High School category, Page 389
Burrell boys clamp down on Shady Side, win section opener
The beginning of Section 3-3A play was a tough, low-scoring affair between Shady Side Academy and host Burrell. The Bucs came into the game allowing only 39.7 points a game and were faced with a challenge in shutting down a Bulldogs offense led by Eli Teslovich. “We preach defense. Our...
What to watch for in WPIAL sports on Dec. 16, 2023: Showcase to honor late coaching great
District basketball lost a true great earlier this year with the passing of coach Harry Jenkins in May at the age of 75. Jenkins was a successful head coach for 25 years at Fox Chapel. After stepping down in 2005, he was an assistant coach at CMU for three years...
Just like Revis, state champion Aliquippa football players try to transition quickly to hoops
Aliquippa basketball coach Nick Lackovich, with a laugh, pointed out that sophomore Qalil Goode was doing his best Darrelle Revis impression. In Aliquippa, at this time of year, that means winning a state football title and days later starring on the basketball court. The future NFL star did that for...
Mt. Pleasant basketball games to benefit Dom Giallonardo scholarships
Mt. Pleasant is hosting a basketball tripleheader Friday night to raise money for a scholarship in the name of late Vikings’ baseball and basketball player Dom Giallonardo. The Vikings will host Southmoreland. The junior varsity boys will play at 5 p.m., followed by the varsity teams — girls at 6:30...
Recruiting heating up for Latrobe junior John Wetzel
College coaches are turning up the volume to hear the cracking of pads on junior John Wetzel’s highlight film. “It’s similar to what you see with (Alex) Tatsch,” Latrobe coach Ron Prady said. “It’s violent. They hit, and guys go backwards.” Tatsch and Wetzel have been pillars in the Wildcats’...
High school scores, summaries and schedules for Dec. 14, 2023
High schools Basketball Boys Thursday’s results Nonsection Aliquippa 49, Obama Academy 48 Central Valley 62, Western Beaver 37 Frazier 55, Jefferson-Morgan 41 Homewood (Ala.) 52, North Allegheny 42 Propel Braddock Hills at Summit Academy, (n) Quaker Valley 67, Union 56 Sewickley Academy 65, Carrick 60 South Park 55, Clairton 45...
High school roundup for Dec. 14, 2023: Rylee Kalocay hits 1,000-point mark for Upper St. Clair
Junior Rylee Kalocay scored 27 points to reach the 1,000-point mark for her career and lead Upper St. Clair (4-2, 1-0) to a 49-42 Section 2-6A girls basketball win over Baldwin on Thursday night. Lynsey Bernotas scored 12 and Laci Bernotas had 11 for the Highlanders (2-2, 0-1). Beth-Center 57,...
Defensive-minded Greensburg Salem dominates Derry in section opener
Greensburg Salem continued to show how much defense is wired into its grid by smothering another opponent in the Section 1-4A girls basketball opener. With full-court defensive pressure as the catalyst, the long-armed Golden Lions won going away 64-29 on Thursday night at Derry. Greensburg Salem (4-1, 1-0) came in...
What to watch for in WPIAL sports on Dec. 15, 2023: Boys hit the hardwood for section openers
Ten days before Christmas and all through the house, many boys basketball players were stirring because it’s opening night of WPIAL section play. Eight district boys basketball sections open up play Friday, including Section 2 in Class 4A, all four sections in 3A and Section 3 and 4 in 2A....
North Catholic starts section play with 20-point win vs. Highlands
With about four minutes left in the third quarter of Thursday’s Section 1-4A opener between Highlands and North Catholic, the host Golden Rams trailed by two points. Moments before, senior sharpshooter Kate Myers had drained a 3-pointer from the left wing to draw Highlands to within one possession and energize...
Burrell boys ride wave of confidence into section schedule
For the current, senior-laden group of Burrell boys basketball players, this is the last ride. And they hope it’s a long one. The Bucs (4-0) are loaded with experience. Even the one junior in the lineup, Tucker Bitar, has started since he was a freshman. They made their presence known...
Franklin Regional softball’s Ciara Camacho has baseball past, Division I future
A college softball career at Kent State awaits Ciara Camacho, who two years ago was new to the game. She didn’t know a slap hitter from a designated hitter, a courtesy runner from a pinch runner. The Franklin Regional junior played baseball for most of her youth sports career, mixing...
Westmoreland County boys basketball notebook: Derry senior filling nets
With four 30-point games this season, Derry’s Nate Papuga is one of the top scorers in the WPIAL. The senior guard had 27 points, and the game-winning shot, in a 56-55 win over Laurel Highlands, then added 31 in a 66-55 win over Connellsville, went for 33 as the Trojans...
