High School category, Page 24

From 2021-23, it seemed like South Side football was on track to capture its first WPIAL title in 25 years. During that span, the Rams went from the WPIAL quarterfinals to the championship in three consecutive seasons. However, with no WPIAL title to show for it, the team was eager...

Aug. 27 will mark one year since the tragic passing of DJ Graham, son of Shenango football coach Jimmy Graham. Understandably, the 2024 season brought emotional challenges that impacted the team’s on-field performance. “It was difficult to get into a rhythm last season,” Graham said. “The team and community had...

It had been over 40 years since Don Phillips was calling plays from the sidelines for the Rochester Rams. But after championship head coach Gene Matsook retired in December, Phillips was chosen to lead the Rams once again, and hopefully back to their championship ways. “We want to succeed,” Phillips...

When Mark Fratangelo first joined the Northgate football staff in 2022, the school struggled to field a team with enough players. Now, with two consecutive seasons of having 30-plus players, Fratangelo, entering his first year as head coach, and his staff have their eyes set on the WPIAL postseason. “When...

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 Friday. Coach Michael Bongivengo may only be in his second year at the helm at Neshannock, but he is well aware of the championship standard that is yet...

Often, injuries are setbacks for teams with high expectations. For Laurel football, though, the 2024 season became a year of growth that could pay dividends in 2025. “Going into last season, we had a lot of high expectations, and we had a lot of skill kids back that we were...

From 2017-2022, the Serra Catholic defense was coached by defensive coordinator Akeeme Robinson, known by most as “Coach Keem.” His passion and devotion to player development shined as the Eagles broke a WPIAL record by forcing nine turnovers in the 2021 WPIAL Class 2A championship game, resulting in a lopsided...

Last fall, Ringgold broke a 27-game losing streak and earned its first conference win since 2021. While those victories in 2024 were only baby steps, second-year coach Robert “Bean” Heller believes they marked the beginning of a much larger turnaround. “First and foremost, we had to get rid of that...

High schools Golf Wednesday’s results Boys Class 3A Section 1 Kiski Area 202, Hempfield 214 Medalist: Max Mottura (KA) 35 Section 3 Mars 181, Knoch 217 Medalists: Jackson Geiger (M) 32; Aaron Voltz (K) 39 Section 5 Canon-McMillan 191, Chartiers Valley 194 Medalists: Chase Werthman (CM) 36; Gavin Waldron (CV)...

A new high school football season brings a change to the traditional Trib 10 power rankings. In the past, we presented our weekly power rankings for teams in all six district classifications. However, unlike basketball, baseball and softball where it is easier for teams at small schools to climb the...

TribLive HSSN will break down the top players at one position per day until Week Zero. Here is a look at the top kickers and punters for the 2025 season. 1. Harran Zureikat Fox Chapel Senior, 6-2, 185 Zureikat is the top kicker in the country and a Georgia commit....

Players to watch Amos Glenn Freeport, Sr., RB The Yellowjackets tailback hopes to have the same type of game against Indiana on Friday as he did in a breakout performance last year against the Indians. In that 30-7 victory, Glenn carried the ball 23 times for 167 yards as Freeport’s...

Here’s a look at the don’t-miss matchups for Week Zero in the A-K Valley: Nonconference Allderdice at Fox Chapel 7 p.m. Friday, Burke Stadium, Fox Chapel Last year’s meeting: Allderdice 20, Fox Chapel 9 Allderdice got off to a strong start last season, outscoring its first five opponents 115-24, including...

If you count the City League, independents and Kiski School, Trib HSSN produced 128 high school football team preview stories to get ready for this season. The Birdie read every one of them. Not for editing or proofreading purposes, of course. No one trusts the feathered fella to do actual...

Friday KDKA Kickoff Classic (at Wolvarena) North Allegheny at Woodland Hills, 5 p.m. LaSalle College vs. Central Catholic, 8 p.m. Nonconference Allderdice at Fox Chapel, 7 p.m. Baldwin at Thomas Jefferson, 7 p.m. Blackhawk at Beaver Falls, 7 p.m. Brashear at Cornell, 7 p.m. Brownsville at Bentworth, 7 p.m. Burrell...

WPIAL football rankings Class 6A Rank, Team, 2024 record 1, Central Catholic, 12-3 2, North Allegheny, 10-2 3, Mt. Lebanon, 3-8 4, Canon-McMillan, 3-7 5, Hempfield, 4-6 Class 5A 1, Pine-Richland, 11-1 2, Peters Township, 11-2 3, Woodland Hills, 8-3 4, Penn Hills, 7-5 5, Upper St. Clair, 11-1 Class...

Players to watch Aidan Shaffer Yough, Jr. QB/DB The junior was the second leading receiver on the team last season with 26 catches for 501 yards and five touchdowns. Now he moves to quarterback to replace Raidon Kuroda, now at Seton Hill. His main receiver should be senior Ryan Sarver,...

Penn-Trafford senior middle linebacker Jamison Yurt has had Friday’s date circled since last year’s game at Norwin. Norwin senior quarterback Tristyn Tavares also has had this date circled. He and his teammates would like to hang another “L” on Penn-Trafford. The Knights scored three second-half touchdowns and rallied to defeat...

Here’s a look at the don’t-miss matchups for Week Zero in Westmoreland County: Nonconference Connellsville at Latrobe 7 p.m. Friday, Latrobe Memorial Stadium, Latrobe Last year’s meeting: Latrobe 41, Connellsville 0 Connellsville, which plays an independent schedule outside the WPIAL, finished 3-6 last season. Senior quarterback Caden Matthews leads the...

Last season: 102-34 (.75%) Seeing is believing. The Birdie huffed on his bifocals and wiped them with his T-shirt. He then went to several local training camps to get a closer look at teams and either perpetuate or dash the hype surrounding them. (Some of the stringers, he thinks, tend...

Last year, the Leechburg and Apollo-Ridge football teams played down to the wire in their annual season-opening clash. The Blue Devils trailed the Vikings by a touchdown in the fourth quarter at Veterans Memorial Field before rallying for 12 points to earn a 19-14 Week Zero win in the rivalry...

Deadpan and focused, Stanley Chapman would just as soon crack a helmet than a smile. With that in mind, you can imagine what picture day was like. Forced grins, squinting at the sun and getting pulled in all directions, while waiting as patiently as he could for practice to start....

The Deer Lakes girls soccer team made a number of long trips for section matches last season and faced a few unfamiliar foes. But the Lancers powered through their schedule and fashioned a runner-up finish to Mt. Pleasant in Section 4-2A at 8-2. They also made it to the WPIAL...

Springdale’s offense lacked consistency last season, with injuries and a shorthanded roster forcing coach Chad Walsh to switch his entire scheme upwards of five times. Having to swap linemen and shift skill players over and over was done out of necessity and wasn’t ideal for competing in the Class A...

The new WPIAL girls soccer season begins Friday, but the first big event to watch will be Saturday at Ringgold. The fourth annual Moe Rosensteel Memorial Kickoff Classic will feature four games at Joe Montana Stadium. The schedule is as follows: Franklin Regional vs. Thomas Jefferson (girls) at 10 a.m.,...