High School category, Page 421

If traffic is light, a trip from Neshannock to Cleveland takes less than 90 minutes, so maybe it makes sense for the Lancers to take on a motto catcher Jake Taylor made famous in the movie “Major League.” (Albeit with one word left out in polite company.) I guess there’s...

At this time a year ago, the Mohawk football team was grappling with the effects of a hazing incident that resulted in disciplinary action for multiple students and forced the cancellation of the Warriors’ first two regular-season games. Fast-forward to the present. “We’re focused on the current season,” Mohawk coach...

Forgive the Western Beaver football team if it comes into the 2023 season with a chip on its shoulder. For a couple of months, last season was going exactly as planned. With quarterback Xander Lefebvre leading the way, the Golden Beavers got off to a 7-1 start. Then, in Week...

It was mid-March when Ron Balog took the reins of the Freedom football team. It’s been full-speed ahead since. The former Quaker Valley head coach who spent last season as an offensive coordinator at North Catholic wanted to make sure his team was prepared despite the late start to the...

Ellwood City got rid of a losing stigma last season, and now the Wolverines are aiming to take the next step in the program’s turnaround. They snapped a 27-game losing streak in Week 2 last season with a 46-6 victory at Carlynton. It was the longest skid among WPIAL teams,...

Beaver Falls coach Nick Nardone has no idea who is going to end up as the top rusher and receiver for his team this fall. He’s kind of psyched about that. “It’s not, ‘I have no idea because we have no talent,’” Nardone said. “It’s, ‘I have no idea because...

Ligonier Valley football coach Roger Beitel smiled when he learned what junior center Sam Caldwell said about himself and the upcoming season. Caldwell is one of two starters returning for the offense. He became the starting center early during his sophomore season. He has taken ownership of the position and...

Isaiah Gonzalez earned a baptism by fire as a freshman when he stepped into the varsity lineup at cornerback against Penn Hills when then-senior and one of Kiski Area’s top players that year, Kenny Blake, was out with injury. “That was a challenging game for him to be put in...

TribLive HSSN will break down the top players at one position per day until Week Zero. Here’s a look at the top wide receivers for the 2023 season. 1. Peter Gonzalez Central Catholic Senior, 6-3, 200 Gonzalez’s size, athleticism and strong hands make him a big-play threat who opponents have...

Training camps officially began Monday for all 127 WPIAL, City League and independent teams in Western Pennsylvania. That week concludes for all with a scrimmage. The second week of camp ends with most team’s playing a Week Zero game Friday, Aug. 25 or Saturday, Aug. 26, while a few schools...

High schools Golf Thursday’s results Boys Class 3A Section 3 Seneca Valley 184, Butler 197 Medalists: Tyler Garvin (SV) 34, Hunter Swidzinski (B) 37 Section 6 Peters Township 195, Baldwin 257 Medalists: Ben Miller (PT) 37, Mac Dempsey (B) 47 Section 7 South Fayette 203, Moon 215 Class 2A Section...

Ben Hoffer was part of a Yough football team that won three conference titles and compiled 24-15 record. Since then, only the 2013 team has had a winning record at 6-5. It was also the last time Yough made the playoffs. As Hoffer begins his second season at his alma...

In his 34th season as a head coach, Ray Braszo lifted the WPIAL championship trophy for the first time last November when Steel Valley beat Beaver Falls in the Class 2A finals. How did he celebrate that momentous achievement once practice began again in August? “You start all over and...

Since Roger Beitel became football coach at Ligonier Valley 20 years ago, he has taken his squad to a team camp at Shippensburg University in July. Who can argue with his success? Beitel’s record is 148-63 and the Rams have qualified for the playoffs, either PIAA District 6 or WPIAL,...

Imani Christian’s practices look different this summer than last, largely because there are twice as many players. The Saints have around 30 on the roster nowadays, which gives coach LaRoi Johnson confidence the program can make a big jump in his second year there. “My guys played well and did...

While some WPIAL offensive attacks look to incorporate both ground and air assaults, Burrell often loads up its tanks with the hopes of steamrolling opponents. The Bucs rushed for more than 3,000 total yards last year as they battled through Allegheny Conference play to a berth in the WPIAL Class...

When asked to appraise his team’s expectations for this season, Apollo-Ridge coach John Skiba didn’t pull any punches. “We will be young and inexperienced,” he said. But he was quick to add that the future is bright as several talented newcomers, he said, will join the few returning starters from...

Aaran Randolph had quite an introduction to A-K Valley football fans. When they opened their newspaper Saturday morning Oct. 1, 2022, the Game of the Week headline read: “RUNNING RAM: Randolph’s 5 scores lead Highlands past Mars.” What the Golden Rams faithful already knew, many across Western Pennsylvania then discovered...

TribLive HSSN will break down the top players at one position per day until Week Zero. Here’s a look at the top running backs for the 2023 season. 1. Quinton Martin Belle Vernon Senior, 6-3, 205 The Penn State recruit scored 31 times last season, including 22 rushing touchdowns, as...

When teams prepared to play Latrobe last season, their focus was on stopping bruising running back Robert Fulton. No. 3 was a big problem. With Fulton gone, though, the Wildcats’ rushing attack will branch out like a spider vein. “That’s the nature of high school sports,” Latrobe coach Ron Prady...

High schools Golf Wednesday’s results Boys Class 2A Section 1 Burrell 230, Valley 261 Medalists: Chantz Watkins (B) 42, Maddox Dantonio (V) 48 Freeport 205, Leechburg forfeit Medalists: Cam Zigo (F) 37, Tyler Poff (L) 45 Section 2 Greensburg Central Catholic 203, Derry 252 Medalists: Sean Walker (GCC) 36, Hayden...

A total of 16 returning lettermen, including 13 starters on offense and defense combined, have the Mt. Pleasant community buzzing. With all that experience coming back, there’s hope among the faithful that this could be a special year. Coach Jason Fazekas, entering his seventh season, was his usual subdued self,...

Change is a good thing. So believes Ty George, the rookie head football coach at Greensburg Salem. “It’s good in all forms of life,” he said. George took over for Dave Keefer, who guided the Golden Lions for the last decade. He was a member of Keefer’s staff for the...

Growing up in Lancaster County, Brian Hanson saw Western Pennsylvania high school football from afar. A former walk-on linebacker at Pitt, Hanson finds himself now coaching the sport in the WPIAL. “Good players on both sides of the state,” he said. “I think Western Pennsylvania has a way of making...

After capturing long-awaited WPIAL and PIAA championships last season, Belle Vernon gets to test the old adage that defending a title is more difficult than winning one in the first place. Coach Matt Humbert said he has been trying to push his players a little bit harder in the offseason,...