High School category, Page 399
McKeesport rallies quickly to defeat Thomas Jefferson, win title
McKeesport used a big first-half performance and a strong defensive showing to showcase its conference supremacy in enemy territory Friday night. After going down by seven points early in the first quarter, the Tigers scored 28 unanswered, including 21 in the first half, and held Thomas Jefferson in check for...
Steel Valley captures Allegheny Conference by beating Serra Catholic
Steel Valley’s Donald Barksdale has been a star all year, and Friday night was no exception as he willed the Ironmen to a huge 54-14 win over Serra Catholic to claim the Class 2A Allegheny Conference title outright. Barksdale, who came into the game as the third-leading rusher in the...
Clairton pulls it together, routs Jeannette after close 1st quarter
Drahcir Jones said Clairton had no intentions of sharing the Eastern Conference title with anyone. Well, he and his teammates might pass the championship plaque around when they receive it — if that counts. A WPIAL trophy is of greater concern now to the Bears, who showed they are back...
Da’sjon Craggette runs for school-record 335 yards as Southmoreland routs Mt. Pleasant
A handout at Viking Stadium in Mt. Pleasant Township promoted the neighboring high school football rivalry between Mt. Pleasant and Southmoreland as “The Real Backyard Brawl.” The results suggest otherwise: Mt. Pleasant leads the all-time series 36-8. And that includes Southmoreland’s dominating 40-3 Interstate Conference victory Friday night. “They’ve dominated...
Belle Vernon locks up conference title with win vs. Elizabeth Forward
With his future coach in attendance, Belle Vernon’s Quinton Martin could see a position change when he heads to Happy Valley next season. Martin scored four touchdowns in three different ways, helping the Leopards win a second Interstate Conference championship with a 49-28 victory over Elizabeth Forward on The Beach...
Kiski Area beats Armstrong to clinch playoff spot
It was a must-win situation for Kiski Area and Armstrong to claim one of the final playoff spots in the Greater Allegheny Conference. The Cavaliers were in a win-and-in situation. The Riverhawks needed a win and some help. It turned out the Cavaliers sealed their destiny at home with a...
2023 WPIAL football playoff qualifiers
WPIAL football playoff qualifiers Here’s a look at the teams that have qualified for the WPIAL football playoffs. The playoffs begin next Friday, and pairings will be announced at 3 p.m. Saturday on Trib HSSN. Class 6A (4 teams) 1. Central Catholic 2. North Allegheny 3. Canon-McMillan 4. Mt. Lebanon...
Deer Lakes blanks Freeport to clinch playoff spot; Derek Burk sets A-K Valley passing record
All Deer Lakes needed to do to qualify for its fourth trip to the WPIAL playoffs was to defeat rival Freeport in the teams’ Allegheny 6 Conference (Class 3A) finale Friday. The Lancers did just that. Deer Lakes scored three touchdowns in the first half while holding Freeport off the...
Lovre comes through in clutch as Penn-Trafford outlasts Franklin Regional
Penn-Trafford coach John Ruane said before Friday’s second-place showdown in the WPIAL Class 5A Big Conference game at Franklin Regional that junior quarterback Jonny Lovre was making huge strides in his game. Lovre proved his coach right in the fourth quarter, connecting on two huge fourth-down passes and then scoring...
Nick Raymond hired as Derry’s new athletic director
Derry hired Nick Raymond as athletic director Thursday. An Indiana resident and the current AD at Johnstown’s Forest Hills High School in District 6, Raymond replaces Brett Miller, who resigned to take a position at Seton Hill. Raymond, 32, said he is expecting to start around Thanksgiving. He has been...
Mark Duriancik named athletic director at Leechburg
Leechburg again has an athletic director. Mark Duriancik, a technology teacher in the school district, will assume the athletic director duties after the school board approved him Wednesday evening. In addition to his teaching role at Leechburg, the North Apollo resident has experience coaching various high school sports, including football...
A-K Valley WPIAL soccer playoff capsules: Games for Saturday, Oct. 28, 2023
WPIAL soccer playoffs Boys Class 4A Semifinals 5-Fox Chapel (11-4-2) at 4-Upper St. Clair (14-1-2) 1 p.m. Saturday Winner plays: Winner of 1-Seneca Valley (13-0-3)/8-Norwin (12-5-1) in semifinals Oct. 31 Players to watch: Pablo Linzoain, Fox Chapel; Joe Donnelly, Upper St. Clair Throw-ins: Fox Chapel finished fourth in Section 1...
