High School category, Page 1039
Franklin Regional wrestler Finn Solomon picks North Carolina State
Finn Solomon is on a mission. The Franklin Regional junior did not like the way his sophomore season ended. He was ranked No. 1 in the state heading into the WPIAL Class AAA and Southwest Regional after defeating Norwin senior Kurtis Phipps in the Section 1 final. But when the...
WPIAL boys golf preview: Central Catholic’s Salvitti leads deep group of top players
Who is the top boys’ golfer in the WPIAL? Well, it depends on what day it is. There are numerous top players returning, including many accomplished seniors. The player to watch is Central Catholic sophomore Rocco Salvitti, who tied for third in the WPIAL individual tournament last year and ended...
GCC quarterback finds workout partner in Terrelle Pryor
Offseason training has made Nate Dlugos a better quarterback mechanically and has boosted his confidence. It also has given the Greensburg Central Catholic sophomore a pretty good practice partner. Dlugos has been throwing passes to Terrelle Pryor, the former Jeannette star and NFL free agent wide receiver. Dlugos and Pryor...
14 WPIAL players nominated for All-American soccer games
Fourteen WPIAL players have a chance to play in the country’s premier soccer all-star games. The watch list for the 10th High School All-American Game was announced this week and the WPIAL is well-represented, particularly on the girls side with 11 of the 30 nominees from Pennsylvania coming from District...
U mad, bro? Pittsburgh fans angry over Penguins moves, ESPN’s jab at Big Ben, playing high school sports
Why should everybody be mad about the same thing all at once? Let’s spread around the agitation for this edition of “U mad, bro?” This week, Pittsburgh sports fans are frustrated about Penguins trades, Minkah Fitzpatrick and my dismissal of Ben Roethlisberger’s skills. Except I didn’t dismiss Roethlisberger’s skills. I...
Entering school’s 2nd decade, Central Valley looks to add to loaded trophy case
What a great first decade of existence for the Central Valley football team. In the first 10 years since the merger of Center and Monaca before the 2010 season, the Warriors are 98-29 with five conference championships, three WPIAL titles and two WPIAL and two PIAA runner-up trophies with only...
Ambridge works to get up to speed before season-opener
Veteran football coach Don Phillips had a quick response when asked of his biggest concern entering the 2020 season, his second at the helm at Ambridge. “Conditioning.” Ambridge is a bit behind the 8-ball after the school district shut down offseason workouts Aug. 3 when three students tested positive for...
No rest for hungry Avonworth after historic run
It was a season to remember for the Avonworth football team. The Antelopes rolled to the program’s second WPIAL title and remained undefeated until falling to Southern Columbia in the PIAA Class 2A championship contest in Hershey. “It was an incredible ride, week in and week out,” said Avonworth coach...
Improvements in strength, conditioning to be key for Hopewell
Hopewell was a first-half football team a year ago. The Vikings came out strong each game with energy, excitement and the competitive juices flowing. Too often, however, they ran out of gas in the second half. Second-year coach Matt Weiss wants to make sure that trend doesn’t continue this season....
Hockey players, parents urge Pa. to change indoor sports regulations
Hockey parents and players gathered at Center Ice Arena in Delmont on Wednesday evening to call for changes to the state government mandate limiting indoor athletic events. This summer, the office of Gov. Tom Wolf released a series of safety guidelines for a return for all amateur sports, from youth...
Pittsburgh’s City League teams can start fall sports without delay
There will be City League sports this fall. The school board for Pittsburgh Public Schools voted unanimously Wednesday against a proposal that would’ve postponed sports until the district resumes in-person classes. The school district’s administration recommended the delay earlier this month, but the 9-0 vote reversed that decision, allowing sports...
WPIAL girls golf preview: GCC dynasty sets sights on 6th straight title
Since WPIAL girls golf went to two classifications in 2012, eight team champions have been crowned. But one team has hoarded the trophies handed out each October at Cedarbrook Golf Course. Greensburg Central Catholic has won the last five titles and has its sights on a six-peat as a new...
