High School category, Page 278
Burrell wins pitchers’ duel with Neshannock in Class 3A quarterfinals
In their WPIAL Class 3A first-round games, Burrell and Neshannock scored six runs apiece and manufactured runs by stealing bases. The Bucs swiped six, and the Lancers stole five. In the quarterfinal matchup, neither team had many runners as the top pitcher for each squad was on the mound. Burrell...
Penn-Trafford squeezes past Fox Chapel in another tight game between section rivals
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...
Reliever shuts down Hempfield, boosts Seneca Valley into Class 6A semifinals
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...
Montour bounces back from rough 1st inning to top Latrobe in wild 4A quarterfinal
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 hits on all cylinders in win over North Hills in 5A quarterfinals
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...
OLSH walks off Riverview to run win streak to 12, reach Class 2A semifinals
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...
H.S. softball notebook: Section 2-5A teams representing in WPIALs
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,...
WPIAL chooses new board president for 2024-25 school year
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...
Westmoreland high school softball playoff preview capsules for May 21, 2024
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...
Belle Vernon seniors celebrate back-to-back WPIAL, PIAA football titles
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...
Westmoreland County Senior Spotlight: Mt. Pleasant’s Brady Painter
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,...
Plum senior Rayla Smith sets near unbreakable school record for goals
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...
A-K Valley Senior Spotlight: Burrell’s AJ McLafferty
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...
What to watch for in WPIAL sports for May 20, 2024: Baseball quarterfinals on tap
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?...
This week on Trib HSSN for week of May 20, 2024
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 school sports schedules for May 20, 2024
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...
Southmoreland’s Da’sjon Craggette helps West team to victory at PSFCA East-West all-star game
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...
Moon wins 2nd girls flag football title in a row over North Allegheny
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 for May 19, 2024
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...
Westmoreland baseball notebook: Section 1-5A provides intrigue
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...
Trib HSSN baseball team of the week for May 18, 2024Video
Trib HSSN baseball team of the week — South Park Coach — Corey Fischer (first season) Records — South Park finished in third place with a record of 7-3 in Section 2-3A and is 13-7 overall #Earned — South Park rookie head coach Corey Fischer is a battler, and his...
Burrell baseball team seeks another playoff upset
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...
A-K Valley high school baseball playoff preview capsules for May 20, 2024
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...
Westmoreland WPIAL baseball playoff capsules: Games for Monday, May 20, 2024
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...
Penn Hills boys volleyball team sees wins on horizon
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...
