High School category, Page 204
Trib HSSN 2024-25 WPIAL Class 6A girls basketball preseason breakdown
Throughout the course of the next four months, contending teams will reach new heights and new stars will emerge. But at the beginning of the WPIAL Class 6A girls basketball season, the story might be more about who’s missing. For starters, seven-time WPIAL champion coach Spencer Stefko is no longer...
High school scores, summaries and schedules for Nov. 22, 2024
High schools Football WPIAL playoffs Championship Saturday’s schedule At Acrisure Stadium Class 5A Pine-Richland (11-1) vs. Peters Township (11-1), 8 p.m. Class 3A Avonworth (10-3) vs. Central Valley (7-5), 5 p.m. Class 2A Seton LaSalle (11-0) vs. South Park (11-1), 2 p.m. Class A Fort Cherry (13-0) vs.Clairton (13-0), 11...
Central Catholic follows winning formula, ousts State College in state quarterfinals
Central Catholic has found a formula for sure-fire playoff success the last two weeks. Hit Bradley Gompers for a long touchdown early and spend the rest of the night feeding Elijah Faulkner to dominate on the ground. In the PIAA Class 6A quarterfinals Friday night in Altoona, Jy’Aire Walls hit...
12 girls from WPIAL earn all-state soccer accolades
The Pennsylvania Soccer Coaches Association announced its all-state girls lists. Three WPIAL players were selected as forwards: Fox Chapel sophomore Emily McKee, senior Brianna Ross of Springdale, and Mt. Pleasant junior Morgan Gesinski. Montour senior Grace Bannon, junior Karly Majeski of Seneca Valley, senior Camryn Klein of Peters Township, Latrobe...
2024 WPIAL football championship factoids
Two new champions will be crowned in Class 3A and 2A while two teams look to repeat as champions in Class 5A and A as part of the four WPIAL football championship games to be played Saturday at Acrisure Stadium. You can listen to all four district title games starting...
Small roster doesn’t dampen hopes of Riverview girls
Riverview girls basketball coach Jill Catanzaro doesn’t need a lot of time to take roll call before a practice session. With a roster of eight players, creativity in practice is the rule of the day. But Catanzaro said the small roster, which also is youthful with just two seniors in...
New coach sees drive in Riverview boys to get back to playoffs
Riverview boys basketball coach Dre Corbin joined the program in May and quickly got a feel for what kind of team could take shape for the 2024-25 season. The former assistant for five years at Aquinas Academy, who took over after Phil McGivney stepped down after three seasons with the...
PIAA officials postpone PIAA football quarterfinal between Westinghouse, Bishop Guilfoyle
For the second time this week, the PIAA has made a change to the PIAA Class A quarterfinal matchup between City League champion Westinghouse and District 6 champ Bishop Guilfoyle. Because of inclement weather, PIAA officials on Friday moved the game to 1 p.m. Saturday at Farrell High School. The...
After championship season, Norwin girls looking for ‘best 5’ to make another run
Last year, Norwin found itself on top of the WPIAL Class 6A girls basketball mountain. However, with the departure of key seniors from the championship team, the Knights will need to do it with a new group as they put last year’s success behind them. Norwin, which finished 23-4 overall...
New coach hopes to make talent stand out for Norwin boys
The Norwin boys basketball program looks to have culture change in store as the Knights begin a new era with a familiar face in charge. Cam Auld, a 2016 Norwin graduate, takes over as coach after spending the last two seasons at Greensburg Salem. Auld, 26, went 9-34 overall and...
5 things to watch in H.S. football: WPIAL finals at Acrisure Stadium bring added excitement and sometimes new shoes
Pine-Richland coach Jon LeDonne wonders what the grass at Acrisure Stadium might look like when the WPIAL 5A final kicks off Saturday night. He’s not necessarily worried, just curious. The three WPIAL championship games LeDonne coached in previously were all played elsewhere on artificial turf. Peters Township’s T.J. Plack shares...
High school roundup for Nov. 21, 2024: Tucker Cullen’s hat trick sparks Fox Chapel
Tucker Cullen scored a hat trick and Miles Carey made 43 saves to lead Fox Chapel to a 4-1 win over Penn-Trafford in PIHL Class 2A hockey Thursday night. Pierce Osterholm also scored for Fox Chapel (4-1-1). Rylan Kistle scored for Penn-Trafford (7-2). Bishop McCort 2, Baldwin 1 – Jack...
