High School category, Page 28
QB Joey Felitsky gets redemption as North Catholic tops No. 4 Elizabeth Forward in quarterfinals
Last season, North Catholic quarterback Joey Felitsky threw a crucial interception that allowed Elizabeth Forward to kick a game-winning field goal in their WPIAL quarterfinal game. As he walked off the field, Trojans coach Chris Rizzo said that “without a doubt” his quarterback was going to get another shot at...
Work on special teams keys No. 3 Central Valley’s quarterfinal victory over Highlands
Highlands and Central Valley were separated by just four points in the early stages of the third quarter of their WPIAL Class 3A quarterfinal Friday at Central Valley’s Sarge Albert Stadium. That is when things changed. Spurred on by a couple of key special teams plays, the No. 3 Warriors...
Big 2nd half fuels North Allegheny’s win over Norwin in WPIAL Class 6A semifinals
The Norwin football program has made nice strides over the years. But there were still things on their bucket last that they had not achieved before Friday’s WPIAL Class 6A semifinal at North Allegheny Newman Stadium. The Knights never had won a conference title, defeated North Allegheny, reached the WPIAL...
Freshman QB sparks Western Beaver past Apollo-Ridge in WPIAL Class 2A quarterfinals
Western Beaver freshman Amari Marshall didn’t expect to be a quarterback coming into the preseason. But when the program lined up for its first night WPIAL Class 2A postseason game, Marshall was under the gun and ready to try and help the Golden Beavers make history. No. 2 Western Beaver’s...
Avonworth dominates Freeport on way to WPIAL quarterfinal win
The Avonworth Antelopes thundered past the Freeport Yellowjackets in a 56-7 stampede that sent them galloping into their fifth consecutive WPIAL semifinal. Dimitri Velisaris spearheaded Avonworth, slicing through the Freeport defense for 110 yards and four touchdowns on 10 carries. Velisaris scored from 45 yards and 26 yards on Avonworth’s...
A-K Valley PIAA soccer playoff preview capsules for Nov. 8, 2025
PIAA soccer playoffs Boys Class 4A Quarterfinals 1-2 Abington (19-2-3) vs. 7-1 Fox Chapel (17-2) 1 p.m. Saturday, Trojan Stadium, Chambersburg Winner plays: Winner of 3-1 Warwick (19-2-1)/7-2 Seneca Valley (18-3) on Tuesday in semifinals (time, site TBD) Players to watch: Carter Shannon, Abington; Rocco DiDomenico, Fox Chapel Corner kicks:...
Westmoreland County PIAA soccer playoff preview capsule for Nov. 8, 2025
PIAA boys soccer playoffs Class 3A Quarterfinals 7-2 Franklin Regional (19-4) vs. 3-1 Conrad Weiser (25-0-1) 5 p.m. Saturday, Mansion Park Stadium, Altoona Winner plays: Winner of 7-1 West Allegheny (15-6)/8-1 Allderdice (15-5) on Tuesday in semifinals (time, site TBD) Coaches: Nick White, Franklin Regional; Derek Long, Conrad Weiser Players...
New PIAA classification parameters move 11-time WPIAL champion Thomas Jefferson to 5A football
One of the WPIAL’s strongest football classifications is adding an 11-time champion next season when Thomas Jefferson moves up to 5A. The PIAA released updated classification parameters for the 2026-27 and 2027-28 school years, a key step in the realignment process that occurs every two years. The parameters list the...
Big-school rematches highlight WPIAL playoffs — 5 things to watch in Week 11
Pine-Richland coach Jon LeDonne is already familiar with the Rams’ next opponent and not just because he spent three seasons as Shaler’s coach. The two teams played one another only two weeks ago in the regular-season finale. This time, they’ll meet in a WPIAL Class 5A quarterfinal at 7 p.m....
High school scores, summaries and schedules for Nov. 6, 2025
High schools Field hockey PIAA playoffs Class 3A Quarterfinals Saturday’s schedule Villa Maria (21-2) vs. Mechanicsburg (18-4-1) at Exeter Township, 2 p.m.; Avon Grove (22-1) vs. Garnet Valley (17-7) at Perkiomen Valley, 2 p.m.; Penn Manor (20-4-1) vs. Parkland (18-6) at Exeter Township, 4 p.m.; Central Bucs West (18-4-1) vs....
High school roundup for Nov. 6, 2025: Seneca Valley hockey wins early season battle for 1st place
Braden Morin racked up three goals and two assists to power Seneca Valley to an 8-0 rout of North Allegheny (5-1) in an early season battle for first place in PIHL Class 3A hockey Thursday night. Cooper Hoehn had two goals and an assist, Owen Martin added a goal and...
