High School category, Page 490
Southmoreland’s Amarah McCutcheon delivers walk-off homer, spoiling stellar effort by Ligonier Valley ace
Having struck out three times, like a couple of her Southmoreland softball teammates had, Amarah McCutcheon admitted she didn’t have much expectation when she stepped to the plate in the bottom of the ninth inning. On this day, a foul tip was an accomplishment against Ligonier Valley ace Cheyenne Piper,...
Trib HSSN High School Softball Player of the Week for April 3, 2023Video
Two years ago, Olivia Zimmerman, then a freshman, helped the Indiana softball team reach the WPIAL playoffs. The Little Indians edged Latrobe in the Class 5A first round, 7-6, before losing to Armstrong in the quarterfinals. Playing travel softball in June of 2021, Zimmerman tore her ACL while pitching. She...
High school roundup for April 3, 2023: Central Catholic outslugs Hempfield
Antonio Cordiero and Gavin Kelly homered to lead Central Catholic to an 8-6 victory over Hempfield in Section 2-6A baseball Monday. Cade Clister doubled twice for the Vikings (3-2, 1-0). Colin Polechko had a double for Hempfield (2-3, 0-1). Avonworth 15, Sto-Rox 0 – Jacob Hanney homered and drove in...
Freeport’s Hanz shines in 5-inning win vs. Deer Lakes
Whether Freeport’s Michael Hanz will keep making a jump or eventually flame out is a common question for potential phenom baseball pitchers. After all, Hanz is one of those rare young fellows whose fastball touches the upper-80s and who is capable of consistently throwing the rest of his arsenal for...
Franklin Regional blanks Kiski Area in section opener
Franklin Regional pitcher Carli Ramchandran didn’t give up any hits through five innings of Monday’s Section 2-5A opener at Kiski Area. The Panthers senior surrendered a first-inning walk, but the runner was eliminated attempting to steal second. Cavaliers catcher Isabella Delia led off the bottom of the sixth with a...
Greensburg Central Catholic’s Miller to play soccer for Robert Morris
Greensburg Central Catholic soccer standout Kyler Miller accepted a preferred walk-on offer from Robert Morris, extending his playing career to the Division I level. The senior forward will have a roster spot and can earn scholarship money later. “It means everything to me,” he said about fulfilling his dream of...
Westmoreland County Senior Spotlight: Greensburg Central Catholic’s Mike McCready
Greensburg Central Catholic’s baseball team went 7-3 in section play last season, losing in the second round of the WPIAL playoffs to Leechburg. This year, the competition has gotten even steeper, as the Centurions have moved up from Class A to join Jeannette, Ligonier Valley, Serra Catholic, Brentwood, Riverview and...
A-K Valley Senior Spotlight: Leechburg’s Logan Kline
This week marked an important time in the spring sports calendar: the start of section play for baseball. And in Leechburg, the Blue Devils are looking to build on the success they had last season to become one of the teams to beat this year. Among the players on the...
Shaler, Latrobe hold on to top spots in WPIAL volleyball coaches rankings
Shaler and Latrobe maintained their spots at the top of the Class 3A and 2A boys volleyball rankings, respectively, as the Western Pennsylvania Volleyball Coaches Association released its Week 3 polls Monday. There wasn’t a great deal of movement in either poll. But the biggest jump this week came from...
Blackhawk basketball coach Steve Lodovico took job ‘for a year,’ resigns 18 seasons later after building WPIAL powerhouse
Eighteen years ago, Steve Lodovico applied to be Blackhawk’s boys basketball coach, hoping to replace his legendary mentor John Miller, who was retiring. Instead, the school offered Lodovico the girls program. “I really wanted the boys job at that point, so I turned it down,” he said. “I didn’t want...
High school sports scores, schedules for April 2, 2023
High schools WPIAL Baseball Monday’s schedule WPIAL Class 6A Section 1 Allderdice at Seneca Valley, 4 p.m. Butler at Pine-Richland, 4 p.m. Section 2 Hempfield at Central Catholic, 4 p.m. Mt. Lebanon at Canon-McMillan, 4 p.m. Norwin at Baldwin, 4 p.m. Class 5A Section 1 Armstrong at Penn-Trafford, 4 p.m....
Trib HSSN baseball team of the week for April 2, 2023
Brian Junker knows what a championship baseball team looks like after leading Shaler to WPIAL Class 5A gold in 2019. It’s early in the season, but this Titans team looks special as the calendar turns from March to April. “I love this team. I love these kids,” Junker said. “Everyone’s...