PIHL plans to delay varsity season unless indoor restrictions are changed
The Pennsylvania Interscholastic Hockey League on Wednesday sent information to officials from each league member detailing the status of its varsity, junior varsity and middle school seasons based on the state-government mandate of a 25-person limit for indoor gatherings amid the coronavirus pandemic. Varsity games will not start unless there...
After thriving in 2A, Burgettstown looks like big fish in Class A pond
For nine weeks in the 2019 football season, Burgettstown was the class of 2A. The Blue Devils ended the regular season with a perfect 9-0 record and a Three Rivers Conference championship after a Week 8 showdown victory over Brentwood. However, the Burgettstown dream season ended with a nightmare on...
Cornell restocks shelves after breakout season
Cornell took a break from competing in football in the WPIAL in 2012. The program returned to action in 2016 and promptly went winless. But that was the start of something special. The Raiders steadily improved and in 2019, reached the WPIAL Class A semifinals and earned the school’s first...
Tanner Garry looks to restore tradition at alma mater Fort Cherry
Tanner Garry remembers fondly his playing days at Fort Cherry. It was just nine years ago when he threw for nearly 3,000 yards and 35 touchdowns to lead the Rangers to a 7-4 record and a trip to the WPIAL Class A quarterfinals. Fans lined the fences at Jim Garry...
Northgate aims to end lengthy losing streak
Northgate had a young roster last year when it struggled and finished winless. The Flames’ losing streak, which dates to 2017, reached 24 games. But hope flickers on the eve of a new season. “We’ve been young the last couple years,” third-year coach Mike Fulmore said. “We have had some...
OLSH players have championship aspirations
Two years ago, members of the Our Lady of the Sacred Heart football team hoisted the WPIAL Class A championship trophy for the first time in school history. Now, as the Chargers enter the 2020 season, they have championship aspirations back on their mind after going 7-4 a season ago...
Late-season surge breeds optimism at Rochester
Small school football programs go through ups and downs. They make championship runs and then reload and develop with a new set of players. The Rochester Rams are a perfect example of that, and last year was one of those seasons where the Rams had to reset. “I’ve been here...
Shenango to lean on versatile Reis Watkins in move to Big Seven
The plan was always to get the ball in Reis Watkins’ hands. He’ll just get it a little sooner than expected now. The Shenango senior ran for 1,269 yards and 13 touchdowns as the team’s feature running back a year ago. He will start this season taking snaps at quarterback...
Union building around dominant lineman Aaron Gunn
They have one of the top players in the WPIAL, but will one dominant performer be enough to help Union turn around and enjoy success in the always competitive Big Seven Conference in Class A? The Scotties finished in fifth place in the eight-team conference a year ago with an...
Covid-19 forces Seneca Valley to cancel football scrimmage, season opener
Concerned that an athlete had direct exposure to covid-19, Seneca Valley shut down football workouts indefinitely Tuesday, meaning it also must cancel its preseason scrimmage and season opener. Teams must have 10 preseason practices before a scrimmage and 15 before a game, thresholds that the Raiders can’t reach, coach Ron...
Would school districts be legally liable for athletes contracting covid-19?
If a school district lets students play sports and one contracts covid-19 with complications, could the school be held legally responsible? Unlikely, says attorney Larry Kelly, a multi-sport coach in the WPIAL who has practiced personal-injury law for 37 years. Kelly studied the question and points to the governmental immunity...
Quaker Valley’s young, battle-tested roster ready to rebound
There are just three seniors on the Quaker Valley football roster this fall. Typically, that would be cause for concern. But the Quakers’ underclassmen are more experienced than most their age and have been game tested against some of the best teams WPIAL Class 3A has to offer. “The junior...
Dual-threat QB Logan Shrubb leads Keystone Oaks into new-look conference
Since expansion to six classifications four years ago, Keystone Oaks has had four winning seasons playing against elite teams from Beaver County in Class 3A. The Golden Eagles have a combined record of 26-14 since 2016 but have only one playoff trip to show for it. The combination of Gardner...
