High School category, Page 1069
Depth fuels Quaker Valley baseball team after reaching playoffs last season
No nametags are needed this year for Quaker Valley’s baseball team. Quakers coach Dean Owrey and his assistants enter their second season leading the program, and they’re pleased with the progress they’ve seen. “Things are going well. These guys have been working hard through the summer and fall. We’re very,...
Fox Chapel boys tennis faces challenging road to 5th straight WPIAL title
Last season was one to remember for the Fox Chapel tennis team. The Foxes won their fourth consecutive WPIAL team championship and made it to the semifinals of the PIAA tournament while finishing 18-1. Coach Alex Slezak will have his work cut out for him if the Foxes are to...
Fox Chapel lacrosse has talent to thrive despite losses to graduation
The Fox Chapel High School boys lacrosse team posted an 11-5 record last year and made it to the quarterfinals of the WPIAL tournament. To make a similar run this year, fourth-year coach Kevin Devinney will need to replace a lot of key players who graduated. “We graduated the best...
After down year, the Valley Vikings are looking to return to the playoffs
The Valley baseball team didn’t have one senior on the roster last season, and coach Jim Basilone and his underclassmen took some lumps, winning only five games. But the Vikings took their losses in stride and worked to improve every day. Now, they are hoping the down season will pay...
With youth and experience, Valley softball is looking to break its playoff hiatus
The Valley softball team hasn’t made the WPIAL playoffs in eight years, but the seven returning seniors are hoping to end that streak. “It’s very important for us,” senior Casey Gatto said about getting back to the playoffs. “It’s our last chance, really, and we are hoping to do that.”...
Chartiers Valley, Carlynton, Bishop Canevin baseball teams hitting pause
With the spread of coronavirus putting all levels of sports on hold across the globe, Chartiers Valley baseball coach Curt Cairns summed it up best when asked what his players are doing to get ready for the season — if it happens. “In this situation, there’s no playbook for a...
Penn Hills softball has building blocks in place for possible playoff run
Even though the Penn Hills softball program hasn’t reached the WPIAL playoffs in over a decade, the Indians remain optimistic that this year could end their 13-year playoff drought. Penn Hills, which finished 5-10 overall and 5-9 in Section 2-5A action last season, will have a healthy mix of upperclassmen...
Hampton swimmers exceed expectations at shortened PIAA meet
It didn’t turn out the way they expected, but it still exceeded all expectations. After sending five boys to the PIAA swimming championships — the most in its past four years in the highest competition of AAA — Hampton didn’t walk away with any medals. But it still remains prideful...
Highlands, Vincentian out, Cornell into the Trib HSSN state boys basketball rankings
This could be the latest state rankings following the second round of the PIAA postseason tournament, or this could be the final Trib HSSN boys rankings of the season. The state playoffs have been put on hold, much like everything else across the state and throughout the nation as the...
Carlynton, Chartiers Valley track and field expect to have good seasons
Good news for Carlynton’s athletic programs spells bad news — at least in the short term — for the Cougars’ track and field team. The boys and girls basketball teams qualified for the PIAA playoffs. Natali Lutsiv qualified for the PIAA swimming championships. And Lexi Jones was competing for Carrick’s...
Penn Hills baseball turns to Stubbs for new direction
With a new coach and a focus on the fundamentals, the Penn Hills baseball team has its sights on the WPIAL playoffs after only winning three games last season. Rodney Stubbs, who has been involved with the program for the past four season, replaces Jerry Cammuso as the coach after...
Led by veteran Maya Ennis, North Allegheny divers shine at PIAA meet
North Allegheny junior diver Maya Ennis shared the spotlight with freshmen Christina Shi and Zoe Ky for much of the season, but it was her turn to shine at the PIAA Class AAA championship meet March 14 at Bucknell. Ennis earned a bronze medal on the girls 1-meter board with...
Underclassmen lead Hampton wrestlers to record season
Last year, a rash of injuries ran Hampton wrestling off track. It was only a matter of time, however, before this group made history. Hampton’s wrestlers, who had been fighting through dual meets all year with multiple forfeits, shined in the WPIAL championships. When it was all said and done,...
