High School category, Page 230
Shady Side Academy football coach Chuck DiNardo resigns
Chuck DiNardo has resigned as football coach at Shady Side Academy, stepping down four games into his eighth season with the Bulldogs. A school spokesperson confirmed DiNardo’s departure, saying the coach resigned Monday. “This was a personal decision for Coach DiNardo, and we respect his choice,” said Diana Toole, the...
Shady Side Academy’s Meriwether McCargo wins epic WPIAL tennis final; Belle Vernon’s Gabby Dusi repeats in 2A
It’s hard to imagine a better WPIAL Class 3A girls tennis championship match. Shady Side Academy sophomore Meriwether McCargo and Penn-Trafford junior Mia Williams put on an epic battle Thursday that lasted more than two and half hours. When it was over, it was McCargo outlasting Williams, 6-3, 4-6, 7-6...
A-K Valley soccer notebook: Deer Lakes boys pushing for another section title
Another year and another opportunity for Deer Lakes boys soccer to win a section title. Matchups with an old rival and a newcomer to Section 1-2A next week will go a long way toward determining if the Lancers will add hardware to their collection. They play at North Catholic on...
Through the years: Freeport coach collected 100th win with thrilling victory over Mars in 1974
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. Freeport’s 20-13 victory at Mars on Sept. 20, 1974 was the 100th win of coach Don Earley’s career. Quarterback Dan Leri scored the...
Westmoreland County high school football notebook: Top teams looking to shake off losses
A number of Westmoreland County teams are looking for a bounce-back week after losses last Friday, some of whom suffered their first setback of the season. Southmoreland, for instance, was flying high after three straight high-scoring wins. The Scotties won their first three games by an average of 32 points....
A-K Valley high school football players to watch for 2024 Week 4
Player of the week Nick Odom Plum, sr., RB/DL Plum was looking for a spark to its season as it was 0-3 heading into its Northeast Conference opener against Shaler last Friday. Odom helped provide that lift. He carried the ball 21 times for 123 yards and two touchdowns in...
Westmoreland County high school football players to watch for 2024 Week 4
player of the week Mark Jablunovsky Ligonier Valley, sr., WR/DB The 5-foot-9, 165-pound senior had a big game as the Rams defeated Shady Side Academy last Friday. He caught eight passes for 202 yards and two touchdowns. He also clinched the victory with a late interception. The Rams head to...
High school scores, summaries and schedules for Sept. 18, 2024
High schools Football Thursday’s schedule City League Allderdice at Brashear, 7 p.m. Friday’s schedule WPIAL Class 6A Canon-McMillan at Mt. Lebanon, 7 p.m. Central Catholic at Hempfield, 7 p.m. Norwin at North Allegheny, 7:30 p.m. Class 5A Big East Armstrong at Latrobe, 7 p.m. Franklin Regional at Gateway, 7 p.m....
High school roundup for Sept. 18, 2024: Rematch set in WPIAL girls tennis finals
Shady Side Academy’s Meriwether McCargo and Penn-Trafford’s Mia Williams will square off in the WPIAL Class 3A girls tennis finals for the second straight year. McCargo, the top seed and defending champ, beat Bulldogs teammate Brooke Henderson, a freshman, 6-2, 6-1, in the semifinals Wednesday. Williams, the 2022 WPIAL champ,...
Woodland Hills provides ‘right situation’ for Steve Scorpion’s 2nd chance as head coach
His checkered past behind him, Steve Scorpion said faith led him back to the WPIAL head coaching ranks. Woodland Hills hired Scorpion on Wednesday to be its boys head basketball coach, giving the former Franklin Regional coach another shot at doing what he loves. He is clutching the opportunity with...
2nd-half surge helps Mt. Pleasant past improving Yough
An uninspired first half meant a stern halftime talk from the coach. And a stern halftime talk meant a much better second half was in the works. Mt. Pleasant looked more like the No. 1-ranked team in WPIAL Class 2A girls soccer after halftime Wednesday night in a 3-0 shutout...
What to watch for in WPIAL sports on Sept. 19, 2024: Allderdice looks to add to win total
Week 4 of the high school football season kicks off with a City League contest Thursday between old rivals as Allderdice takes on Brashear. The ‘Dice are rolling here in 2024 as the Dragons have won two straight and are 3-1 overall. One of those wins two weeks ago was...
Springdale takes GCC’s best shot, still dominates
Springdale senior forward Briana Ross wasn’t shaken when the Dynamos allowed a goal for the first time in five matches Wednesday night. What Ross was most concerned about following a goal from Greensburg Central Catholic forward Riley Kerr was the next segment of the game. “It’s the next five minutes...
