High School category, Page 431
Trib HSSN’s 2023 Week 2 top performers for passing, rushing, receiving
Top performers for Week 2 of high school football in Western Pennsylvania. Passing 298 - Payton Wehner, Central Catholic (17 of 20) 289 - Tanner Pfeuffer, Bethel Park (13 of 22) 282 - Keegan Smetanka, Shaler (16 of 24) 273 - Jake Wolfe, Montour (17 of 27) 255 - Nico...
Montour stages big rally in second half to defeat South Fayette
Montour rallied from a 17-point deficit to defeat South Fayette, 42-35, thanks to scoring the game’s final 24 points at Thomas J. Birko Memorial Stadium at Montour High School. The Spartans won on a 6-yard rushing touchdown by quarterback Jake Wolfe. Montour’s defense, meanwhile, held the Lions to seven points...
Belle Vernon withstands McKeesport in overtime
Friday night’s game against McKeesport seemed eerily similar to last season’s game for Belle Vernon coach Matt Humbert. But in the end, the Leopards found themselves right at home — with their backs on their goal line in crunch time. Twice. The Leopards defense did it again, this time keeping...
Canon-McMillan logs valuable early win against Seneca Valley
Going into Friday’s home opener — a rematch of the game that decided the final playoff team in Class 6A last season — Canon-McMillan coach Mike Evans said he felt good. He and his staff were confident about the matchup and their team’s execution. It proved true, as the Big...
Kiski Area victory tempered by injury to Laurel Highlands standout Antwan Black Jr.
Kiski Area scored the winning touchdown with less than a minute to play to defeat Laurel Highlands, 28-24, on Friday at Richard A. Dilts Stadium. But the high-intensity contest was marred by a late injury to Laurel Highlands star Antwan Black Jr. After catching a pass near midfield with 34...
Yough pulls off 20-14 win over Charleroi for first victory
When Yough scored its second touchdown of the game to bring its deficit to two points and quickly got the ball back from Charleroi, it seemed like Yough was in control as a few minutes remained in the third quarter of Friday night’s nonconference contest at Charleroi. Yough’s Julian Varrenti...
Late turnover seals Penn-Trafford’s 1st win of season
Throughout Friday night, it was nearly impossible to stop the rejuvenated Penn-Trafford run game. Trailing by two points, Woodland Hills came up with the biggest stop of the game on its own 12-yard line. With the ball in their hands and less than a minute remaining, all the Wolverines had...
Latrobe gallops to win over Hempfield
Hempfield’s marching band played the fan favorite “The Horse” during its pregame performance. But it was Latrobe’s football team that relied on its trio of thoroughbreds to defeat the Spartans, 27-7, in a nonconference game Friday at Bill Abraham Field at Spartan Stadium. The Wildcats’ backfield trio of quarterback John...
Greensburg Salem jumps on Ligonier Valley, gives coach his 1st win
It’s been 23 years since Greensburg Salem has won a WPIAL playoff game in football, long enough for Ty George maybe to remember. After failing to qualify in 2022, the Golden Lions are attempting to make it back to the postseason in George’s first year as their coach. They took...
Kaylor’s field goals, Craggette’s runs help Southmoreland top Derry Area
Jake Kaylor kicked field goals of 25 and 32 yards in the final quarter to lead Southmoreland (3-0) to a 24-21 win over Derry Area (1-2) on Friday night. Kaylor initially missed from 32 yards, but Derry had called timeout before the snap. Instead of “icing” Kaylor, it gave him...
Shaler uses big second half to topple Plum
The Shaler and Plum football teams entered Friday’s game undefeated, looking to take a big step forward in the Class 5A playoff picture. Opportunistic and explosive Shaler scored three second-half touchdowns to claim a 28-14 victory. Shaler started the game with a bang as senior quarterback Keegan Smetanka found receiver...
Running game, special teams help Franklin Regional blank Connellsville
With its special teams unit flying to the football and setting field position and its running game in high gear, Franklin Regional handed upstart Connellsville a humbling 38-0 defeat in a nonconference matchup Friday night at Panther Stadium in Murrysville. Franklin Regional (2-1) stuffed the Falcons’ running attack and got...
Highlands overcomes penalties to beat Chartiers Valley
When Chartiers Valley and Highlands met for the first time last year, they played a tight contest with the Golden Rams prevailing by eight points. Friday night was not as close as last year’s contest but had all the excitement and tenacity a Class 4A showdown brings. Highlands (3-0) remained...
