High School category, Page 18

Section play in the 2025 WPIAL boys soccer regular season is down to the final week-plus with 41 teams having already qualified for the upcoming district postseason. The top four teams in each section qualify for the district playoffs. All teams tied for a playoff spot where head-to-head does not...

Franklin Regional had its annual campus bonfire Thursday night. Shortly after the fire department doused the flames, the boys soccer team went out and smoked Belle Vernon. Aidan Alexander and Michael Hillebrand each scored two goals as the fifth-ranked Panthers avenged an earlier loss to the visiting Leopards in dominant...

Forget the stat sheet. Take a look at the injury list. The biggest question mark in the 36th football meeting between Jeannette (3-3, 1-2) and Greensburg Central Catholic (3-3, 1-2) is who has more questionable players. Both teams had standout wide receivers sustain injuries last week. For Jeannette, it was...

There is nothing like October football. The heat of August and September football has faded to that special chill in the air on Friday nights as Week 6 of WPIAL football gets set to kick off. While NFL Films taught us that the autumn wind is a raider, it is...

It didn’t begin well, but it ended all the same. The Mt. Lebanon girls tennis doubles duo of seniors Jackie Tang and Michelle Yang appeared a little off Thursday to start the WPIAL Class 3A final, which was a rematch of last year’s contest as the Blue Devils once again...

Forget the stat sheet. Take a look at the injury list. The biggest question mark in the 36th football meeting between Jeannette (3-3, 1-2) and Greensburg Central Catholic (3-3, 1-2) is who has more questionable players. Both teams had standout wide receivers sustain injuries last week. For Jeannette, it was...

The Deer Lakes boys soccer team entered the 2025 season with a talented senior class that contributed to its success over the past three years, and, through their first 11 games, that experience showed. The Lancers (10-3-1, 8-1-1) won nine of those games with their only two losses coming against...

Each week throughout the high school football season, the Valley News Dispatch will take a look at the players, coaches and events that shaped our scholastic legacy. West Deer’s Bill Smith returned the opening kickoff 87 yards for a touchdown at Richland on Oct. 2, 1965. Bob Pagano, however, returned...

Alyssa Zhang needed to learn more about Sewickley Heights Golf Club with each shot she took Wednesday, and the Shady Side Academy sophomore was a quick study. She’d passed up a practice round a couple of days earlier yet defended her WPIAL Class 2A title with a six-shot victory on...

High schools Cross country Wednesday’s results Division I Section 4 meet Boys 1. Michael Costello, Fox Chapel, 16:38.70; 2. Samuel Plazio, Kiski Area, 16:42.50; 3. Nolan Gwin, Fox Chapel, 17:03.20; 4. Asher Eckel, Fox Chapel, 17:11.10; 5. Nico Piraino, Franklin Regional, 17:29.70; 6. Mason Gray, Franklin Regional, 17:30.30; 7. Owen...

Following a busy Thursday night on the hardwood, the WPIAL girls volleyball regular season will be down to two weeks remaining. However, there are a handful of sections that could be either decided or muddied up for the stretch run with key Thursday showdowns. • In Section 1-3A, one game...

The Trib 10 small school power rankings remain intact from last week with the same 10 teams and only one minor move from a week ago. The big school power rankings – not so much. The only move in the small school Trib 10 came when Imani Christian knocked off...

Section play in the WPIAL girls soccer regular season has reached the final two weeks and 47 teams have already qualified for the upcoming district postseason. The top four teams in each section qualify for the district playoffs. All teams tied for a playoff spot where head-to-head does not break...

Ellie Arnold scored a hat trick as Kiski Area clinched a playoff berth with a 3-0 victory over West Mifflin (3-10, 0-9) in Section 4-3A girls soccer Wednesday. Bria Bires and Emma Brink combined on the shutout for the Cavaliers (7-5, 7-3). Armstrong 4, Hempfield 1 – Callie Adkins scored...

Norwin girls soccer coach Ashley DeVito had a name for her team’s defensive mission before Wednesday night’s Section 1-4A game at Latrobe. “Operation Clean Sheet” was a success. The Lady Knights were met with little resistance as they pinned up their eighth shutout of the season with their 10th consecutive...

Elizabeth Forward’s Mya Morgan was playing in a foursome with the golfer who beat her in last year’s WPIAL championship, but don’t call this a grudge match. “I don’t hold grudges,” said the senior. “I think everyone deserves what they get.” But Morgan, the 2023 WPIAL champion, freely admits she...

Fox Chapel stole the show at the WPIAL Division I, Section 4 cross country meet Wednesday at Northmoreland Park, taking both team titles and crowning Michael Costello the boys champ. Costello (16 minutes, 38.70 seconds) won a duel with Kiski Area’s Samuel Plazio (16:42.50) in the boys race, winning by...

Last year’s Allegheny 7 Conference contest between Highlands and Freeport was the first one in the brief all-time series that the Golden Rams were held to single digits. The Yellowjackets, who now lead the series 3-2, limited Highlands to a single touchdown in a 28-7 win at Golden Rams Stadium....

Player of the week Tevin Owen-Cratsenberg Highlands, So., RB/LB Owen-Cratsenberg continued to make plays and create havoc defensively for the Golden Rams in their 35-0 victory over Deer Lakes, but he also made an impact running the ball as Highlands improved to 3-3 overall and 2-1 in the Allegheny 7...

Here’s a look at the don’t-miss matchups for Week 6 in the A-K Valley: Class 5A Big East Latrobe (2-4, 1-2) at Kiski Area (2-4, 1-2) 7 p.m. Friday, Richard J. Dilts Stadium, Allegheny Township Last week: Woodland Hills 33, Latrobe 9; Kiski Area 14, Franklin Regional 7 Last year’s...

Last week: 8-1 Season: 54-11 (83%) The Birdie has something sticking in his craw this week. “You know the kerfuffle last week about Fox Chapel and Baldwin asking their opponents to take it easy on them? “It could lead to a worthwhile discussion about solutions to the problem of competitive...

Week 6 football schedule Friday WPIAL Class 6A Hempfield at Norwin, 7 p.m. Mt. Lebanon at North Allegheny, 7:30 p.m. Seneca Valley at Canon-McMillan, 7 p.m. Class 5A Allegheny Six Baldwin at Bethel Park, 7 p.m. Moon at Peters Township, 7 p.m. South Fayette at Upper St. Clair, 7 p.m....

Player of the week Dom Detruf Hempfield, Sr., QB The Spartans’ signal-caller had a career game last Friday. He completed 26 of 34 passes for 346 yards and four touchdowns in a 38-27 victory against Canon-McMillan. This season, he has completed 88 of 120 passes for 1,258 yards and 14...

One of the longest-standing rivalries in Westmoreland County will be on display Friday at Norwin Stadium. For the 68th time, neighbors Hempfield and Norwin will square off, and for the first time in a long time the game has significant meaning in the chase for the WPIAL playoffs. Both teams...

Here’s a look at the don’t-miss matchups for Week 6 in Westmoreland County: Class 5A Big East Gateway (2-4, 2-1) at No. 5 Penn-Trafford (5-1, 1-1) 7:30 p.m. Friday, Warrior Stadium, Harrison City Last week: Armstrong 29, Gateway 28; Penn-Trafford 33, Plum 14 Last year’s meeting: Penn-Trafford 32, Gateway 13...