The Birdie out to build his brand with Westmoreland County Week 4 picks
Last week: 7-7 (50%) Season: 34-14 (70.8%) A battered Birdie came to work this week wearing a tank top, a cowboy hat and a gold chain. He then went into an office and set up a camera and microphone and decorated his desk with bobbleheads, helmets and sports knickknacks. “I...
Westmoreland County high school football matchups for 2024 Week 4
Here’s a look at the don’t-miss matchups for Westmoreland County in Week 4 of the 2024 season: Class 6A No. 2 Central Catholic (2-2, 1-0) at Hempfield (1-3, 0-1) 7 p.m. Friday, Bill Abraham Field at Spartans Stadium, Hempfield Last week’s result: Central Catholic 59, Mt. Lebanon 7; North Allegheny...
2024 Western Pa. high school football schedule for Week 4
Thursday City League Allderdice at Brashear, 7 p.m. Friday WPIAL Class 6A Canon-McMillan at Mt. Lebanon, 7 p.m. Central Catholic at Hempfield, 7 p.m. Norwin at North Allegheny, 7:30 p.m. Class 5A Big East Armstrong at Latrobe, 7 p.m. Franklin Regional at Gateway, 7 p.m. Penn-Trafford at Kiski Area, 7...
The Birdie turns whining into an art form before making his Week 4 A-K Valley picks
Last week: 9-2 Season: 26-13 (66.7%) Everybody has that one coworker who makes the work day even more miserable than it needs to be with his constant complaining. To the surprise of no one, The Birdie fills that role in the newsroom. Boy, does he fill it. “Oh, I’ve got...
Burrell, Freeport resume rivalry with conference implications on the line
Separated by classification the past two years, the Freeport and Burrell football teams have reunited in the Class 3A Allegheny 7 Conference and are set to resume a rivalry that extends to the 1960s and a pair of WPIAL playoff clashes. The Bucs won the first two meetings in the...
Trib 10: Top teams in power rankings flexing their muscles
Finally, a glorious Friday night weather wise helped the district’s elite add to their win totals. Nine of the 10 teams from last week’s power rankings were victorious, making for little change across the board this week. The lone exception was the only team that did not win, as for...
Stakes high as Leechburg, Jeannette meet in battle of unbeatens
Leechburg and Jeannette don’t have a rich history. Sure, they’ve squared off 18 times over the years, have met annually since 2014 and also played from 1980 to 1987. Jeannette has dominated by winning 14 of the meetings, and most of them haven’t been close. But none of that will...
PIAA adopts girls flag football as sanctioned high school sport statewide
Flag football is officially a sanctioned sport for Pennsylvania high school girls, meaning the WPIAL and PIAA soon will be crowning champions. The PIAA board voted Wednesday to add flag football to its growing catalog of sports. This vote was the third and final needed to complete the PIAA’s emerging...
A-K Valley high school football matchups for 2024 Week 4
Here’s a look at the don’t-miss matchups for the A-K Valley in Week 4 of the 2024 season: Class 5A Big East Conference Penn-Trafford (2-2, 0-1) at Kiski Area (1-3, 0-1) 7 p.m. Friday, Richard J. Dilts Stadium, Allegheny Township Last week’s result: Woodland Hills 35, Penn-Trafford 21; Gateway 28,...
Westmoreland County boys soccer notebook: Latrobe still fine-tuning game
Latrobe coach Jake Rice will take a win any way he can get it, but he thinks his team is capable of more. “Sometimes, you just have to win dirty,” Rice said. By that, the third-year coach was referring to the Wildcats winning despite not playing their best. Their best...
High school scores, summaries and schedules for Sept. 17, 2024
High schools Cross country Tuesday’s results Boys Division 1 Section 5 Beaver 21, Blackhawk 39 Beaver 15, Central Valley 50 Blackhawk 15, Central Valley 50 Chartiers Valley 15, Hopewell 49 Chartiers Valley 26, West Allegheny 31 West Allegheny 17, Hopewell 38 Division 2 Section 4 Riverview 24, Hampton 32 Riverview...
High school roundup for Sept. 17, 2024: Peters Township blanks Upper St. Clair in battle for 1st place
Colin Froelich scored a pair of goals to lead Peters Township to a 4-0 victory over Upper St. Clair (4-3-1, 3-1) in a showdown for first place in Section 2-4A boys soccer. Alex Parise and Brett Martin each added a goal and Markus Bizyak recorded the shutout for Peters (7-1-1,...
