High School category, Page 258
2024 Trib HSSN Preseason Football All-Star Team: West Mifflin’s Armand Hill
West Mifflin senior Delron White was having a strong first part of the 2023 season as he carried the rushing load for the Titans. But when he went down with a leg injury in the second half of a 38-14 loss to conference rival Avonworth in Week 5, West Mifflin...
Dre Corbin jumps quickly into boys basketball coaching role at Riverview
When Dre Corbin came on board in early May as the as the Riverview boys basketball coach, he saw an enthusiastic athletic environment in which to offer his coaching abilities and put forth his goals to raise the program to a level of success. “This job called to me for...
Hempfield QB Dom Detruf sidelined with heart condition, vows to return this season
As his teammates ran routes, threw and caught passes and defended throws, Dom Detruf looked on with interest. He stood on the field, holding a football and a towel and barked out directions and advice like a coach. The junior quarterback from Hempfield would rather have been playing, but he...
Andre Carter steps into new role as Riverview athletic director
Andre Carter knows a lot about the athletes at Riverview. As athletic director and girls basketball coach at Leechburg, he witnessed numerous matchups between the Alle-Kiski Valley rivals. Carter’s mission now is to give the Raiders athletes the best advantage to succeed, both as individuals and in team competition. He...
2024 Trib HSSN Preseason Football All-Star Team: Central Valley’s Brendan Alexander
There are no shortage of Division I schools where Brendan Alexander can begin his collegiate career. The Central Valley junior offensive and defensive lineman has shown outstanding growth throughout his high school career and is excited for the future and also understands the dedication required to achieve his goals. Being...
2024 Trib HSSN Preseason Football All-Star Team: McKeesport’s Kemon Spell
If McKeesport football coach Matt Miller is looking for a leader this season, sophomore Kemon Spell is ready to tackle the role. Yes, a sophomore wants to be the team’s vocal North Star. “I’m working on being the leader,” Spell said. “Someone needs to step up, and I want to...
Mt. Lebanon pitcher David Shields signs with Kansas City Royals, forgoes college baseball
Mt. Lebanon’s David Shields is turning pro. The left-handed pitcher has signed with the Kansas City Royals, who drafted him in the second round of the MLB Draft, forgoing a scholarship to play baseball at Miami (Fla.). Shields posted a photo on social media showing him signing his contract with...
Notable changes to the 2024-25 WPIAL girls tennis alignment
The WPIAL released new section alignments for the next two-year cycle in all sports, and changes will be implemented starting this fall. This summer, TribLive will break down changes for each of the WPIAL sports. Here’s a look at the upcoming WPIAL girls tennis season. 2023 WPIAL champions WPIAL 3A...
Greensburg Central Catholic’s Samir Crosby set to take control of offense
Samir Crosby could have a special season in store for the Greensburg Central Catholic football faithful. The Centurions’ gamer has created enough exciting plays — in a myriad of ways — in two years to attract several NCAA Division I college programs and a half-dozen scholarship offers. Harvard, Buffalo, Fordham,...
2024 Trib HSSN Preseason Football All-Star Team: Upper St. Clair’s Nate Stohl
As an all-conference lineman committed to an Ivy League school, Nate Stohl’s coaches could talk at length about the senior’s football skills. Yet, Upper St. Clair coach Mike Junko’s favorite story about the 6-foot-3, 270-pounder comes from a school assembly a couple of years ago, where Stohl serenaded his classmates....
Track teams highlight year filled with championship gold at Quaker Valley
Quaker Valley ended the 2023-24 school year with eight WPIAL champions in Class 2A, including two team, four individual and two relay titlists. “Every school year is unique in terms of accomplishments and this year’s strength was found in outstanding performances across the board from a majority of our teams,”...
Sophomore golfer eager for return of Sewickley Academy girls team for 2024 season
Emily Milanovich cannot wait for the fall sports season to begin. Milanovich will be a sophomore at Sewickley Academy in 2024-25 and looks forward to the opportunity to compete against other girls in the WPIAL this season. The 15-year-old golfer competed as a freshman with the boys team last year,...
