High School category, Page 34
Norwin’s Landon Sidun, Belle Vernon’s Elijah Brown win 2nd titles; Kiski Area, Connellsville wrestlers also take PIAA 3A gold
HERSHEY — There can be a lot of pressure on a wrestler going after a second PIAA wrestling title. There is a bull’s-eye on their chest, and they expect to get their opponent’s best. Norwin junior Landon Sidun and Belle Vernon senior Elijah Brown did not seem bothered by the...
Only WPIAL 2A finalist, Derry’s Mason Horwat, captures PIAA wrestling silver
HERSHEY — Mason Horwat’s dream of becoming Derry’s next PIAA champion will have to wait for another season. Horwat gave up a takedown in the second period and another in the third and dropped an 11-2 decision to Montoursville senior Gage Wentzel (49-2 this season, 188-32 all time), who was...
Canon-McMillan’s Marlee Solomon repeats, Mt. Lebanon, Moon wrestlers also claim PIAA girls gold
HERSHEY — Having one state gold medal in her collection already, there was only so much Marlee Solomon could do to top her previous achievements. But moving up a weight class, going undefeated and grabbing another state championship did just that. Solomon, a junior from Canon-McMillan, won the PIAA girls...
Season to remember for Ligonier Valley ends with PIAA loss to powerful Bishop Guilfoyle
ALTOONA — The Ligonier Valley boys basketball program was making its first PIAA appearance in seven years Saturday, so it was also the first state tournament for the roster of players on the 2025-26 team. There were bound to be some jitters then, especially since the Rams — who qualified...
Upper St. Clair plants flag on Mount Robbins in PIAA 1st-round win over Cedar Crest
Nobody wanted to use the “H” word afterward, but for two quarters of the PIAA Class 6A first-round playoff game between District 7 champion Upper St. Clair and the No. 8 seed out of District 3, Cedar Crest, the WPIAL championship game hangover was legit. The three-time district champions pounded...
Belle Vernon girls basketball team gets 1st PIAA win in decades
For the first time in 28 seasons, the Belle Vernon girls basketball team is moving on in the PIAA playoffs. The Leopards (23-4) put on a rebounding clinic and pulled away in the second half for a 58-46 Class 4A win on District 9 champion Clearfield’s home floor. “It’s just...
McGowan paces Jeannette to opening PIAA victory
One play after another, Markus McGowan welcomed Jeannette back to the basketball court. First, he turned a couple of steals into layups. Then, he made a smooth fadeaway jumper from just off the low block. By the time he delivered consecutive assists to Noah Sunder and Noah Clary — the...
Central Catholic gets defensive in PIAA first-round win over Allderdice
Central Catholic’s defense smothered Allderdice in the opening round of the PIAA boys basketball tournament Saturday to earn a 48-34 victory. Allderdice (18-9) held a 9-4 lead with three minutes to play in the first quarter, but after a timeout, Central Catholic (23-3) turned up the ball pressure, using a...
Penn-Trafford girls soar to PIAA 1st-round victory
Torrie DeStefano was fortunate. The No. 15 backup jersey that the Penn-Trafford girls basketball team had on hand to replace her usual No. 24 fit her comfortably. The cleaning kit to get the blood that blotted the 5-foot-8 senior guard’s jersey was in the trainer’s office. DeStefano swapped shirts to...
Westmoreland County athletes of the week: Derry’s Patrick Bulger, Jeannette’s Natalie Christoff
Patrick Bulger School: Derry Class: Freshman Sport: Wrestling Claim to fame: Bulger (44-9) recently became a WPIAL and PIAA Class 2A Southwest Regional champion. He also was a section champion and helped Derry win its first WPIAL team title. The Trojans also placed fourth in the PIAA team tournament, the...
High school scores, summaries and schedules for March 6, 2026
High schools Basketball Boys First round Class 6A Saturday’s schedule Cedar Cliff (18-8) at Plymouth-Whitemarsh (22-4), 1 p.m.; Wilkes-Barre (13-10) at Bethlehem Liberty (17-10), 2:30 p.m.; Cheltenham (19-8) at Central York (22-3), 1 p.m.; Spring-Ford (18-8) at Father Judge (15-11), 2 p.m.; Garnet Valley (17-8) vs. Imhotep Charter (21-6) at...
What to watch for in WPIAL sports on March 7, 2026: Allderdice-Central Catholic matchup highlights Day 2 of PIAA 1st-round action
The PIAA basketball first round concludes Saturday in boys Class 6A, 3A and 2A along with girls Class 5A, 4A and Class A. Allderdice has played in 45 PIAA boys basketball postseason games and have nearly split with 23 wins and 22 losses all-time. The Dragons’ last 10 games in...