Westmoreland County soccer preview capsules: Games of Saturday, Oct. 28, 2023
Boys Class 4A Quarterfinals 8-Norwin (12-5-1) at 1-Seneca Valley (13-0-3) 1 p.m. Saturday Winner plays: Winner of 5-Fox Chapel (10-4-2)/4-Upper St. Clair (14-1-2) Tuesday in semifinals Players to watch: Daniel Maddock, Norwin; Cole Kamarec, Seneca Valley Throw-ins: Norwin is trying to solve a team it has been challenged to defeat...
University Prep looking to end Westinghouse’s reign in City League football final
It’s become rather routine for the Westinghouse Bulldogs to roll into the City League championship game at Cupples Stadium in recent history. The Bulldogs are the reigning champs and have won three of the past four City titles, including five straight championship game appearances. Their run of success started against...
5 things to watch in WPIAL Week 9: Head-to-head matchups to decide 9 conference titles
The wait is over. Belle Vernon and Elizabeth Forward ran through their Interstate Conference schedules without any mistakes. Mohawk and Neshannock did the same in the Midwestern, reaching Week 9 with perfect records. As a result, the titles in those conferences will be decided on the field Friday night with...
Conference title hopes add heft to Aliquippa, Central Valley rivalry
One of coach Mike Warfield’s favorite sayings compares the fragility of success with that of a crystal glass, saying both can “break into 1,000 pieces” if you don’t hold onto them. When it comes to winning conference titles, Aliquippa rarely lets go. The Quips have won the Parkway Conference title...
Moon girls blank feisty Latrobe to earn spot in WPIAL Class 3A semifinals
For Moon girls soccer coach Bill Pfeifer, winning never gets stale. Even after notching back-to-back PIAA championships, his two-time WPIAL champion Tigers continue to provide daily thrills. Thursday night on their home turf at Tiger Stadium was no different. In a particularly chippy atmosphere that saw multiple players tumbling to...
High school scores, summaries and schedules for Oct. 26, 2023
High schools Cross country WPIAL championship Thursday’s results At White Oak Park Boys Class 3A Individual results: 1. Drew Griffith, Butler, 15:05.20; 2. Jack Bertram, North Allegheny, 15:31.70; 3. Rowan Gwin, Fox Chapel, 15:57.00; 4. Owen Dressler, Butler, 16:07.90; 5. Alaa-Eddine Guetari, South Fayette, 16:16.70; 6. Michael Gauntner, North Allegheny,...
High school roundup for Oct. 26, 2023: Mars survives scare from Elizabeth Forward
Rosie Pellegrino scored the winning goal, assisted by Kayleigh Clark, and Kate McEnroe recorded the shutout to lift top-seeded Mars (16-0) to a 1-0 victory over No. 9 Elizabeth Forward (15-4) in the WPIAL Class 3A girls soccer quarterfinals Thursday. The Fightin’ Planets will take on No. 5 South Fayette...
Avonworth limits Belle Vernon’s top scorer, sprints into WPIAL semifinals
Avonworth didn’t man mark Belle Vernon’s Trevor Kovatch, the second-leading goal scorer in WPIAL boys soccer. Instead, the Antelopes had five players shadow the junior forward. Yes, five. “He’s a special player,” Avonworth coach Tom Angell said. “There are no secrets anymore when you get to the playoffs. We did...
Montour knocks off unbeaten Plum to earn spot in WPIAL semifinals
Montour was the only team that didn’t lose to Plum in the regular season. Now the Spartans can say they’ll be the only team that beat the Mustangs in 2023. Behind a pair of goals from Grace Bannon and a sterling performance by goalkeeper Allison Armitage, No. 7 Montour upset...
Butler’s Drew Griffith battles cold to win another WPIAL title; Ringgold’s Ryan Pajak claims 3rd
One of the first individuals to greet Butler senior Drew Griffith after he won the WPIAL Class 3A cross country title Thursday at White Oak Park was Class 3A girls winner Logan St. John Kletter of Mt. Lebanon. The two have something in common, not only is the duo two-time...
Trib HSSN don’t miss high school football matchups for 2023 Week 9
Welcome to the final week of the 2023 WPIAL football regular season as we wrap up the “stretch run” with meaningful football games aplenty. Ten of the 17 conferences in the district will be decided in showdown games Friday. Some of those contests will determine outright champions while others will...
Through the years: In 1948, Ken High won bruising battle with Ambridge
Each week throughout the high school football season, the Valley News Dispatch will take a look back at the games, players and events that have shaped local scholastic history. Ken High remained in WPIAL title contention with a hard-fought, 25-19 victory at Ambridge on Oct. 25, 1948. The game was...
Westmoreland County high school football notebook: Jeannette returns to big stage for matchup with Clairton
Players ran the hill next to the bleachers at McKee Stadium to end a practice earlier this week, and coach Tom Paulone joined them on the steep and somewhat muddy ascent. Jeannette has been on a steady climb all season. The Jayhawks (7-2, 4-1) have more wins than they had...
