High School category, Page 210
’80s game-breaker Willie Jordan to join Quaker Valley Sports Hall of Fame
Anyone who saw Willie Jordan play football or basketball during his time at Quaker Valley would say he was a natural. Naturally. Jordan’s versatility and talent in multiple sports made him a standout athlete during his high school playing career 40 years ago. A 1985 graduate, Jordan will be inducted...
Penn-Trafford girls volleyball primed for playoff run
Penn-Trafford first-year girls volleyball coach Tracy McDonald didn’t mind the tough nonsection schedule her team faced this season. She knew it would make them better, and it did. The Warriors returned only three starters from the 2023 squad, so McDonald had to mix in a talented group of underclassmen if...
Penn-Trafford notebook: Special teams play key role for Warriors
When Penn-Trafford defeated Franklin Regional in a key WPIAL Class 5A Big East Conference game Oct. 11, the Warriors won a key phase of the game: special teams. The Warriors blocked a punt that resulted in a safety and blocked a field goal. A muffed punt resulted in a touchdowns...
Penn Hills middle school football proud of success on field, in classroom
The Penn Hills Middle School football team got a good opportunity for some postseason experience Oct. 17 when it played Armstrong in the semifinals of the WAADA Football League. But Indians coach Mark Banner said that he is most proud of the program’s progress with having players be eligible to...
Penn Hills running back Naytel Mitchell thrives in workhorse role
Penn Hills football coach Charles Morris told Naytel Mitchell during exit meetings last year that he expected a lot from the senior linebacker/running back. When the Indians have needed Mitchell down the stretch, all of that hard work has seemingly paid off. Mitchell piled up 187 yards on the ground...
High school scores, summaries and schedules for Oct. 19, 2024
High schools Football Saturday’s results WPIAL Class A Eastern Clairton 84, Riverview 0 Black Hills Bishop Canevin 56, Monessen 20 Saturday’s summaries Bishop Canevin 56, Monessen 20 Monessen 0 8 6 6 —20 Bishop Canevin 7 19 16 14 —56 BC: Lamier Wade fumble recovery (Leo Shorthouse kick) BC: Kole...
High school soccer roundup for Oct. 19, 2024: Greensburg Central Catholic, Chartiers Valley pull off 1st-round upsets
Jackson Vacanti scored from nearly 30 yards out in the first overtime to lead No. 12 Greensburg Central Catholic to a 2-1 victory over No. 5 Aquinas Academy (12-4) in the first round of the WPIAL Class A boys soccer playoffs Saturday. Niko Miller also scored for the Centurions (7-7-1),...
High school football roundup for Oct. 19, 2024: Clairton scores 84; Bishop Canevin wins Class A showdown with Monessen
Clairton continued its historic 2024 season with a 84-0 victory over Riverview in Class A Eastern Conference action Saturday at Thomas Jefferson. Junior quarterback Jeff Thompson threw for four touchdowns and 176 yards for the Bears (9-0, 6-0) and used all of his weaponry as they were gifted several short...
5 things we learned in Week 8: Might WPIAL’s longest playoff drought be nearing its end?
Carlynton football hasn’t had many chances to celebrate in recent years, a harsh reality that coach John Tortorea doesn’t hide from his players. In fact, the second-year coach often reminds them how the Cougars own the WPIAL’s longest active playoff drought. The team last reached the postseason in 2001, years...
Alle-Kiski Valley high school football notebook: Deer Lakes’ rebound culminates in playoff spot
Deer Lakes bounced back in a big way from a pair of tough shutout losses to roll past Valley, 44-13, on Friday and solidify its automatic WPIAL Class 3A playoff berth from the Allegheny 7 Conference. It marks the third year in a row the Lancers have qualified for the...
WPIAL high school football rankings: Week ending Oct. 20, 2024
Class 6A Rank, Team, W-L, Last 1. Central Catholic, 7-2, 1 2. North Allegheny, 8-1, 2 3. Seneca Valley, 3-5, 3 4. Canon-McMillan, 3-6, 5 5. Mt. Lebanon, 2-7, NR Out: Hempfield (3-6, 4) Class 5A 1. Upper St. Clair, 9-0, 2 2. Pine-Richland, 7-1, 1 3. Peters Township, 8-1,...
Latrobe boys soccer team notches 1st playoff win
Latrobe will remember its first playoff win in boys soccer for a number of reasons. • The Agostoni brothers each scored a goal. • The defense posted a shutout on the Wildcats’ home turf. • Traffic from a Donald Trump rally just up the road at the airport hindered late...
