High School category, Page 1071
No guarantee spring sports are played, but WPIAL discusses ‘what if’ scenariosVideo
The WPIAL board discussed contingency plans for spring sports season behind closed doors Monday, but “anything at this point is uncertain,” associate executive director Amy Scheuneman said. She called them “what-if” scenarios. All of Pennsylvania’s schools were closed Monday to start a two-week shutdown ordered by Gov. Tom Wolf, so...
Trib HSSN PIHL Player of the Week: Week ending March 15, 2020
Sophomore forward Nathan Boulanger hasn’t been with the Ringgold Rams all season. He joined the Class B co-op team in December and accrued enough games played to be eligible for the postseason for the Rams, who reached the championship round largely because of his efforts in Monday’s semifinal against Elizabeth...
Trib HSSN PIHL Team of the Week: Week ending March 15, 2020
Sophomore Jacob Fetzer had six goals during the regular season. They all came in the first 10 games. That meant Fetzer hadn’t scored in seven games leading into Carrick’s semifinal against North Division champion Neshannock on Monday night. But he scored twice — including the winner — and assisted on...
Paul Schofield: Westmoreland County wrestlers shine in PIAA finalsVideo
What an exciting and puzzling week it has been for high school athletics and everyone else as the coronavirus pandemic has interrupted our lives. With the sports world on pause, it’s a good time to look back and nothing was more exciting than the PIAA wrestling championships for three Westmoreland...
Monessen softball team will play under another new coach
For the second time in as many seasons, the Monessen softball team has a new coach. After Bo Teets’ nine-year tenure, which brought two WPIAL championship appearances, Cal (Pa.) and Seton Hill graduate Carlee Wickstrom took over for one season before resigning in the offseason and accepting a teaching position...
Trib HSSN boys basketball player of the week: Week ending March 14
For two generations and over three decades, the Price has been right for area basketball success. Twenty-seven years ago, Kevin Price led Duquesne to a third straight WPIAL title, a second straight PIAA basketball championship and, as a quarterback, guided the Dukes to district and state gold. Kevin’s daughter Shamyjha...
Leechburg baseball not satisfied with just WPIAL playoff spot
After making the WPIAL baseball playoffs each of the past two seasons, Leechburg would like to break out of the 2-0 mold. The Blue Devils have lost opening-round playoff games to Jeannette and Quigley by 2-0 scores. Leechburg finished last season 5-5 in Section 3-A play, 7-10 overall. “We can...
Despite turnover, Monessen baseball expect to keep playoff streak intact
Youth will be relied upon to supplement the few veteran bats remaining for the Monessen baseball team after losing a nine-player senior cast last season. With only two seniors and five upperclassmen out of 12 players, 17th-year coach Bill Matush expects to call upon some of his eldest players —...
Leechburg softball team readies for run at 34th straight playoff berth
The coronavirus pandemic might do something other WPIAL softball teams have failed to do: stop Leechburg’s playoff streak. The WPIAL will decide Monday afternoon what to do with the statewide school closure and whether to plan a spring sports season if virus threats diminish. In the meantime, the Blue Devils...
Greensburg Salem’s Stoner wins 2nd state wrestling title, keeps program tradition alive
Super Bowl MVPs go to Disney World the day after the game. Greensburg Salem senior Riley Stoner went to the Orlando, Fla., area theme park the day after she won a second Pennsylvania USA Girls wrestling title in Gettysburg. She pinned Montoursville’s Dominic Daugherty at 2 minutes, 22 seconds in...
Penn Hills basketball programs learn tough postseason lessons
Heading into the WPIAL playoffs, the Penn Hills boys basketball team had a six-game winning streak and earned the No. 1 seed in the WPIAL Class 5A playoffs. However, the success was short-lived as the Indians fell, 62-60, to eventual WPIAL champion Laurel Highlands, the eighth seed, in the quarterfinals...
Sewickley Academy baseball team looks to build on experience
Sewickley Academy’s baseball team continues to grow. After several underclassmen were thrust into key roles last year, the Panthers struggled to a 4-9 finish. However, they’re eager to build on that experience this season. “Things have been going great. The turnout has been very good so far. I think we...