High school scores, summaries and schedules for Nov. 21, 2024
Football WPIAL playoffs Championship Saturday’s schedule At Acrisure Stadium Class 5A Pine-Richland (11-1) vs. Peters Township (11-1), 8 p.m. Class 3A Avonworth (10-3) vs. Central Valley (7-5), 5 p.m. Class 2A Seton LaSalle (11-0) vs. South Park (11-1), 2 p.m. Class A Fort Cherry (13-0) vs.Clairton (13-0), 11 a.m. PIAA...
Fierce defenses square off when Pine-Richland, Peters Township meet in WPIAL title rematch
There are plenty of old football coach sayings that link defense and championships. Pine-Richland coach Jon LeDonne offered this one ahead of the WPIAL finals: “If they don’t score, they can’t win.” Simple enough. No. 1 Pine-Richland (10-1) plays No. 3 Peters Township (11-1) in a WPIAL Class 5A final...
New coach looks to carry on Mt. Pleasant girls basketball tradition of toughness
Meet the new boss, same first name as the old boss. After 19 seasons at the helm of the Mt. Pleasant girls basketball team, Scott Giacobbi retired in June after compiling a 246-192 record and 13 WPIAL playoff appearances. Scott Hillen now takes over after spending the last 10 years...
Mt. Pleasant boys to embark on ‘refocusing year’ after starters graduate
Mt. Pleasant boys basketball coach Annie Malkowiak always tries to find the positive in everything. Despite what looked to be a bad year, with the Vikings finishing 8-13 overall, she saw plenty of growth within the team. “It was about those kids getting used to something completely different from what...
Trib HSSN PIAA football preview capsules for Week 13
While a lot of eyes will be on the four WPIAL championship games at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh on Saturday, the big weekend of high school football begins Friday with three area teams taking part in PIAA quarterfinals. Newly minted WPIAL champions Central Catholic in Class 6A and Thomas Jefferson...
Plum girls planning to think fast, play fast to help replace graduated top scorer
Senior Serena Carnahan would like the Plum girls basketball team to be in the best position to make quick decisions. It’s a skill that will come in handy as the Mustangs lost their leading scorer and will have a group looking to blend youth and experience. To cultivate that skill,...
After struggles last season, Plum boys basketball ‘hungry to succeed’
Belief, in and of itself, isn’t going to carry the Plum boys basketball team to the WPIAL Class 5A playoffs for the first time since 2016. But the Mustangs have shown an immense amount of dedication to the sport in the offseason that senior guard Will Beckner believes will produce...
Through the Years: 40 years ago, Freeport finally got the better of nemesis Jeannette
Each week throughout the high school football season, the Valley News Dispatch has taken a look back at the players, coaches and events that shaped our scholastic legacy. For decades, Freeport High School football experienced success against many local rivals, particularly in conference play. But that came to a temporary...
Kiski Area football coach Sam Albert hangs up head coach’s whistle after 3 decades
Thirty-four years after landing his first head coaching job, Kiski Area football coach Sam Albert has decided those days are over. But he’s not ready to retire. Albert resigned Wednesday at Kiski Area after eight seasons as coach with plans to serve elsewhere next fall as an assistant. A former...
Monessen girls basketball team sets sail under Schmidt
Jason Schmidt is following a legend. Jason F. Schmidt, that is. Schmidt — don’t call him a Junior — takes over as coach of the Monessen girls basketball team, succeeding Janine Vertacnik, who has retired after combining for 365 victories in a career that, in addition to her six seasons...
Monessen looks to extend playoff streak to 43 years despite graduation of top scorer
Forty-two and counting. Hopefully, there will be enough in the tank, Monessen boys basketball coach Dan Bosnic said, to reach the WPIAL playoffs for a 43rd consecutive season. “We always expect to be competitive and be right there,” said the Greyhounds’ high-energy bench boss, whose otherwise gentle demeanor steadily has...
WPIAL Class 3A championship preview: Avonworth, Central Valley set for rematch
To the naked eye, the matchup in the WPIAL Class 3A championship may not seem surprising based on the recent history of the two programs. No. 5 Avonworth will take on No. 2 Central Valley for gold at 5 p.m. Saturday at Acrisure Stadium. Avonworth is set to appear in...
High school scores, summaries and schedules for Nov. 20, 2024
Football WPIAL playoffs Championship Saturday’s schedule Class 5A Pine-Richland (11-1) vs. Peters Township (11-1) at Acrisure Stadium, 8 p.m. Class 3A Avonworth (10-3) vs. Central Valley (7-5) at Acrisure Stadium, 5 p.m. Class 2A Seton LaSalle (11-0) vs. South Park (11-1) at Acrisure Stadium, 2 p.m. Class A Fort Cherry...