High school roundup for March 6, 2026: WPIAL champ Shady Side Academy girls pull out 1st-round win in OT
Karis Thomas scored 22 points, including seven in overtime, to lead WPIAL champion Shady Side Academy to a 63-54 win over Marion Center (23-5) in the PIAA Class 3A girls basketball first round Friday night. Kate Benec had 11 points and Leah Buford added 10 for the Bulldogs, who will...
Thomas Jefferson’s Justin Fry cooks New Oxford in PIAA Class 5A 1st round
On Fridays during Lent, it is a tradition for folks to somehow, someway get themselves to a local fish fry. Well on the first Friday in March, the most popular Fry in Jefferson Borough was 6-foot-4 junior Justin Fry. With his teammates struggling, all Fry did was play tough defense...
Greensburg Central Catholic girls take out frustrations from WPIAL loss, roll in PIAA opener
And Greensburg Central Catholic thought section play was over. In 14 WPIAL section games this season, GCC had a winning margin of 44 points. Running clocks were a regular occurrence. The Centurions’ PIAA opener had the feel of one of those games as they coasted into the second round with...
Despite Ava Christopher’s heroics, Norwin falls to Altoona in OT in PIAA 6A 1st round
ALTOONA — With four seconds left in regulation and her team down three, Norwin’s Ava Christopher banked in a 3-pointer to take the game to overtime against Altoona in the first round of the PIAA Class 6A tournament Friday night. It gave the Knights new hope, and another four minutes...
Derry’s Mason Horwat reaches PIAA 2A finals thanks to upset of returning state champ
HERSHEY — Derry wrestling coach Troy Dolan Jr. insists that junior Mason Horwat thrives in big matches. Horwat had two Friday at the PIAA Class 2A wrestling championships at Giant Center, and he now finds himself in the 172-pound final. He was the only WPIAL wrestler to reach the Class...
6 WPIAL wrestlers to go for gold at PIAA girls championships
HERSHEY — Six WPIAL wrestlers will be in the championship round of the PIAA girls wrestling tournament Saturday afternoon after recording victories in the quarterfinals and semifinals Friday at Giant Center. Of the semifinal wins, Ava Golding’s 18-0 tech fall victory over Laila Colon of Manheim Township in the 142-pound...
Deer Lakes boys cruise through PIAA 1st round
The Deer Lakes boys basketball team is moving on. The Lancers, in the PIAA playoffs for the third time in four seasons, shook off some early offensive issues and opened a sizeable lead in their Class 4A opening-round game Friday at District 6 champion Huntingdon. Three Deer Lakes players scored...
Connellsville’s Tommy Gretz spoils potential marquee rematch with upset win in PIAA Class 3A wrestling
HERSHEY — For those who were hoping for a Landon Sidun-Mateo Gallegos rematch in the 121-pound PIAA Class 3A wrestling championship finals, Connellsville junior Tommy Gretz ruined it. Gretz used a takedown in the first period and added another in the second period in an 8-6 shocker against Gallegos in...
Knoch sends large crowd home happy with victory in 1st round of PIAA boys basketball playoffs
Teegan Finucan and his teammates were eager to soak in the adulation Friday night. Beating Girard, 46-30, to open the PIAA Class 4A playoffs at home provided a crowded stage on which the Knoch boys basketball team seldom had an opportunity to perform. Thanks to the quirks of high school...
Chartiers Valley rains 3-pointers on Exeter Township in PIAA Class 5A 1st round
A steady rain of 15 Chartiers Valley 3-pointers carried the Colts past Exeter Township, 68-44, in the first round of the PIAA Class 5A playoffs Friday night. Julius Best spearheaded the Colts, coming in hot off the bench with 18 points and four 3s. “I’m not going to lie. I...
Elijah Brown breaks Belle Vernon record; 10 from WPIAL reach PIAA Class 3A semifinals
HERSHEY – Belle Vernon’s Elijah Brown has hardly broken a sweat in his two matches at the PIAA Class 3A wrestling championships. He had a pin in 34 seconds Thursday and a 44-second technical fall Friday in the quarterfinals at a chilly Giant Center. Those two victories gave him the...
A-K Valley PIAA basketball playoff preview capsules for March 7, 2026
PIAA basketball playoffs Girls Class A First round 7-6 St. Joseph (14-11) at 9-1 Clarion Limestone (19-7) 1 p.m. Saturday Winner plays: Winner of 7-2 Geibel Catholic (23-3)/6-3 St. Joseph Catholic Academy (24-3) Wednesday in second round (site/time TBD) Players to watch: Bella Barolovic, St. Joseph; Hannah Beggs, Clarion Limestone...
Derry sends 3 wrestlers to PIAA Class 2A semifinals
HERSHEY — It has been quite a season for the Derry wrestling program. And that trend continued Friday morning in the quarterfinals of the PIAA Class 2A wrestling tournament at the Giant Center. Freshman Patrick Bulger (114 pounds) and juniors Mason Horwat (172) and Brady Brown (189) advanced to Friday...