PIAA finalizes Class AAA swimming and diving team standings, second-day champions and medalists
The PIAA has finalized the Class AAA swimming and diving team standings reflecting the results from Thursday’s second-day swims. Amid all of the safety measures being taken in response to the coronavirus that causes covid-19, the PIAA cancelled the Class AAA swimming consolation and championship finals scheduled for Thursday evening....
Westmoreland notebook: European trip on hold for Penn-Trafford soccer standout Schlessinger
Nathan Schlessinger’s soccer career is beginning to take off. The sophomore from Penn-Trafford was selected to play for the 2004 Olympic Development Program National Team, a prestigious honor for a player his age. The ODP team was scheduled to travel next month to Barcelona, Spain, to compete in the Mediterranean...
Ligonier Valley softball team eyes longer postseason run
Another successful softball season at Ligonier Valley in 2019 abruptly ended with an early exit from the postseason. For the Rams, who last qualified for the PIAA playoffs in 2017, it is time to get back to the business of trying to win a few more of those games. But...
Ligonier Valley baseball has holes to fill in lineup if it wants to chase Heritage title
In its final tuneup before joining the WPIAL next season, the Ligonier Valley baseball team will attempt to exit District 6 this spring with a second consecutive Heritage Conference championship and fifth overall. Coach Brett Marabito remembers well the first time the Rams earned the conference title. “It was my...
Class AA swimmers in limbo as coronavirus concerns put state finals on hiatus
Braden Zukowski and his Knoch swimming and diving teammates were eating breakfast about 10 minutes away from Bucknell on Thursday when they got the news the PIAA had postponed Friday and Saturday’s Class AA championship for two weeks because of the ongoing safety response to the coronavirus pandemic. “We finished...
Postpone, don’t cancel spring sports: Frazier softball player starts online petition to PIAA
A Frazier senior softball player has started an online petition to influence the PIAA’s upcoming decision on what to do with the spring sports season in the state. Emi Curcio, a key player for the defending PIAA Class 2A champion Commodores, hopes the movement she began Friday will sway the...
Shaler junior high wrestlers make states, provide glimpse into program’s future
Zach Hartung isn’t what you would call an experienced wrestler. Before the past two years, the Shaler Area freshman’s experience primarily consisted of unsanctioned matches with his brother. Hartung, who competes at 252 pounds, has shown considerable progress during his two-year career. He recently placed eighth at the Pennsylvania junior...
Signal Item softball preview: Teams hoping to improve on last season’s performance
As softball season nears, the three Carnegie-area teams are focused on making the playoffs. Bishop Canevin returns nearly all of its starting lineup from a team that qualified in Class A last season. Carlynton also has a veteran lineup returning, and Chartiers Valley will be under the direction of a...
Franklin Regional bowlers win regional title in dramatic fashion
Tears formed at the corners of Alex Smith’s eyes. A typically stoic bowler, he was overcome with emotion as he readied himself for one of the biggest throws in his career. “Honestly, there’s usually nothing going through my mind in those moments other than I know what I need to...
Memory of playoff loss motivates Gateway baseball
Gateway’s baseball team is not letting the taste of bitter defeat leave its memory. After a 13-6 regular season, the Gators made a quick first-round decampment for the fourth consecutive season in the WPIAL playoffs after falling victim to eventual Class 5A champion Shaler Area, 2-1, last May at Fox...
Gateway’s Livingston caps decorated career with pair of PIAA medals
It is often said all good things must come to an end. Olivia Livingston hoped that wasn’t the case with the 50-yard freestyle at last week’s PIAA Class AAA swimming championships at Bucknell. The Gateway senior attempted to win her fourth state title in the event, but a trio of...
Shaler Area girls bowling happy for 1st state championship berth
Shawn Pilyih had an inkling the Shaler Area girls bowling team clinched its first appearance at the state championships. The Titans coach came to the sudden realization when the results were delivered to him. “I was the tournament director,” Pilyih said. “I didn’t know until they handed me the sheet...
Pine-Richland baseball program has no plans to lower bar
The defending WPIAL Class 6A champion Pine-Richland baseball team is entering the season fully aware of how others may perceive them. After enjoying two titles in the last three years, the program graduated 11 seniors from last year, including four Division I players. While replacing a host of pedigreed players...