What to watch for in WPIAL sports for April 3, 2023: Baseball champs to open section play
While many teams in the lower classifications began section play last week, most WPIAL baseball teams will start their section schedule Monday. The three defending district champions are slated to begin section action. In Class 6A, 2022 champion Mt. Lebanon might be thrilled to start in Section 2-6A after going...
Trib HSSN baseball player of the week for April 2, 2023
Some young district pitchers don’t mind pitching in the early season chill known as March baseball. They feel it gives them an edge over the hitters. Don’t count Chartiers-Houston senior Ryan Opfer among them. “I prefer it hot actually,” Opfer said. “I prefer 90 degrees over 50 degrees to be...
Springdale softball star Erin Exler Bish to take her place in A-K Valley Sports Hall of Fame
Like most exceptional athletes, Erin Exler Bish seemed to be at her best at the most crucial moments. “You would want me at the plate when the game was on the line,” the Harmar native said. Whether it was in the batter’s box or pitcher’s circle, Bish’s penchant for performing...
This week on Trib HSSN for week of April 3, 2023
Before we turn the house and or yard over looking for Easter eggs, we have a couple more days of spring scholastic sports to take us to the holiday this week here on the TribLive High School Sports Network. Trib HSSN continues our coverage of WPIAL softball and baseball with...
Expectations high for Gateway boys volleyball team following section title
The Gateway boys volleyball team accomplished big things last spring with the program’s first section title since 1986 and also getting to within an eyelash of making the WPIAL Class 2A semifinals. The Gators led 10-time WPIAL champion Ambridge 2-1 in their quarterfinal contest at North Allegheny. But the Bridgers...
After finishing 1-2 at singles tournament, Gateway tennis eyes section team title
Gateway ruled the bracket for the WPIAL Section 1-3A singles tournament last week at Franklin Regional High School. Sophomores Adam Memije and Zidaan Hassan are no strangers to tennis tournament competition, having grown up in the sport for the better part of the past decade. But both are new to...
Freshmen provide spark for growth of Quaker Valley softball
Quaker Valley football coach Jason Cappa doubles his duties as coach of the Quakers softball team. “Coaching a softball team compared to coaching a football team is not any different in the way of preparation and coaching,” Cappa said. “We will always work on fundamentals, athletic growth in terms of...
Before buzzer-beating finish, Quaker Valley girls basketball season filled with highlights
A last-second buzzer beater. That’s how the Quaker Valley girls basketball team’s 2022-23 season came to a crashing end. Quaker Valley lost a 40-37 decision to Harbor Creek in the first round of the PIAA Class 4A tournament as Georgia Weber hit a 3-pointer at the buzzer for the Huskies,...
With breakout hurdler, good roster numbers, Penn Hills track ready for successful season
Achan Green doesn’t think about the timing anymore. The Penn Hills junior hurdler knows when he’s on the track, he is able to tackle each step with the right approach. Before last season, Green didn’t do the hurdles much. However, whenever Green gave the event a go, he qualified for...
In peak form, Penn Hills fitness team qualifies for national championships
The Penn Hills fitness team has continued to pile up an unprecedented number of accolades over the past few months. In March, Jaydn Wright became the first male athlete in program history to finish in first place in back-to-back events. Wright finished with 470 points out of a possible 500...
Roster filled with freshman, sophomores show promise for Pine-Richland volleyball
Youth will be serving for the Pine-Richland boys volleyball team this spring. It’ll also be hitting, digging, setting and doing pretty much everything on the court. The Rams will have a lineup made up entirely of freshmen and sophomores who have shown potential as they are adjusting to the speed...
Lessons learned last season have Pine-Richland boys lacrosse poised for success
It took a bit for the Pine-Richland boys lacrosse team to achieve results last year, but once the Rams got going, they went on a heater before ultimately falling in the first round of the playoffs to Penn-Trafford. Second-year coach Dave Offner believes the Rams can take another step forward...
Plum boys volleyball ready for new challenge in Class 3A
The Plum volleyball team’s final Class 2A match last year was a close five-set contest against Thomas Jefferson in the first round of the WPIAL playoffs. The No. 8 Jaguars edged the No. 9 Mustangs, 3-2, to advance to the quarterfinals. Suddenly, Plum’s season was over. The Mustangs left Class...
