High School category, Page 196
Belle Vernon boys show grit in playoff win vs. Elizabeth Forward
Ahead of its WPIAL Class 4A quarterfinal matchup Wednesday night against Mon Valley rival Elizabeth Forward, the Belle Vernon boys basketball squad had a lot going against it. The No. 1-seed Leopards were battling a 15-day layoff, and they were trying to beat the Warriors for the third time this...
Avonworth boys hold off Knoch in WPIAL Class 4A quarterfinals
Avonworth maybe didn’t win the game in the first 5 minutes, but its hot start Wednesday night certainly shaped the final three quarters. The Antelopes ran out to an early 11-point lead, putting Knoch in a hole it couldn’t quite escape. Avonworth’s Rowan Carmichael bolstered his status as the WPIAL’s...
North Catholic boys beat Deer Lakes for 3rd time this season
It’s often said it’s a challenge to beat the same team three times in a season. The North Catholic boys basketball team bucked that belief Wednesday in a WPIAL Class 4A quarterfinal against section rival Deer Lakes on its home court at the Graham Events Center. Three players scored in...
Serra Catholic junior claims WPIBL boys singles championship
Serra Catholic junior Preston Smith defeated Hempfield junior Braylon Johnson, 216-205, in a closely contested final to win the WPIBL boys singles championship Wednesday at AMF Mt. Lebanon Lanes. Johnson was the top bowler in qualifying with a 672 series. Smith was second with a 669 series, but he had...
A-K Valley basketball playoff preview capsules for Thursday, Feb. 19, 2025
Boys Class 6A Quarterfinals 5-Central Catholic (13-9) at 4-Fox Chapel (16-6) 8 p.m. Thursday Winner plays: Winner of 1-Upper St. Clair (20-2)/9-Woodland Hills (12-11) on Monday in semifinals (time, site TBD) Players to watch: Enzo Khalil, Central Catholic; Caden Kaiser, Fox Chapel Layup lines: The Vikings finished third in Section...
Westmoreland County basketball playoff preview capsules for Thursday, Feb. 19, 2025
Boys Class 2A Quarterfinals 8-Union (17-6) vs. 1-Greensburg Central Catholic (21-2) 6 p.m. Thursday at Shaler Winner plays: Winner of 5-Northgate (14-9)/4-Neshannock (20-2) on Monday (time, site TBA) in semifinals Players to watch: Lucas Stanley, Union; Brady O’Rourke, Greensburg Central Catholic Layup lines: Union, a Class A program for decades...
Trib 10: Power-ranked teams survive and advance … with 1 exception
While there were a few bracket busters here and there in the first round of the WPIAL basketball playoffs, only one affected the teams in the Trib 10. It had been a ho-hum opening round for the District 7 power teams with many receiving first-round byes or rolling past teams...
What to watch for in WPIAL sports on Feb. 19, 2025: Basketball brackets reach quarterfinals
Welcome to the first of three nights of WPIAL basketball quarterfinals action. Outside of Class 6A and boys Class A, all the teams playing in second round games have a bit of a safety net. For now, there is no sudden end to the season. Teams that don’t reach the...
High school scores, summaries and schedules for Feb. 18, 2025
High schools Basketball WPIAL playoffs Boys Class 6A Quarterfinals Thursday’s schedule Woodland Hills (12-11) at Upper. St. Clair (20-2), 7 p.m.; Central Catholic (13-9) at Fox Chapel (16-6), 8 p.m.; Butler (16-6) at New Castle (19-3), 7 p.m.; Mt. Lebanon (16-7) vs. Imani Christian (13-7) at Montour, 7:30 p.m. Class...
High school roundup for Feb. 18, 2024: No. 15 Penn-Trafford stuns No. 2 Baldwin in 5A 1st round
Zach Feldman scored 20 points and No. 15 Penn-Trafford pulled off the upset of the WPIAL boys basketball playoffs thus far, beating No. 2 Baldwin, 60-45, in the Class 5A first round Tuesday night. Brayden Stone added 16 points and Evan Gross had 10 for the Warriors (14-9), who took...
Chartiers Valley punishes Thomas Jefferson’s mistakes in Class 5A 1st-round win
Early in the first two quarters of their WPIAL Class 5A first-round boys basketball playoff game, No. 13 Thomas Jefferson was able to go toe to toe with No. 4 Chartiers Valley. However, lapses and mistakes at the end of those two quarters allowed the Colts to gallop free and...
Latrobe cools off Kiski Area to end playoff drought
Two streaks ended Tuesday in the opening round of the WPIAL Class 5A playoffs. First, Latrobe ended its playoff drought. And secondly, Kiski Area saw its 12-game winning streak end. Senior Max Butler scored 18 of his team-high 26 points in the first half, and Latrobe defeated Kiski Area, 59-51,...
Noah Felentzer leads Southmoreland boys to 1st playoff win since 2017
Southmoreland’s front man wanted another show, and he got it. “This felt like it was going to be a special night,” high-scoring junior guard Noah Felentzer said. “We wanted to keep the band together.” Now comes the encore. Before fouling out, Felentzer scored a playoff career-high 31 points, including 12...