Facing Aliquippa, New Castle hopes to finally clear Parkway traffic in WPIAL 4A playoff bracket
New Castle hadn’t celebrated a conference title in almost two decades, but the Red Hurricanes have a chance to win their second in three weeks. Well, at least it feels that way. That’s because New Castle keeps running into Parkway Conference foes in the playoffs. It was Montour in the...
Breaking down WPIAL football playoff matchups for Nov. 7, 2025
As always in November football, there is great anticipation for the second week of WPIAL football playoff action. Whether they are rematches from games earlier this season or first-time matchups, there is a special story to tell in all 20 District 7 postseason contests Friday. The four semifinals games in...
Cohesive, mature Apollo-Ridge ready to challenge No. 2 Western Beaver in quarterfinals
Apollo-Ridge lineman Connor Bogdanski and his teammate sent a signal in early August that they were ready to show off everything they had learned during a difficult 2024 season. The Vikings won a big-man challenge event against competitors from Fox Chapel and Knoch. After Apollo-Ridge finished with one win last...
Pine-Richland defensive back Jay Timmons flips commitment to top-ranked Ohio State
Pine-Richland’s Jay Timmons, a nationally ranked cornerback, has flipped his college commitment for the second time in five months and now is headed to Ohio State. The 5-foot-11, 185-pound senior committed in June to Florida State, the alma mater of his father Lawrence, a former Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker. However, those...
Through the Years: 40 years ago, Jeff Christy sparked big Freeport comeback
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. After falling behind 17-0 in the first quarter, Freeport rallied for a 21-17 victory in the opening round of the 1985 Class 2A...
Westmoreland County football notebook: All 3 phases clicking for Jeannette
Jeannette has been spreading the wealth with an all-hands-on-deck approach of late. The Jayhawks only have 22 players, but seven have found the end zone in the last three weeks — in six different ways. Jeannette (8-3), which will face Clairton (10-1) on Friday night in the WPIAL Class A...
‘We know what we’re up against’: Jeannette plenty familiar with No. 2 Clairton
When Jeannette lost to Clairton earlier in the season, Jayhawks football coach Tommy Paulone put 20 golf balls in a vase — 16 white, three blue and one yellow. The white represented how many practices the team had left in the season. Blue and yellow were for the remaining games,...
High school sports schedules for Nov. 6, 2025
High schools Field hockey PIAA playoffs Class 3A Quarterfinals Saturday’s schedule Villa Maria (21-2) vs. Mechanicsburg (18-4-1) at Exeter Township, 2 p.m.; Avon Grove (22-1) vs. Garnet Valley (17-7) at Perkiomen Valley, 2 p.m.; Penn Manor (20-4-1) vs. Parkland (18-6) at Exeter Township, 4 p.m.; Central Bucs West (18-4-1) vs....
Trib 10: 3 matchups between ranked teams on tap in WPIAL postseason
A lot of the district teams ranked in the weekly Trib 10 from last week got a chance to collect candy, hand out treats or even scout future opponents since they were enjoying an opening round bye in the WPIAL playoffs with opening night falling on Halloween. Now the good...
A-K Valley high school football players to watch for Nov. 7, 2025
Player of the week Jaden McCray Apollo-Ridge, Sr., RB/WR/DB McCray has been a dual threat in the Vikings’ offense all season, especially in a WPIAL Class 2A first-round win over Riverside last Friday at Owens Field. McCray ran the ball just eight times, but he totaled 63 yards and all...
Kicker Jackson Babinsack provides reliable weapon for Highlands in visit to No. 3 Central Valley
Jackson Babinsack has been a well-known special teams name among Highlands football faithful since his freshman year in 2023. The Golden Rams junior, the team’s punter and kickoff specialist who also handles extra points and field goals, has delivered the goods in some big games the past three years and...
The Birdie talks WPIAL realignment before making A-K Valley playoff picks
Last week: 4-3 Season: 93-23 (80.2%) One of the hottest topics of the long, cold football offseason that lies ahead is sure to be WPIAL realignment. “The world needs to know what I think about this topic,” The Birdie said without a hint of sarcasm or self-awareness this week. “The...
No. 8 Freeport aims to dethrone defending champion Avonworth
For the second time in their century-long histories, No. 8 Freeport and No. 1 Avonworth will face off in the WPIAL Class 3A quarterfinals Friday at Lentzner Field. Freeport is looking to dethrone the defending WPIAL champion Antelopes and secure a spot in the WPIAL semifinals. The Yellowjackets advanced to...
Familiar foes collide when Penn-Trafford, Moon square off in Class 5A quarterfinals
A bye week allowed Penn-Trafford to spend extra time in the film room. “In two weeks, we’ve watched 11 Moon games,” Warriors coach John Ruane said. The Warriors already were familiar with Moon before spending hours learning more about the Tigers in a darkened room. Now, they feel like they...