Westmoreland high school football notebook: Latrobe’s big win changes wild-card picture
Latrobe threw the Big East Conference for a loop. The Wildcats, decimated by injuries but not ready to pack it in, knocked off Gateway, 28-27, to throw their hat into the ring for a potential wild-card spot. Latrobe is 5-4 overall and 2-3 in the conference. The top three teams...
A-K Valley high school athletes of the week: Week ending Oct. 20, 2024
Kate Giannetta School: St. Joseph Class: Junior Sport: Volleyball Claim to fame: Giannetta, a setter for the Spartans, produced 17 kills and had nine aces in her team’s win over Riverview on Tuesday. She followed that performance with 12 kills and five aces on Thursday in a victory against Apollo-Ridge....
Springdale boys soccer scores late for playoff win over Sewickley Academy
Springdale senior Colton Gent’s job, whether he is on the track or soccer field, is usually pretty simple. Gent is told to run fast. When the Dynamos boys soccer team needed to win a race Saturday at Franklin Regional High School, Gent pulled away to extend the Dynamos season. Gent...
Westmoreland High School Athletes of the week: Week ending Oct. 20, 2024
The Westmoreland County Athletes of the Week is presented by Smail Kia. Look for the tags and look for the savings at Smail Kia in Greensburg. Eden Williams School: Franklin Regional Class: Senior Sport: Soccer Claim to fame: Williams, an IUP commit, is one of the top all-around players in...
North Allegheny hockey leans on defense while new forwards find footing
Scoring goals was never a problem for the North Allegheny hockey team last season. The goal this season will be preventing them. “We bring back five of the top six (on defense),” coach Andrew Siess said. “So that’s really a point of emphasis for us. We know we’re very strong...
Raiders boys in title hunt as Plum, Riverview get set for WPIAL cross country meet
The Plum and Riverview cross country teams are set for the WPIAL championships scheduled for Thursday, Oct. 24 at White Oak Park, and titles and medals, both for teams and individuals, are there for the taking. The Raiders, in Class A, will run the first races – boys at 11...
Franklin Regional hockey gets off to quick start under new coach
Franklin Regional hockey coach Brian Bearley isn’t surprised by his team’s 3-0 start. While others might be surprised because the team moved up to Class 3A from Class 2A this season, the first-year coach expected it because of the players returning. “I expect us to win every game,” Bearley said....
Franklin Regional’s Joey Bayne turning heads on football, soccer fields
Joey Bayne changed his hairstyle recently, going from long, wavy, brown locks to a blond buzz-cut with dark tiger stripes. Bayne can change his look quickly during the fall season, too. One day, he’s a speedy forward creating goals for the soccer team. The next, he’s launching touchbacks into the...
Young roster drives Shady Side Academy boys soccer to another playoff season
When the calendar gets to the end of October and the WPIAL playoff brackets are released, it seems every year the Shady Side Academy boys soccer team answers the bell. The Bulldogs have been in the semifinals six out of the last 10 years, made the finals four times and...
Fox Chapel notebook: Girls soccer team ready to tackle playoff grind
Fox Chapel girls soccer coach Carlo Prati has been consistent all season. He has continuously reminded people around the program that defending the WPIAL championship wasn’t going to be easy, even as the Foxes went down in classification. Fox Chapel, which was seeded No. 1 in the girls 3A tournament,...
New coach, 25, looks to keep Fox Chapel hockey program humming
Seven years ago, Ryan Loebig was a key member of the Plum hockey team that won the 2017 Class 2A Penguins Cup. Now he’s looking to lead Fox Chapel toward achieving the same goal as a coach. Loebig spent the last two years as the coach of the Foxes’ junior...
Future remains bright for Fox Chapel boys golf
The Fox Chapel boys golf team will likely be in the running for the WPIAL Class 3A team championship again next season. Foxes coach Joe Farrell hopes his team will be able to get back over the hump and qualify for the PIAA championship. For the second straight year, the...
Diamondbacks pitcher among Plum hall of fame honorees
The Plum High School Sports Hall of Fame will induct its Class of 2024 on Thursday, Nov. 14, at Edgewood Country Club. This year’s inductees are Scott Benzel (Class of 1993), Nolan Cressler (2012), Andrew DeFazio (1995), Richard Foutz (1970), Scott McGough (2008), Bill Rometo (1970), William Wilmore (1990), Ronit...
