High School category, Page 410
Slick-fielding Hempfield shortstop Allie Cervola picks Ohio
Hempfield doesn’t just have a history of winning WPIAL and PIAA championships in softball. The program also has a track record for producing Division I college talent. The latest player to commit to a high-level program is junior Allie Cervola. A shortstop who has played catcher previously for the Spartans,...
Trib HSSN don’t miss high school football matchups for 2023 Week 7
Welcome to the 2023 edition of the “stretch run,” otherwise known as the final three weeks of the high school football regular season. The leaves are turning, the air is crisp and teams up and down the six classifications are fighting for conference championships, home-field advantage, playoff seeding and district...
Knoch boys soccer hopes to create another memory in postseason
At Knoch boys soccer’s senior night Tuesday, a popular choice for most memorable moment was the most recent one. It was a 3-2 double-overtime win over Shady Side Academy just a few days earlier. “I think one of our seniors actually said it, but they all were thinking it,” Knoch...
Through the years: Freeport revved up ground game to beat Burrell in 2018
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. Freeport rushed for 350 yards and held Burrell to less than 100 total yards as the Yellowjackets knocked off the Bucs,...
Westmoreland County high school football notebook: Latrobe senior making impact
There has been plenty of buzz in Latrobe about a promising junior class that includes players such as running back/linebacker Alex Tatsch and quarterback/safety John Wetzel. But a senior might be the glue this promising team needs. Ja’Tawn Williams is having a terrific season in all three phases of the...
Might Penn Hills try to ‘simulate’ winning strategy in matchup with Central Catholic?
Needless to say, Penn Hills was interested in watching game film from Central Catholic’s loss last week, since that was the first time the Vikings had looked vulnerable all season. But that doesn’t mean the Indians will try to copy what they saw. “It can be difficult on the high...
High school scores, summaries and schedules for Oct. 11, 2023
High schools Cross county Wednesday’s results Westmoreland County Coaches Association Championship Boys Individual results: 1. Samuel Plazio, Kiski Area, 16:20.5; 2. Nathan Kociela, Franklin Regional, 16:32.2; 3. Nick Szekely, Greensburg Central Catholic, 16:39.5; 4. Luke Simpson, Norwin, 16:42.5; 5. Enzo Jiancristoforo, Norwin, 16:45.8; 6. Ryan Ewing, Hempfield, 16:54.9; 7. Thomas...
What to watch for in WPIAL sports on Oct. 12, 2023: Boys soccer playoff puzzle coming together
The WPIAL boys soccer playoff field is set in Class 4A and A; however, there are still some missing pieces to the postseason puzzle in 3A and 2A. Some if not all of them may fall into place Thursday. In Section 1-3A, Indiana (4-6) has a slim half-game lead over...
Trib 10: Upsets send new team to top of power rankings
Surprise, surprise, as a couple of eyebrow raisers in Week 6 of the WPIAL football season shook up the top half of the Trib 10 this week. Central Catholic’s stay at the top of the power rankings lasted only two weeks as the Vikings were dropped by defending district and...
WPIAL girls soccer playoff picture through Oct. 11, 2023
Section play in the 2023 WPIAL girls soccer regular season concludes for most teams Monday. The top four teams in each section qualify for the district playoffs. All teams tied for a playoff spot in which head-to-head does not break the tie all qualify for the postseason. The postseason field...
High school roundup for Oct. 11, 2023: Upper St. Clair tops Peters Township in battle for 1st place
Sierra Dupre had a goal and an assist to lead Upper St. Clair to a 2-0 victory over Peters Township (13-1-2, 11-1-1) in a matchup of the top two teams in Section 2-4A girls soccer Wednesday. Maeryn Mannix also scored and Cam Friday recorded the shutout for the Panthers. The...
Moon’s Bill Pfeifer becomes 1st WPIAL girls soccer coach to 500 wins
Moon’s Bill Pfeifer became the first girls soccer coach in WPIAL history to record 500 career wins when his Tigers defeated Blackhawk, 3-0, on Wednesday night. Elizabeth Gallup scored two goals and Lilly Snyder added one to lead the Tigers (11-1-2, 8-1-2) past the Cougars (6-9, 4-7) in a Section...
Penalty kick sends Plum girls soccer team past Franklin Regional, clinches section title
The Plum girls soccer team clinched its fifth straight outright section championship Wednesday evening at Mustangs Stadium. But the Mustangs needed overtime to get the victory. A controversial penalty call on a Franklin Regional defender in the box set up a penalty kick for Plum. Senior Ava Weleski set up...
