High School category, Page 498
Late free throws the difference as Oakland Catholic gets by McKeesport
In a physical game that’s being closely called, free throws down the stretch become even more important. McKeesport learned that lesson the hard way Saturday as key free throws contributed to Oakland Catholic’s 60-59 comeback win in overtime in their quarterfinal matchup in the PIAA Class 5A girls basketball playoffs...
Deer Lakes boys reach first state semifinal after comeback win vs. Neshannock
All season, the Deer Lakes boys basketball team has prided itself on how deep its bench is. That depth was needed maybe more than at any time this year Saturday to keep the team’s historic run alive. Deer Lakes had nine players score, wore down Neshannock and turned a six-point...
Riverview’s Emily Alcorn Taylor remembers time on court fondly
As a working mom with a young family, Emily Alcorn Taylor doesn’t spend much time thinking about her Riverview basketball career these days. But the memories came rushing back after Taylor received word she was among those scheduled for induction into the Alle-Kiski Sports Hall of Fame on May 20...
Seneca Valley’s Isaiah Clerkley takes silver as 3 from WPIAL earn PIAA diving medals
LEWISBURG — Isaiah Clerkley hit his sixth and final dive – an inward 1½ somersault pike with a 2.4 degree of difficulty – to move into first place in Saturday’s PIAA Class 3A boys championship meet at Bucknell University. The Seneca Valley junior and WPIAL champion finished with 302.95 points....
PIAA sets sites, times for Monday’s basketball semifinals
The PIAA basketball playoffs hit the final four with semifinals games Monday featuring Class 5A, 4A and A boys along with 6A, 3A and 2A girls fourth-round games. Here are the sites and times for the state semifinals Monday on The Road to Hershey. Boys 5A Erie Cathedral Prep (24-3)...
WPIAL swimmers set for championship heats on 2nd day of PIAA Class 3A meet
LEWISBURG – WPIAL swimmers in Class 3A are gearing up for consolation and championships heats Saturday afternoon and evening on the final day of the PIAA state meet from Bucknell University. Mt. Lebanon sophomore Sylvia Roy, second Friday in the 50-yard freestyle, has positioned herself as the top seed for...
A-K Valley athletes of the week: Freeport’s Kira Schrecongost, Kiski Area’s Parker Sterlitz
Kira Schrecongost Class: Sophomore School: Freeport Sport: Swimming Report card: Schrecongost earned a bronze medal in the 100-yard butterfly (56.16 seconds) and finished sixth in the 200 individual medley (2:07.31) at the PIAA Class 2A swimming championships Wednesday and Thursday at Bucknell. The Freeport sophomore also helped the 200 medley...
Norwin notebook: Girls bowling team makes run to regional finals
The Norwin girls bowling team surprised two-time defending champion Freeport, then reached the finals of the Western Pennsylvania Regional Tournament earlier this month at AMF Noble Manor Lanes. After a two-game sweep of Freeport, the Knights fell to Norwin, 171-168, in a close final match in the best-of-three series. Kali...
North Allegheny notebook: Rumpler celebrates state championship
Thirteen champions were crowned March 12 at the Pennsylvania girls wrestling state championships at Central Dauphin High School. North Allegheny’s Leyna Rumpler and Canon-McMillan’s Valarie Solorio were among those standing at the top of the awards podium. Rumpler pinned Carlisle’s Katelyn Coldren in 4 minutes, 25 seconds to win the...
After early playoff exit, North Allegheny aims to ‘get that fire back’
The gaggle of professional baseball scouts is gone, but that doesn’t mean there’s a quiet atmosphere nowadays at North Allegheny practices. “Quieter from the external side of things? Yes,” North Allegheny coach Andrew Heck said. “Quieter from the internal side of things? No. We felt like we need to make...
Strong medal haul at WPIAL meet boosts expectations for Franklin Regional swimmers
Franklin Regional swimming coach Vic Santoro went into the PIAA championships at Bucknell University on March 17 and 18 with great expectations that his team would add to its collection of medals. That’s because he was pleased with how they performed in the WPIAL Class 3A championships. The boys and...
‘Special group’ propels Hampton to memorable season
The motto for the Hampton boys basketball team this season was “to live in the moment.” The Talbots did just that, and it turned out the moments were many. “It was a great year,” coach Joe Lafko said. “We accomplished a lot. … I’m just so proud of the way...
