezoli, an eighth grader at Pine-Richland, won the all-around...
Father of Pine-Richland football player says district using son as ‘scapegoat’ in Kasperowicz saga
The father of a Pine-Richland football player is accusing the school district’s administration of leaking information about his son to create a “scapegoat” for their decision to fire head football coach Eric Kasperowicz. Vince Cruz, whose son is a sophomore on the junior varsity football team, said he retained attorney...
From Pine-Richland to Pirates, Neil Walker bids farewell to 12-year MLB career
Before Neil Walker could begin to talk about the end of his baseball career, his voice cracked. He flashed a big smile, the one that took him from fresh-faced first-round pick out of Pine-Richland to a stubble-bearded 35-year-old finally bidding farewell to his favorite sport. The Pittsburgh Kid hopes this...
Neil Walker hopes Pine-Richland avoids ‘huge black eye’ from football coach controversy
Retiring pro baseball player Neil Walker, one of Pine-Richland’s most famous alums, hopes the controversial ouster of the school’s football coach doesn’t become “a huge black eye” for the community. The 2004 Pine-Richland graduate spoke Wednesday with reporters and discussed plans to retire after 12 MLB seasons with the Pirates,...
Chief: No allegations of improper behavior in Pine-Richland football probe reported to police
Despite a long-standing practice of conferring with police when allegations are made about improper behavior by students, none of the incidents that led to last week’s firing of championship-winning Pine-Richland football coach Eric Kasperowicz were reported to authorities, according to the chief of the Northern Regional Police Department. Pine-Richland school...
Pine-Richland: Kasperowicz let go following investigation into ‘allegations of inappropriate student conduct’Video
Pine-Richland’s school board president did not release any details about a three-month long investigation into allegations of misbehavior in the high school football program during a news conference Tuesday. He said at the conclusion of the district’s probe “neither the administration nor any member of the nine-member school board” could...
Fired football coach Eric Kasperowicz reaches out to Pine-Richland to ‘come to a resolution’
With students, parents and community members demanding Pine-Richland rehire Eric Kasperowicz, the ousted football coach has asked school administrators to meet with him and “come to a resolution quickly.” The Pine-Richland football coach and his assistants were fired last Wednesday. Kasperowicz re-applied for the school’s head coach position Friday and...
Pine-Richland community shows ‘silent support’ for fired football coach Eric KasperowiczVideo
Reaction to the firing of Pine-Richland high school football coach Eric Kasperowicz has been swift and strong. It has ranged from confusion and anger over the school board’s lack of an explanation — citing their policy not to comment on personnel matters — to students rallying outside their football stadium,...
North Allegheny, Ambridge hold their top spots in boys volleyball coaches rankings
The Western Pennsylvania Volleyball Coaches Association released its WPIAL Week 4 boys rankings Monday morning, and North Allegheny (Class AAA) and Ambridge (Class AA) maintained their No. 1 positions in their respective polls. In Class AAA, Seneca Valley remained at No. 2, while Hempfield, which made it to the finals...
Pine-Richland schedules meeting to fill board vacancy created amid football coach’s firing
The Pine-Richland school directors will meet April 27 to fill a vacancy on the school board created by a board member who resigned amid the controversial firing of football coach Eric Kasperowicz. The board voted unanimously during a special meeting on Friday to accept the resignation of school director Ben...
In brief: Spring plant sale, chemical e-waste pickup and more in Pine, Richland
Spring plant sale The Greybrooke Garden Club is hosting its annual spring plant sale form 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on May 8 in McCandless. Hanging baskets, perennials, herbs, annuals and garden supplies will be available for purchase. The event is being held in the grassy area near the Bonefish...
Pine, Richland real estate transactions for the week of April 18, 2021
Pine Cavalier Land Partn. L.P. sold property at 6200-6206 Elm Road to Nvr INC for $294,372. BHI Land LLC sold property at 536 MacLeod Drive to Jason and Heather Smith for $169,900. Eddy Homes Inc. sold property at 110 Miller Drive to Roncin LLC for $662,537. Trinity Place LLC sold...
Urged not to apply at Pine-Richland, coaches statewide pledge support for ousted coach Eric Kasperowicz
Dozens of high school football coaches statewide have used social media to announce their support for coach Eric Kasperowicz and his assistants, who were fired at Pine-Richland on Wednesday. Many of the tweets were in response to an email sent by Gateway athletic director/football coach Don Holl, who urged his...
Ace’s secret weapon helps Pine-Richland softball to signature early season win
Gabriella Aughton showed up to Pine-Richland’s game at Hempfield on April 9 with a secret weapon. She debuted a drop ball pitch, and with the new addition to an already strong repertoire, she proved difficult to hit. Aughton struck out 12 batters and the Rams got a two-run homer from...
Pine-Richland board member resigns amid backlash over football coach’s firing; parents call for reinstatement
A Pine-Richland school board member resigned his post without explanation Friday amid community uproar over the school district’s decision to fire championship-winning football coach Eric Kasperowicz earlier this week. The school board held a special online meeting at noon Friday to accept the resignation of first-term school board member Ben...
Cowboys QB Ben DiNucci supports Eric Kasperowicz after coach’s surprise firing at Pine-Richland
Ben DiNucci lives 1,200 miles from Pine-Richland but was stunned when word reached him in Texas that his high school football coach had been fired. “At first, like anybody else, I was wondering what the heck was the reasoning or logic behind it?” he said. Now an NFL quarterback with...
Mark Madden: Pine-Richland’s shameful firing of Eric Kasperowicz deserves better than ‘no comment’
Pine-Richland High School fired Eric Kasperowicz after eight seasons as football coach. He won two state championships and four WPIAL titles, including one of each this past season. Kasperowicz was 85-18. He’s beloved by his players and known for his professionalism. Plenty of Kasperowicz’s players got football scholarships. Kasperowicz wasn’t...
North Park gearing up for influx of visitorsVideo
Work crews have been busy wrapping up several improvement projects in North Park in time for the return of large crowds expected with the waning of winter weather and pandemic restrictions. A nearly $250,000 project to replace the dilapidated pedestrian bridge leading from Pearce Mill Road to one of the...
Football coach Eric Kasperowicz: ‘No bullying or hazing took place’ at Pine-Richland
A day after being fired, former Pine-Richland football coach Eric Kasperowicz pushed back against any allegation of hazing or bullying in his program, while his assistants described a toxic relationship with the school’s administration. The school district informed Kasperowicz on Wednesday his contract wouldn’t be renewed for a ninth season...
Pine-Richland fires football coach Eric Kasperowicz 5 months after winning state title
In the span of eight years, Pine-Richland football coach Eric Kasperowicz built the Rams into one of the WPIAL’s best programs with four WPIAL championships and two state titles. Stunningly, that run ended Wednesday. Only five months removed from their latest state championship celebration, the team’s coaches received an email...
