High School category, Page 208

Hampton first-year golf coach Terry Hales has much in common with his golfers this season. Almost all of them are new to the Talbots. Hales, who replaced longtime coach Bruce Steckel, inherits a roster that returns only one golfer from a 5-11 team. “I’m just really excited and looking forward...

After a week of “heat” practices and noncontact drills, WPIAL football teams can begin hitting in full pads Monday with the official start of practice. That means the start of the regular season is less than two weeks away, with Week Zero games set to kick off Aug. 23. Teams...

When Franklin Regional needed to make a big play in the passing game the past two seasons, Ayden Hudock delivered. Hudock caught 42 passes for 957 yards and 11 touchdowns in 2022 and had 48 catches for 803 yards and 11 scores in 2023. But Hudock has graduated, and senior...

Hempfield senior quarterback Dom Detruf will see a cardiologist Tuesday for further evaluation of his acute myocarditis, an inflamed heart condition that could limit his participation in training camp and beyond. The cardiologist is Dr. Aryan Aiyer, who also treats Pittsburgh Steelers players. Detruf participated in heat acclimation week, which...

Kyle Martin doesn’t make the annual trek to Fargo, N.D. for the scenery, the Badlands or props from a movie with the town’s namesake. The Norwin wrestling coach travels across the country to win championships while allowing his athletes to experience the thrill of high-level competition. Martin led the Pennsylvania...

Editor’s note: Trib HSSN will publish team-by-team previews for one conference per day until the start of the high school football season Aug. 23. Mike Warfield surprised many this summer when he stepped away as Aliquippa’s football coach, but his successor was preparing for that day for a while. Warfield,...

Over the last couple of years, West Allegheny has shown signs of a potential return to the program’s championship ways. Unfortunately, those signs have been fleeting. The Indians went 6-5 last season, falling in their last three games, including the first round of the Class 4A playoffs to Latrobe, 39-7....

Fred Mozzocio played for New Castle in the 1980s, so the team’s new head coach understands the tradition of Red Hurricanes football. Growing up, he and his friends would be in the classroom gazing out onto the field, wishing that someday they could play for the Red Hurricanes. “There’s an...

With many players back in the black and gold last fall, there were expectations for success for Montour. While the Spartans came up short of their ultimate championship goal, finishing 10-2 with a trip to the WPIAL semifinals is not too shabby. “We had an excellent season,” Montour coach Lou...

Jake Wickline isn’t worried about Blackhawk’s struggles of the past or its challenges of the future. He’s all about the here and now. Wickline was hired as the Cougars’ new head coach in February, becoming the third person to lead the program in a six-month stretch. “This job opening came...

Sherm McBride admits that he has discovered the meaning of one, very important word over the last three years as the head football coach at Ambridge. “Patience,” said McBride, the former Aliquippa standout tasked with turning around a Bridgers program that has struggled over the last decade. “It’s all about...

High schools Golf Friday’s results Boys Tri-CADA Championship At Nemacolin CC Individual scores 1. Colton Lusk, Peters Township 71. 2. Griffin Hansberry, Peters Township 73. 3. Shane Williams, Peters Township 74* 4. Sam Bishop, South Fayette 74. 5. Camden Reyes, Peters Township 75. 6. Finn Sobehart, Peters Township 76*. 7....

Every once in a while, Derry senior Collin Barkley will raise his hand to tell coach Mike Arone he needs a break. It doesn’t happen often. “It’s very rare he comes off the field,” Arone said. “Typically that’s one play and he’s back in the game. He’s a true ironman...

After having a bounce back season last year, the Moon football program is looking to make another deep run in the WPIAL Class 5A playoffs. The Tigers improved on their 2022 performance (1-9 overall, 1-4 in the Allegheny Six Conference) by finishing 6-6 overall and 3-2 in conference play last...

Bethel Park was in the fight for first place all season in the Class 5A Allegheny Six Conference in 2023. Same as the previous year, the Black Hawks ended up tied for second with Upper St. Clair and Moon with a 3-2 record in conference play. Despite going 4-7 overall,...

Baldwin has not reached the football postseason since 2019. Since then, the Fighting Highlanders have generated records of 2-3, 2-8, 1-9 and 1-9. They are hoping they are able to change their fortunes on the gridiron this year, although it may prove to be an uphill climb. Dana Brown had...

Forget about tiebreakers or wild cards, Upper St. Clair’s mission this fall is to win enough conference games to clinch a playoff spot without any help. They got no help last year. The Panthers were excluded from the playoffs despite an eight-win record that was among the best in WPIAL...

This fall, the South Fayette football program will be led by new faces on the field, but they aren’t new to having successful seasons representing the Lions in other sports. Junior Drew Wehorsky will step under center for the Lions, who were 4-6 overall and 1-4 in the Class 5A...

Editor’s note: Trib HSSN will publish team-by-team previews for one conference per day until the start of the high school football season Aug. 23. The state finals are the first weekend in December and the WPIAL championships are a couple of weeks earlier, but those dates aren’t circled on calendars...

High schools Golf Boys Section 2-2A Greensburg Central Catholic 208, Mt. Pleasant 222 Medalists: Braden Marker (GCC) 37; Aydan Gross (MP) 37 Nonsection Freeport 201, Armstrong 226 Medalists: Aiden Bauman (F) 38; Jonas Miller (A) 41 Keystone Oaks 213, East Allegheny 263 Medalist: Jeremy Wagner (KO) 40 Girls Section 2-3A...

Hailey Marchlewski remembers how she and her Springdale girls soccer teammates felt after a pair of tough postseason setbacks, first by one goal to Freedom in the WPIAL Class A semifinals and then to rival Riverview, 3-1, in the PIAA quarterfinals. “We’re excited to get back out there because we...

While she grasps for similarities between the girls soccer programs at Penn Hills and Norwin, Ashley DeVito continually finds herself recognizing the differences. “This is a community where kids grow up together, and there is a lot of excitement with playing together (in high school) … The game is big...

Editor’s note: Trib HSSN will publish team-by-team previews for one conference per day until the start of the high school football season Aug. 23. Having coached at Penn-Trafford for a decade, Ron Prady has a good idea what it takes to win in Class 5A. That should help the third-year...

Getting the ball to Scoop Smith was the best option any time Woodland Hills’ offense faced a tough spot and needed a big play. It often worked, too, since the wide receiver scored a team-high 17 touchdowns, flashing the quickness that made him a WPIAL track champion in the 100...

When a team wins WPIAL and PIAA titles, expectations within the football program are set high. With that said, the past two seasons at Penn-Trafford didn’t reach the expectations set in 2021. Injuries, inexperience, little mistakes and not playing up to their abilities saw the Warriors go 11-11, ousted from...