Ace lefty Ryan Apaliski leads young pitching staff for Hampton baseball
The Hampton baseball team is hoping one ace and a bunch of wild cards can turn into a winning hand. The Talbots return senior Ryan Apaliski, a James Madison recruit, but are left with question marks on the mound behind their star southpaw. “We don’t have any of the experience...
Revenge sweet for Fox Chapel hockey team in Penguins Cup playoffs
Fox Chapel’s hockey team knew the setting was the same, but the Foxes found the magic to produce a different result March 15 at RMU Island Sports Complex. Fox Chapel, which lost to Norwin in the PIHL Class A Penguins Cup semifinals last season, avenged that loss and advanced to...
Fox Chapel baseball hopes offseason adjustments lead to section success
Dom Cassol enjoyed that the Fox Chapel baseball team took a different approach to training for the 2023 season. With an inexperienced group of pitchers returning, the Foxes wanted to make sure that they were able to help everyone grow together. “We switched things up,” said Cassol, who is a...
2023 WPIAL Class A baseball preseason breakdown
It’s a realignment year in WPIAL baseball and once again, the higher classifications have taken a hit. While Class 6A is down one team from the last two-year cycle, Class 5A is down one whole section after shrinking from 25 teams to 19 teams for the 2023 and 2024 seasons....
2023 WPIAL Class A softball preseason breakdown
Union edged West Greene, 3-2, to capture its first WPIAL Class A softball title last season. The Scotties ended West Greene’s run of five straight WPIAL championships. Both teams advanced to the PIAA quarterfinals and are again expected to contend for the district title. Here is a rundown of the...
High school scores, summaries and schedules for March 17, 2023
High schools WPIAL Baseball Friday’s results Nonsection Avella 14, Washington 13 Franklin Regional 13, Priory (MO) 0 Franklin Regional 15, Bradford (ON) 0 Montour 8, St. Petersburg (FL) 5 Pine-Richland 10, Hempfield 1 Plum 14, Northside Christian 8 Ringgold 4, California 3 St. Petersburg 6, Plum 3 Upper St. Clair...
What to watch for in WPIAL sports on March 18, 2023: New Castle, Reading to meet for 1st time in state playoffs
Two state boys basketball powers will collide for the first time in the PIAA postseason Saturday afternoon when New Castle takes on District 3 champion Reading. The Red Hurricane are looking for their 50th all-time state playoff victory (49-24) when they meet the Red Knights at Altoona at 2 p.m....
‘Other three’ key as Lincoln Park holds off Laurel Highlands in PIAA quarterfinals
Lincoln Park’s Dontay Green left the locker room without a shoe on his right foot, the troublesome one that needed screws and plates to fix a lisfranc fracture several months ago. What he did wear was a smile. At times since his September surgery, Green wanted to quit the basketball...
High school roundup for March 17, 2023: Bakari Wallace hits buzzer-beater to lift Uniontown past North Catholic
Bakari Wallace drained a 3-pointer at the buzzer to lift Uniontown to a 55-54 victory over North Catholic in the PIAA Class 4A boys basketball quarterfinals Friday night. Jamire Braxton scored 23 points and Notorious Grooms put up 10 for the Red Raiders (23-5). Max Hurray led all scorers with...
Imani Christian slams Farrell, setting up anticipated rematch with Union
Imani Christian boys basketball coach Omar Foster valued seeing his program take the next step. The Saints fought through early foul trouble and poor shooting Friday night, but they ultimately overwhelmed District 10 champion Farrell, 80-50, in the PIAA Class A quarterfinals. “Last year, we lost in the quarterfinals to...
Franklin Regional relay sets school record, wins state title
The Franklin Regional boys 200-yard medley relay team had some unfinished business as it arrived at Bucknell for the first day of the PIAA Class 3A swimming championships. The Panthers quartet of junior Holden Thomas, senior Aiden Bunker, junior Ben Holm and senior Jason Tosh swam a time of 1...
Norwin girls roll past North Allegheny, into PIAA semifinals
When North Allegheny junior Caroline Henderson banked in a half-court shot to end the third quarter, Norwin coach Brian Brozeski told his team not to worry. That’s because Brozeski’s Knights were not to be deterred on this night. Norwin became more determined and didn’t allow another basket in the final...
Franklin Regional boys relay team makes jump from 3rd at WPIALs to state gold
The Franklin Regional boys 200-yard medley relay team had some unfinished business as it arrived at Bucknell University for the first day of the PIAA Class 3A swimming championships. The Panthers quartet of junior Holden Thomas, senior Aiden Bunker, junior Ben Holm and senior Jason Tosh swam a time of...
