High School category, Page 397
Gateway Sports Hall of Fame to induct Class of 2023
More than 50 years have passed since a group of Gateway long distance runners made their mark on area and region cross country courses. The 1967 Gators boys cross country team capture the Class AAA state title. It was the first state championship for any Gateway team since the school...
After winning Big East title, battle-tested Gateway aims to make postseason run
The Gateway football team left no doubt as to who was the king of the Big East Conference when it rolled to a 48-20 victory over Norwin in the conference finale Oct. 20. The Gators collected 369 total yards. They got 219 yards through the air and touchdown passes from...
Quaker Valley junior’s coat drive, other efforts help new arrivals to Western Pa.
Quaker Valley junior Molly MacDonald combines her athletic skills with a strong sense of altruism. MacDonald is a 5-foot-11 outside hitter and third-year starter on the section-winning QV girls volleyball team. She started a charity last winter called Brazos de Bienvenida, which when translated means “Welcoming Arms.” She collected clothing,...
Quaker Valley golfer enjoys breakthrough junior season
Quaker Valley junior Ethan Dai took his golf game to the next level in 2023. In an unforgettable season, Dai finished as the WPIAL runner-up in Class 2A then went on to tie for fourth at the PIAA tournament at Penn State. Coach Greg Vecchi said Dai has improved by...
Fisher’s Files: Quaker Valley athletes enjoy fantastic fall
Eight varsity sports teams. Four section championships. Quaker Valley has had a flourishing fall athletic season, to say the least. Section titles were won in boys golf and soccer and girls tennis and volleyball. The league championship in girls volleyball was the first in school history. Coached by Mike Vavrek,...
Penn-Trafford shuffles up wrestling coaching staff for this season
Larry Hohman coached the Penn-Trafford wrestling program from 2007-2013. He’s been an assistant and a youth coach since. Because Travis McKillop’s duties at work have changed, he wasn’t sure how things would work out if he stayed on as head coach this season. So Hohman will return as head coach...
Penn-Trafford notebook: Barilla qualifies for state cross country meet
Penn-Trafford senior Amelia Barilla achieved her goal Oct. 26 at the WPIAL Class 3A Cross Country Championship at White Oak Park. Barilla placed eighth overall and qualified for the PIAA Championship Nov. 4 at Hershey. Her goal is to earn a medal, which is Top 25. Last year she placed...
Penn Hills grad reaches out to South African kids via volleyball
Alain Tamo-Noche immensely enjoyed his experience in Cape Town, South Africa. The Central State University student and Penn Hills graduate taught young people how to play volleyball. One little boy, Mokhtar, left a lasting impression on Tamo-Noche. “He stood out because he was eager to keep learning,” Tamo-Noche said. “He...
Penn Hills defense grows into physical force
Don’t expect to find many holes in the Penn Hills football team’s defense. Indians defensive end Kelsey Hundley believes the team’s discipline makes it difficult for other teams to move the ball effectively. “We’re a physical team,” Hundley said. “We fly around and get to the ball. We tackle well.”...
After sluggish start, Pine-Richland found grove to make playoff push
It’s important for coaches to have the pulse of their team, and Pine-Richland girls volleyball coach Angela Seman could sense something wasn’t quite right. After a 2-4 start, Seman noticed her girls were pressing a bit and worried more about defending their WPIAL title than focusing on the present. “We...
New gym worth wait for Pine-Richland athletes
Pine-Richland girls volleyball coach Angela Seman kept hearing that it would be worth the wait as her team waited for their opportunity to play in its newly renovated gym. As construction was wrapping up, the Rams were vagabonds of sorts, playing a road-heavy schedule and select home matches in an...
WPIAL shows love for traditionally tough Parkway, gives home games to 4 teams
West Allegheny’s football team rode on a bus for more than an hour a year ago when the Indians opened the WPIAL playoffs in Fayette County. The drive was 70 miles each way. “I’m just thinking of the toll it took on our kids going out to Laurel Highlands,” coach...
High school scores, summaries and schedules for Oct. 28, 2023
High schools Field hockey WPIAL playoffs Class 3A Semifinals Saturday’s results Peters Township 1, Mt. Lebanon 0 Pine-Richland 3, North Allegheny 0 Finals Nov. 4 schedule Pine-Richland (18-0) vs. Peters Township (13-4-2) at Washington & Jefferson, 4 p.m. Class 2A Semifinals Saturday’s results Fox Chapel 3, Upper St. Clair 0...