Franklin Regional boys off to blockbuster start
Franklin Regional’s boys basketball coaches like to take a game film and pick it apart. They dissect it into dozens of short clips for instructional purposes. Some are examples of perfect execution. Others are used to emphasize what might have worked better. Either way, it gives the players something to...
High school scores, summaries and schedules for Dec. 13, 2023
High schools Basketball Boys Wednesday’s results Nonsection Aliquippa 71, Beaver Falls 35 Central Catholic 54, Neighborhood Academy 49 Charleroi 48, California 38 Cheswick Christian Academy 59, Redeemer Lutheran 39 Derry 65, Freeport 56 Gateway 62, Woodland Hills 36 Greensburg Central Catholic 73, Berlin-BrothersValley 64 Jeannette 46, Steel Valley 41 Indiana...
High school roundup for Dec. 13, 2023: Top-ranked Canon-McMillan, Burgettstown wrestlers fend off challenges
No. 1 Burgettstown won the final six bouts to rally for a 44-24 victory over Jefferson-Morgan after trailing 24-15 after seven matches in Section 1-2A wrestling Wednesday night. Darius Simmons (107) and Parker Sentipal (133) had pins, Daniel Smith (121) and Dylan Slovick (127) won by major decision and Joseph...
Frazier grabs win vs. Southmoreland without state champ Lawrence
Frazier won a wrestling match Wednesday and did it without three-time PIAA Class 2A champion Rune Lawrence. The fourth-ranked Commodores recorded seven pins and defeated Southmoreland, 44-33, in a Section 2 battle for first place. Lawrence weighed in and was dressed for the match, but he was there to root...
What to watch for in WPIAL sports on Dec. 14, 2023: Section play tips off in girls basketball
Welcome to the start of section play in four of the six classifications in WPIAL girls basketball. Section play tips off Thursday in Section 2-6A, Sections 1, 2 and 3 in 5A, Section 1 and 3 in 4A and Section 1, 3 and 4 in 2A. One of the highlights...
Burrell, Kiski Area wrestlers celebrate sport with 1st A-K Valley girls dual, latest edition of boys rivalry
The final score of the history-making girls wrestling match between Kiski Area and Burrell — the first-ever in the Alle-Kiski Valley — was won by the Cavaliers, 30-12. But the wrestlers, coaches and spectators who witnessed the match know both Kiski Area and Burrell were winners Wednesday night. “This is...
Trib 10: Aliquippa finishes atop WPIAL football power ratings
In the first edition of the HSSN Trib 10 this football season, Central Catholic was selected as the top-ranked team in the power ratings. The Vikings stayed on top until after Week 6, following their loss at Pine-Richland. That week, Aliquippa rose to No. 1 to the surprise of some...
District 10 grants Farrell’s release request, moving school closer to WPIAL return
The District 10 committee has granted Farrell’s request to leave that PIAA district, moving the Mercer County school one step closer to rejoining the WPIAL. However, Farrell has more steps to climb. Farrell needs permission from the WPIAL and PIAA to complete the transfer. WPIAL executive director Scott Seltzer said...
Westmoreland County girls basketball notebook: Matthews makes a good point for Yough
One of the first things new Yough girls coach Brian Znavor did when he joined the team was move senior Autumn Matthews to point guard. Matthews had played two-guard and forward in the past, so the switch was big. The 5-foot-10 Matthews played AAU in the past, but even at...
Girls basketball teams facing crisis of dwindling rosters
She calls them her “Fab 5.” Jeannette girls basketball coach Anna Leonard began the season with five girls on the roster. The issue has been a curse and a blessing to the second-year coach, who has had to adjust the way she manages fouls, timeouts and rest. Cracking the starting...
High school scores, summaries and schedules for Dec. 12, 2023
High schools Basketball Boys Tuesday’s results Nonsection Avella 58, Freedom 44 Baldwin 74, Bethel Park 59 Belle Vernon 79, Bishop Canevin 57 Brownsville 64, Geibel 50 Burgettstown 64, Carlynton 61 Burrell 75, St. Joseph 22 Chartiers Valley 51, Obama Academy 41 Deer Lakes 65, Mohawk 55 Derry 65, Greensburg Salem...
High school roundup for Dec. 12, 2023: Freshman hits pair of buzzer-beaters to lift North Hills past Butler in OT
Freshman Nathan Schanbacher scored on a putback at the fourth-quarter buzzer to force overtime then hit a shot from the baseline at the buzzer in OT to lead North Hills to a 73-71 nonsection boys basketball victory over Butler on Tuesday night. Eric James scored 25 points and Zach Pollaro...