Lola Abraham’s 4 goals lift Riverview past GCC in Section 1-A showdown
Greensburg Central Catholic tried everything against Lola Abraham, marking her with multiple girls in 10-minute intervals as it tried to slow her down. But like she has done against so many other opponents throughout her career, Abraham scratched out those plans in impressive fashion. While some teams look like they’re...
Kiski Area’s Miller, Plazio win WCCA titles; Norwin boys, girls sweep 3A team trophies
As Eliza Miller headed toward the finish line during the annual Westmoreland County Coaches’ Association Cross Country Championship on Wednesday, she turned it on. With the timing clock in site, the Kiski Area senior poured it on, determined to break the 18-minute mark. As she crossed the finish line, Miller...
A-K Valley football players to watch in 2023 Week 7
Player of the week Jayden Floyd Leechburg, Jr., QB Floyd completed 15 of 28 passes for 230 yards, one of the highest yardage totals in the WPIAL for Week 6, in a loss to Jeannette on Friday. He completed a 73-yard pass to Tristan Zalenski down to the 1-yard line...
Playoff future in the balance for Knoch, Freeport in Allegheny 6 clash
Eight and a half miles separate Knoch and Freeport high schools. But the history between the schools, including the Knights and Yellowjackets athletic teams, is much closer. Athletes on both sides know each other well from growing up next door, and each season builds on the tradition from past matchups....
2023 Western Pa. high school football schedule for Week 7
Thursday City League Westinghouse at Brashear, 7 p.m. Friday WPIAL Class 5A Allegheny Six Baldwin at South Fayette, 7 p.m. Bethel Park at Moon, 7 p.m. Big East Franklin Regional at Hempfield, 7 p.m. Penn-Trafford at Plum, 7 p.m. Northeast Fox Chapel at Woodland Hills, 7 p.m. Shaler at Pine-Richland,...
With Jayhawks back on track, Jeannette-GCC rivalry gets reheated
How big is Friday’s WPIAL Class A Eastern Conference matchup between Jeannette and Greensburg Central Catholic? In Westmoreland County, it might be the biggest rivalry going. At Jeannette, it’s Central week. At Greensburg Central Catholic, it’s Jeannette week. This is the 32nd meeting between the schools, and during many of...
Don’t be alarmed when the Birdie makes his Westmoreland County Week 7 picks
Last week: 10-3 (76.9%) Season: 63-23 (73.3%) It was around 2:20 in the afternoon last Wednesday when the Birdie almost made an eagle. He was playing in a rare, midweek golf scramble. “An elite corporate thing with some other influencers,” he said, feathering his hair back with his fingers. He...
Westmoreland County high school football matchups for 2023 Week 7
Class 5A Big East Conference Franklin Regional (5-2, 2-1) at Hempfield (1-6, 0-2) 7 p.m. Friday, Spartan Stadium, Hempfield Last week: Franklin Regional 37, Norwin 29; Seneca Valley 42, Hempfield 13 Last year’s result: Franklin Regional 56, Hempfield 21 Franklin Regional can get a share of the conference title if...
Westmoreland County football players to watch in 2023 Week 7
Player of the week Ayden Hudock Franklin Regional, Sr., WR/S The 6-foot-1 Hudock began Franklin Regional’s game against Norwin last week by returning the kickoff 92 yards for a score. He then caught three touchdowns passes (6, 56 and 58 yards) from quarterback Chase Lemke as the Panthers defeated Norwin,...
A-K Valley high school football matchups for 2023 Week 7
Class 5A Big East Conference Penn-Trafford (3-4, 2-1) at Plum (2-5, 0-3) 7 p.m. Friday, Mustangs Stadium, Plum Borough Last week: Gateway 31, Penn-Trafford 27; South Fayette 24, Plum 13 Last year’s meeting: Penn-Trafford 35, Plum 21 The Warriors try to rebound after a hard-fought loss to Gateway while Plum...
Birdie paints playoff picture, makes Week 7 A-K Valley picks
Last week: 9-2 (81.8%) Overall: 61-19 (76.3%) When The Birdie strolled into the office Monday morning, he was whining up a storm. He was mad that the temperature had dipped below 50 degrees. “Once you put your Bermuda shorts in the back of the closet, they’re not coming back out...
Westmoreland County boys soccer notebook: Jeannette’s Jordan Taylor climbs WPIAL all-time goals list
The goal came without any fanfare and it came in a loss, so Jordan Taylor didn’t think much of it. But his score last week in a 4-2 loss at Freeport was a record breaker. Taylor, a Jeannette senior forward, broke the boys’ career goals record for Westmoreland County with...