High school roundup for Oct. 28, 2023: Norwin stuns top seed Seneca Valley in boys soccer quarterfinals
Even though his team’s recent track record against defending state champion Seneca Valley wasn’t exactly impressive, Norwin boys soccer coach Scott Schuchert was happy when the WPIAL playoff pairings came out. “Love it. To be the best, you have to beat the best,” Schuchert said. The Knights beat the best...
Breaking down the WPIAL football playoffs: Favorites, challengers, predictions
Favorite: Central Catholic reached the WPIAL finals in nine of the past 10 seasons, winning five titles in that span. This year’s team outscored conference opponents 190-35, led by senior QB Payton Wehner (2,300 yards, 31 TDs). WR Peter Gonzalez (Penn State), LB/TE Cole Sullivan (Wisconsin) and LB Anthony Speca...
Freshman’s kick return sparks Westinghouse past University Prep in City League title game
When it comes to City League football, the ‘House has become a household name in recent years. In its sixth straight title game appearance, Westinghouse once again rose above the rest of its Pittsburgh adversaries as the Bulldogs defended their title, beating University Prep, 42-14. The victory gives the Bulldogs...
Trib HSSN high school football rankings, Week ending Oct. 29, 2023
WPIAL football rankings Class 6A Rank, Team, W-L, Last 1. Central Catholic, 9-1, 1 2. North Allegheny, 9-1, 2 3. Canon-McMillan, 6-4, 3 4. Mt. Lebanon, 5-5, 4 5. Seneca Valley, 3-7, 5 Class 5A 1. Peters Township, 10-0, 1 2. Penn Hills, 8-2, 2 3. Pine-Richland, 7-3, 3 4....
Westmoreland high school athletes of the week: Southmoreland’s Amarah McCutcheon, Franklin Regional’s Tyler Pipon
Amarah McCutcheon School: Southmoreland Class: Senior Sport: Volleyball Claim to fame: McCutcheon, an outsider hitter, delivered a team-high 12 kills to power the unbeaten Scotties (19-0) past Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, 3-2, in the WPIAL Class 2A quarterfinals. Southmoreland, which had an undefeated regular season for the first...
WPIAL football playoff pairings surprise some Westmoreland County teams
When the WPIAL football committee announced the pairings for the upcoming playoffs Saturday, some coaches were surprised at their opening-round opponents. Two Westmoreland County teams — Southmoreland and Greensburg Central Catholic — will face opponents they already played. Greensburg Central Catholic (6-3) will meet West Greene (8-2). The Centurions defeated...
Burrell girls soccer upsets Mt. Pleasant in OT, reaches WPIAL semifinals for 1st time
With about 10 minutes to play in regulation, Burrell girls soccer coach Frank Nesko had a message for freshman midfielder Mikaya Buchak. He also had a feeling. “I told her, ‘You’re a warrior,’ ” Nesko said. “ ‘You’re going to win it for us.’ ” Those words were prophetic in...
After strong finish, Highlands, Kiski Area ready for tough tests in WPIAL playoffs
Highlands and Kiski Area took care of business in their final two Greater Allegheny Conference games to punch their tickets to the WPIAL Class 4A playoffs. The Golden Rams (6-4) and Cavaliers (5-5) joined fellow Alle-Kiski Valley postseason qualifiers Knoch (Class 3A), Deer Lakes (Class 3A), Burrell (Class 2A) and...
Westmoreland high school football notes: Norwin QB Tavares sets records
Norwin finished in a flourish. A record-setting, big-play flourish for its third win of the season. Sophomore quarterback Tristyn Tavares and senior Luke Denny formed one of the area’s top pass-and-catch combinations, and the pair saved their best for last in a 47-21 win over Hempfield on Friday. Tavares threw...
A-K Valley athletes of the week: Freeport’s Alaina Whitlinger, Burrell’s Taber Driscoll
Alaina Whitlinger Class: Junior School: Freeport Sport: Volleyball Report card: Whitlinger, a 6-foot junior outside hitter, had 13 kills and 15 service points as top-seeded Freeport beat No. 9 Shenango, 3-0, in the WPIAL Class 2A quarterfinals on Saturday. She also had nine kills and 14 service points in a...
South Park scores 5 unanswered goals to top Freeport in WPIAL quarterfinals
What started out as a chance for Freeport to increase its lead turned into the spark South Park needed to catch fire. In the 19th minute, the Yellowjackets had a free kick just to the right of South Park’s 18-yard box, and Camryn Woods put in a strong cross, but...
WPIAL reveals pairings for 2023 football playoffs
Neshannock is already the Midwestern Conference champion, but to reach the WPIAL finals the Lancers will need to win the Century Conference, too. At least that’s how the Class 2A bracket looks since the three best Century teams — No. 3 Washington, No. 6 McGuffey and No. 7 Keystone Oaks...
