High School category, Page 233

After splitting a pair of one-run games in section play, the WPIAL lined up Fox Chapel and Penn-Trafford for a playoff rubber match that was almost as tight. Penn-Trafford’s Brandon Roher pitched six scoreless innings, and closer Hunter Brown escaped a jam in the seventh to win the matchup that...

Seneca Valley coach Eric Semega stunned pitcher Zach Tkatch when the coach summoned him to the mound in the third inning. Tkatch told his coach, “I haven’t thrown a pitch.” Semega’s response was, “You got eight now (to warm up).” Tkatch proceeded to shut down Hempfield’s offense, and No. 5...

When things went sideways for Montour in what would become an excruciatingly long first inning, coach Bob Janeda didn’t fret. One of his players screamed out that it was “only the first” and for his teammates to “get up and stay up.” There was a plenty of baseball left —...

Franklin Regional had to scratch and claw for offense in the opening round of the WPIAL Class 5A baseball playoffs last week, coming back to edge Connellsville. On Monday, the hits and runs came in bunches as the Panthers offense carried the day in a 13-1 six-inning quarterfinal victory over...

The Our Lady of the Sacred Heart baseball team won 11 games in a row to close the regular season. During that stretch, the No. 2 Chargers scored 130 runs and allowed just 15. OLSH didn’t have nearly the offensive success Monday in its WPIAL Class 2A quarterfinal matchup with...

Section 2-5A, it’s your time to flex. A number of local softball coaches have pointed to the section as being one of the strongest in the classification. “Watch out for Penn-Trafford,” said Franklin Regional coach Jim Armstrong, whose Panthers play in the Section 2 but were clipped by Shaler, 3-2,...

The WPIAL board ushered in a new group of officers Monday with Peters Township athletic director Brian Geyer selected to serve as president. Mt. Lebanon athletic director John Grogan was tabbed as vice president and Brentwood principal Jason Olexa will serve as treasurer. Hempfield’s Tom Evans remains secretary. Geyer was...

WPIAL softball playoffs Class 3A Semifinals 2-Ligonier Valley (15-5) vs. 3-South Park (18-1) 4 p.m. Tuesday at Penn-Trafford Winner plays: Winner of 1-Avonworth (14-3)/4-Mohawk (16-5) in championship (date, time, site TBD) at Cal (Pa.)’s Lilley Field Players to watch: Marlee Miller, Ligonier Valley; Grace Kempton, South Park Extra bases: Ligonier...

For the second time in two seasons, Belle Vernon’s football team commemorated a state championship season with a ring ceremony at Leopard Hall on May 8. The current group is special as it became the first set of Leopards to win a state championship last season and subsequently the first...

The regular season for Mt. Pleasant’s baseball team was, by all standards, impressive. The Vikings, who finished 11-1 in their section, claimed their first section title since 2017. Senior Brady Painter detailed what the regular season looked like from his perspective. “I think we definitely had our ups and downs,...

Senior Rayla Smith set the all-time goals record for Plum girls lacrosse last season and has added to her total. The record of 179 goals was set by Plum graduate Sam Casile in 2010. Going into last season, Smith had 121 goals and went on to lead the team with...

Stealing bases is a small chess match in the middle of a baseball game between the pitcher and the runner. Burrell senior center fielder AJ McLafferty enjoys the mental game as the Bucs leadoff hitter. “I have fun when I’m on base,” McLafferty said. “There’s a lot of little things...

Welcome to quarterfinals Monday in the 2024 WPIAL baseball playoffs. For most teams, it’s a second taste of postseason baseball following a victory in the opening round last week. However, for 19 district teams, it is the second-season opener after a long layoff. Which begs the question, rest or rust?...

The 2024 WPIAL spring sports postseason kicks into full gear with quarterfinals and semifinals contests on the diamonds, the courts and the stadiums around the district leading up to a holiday weekend this week on the TribLive High School Sports Network. We have plenty of postseason action between Monday and...

High schools Baseball WPIAL playoffs Class 6A Quarterfinals Monday’s schedule Mt. Lebanon (16-4) vs. Butler (6-12) at Boyce Mayview Park, 4:30 p.m.; Hempfield (14-6) vs. Seneca Valley (10-8-1) at Plum, 7 p.m.; Pine-Richland (16-4) vs. Central Catholic (10-10) at Shaler, 3 p.m.; North Allegheny (14-5) vs. Norwin (11-9) at Boyce...

Several senior WPIAL standouts left their mark at the Pennsylvania Scholastic Football Coaches Association East-West all-star football games Sunday at Cumberland Valley’s Chapman Field. In the small school game, Loyalsock QB Tyler Gee hit Hanover’s Joey Wilkinson with a 2-yard TD pass in the final seconds to give the West...

Given the spirited nature of WPIAL football during the fall, it came as no surprise that the third annual girls flag football championships, sponsored by the Pittsburgh Steelers, were just as exciting. Athletes from 15 high schools showed off their skills on a beautiful, sun-drenched Sunday afternoon at Carnegie Mellon’s...

Trib HSSN baseball player of the week — Dylan Smith School — Blackhawk Class — Junior Position — Pitcher, left field #Earned — There are eyebrow raisers, and then there are double eyebrow raisers. A No. 16 seed beating a top seed in the first round is a monumental diamond...

Section 1-5A was an anomaly. It’s rare for four baseball teams to tie for first place, an issue that presented such a seeding dilemma for the WPIAL steering committee that it had to “throw out” numbers and focus solely on creating the best quarterfinal matchups. “That’s what we did. Class...

Being a double-digit seed and winning in the playoffs has become a theme for Burrell this school year. The Bucs boys basketball team made a run to the WPIAL finals as an 11 seed, and after pulling off an upset over No. 3 Mt. Pleasant in the first round, the...

WPIAL baseball playoffs Class 5A Quarterfinals 7-Penn-Trafford (17-3) vs. 2-Fox Chapel (14-6) 7 p.m. Monday at Gateway Winner plays: Winner of 6-Franklin Regional/3-North Hills on Tuesday (time, site TBD) in semifinals Players to watch: Tyler Freas, Penn-Trafford; Jeremy Haigh, Fox Chapel Extra bases: The teams split a two-game series March...

WPIAL baseball playoffs Class 6A Quarterfinals 4-Hempfield (14-6) vs. 5-Seneca Valley (11-8-1) 7 p.m. Monday at Plum Winner plays: Winner of 1-Mt. Lebanon (16-4)/8-Butler (6-12) on Tuesday (time, site TBD) in semifinals Players to watch: Carson Shuglie, Hempfield; Nick Parrotto, Seneca Valley. Extra bases: The Spartans held off a late...

Junior setter Anthony Collins is encouraged about the future of the Penn Hills volleyball team. The Indians didn’t get the results they wanted this season, but Collins is encouraged about the potential growth for the next crop of kids coming up through the program. “They are promising. A few did...

Dino Nadarevic went from non-WPIAL qualifier to a double PIAA qualifier in the span of 12 months. The Gateway junior put the work in, and last week at Slippery Rock University, he produced a pair of medal-winning performances. Nadarevic said he’s excited for the opportunity to return to his standards...