High School category, Page 127

Saphia Davis wrestled just two matches in December before being forced off the mat because of injury. She made quick work of Burrell’s Cierra Molnar with a 48-second pin in Plum’s season opener and pinned Norwin’s Avalin Barry in 5:55 of their 130-pound bout during a dual match Dec. 18....

Each year at the Allegheny County wrestling tournament, one can find Plum wrestlers contending for championships and podium finishes. This year was no exception, as multiple Mustangs were in contention on the second day of the two-day tournament Jan. 17 and 18 at Fox Chapel High School. When all of...

A losing streak can teach a team a lot about itself, especially a team that isn’t used to losing. Take Norwin, the defending WPIAL 6A champion. The Knights recently dropped three straight — to North Catholic, Shaler and No. 1 Upper St. Clair. They had not endured such a streak...

Zach Pollaro practices bank shots from spots all around North Hills’ gym, so bouncing in a 3-pointer off the glass might feel almost routine at times. But this one surely didn’t. Trailing by two points with 2.9 seconds left, Pollaro banked in a buzzer-beating 3 from the left wing as...

Rowan Carmichael became the 38th WPIAL boys basketball to reach 2,000 points for his career, scoring 36 to lead Avonworth to an 85-71 victory over Hopewell (6-10, 1-5) in Section 2-4A on Friday night. Noah Goetz added 25 points for the Antelopes (13-2, 6-0). South Allegheny 73, Shady Side Academy...

Late in the first half, Zion Moore saw two toddlers wander onto the court and waddle his way. The Belle Vernon senior guard delicately picked one of them up and passed him over the scorer’s table and then directed the other back to the bleachers. Moore knew them, so he...

As if Deer Lakes needed another 3-point shot Friday night in its 71-49 Section 1-4A boys basketball victory at Burrell. The Lancers sank a season-high 11 from long range. Sophomore guard Evan Moore made six of them, including four of the team’s total of eight before halftime. But he’d have...

The Kiski Area boys basketball team had payback on its mind Friday night from a six-point loss to Section 2-5A rival Hampton on Dec. 20. Mission accomplished. The Cavaliers, ahead by six at halftime and nine at the end of three quarters, weathered a couple of Hampton second-half rally attempts...

How big is finishing a quarter strong in high school basketball? On Friday night at Franklin Regional, it was huge for visiting Gateway. The Gators (9-7, 7-3) got a driving layup from junior Jacob Settles to finish the first quarter, a driving layup from junior Mykel Bruce-McCrommon to finish the...

The count is 30 WPIAL boys basketball teams that will be participating in events sponsored by the Pittsburgh Basketball Club this weekend. On Saturday, the PBC will host its annual Hall of Fame Classic with five games at North Hills and four at Ambridge. Here is the schedule for each...

The PIAA will expand girls volleyball to six classifications starting in 2026. The sport currently has only four classes, but the PIAA board on Wednesday finalized plans to add two more. PIAA executive director Bob Lombardi said the move was needed because girls volleyball now has nearly the same number...

“A travesty of justice” was how Aliquippa boys basketball coach Nick Lackovich described the situation his short-handed team will face Friday night. As a result of last weekend’s on-court altercation with Imani Christian, Aliquippa must play a section game with only five players and without Lackovich, who was suspended one...

In WPIAL Section 3-4A boys basketball, three teams have pulled away from the other four schools. Belle Vernon (12-4) and Derry (10-5) are both 7-1 in section play while Elizabeth Forward (13-3) is right there as well with a 6-1 section mark. The Leopards beat the Warriors, the Warriors knocked...

High schools Basketball Boys Thursday’s results Class 2A Section 2 Northgate 62, Leechburg 36 Section 3 Jefferson-Morgan 72, Beth-Center 40 Chartiers-Houston 55, Carmichaels 21 West Greene 61, Mapletown 33 Nonsection Kiski School 71, Indiana 51 Obama Academy at Sto-Rox, (n) Southwestern Christian Athletic Conference Cheswick Christian Academy 61, Western PA...

High schools Basketball Boys Friday’s results Class 6A Section 1 New Castle 69, Butler 46 North Allegheny 41, Pine-Richland 36 North Hills 44, Seneca Valley 43 (OT) Fox Chapel 52, Woodland Hills 46 Section 2 Central Catholic 68, Hempfield 27 Imani Christian 73, Connellsville 60 Mt. Lebanon 76, Canon-McMillan 45...

Claudia Ierullo scored 21 points and Our Lady of the Sacred Heart solidified its hold on first place in Section 1-3A girls basketball with a 62-25 victory over Quaker Valley on Thursday night. Lola Garner added 12 points for the Chargers (15-2, 10-0). Mimi Thiero scored 13 for the Quakers...

Burrell’s new football playbook might borrow some ideas from the Kansas City Chiefs. Newly hired football coach Dom Girardi already has cheered on the Chiefs at two Super Bowls and is headed to Arrowhead Stadium for the AFC Championship Game on Sunday. He comes from a football family, and his...

A trio of Kiski Area individual swimmers and one relay team have the biggest targets on their backs as top seeds for Saturday’s Westmoreland County Coaches Association championships at Derry. Sophomore Leah Kunkle has the fastest time this season among Westmoreland swimmers in the girls 200-yard individual medley. Senior Riley...

With four NCAA Division I swimmers on the roster, Mt. Pleasant is expected to make noise at the annual Westmoreland County Coaches’ Association championship Friday and Saturday at Derry. It is one of the last chances for fans to watch the Vikings’ elite PIAA champion swimmers. Seniors Lily King (N.C....

Reigning champions Burrell (Class 2A) and Connellsville (3A) earned the No. 1 seeds for the 2025 WPIAL team wrestling tournament, the wrestling committee announced Thursday. The tournament for both classifications begins Monday at Greensburg Salem and Bentworth for Class 2A, and Shaler and North Hills in Class 3A with preliminary-round...

Event director Allen Deep didn’t consider altering the schedule for the Shootout at Seton Hill basketball showcase this weekend, even with five games Sunday that will take fans away from watching the AFC and NFC championship games. The original schedule will remain status quo. The weekend is about basketball, not...

Noah Felentzer expected to get the basketball more this season for Southmoreland. With the graduation of career 1,500-point scorer Ty Keffer, his scoring would be pivotal to the team’s success. Whether he realized it or not, Keffer helped Felentzer prepare for the go-to role. “I think what prepared me most...

Fox Chapel boys basketball coach Zach Skrinjar is proud of his team for doing two things well this season. The first is watching his players come together as one. “This group has really grown together, built a camaraderie,” Skrinjar said. “We have had a good mix when it comes to...

High schools Basketball Boys Wednesday’s results Class 5A Section 2 Penn Hills 51, Hampton 46 (OT) Class 4A Section 3 Derry 54, Greensburg Salem 41 Class 3A Section 3 South Park 55, Shady Side Academy 52 Nonsection Carrick at Aquinas Academy, ppd. Frazier at Brownsville, ppd. Leechburg at Springdale, ppd....

Amon Hawthorne scored 20 points as Penn Hills rallied from four points down entering the fourth quarter to beat Hampton, 51-46, in overtime in Section 2-5A boys basketball Wednesday night. Aiden Thompson added 18 points for Penn Hills (6-7, 6-1). Zach Danner scored nine points to lead the Talbots (9-7,...