Devin Beattie’s big game helps Burrell beat Valley for 300th win in program history
Burrell’s Devin Beattie wasn’t going to miss his final chance to play Valley. The senior running back was injured last week against Deer Lakes but rehabbed all week to be ready. And he made a huge impact in another win over their biggest rival and a major milestone in the...
Deer Lakes football settles down in rout of Apollo-Ridge
After Apollo-Ridge went right down the field on its opening drive, it looked like Deer Lakes was in for a long night. However, the Lancers (2-1) scored four unanswered touchdowns led by their ground attack as they raced to a 49-21 win over Apollo-Ridge in nonconference play at Owens Field...
Leechburg uses blocked field goal return to help hold off Bentworth
Leechburg already has been on the wrong side of a scoop ’n’ score this season in its season-opening loss to Apollo-Ridge. But Friday night, Randy Walters’ squad took back one of its own in a 28-21 victory over Bentworth. Leechburg led much of the game, including by 14 with just...
5 things to watch in Week 2: WPIAL teams are winning with multiple QBs
There’s an old saying about football teams with two starting quarterbacks actually having none, but Thomas Jefferson coach Bill Cherpak clearly disagrees. This year, the Jaguars have two QBs and they’re finding success with both. Senior quarterback Brody Evans and junior Luke Kosko have rotated every two possessions this season,...
High school scores, summaries and schedules for Sept. 7, 2023
High schools Field hockey Thursday’s results Section 3A Mt. Lebanon 11, Hempfield 0 Nonsection Fox Chapel at Aquinas Academy, (n) Upper St. Clair 2, Ellis School 0 Friday’s schedule Allderdice at Dover (Ohio), 7 p.m. Football Thursday’s result City League Westinghouse 52, Perry 6 Friday’s schedule WPIAL Class 6A Seneca...
High school roundup for Sept. 7, 2023: Section contenders Moon, South Fayette battle to draw
Aedan Costa scored for Moon (4-1-1, 3-0-1) and Nate Belcufine converted a penalty for South Fayette (3-0-2, 3-0-2) as the Section 2-3A boys soccer rivals played to a 1-1 draw Thursday night. Allderdice 4, Baldwin 1 – Peter Myrianthopolous, Luca Fuerte and Nadav Gil scored in a Section 2-4A win...
‘Champs until proven otherwise:’ Penn Hills challenges Pine-Richland in No. 1 vs. 2 clash
Penn Hills is ranked No. 1 in WPIAL football, but Pine-Richland is the reigning conference, WPIAL and PIAA champion until someone takes those titles away. That’s how Penn Hills coach Charles Morris sees the situation. “They’re the state champs. They’re the WPIAL champs. I’ve got the old school mentality: In...
Franklin Regional’s Johnson captures WCCA title with personal-best round
When Franklin Regional girls golf coach Kane Daignault was talking to Ali Boyle about her play during the Westmoreland County Coaches’ Association tournament Thursday, she told him she didn’t think the team would win the title. Daignault then informed her how sophomore Gianna Johnson played, which shocked Boyle. Playing the...
Trib HSSN don’t-miss high school football matchups for Week 2 2023
The avalanche of conference openers is coming for most WPIAL football teams next week. However, here in Week 2, we triple the amount of conference games from last week, going from one to three. Three weeks into the season and after Friday, Canon-McMillan will be halfway through its four-game Class...
Puzzle pieces fit as Springdale boys soccer gets off to strong start
The biggest unknown for the Springdale boys soccer team coming into the season was how quickly a fairly inexperienced midfield and forward group would jell. Outside of senior striker Billy Lawrence, there weren’t too many players with extensive varsity playing time. It hasn’t taken long for an answer. Early returns...
Through the years: Willie Thrower TDs, trick play sparked Ken High to win in 1948
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’s Willie Thrower threw a pair of scoring passes, and guard Renaldo Kozikowski opened the scoring by realizing a lineman’s...
Westmoreland County high school football notebook: Kickers giving teams a leg up
Kickers often are undervalued, at least by spectators who would rather see big plays and touchdowns. But those special teams leaders could play a key role for Westmoreland County teams as the season moves ahead. Senior Jake Kaylor is another key weapon at Southmoreland, which is expected to keep its...