Southmoreland softball hopes to make run at another title
When Southmoreland softball coach Todd Bunner addressed his team March 12, they talked about the future and hoped the 2020 season would continue in the near future. Around the state, the season is on pause until at least April 1 because of coronavirus. If the season continues, there is a...
St. Joseph baseball looks to build off breakout 2019 season
The St. Joseph baseball team is coming off a breakout season as it qualified for the WPIAL playoffs for the first time since 2000 and scored an upset victory in the opening round. The Spartans advanced to the Class A quarterfinals with a 10-1 win over No. 6 Monessen and...
A century’s worth of PIAA basketball championship factoids
Suspending the playoff after two rounds was not what the PIAA had in mind on the 100th anniversary of its basketball championships, but the coronavirus outbreak has the tournament on hold. The finals were originally scheduled to start Thursday in Hershey. While the candles are still burning on the state...
100 years ago, Pa. held its 1st state basketball tournament, but anniversary celebration on hold
Two thousand fans came to the Armory in State College to watch the first state basketball tournament in Pennsylvania high school history, a historic event from exactly 100 years ago. Harrisburg Tech won a silver cup and gold medals as the first state tournament champions after defeating WPIAL champion Bellevue,...
St. Joseph softball brings back plenty of experience
The St. Joseph softball program enjoyed a two-year run to the WPIAL playoffs in 2017 and ‘18, the first two such seasons in its history. The Spartans played a pair of postseason games both times, winning in the first round each time and finishing the two years with a combined...
Govern sees improvement in Southmoreland baseball team
Southmoreland baseball coach Al Govern calls himself old school. He likes to preach fundamentals. That’s why he’s excited for the 2020 season to resume so he can see how much his team has improved in one year under his training. Because of the coronavirus, Gov. Tom Wolf and the PIAA...
Highlands’ Wahkeem Roman picks up offer from Toledo
The recruitment process has begun for Highlands lineman Wahkeem Roman. On Thursday, the 6-foot-5, 286-pounder announced his first official offer from Toledo via his Twitter account. Excited and Blessed to receive my first official offer from The University of Toledo?!! @ToledoFB @coachhallett #Liftoff pic.twitter.com/ARFrXgwXJo— wahkeem roman (@WahkeemR) March 19, 2020...
Coronavirus outbreak could leave 6-figure dent in WPIAL budgetVideo
The coronavirus outbreak already has spring sports on hold indefinitely, but the WPIAL is bracing for off-the-field impacts as well from the unfolding pandemic. The virus could leave a six-figure hole in the WPIAL budget, cancel the annual meeting and delay the election of board members for next school year....
WPIAL Girls Basketball Team of the Week: Week ending Mar. 15
In 2016, the Trinity girls basketball team reached the WPIAL Class AAA finals before losing to South Fayette. A year later, after losing to Chartiers Valley in the district semifinals, the Hillers went on a run in the PIAA playoffs that landed them in Hershey and the first Class 5A...
Shaler softball ready to go when — and if — spring sports resume
Tom Sorce knows the current world environment isn’t making high school sports likely to happen this spring. But the third-year Shaler Area softball coach hopes the Titans will get a chance. Following strong workouts and tournaments in the fall and spring, Sorce thought Shaler had potential. The Titans, who saw...
Penn-Trafford baseball stays hungry amid uncertainty
When Penn-Trafford baseball players and coaches left practice Friday — their final practice as a group until March 30 at the earliest and maybe their last workout together ever — players were given baseballs to take home. The season hadn’t even begun and the team already was cleaning out its...
Ligonier Valley sophomore Beitel invited to elite football camp
Ligonier Valley sophomore Nick Beitel was invited to the EXOS Select 50 instructional football showcase, which will take place in May in either Houston or Frisco, Texas. Beitel, the son of Ligonier Valley football coach Roger Beitel, will be evaluated by current NCAA/NAIA coaches and NFL alum. The morning session...