Rochester stages huge rally in 2nd half, defeats Riverview in girls 2A 1st-round game
The Rochester girls basketball team trailed Riverview by 15 points with 4 minutes, 6 seconds left in the third quarter of Tuesday’s WPIAL Class 2A first-round playoff game at Kiski Area High School. But the 10th-seeded Rams roared back. They controlled the boards, forced turnovers and made shots in the...
Wrestling notebook: Hempfield’s Kapusta returns with a bang after injury layoff, quick rehab
When Nico Kapusta injured his left elbow during a preseason wrestling tournament in October at Edinboro, he was told by his doctor (James Bradley) that recovery time would be six months. He resigned himself to the notion that his junior season at Hempfield would be lost. His dad, Brian, who...
A-K Valley basketball playoff preview capsules for Feb. 18, 2025
WPIAL basketball playoffs Boys Class 4A Quarterfinals 5-Knoch (17-6) at 4-Avonworth (17-5) 7 p.m. Wednesday Winner plays: Winner of 1-Belle Vernon (18-4)/8-Elizabeth Forward (18-5) Saturday in semifinals (time, site TBD) Players to watch: Jackson Bauman, Knoch; Rowan Carmichael, Avonworth Layup lines: Knoch reached the quarterfinals after beating No. 12 West...
Westmoreland County girls basketball notebook: Norwin good at playing waiting game
Norwin has sat idle many times before in the WPIAL girls basketball playoffs, and this year is no different. The defending WPIAL Class 6A champion Knights (13-7) finally will open the postseason Friday night at home against rival North Allegheny (9-12) in the WPIAL quarterfinals. The 6A tournament is starting...
Westmoreland County basketball playoff preview capsules for Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2025
Boys Class 4A Quarterfinals 8-Elizabeth Forward (18-5) at 1-Belle Vernon (18-4) 7 p.m. Wednesday Winner plays: Winner of 4-Avonworth (17-5)/5-Knoch (17-6) in semifinals Saturday (time, site TBD) Players to watch: Cy Herchelroath, Elizabeth Forward; Zion Moore, Belle Vernon Layup lines: Elizabeth Forward collected its first playoff win since 2014, 61-56...
Trib HSSN high school wrestling rankings for Feb. 18, 2025
Class 3A 107: 1. Nick McGarrity (32-4), so., Peters Township; 2. Zach Rehak (32-6), so., Thomas Jefferson; 3. Beau Fennick (32-6), fr., Franklin Regional; 4. Tommy Gretz (31-7), so., Connellsville; 5. Michael Johnson (34-6), fr., West Allegheny. 114: 1. Nico Kapusta (9-0), jr., Hempfield; 2. Dylan Barrett (28-3), jr., Penn-Trafford;...
Liam Sheely overcomes shoulder injury with coach’s help as Mt. Lebanon makes late-season surge
Liam Sheely’s basketball coach is also a physical therapist, a combination that surely helped Mt. Lebanon’s leading scorer get back on the court this week. A 6-foot-3 junior and 18-point scorer, Sheely has endured a rather painful season. His latest setback was a shoulder aggravation one week ago that was...
High school scores, summaries and schedules for Feb. 17, 2025
High schools Basketball WPIAL playoffs Boys Class 6A First round Monday’s results Woodland Hills 43, Seneca Valley 32 Butler 71, North Hills 54 Mt. Lebanon 61, Norwin 34 Quarterfinals Wednesday’s schedule Woodland Hills (12-11) at Upper. St. Clair (20-2), TBA; Central Catholic (13-9) at Fox Chapel (16-6), TBA; Butler (16-6)...
Trib HSSN girls basketball team of the week for Feb. 17, 2025Video
Trib HSSN girls basketball team of the week – Mars Fightin’ Planets Coach: Zachary Stitt (second season) Record: 6-6 in Section 3-5A, 14-9 overall #Earned: The Mars girls basketball team started the week looking for momentum and ended it busting brackets. After completing Section 3-5A play with a 6-6 record,...
Trib HSSN girls basketball player of the week for Feb. 17, 2025Video
Trib HSSN girls basketball player of the week – Greta O’Brien School: Avonworth Class: Senior Height: 5-foot-9 Position: Guard #Earned: Whether it was ending the regular season at the start of the week or starting the postseason at the end of the week, Greta O’Brien was a dominant force who...
What to watch for in WPIAL sports on Feb. 18, 2025: WPIAL title rematch in the Class 5A 1st round
The two met for gold two years ago. On Tuesday, they battle for a berth in the PIAA Class 5A playoffs and a spot in the WPIAL boys basketball quarterfinals. No. 11 Penn Hills (12-9) travels to face No. 6 Peters Township (15-7) in a battle of second-place finishers in...
High school roundup for Feb. 17, 2025: Butler ousts North Hills in Class 6A 1st round
Andrew Gettinger scored 17 points to send No. 7 Butler to a 71-54 victory over North Hills (7-16) in the WPIAL Class 6A boys basketball first round Monday night. Stainton Forbes added 16 points, Tayt Lucas followed with 15, Ayden Andrews had 13 and Kyle Casteel finished with 10 for...