Signal Item notebook: Chartiers Valley football to open season Aug. 23
Chartiers Valley’s varsity football team will open its season with a nonconference Week Zero matchup at neighborhood rival South Fayette on Aug. 23. Nonconference games at West Allegheny and Indiana will follow in Weeks 1 and 2 before the home opener against Baldwin on Sept. 13. Hampton will visit for...
After school’s 1st girls state title, Thomas Jefferson softball has summer to celebrate
It’s been a summer like no other for the Thomas Jefferson softball program. For the first time in the high school’s 65-year history, TJ has a state champion in a girls team sport. The WPIAL Class 5A runners-up Jaguars made an improbable run through the PIAA playoffs before attaining their...
Adventurous Baldwin softball alum to spend year in Thailand
Gemma Stypula has been dreaming of this trip for what seems like forever. She started to lay the foundation when she was 15 years old. Now, 17, the 2024 Brentwood graduate is only days away from seeing it become a reality. A four-year softball player at Brentwood, Stypula will be...
Baldwin grad making name for himself in sports broadcasting
There appears to be no limit to what Austin Bechtold can accomplish in his professional career. The 2019 Baldwin graduate is already climbing the ladder in the radio broadcasting field. Bechtold, 23, is a producer and part-time host at 93.7 The Fan. He has been putting in some long days...
Sewickley Herald notebook: Freshman makes all-section for Panthers lacrosse team
The Sewickley Academy boys lacrosse team was led in 2024 by freshman Nick Neavin, who was rewarded for his season-long efforts by being named first team all-section. Neavin was complemented by freshmen Eli Stephan and Jake Donesec, among others. Stephan and Donesec were second team all-section selections. There were no...
2024 Trib HSSN Preseason Football All-Star Team: Bethel Park’s Ryan Petras
The recruiting process can be a stressful time for top high school athletes as they try to determine which college to choose to continue their academic and athletic careers. The pressure can be twice as tough when they are sifting through offers from two different sports. Welcome to the world...
Pine-Richland wrestlers help teach sport to the visually impaired
Owen Long loves wrestling and appreciates any opportunity he can to share his passion with others. So, when Pine-Richland coach Ian Abplanalp approached the team about spending the day teaching the sport to visually impaired kids at the Envision Blind Sports Camp in Erie, he immediately volunteered to help. Long...
Plum using summer basketball to build foundation
The Plum boys basketball team had five or six open-gym workouts in May with new coach Dave Pucka before jumping right into the Pittsburgh Basketball Club summer league at Central Catholic and Gateway high schools. “We only had one offensive set in and, I think, two out-of-bounds plays. That was...
Norwin grads climbing college baseball ladder via transfer portal
A pair of former Norwin baseball players from the class of 2022 are changing college programs. Both tested the waters of the NCAA transfer portal. Ty Stecko, who began his college career at Mount St. Mary’s, recently announced a commitment to Eastern Michigan. The rising junior infielder leaves the Metro-Atlantic...
North Hills notebook: Indians football team to open season Aug. 23
The North Hills varsity football team will open its season with a nonconference Week Zero matchup with Hempfield on Aug. 23, at Martorelli Stadium. It will be youth night. Nonconference games against Seneca Valley in the Hall of Fame game and at Mars will follow in Weeks 1 and 2....
Hampton girls wrestling alum ramps up aggressiveness with college on horizon
Hampton’s Isabella McNutt is becoming a little bit McNasty. After graduating this year as the most decorated girls wrestler in school history, McNutt has added a new level of aggressiveness to her approach on the mat. “I realized that I had a lot more success when I was more aggressive,”...
New technology approved for high school softball, but Fox Chapel isn’t buying in just yet
Fox Chapel softball coach Chris Olbrich doesn’t anticipate being among the first teams to use the one-way communication devices given the go-ahead nationally. The National Federation of State High School Associations approved a rule change in early July that would allow high school softball coaches to use one-way communication devices...
Bethel Park’s Ryan Petras wraps up highly decorated junior year
The postseason accolades have been pouring in for Bethel Park superstar athlete Ryan Petras. As a junior shortstop in 2024, Petras recently was named the Trib HSSN Class 5A Baseball Player of the Year. Petras overcame a wrist injury to hit .452 (33 for 73) this spring with one home...
