High School category, Page 5
High school basketball referee still running the floor at age 80
Once an avid runner, Bob Saxman went from full speed to a jog before finally slowing down. “Knees got creaky,” Saxman said. But he can still get up and down the basketball court. Being a referee is something he just can’t give up. Who’s to say he has to? Saxman,...
High school scores, summaries and schedules for Feb. 19, 2026
High schools Basketball Boys WPIAL playoffs Class 6A Quarterfinals Thursday’s results Upper St. Clair 56, Fox Chapel 41 Seneca Valley 45, Hempfield 44 New Castle 67, Mt. Lebanon 49 Central Catholic 64, Imani Christian 39 Semifinals Monday’s schedule Upper St. Clair (22-1) vs. Seneca Valley (14-9); New Castle (22-1) vs....
What to watch for in WPIAL sports on Feb. 20, 2026: Ex-coach to take on top-seeded Chartiers Valley
Welcome to the final day of the quarterfinals in the WPIAL basketball playoffs with teams in boys Class 5A and 3A and girls Class 6A and 2A claiming the spotlight. He was the man who followed a legend as boys coach at Chartiers Valley. Brandon Sensor took over for Timmy...
No. 1 Blackhawk girls overpower Burrell, reach 5th straight WPIAL semifinal
The top-seeded Blackhawk girls cruised past ninth-seeded Burrell, 50-33, in the WPIAL Class 4A quarterfinals Thursday to earn their fifth straight trip to the semifinals. The Cougars (21-0) were led by Aubree Hupp, who delivered 22 points — 10 in the fourth quarter — and 12 rebounds. Gracen Sehn added...
Thrill of victory for Seneca Valley, agony of defeat for Hempfield in 6A quarterfinals
This one hurt. With the Hempfield basketball players leaving with tears in their eyes — but their heads held high — coach Austin Butler knew this was a tough, rare feeling for his players. “To our guys’ credit, they hadn’t ever been in a position like this, and I thought...
High school roundup for Feb. 19, 2026: New Castle, Central Catholic move into 6A semifinals
Marino Graham scored 18 points and Kai Cox added 17 as No. 2 New Castle defeated No. 7 Mt. Lebanon, 67-49, in the WPIAL Class 6A boys basketball quarterfinals Thursday night. Damian Harrison added 12 points for the Red Hurricanes (22-1), who will meet No. 3 Central Catholic in the...
Teammates lend hand to big man Ryan Robbins as Upper St. Clair pulls away from Fox Chapel
Ryan Robbins was feasting in the first half against the smaller Fox Chapel front line in No. 1 Upper St. Clair’s first playoff game of its WPIAL Class 6A title defense. By halftime, the 6-foot-7 junior had 16 points. The only problem was that the rest of his team had...
Derry duo looks to join 3-time champs club at WPIAL Class 2A wrestling tournament
If things go as expected this weekend, the Derry wrestling program will add to its growing history. Juniors Mason Horwat (172 pounds) and Brady Brown (189) look to become the fifth and sixth Trojans wrestlers to win three WPIAL titles at the Class 2A championships at Chartiers Valley. If they...
Mallory Clemmer hits winning shot as Geibel Catholic edges St. Joseph in Class A thriller
The Nos. 4-5 matchup between the Geibel Catholic and St. Joseph girls basketball teams had everything a thrilling playoff game should have. Their were impressive runs by each team, a few mistakes under pressure and a big-time hero at the end. In this game, the late heroics belonged to Geibel’s...
Jeannette boys push past Eden Christian, advance to WPIAL Class 2A semifinals
Jeannette didn’t see Eden Christian as an obstacle. It saw the Warriors as an opportunity. Although their WPIAL 2A boys basketball quarterfinal opponent was more of the former than the latter for the better part of three quarters Thursday night. There wasn’t much that came easy for the Jayhawks, who...
Elizabeth Forward avenges regular-season losses, beats Belle Vernon in Class 4A quarters
The third time wasn’t the charm for the Belle Vernon girls basketball team Thursday. After winning both section matchups against Elizabeth Forward, the third meeting between the rivals went to the Warriors. No. 5 Elizabeth Forward moved into the WPIAL Class 4A semifinals with a 61-56 win over the Leopards...
Hempfield’s Amelia Droste wins WPIBL girls singles bowling title in thrilling final
In a dramatic showdown between two bowlers on top of their games, Hempfield senior Amelia Droste defeated Plum sophomore Brooklynn Then, 239-237, in the finals of the WPIBL girls singles championships Thursday at AMF Mt. Lebanon. Droste and Then were the top two bowlers in qualifying and turned in strong...
Dominant top seed Mario Hutcherson of Kiski Area ‘fresh and ready to go’ for WPIAL meet
Kiski Area’s Mario Hutcherson is the hunted. And that is fine with him. As the No. 1 seed in the 189-pound bracket at Friday and Saturday’s WPIAL Class 3A wrestling championships at Canon-McMillan, the Cavaliers sophomore said he’s feeling good and ready to defend his top billing. “After the season...
2026 WPIAL wrestling tournament preview capsules
Boys Class 3A Where: Canon-McMillan When: Friday – 5 p.m. (pigtail round, preliminary round, quarterfinals and first round of consolations). Saturday — 10 a.m. (second-round consolations); 11:30 a.m. (semifinals and third round consolations); 1:15 p.m. (fourth-round consolations); 3 p.m. (finals and third-, fifth- and seventh-place matches) Returning and past champions:...
‘It’s cool to see what we can become’: Gateway’s 1st-year girls wrestlers look forward to WPIAL championships
Savannah and Sienna Boden sparred at a recent practice in the wrestling room at Gateway’s Furrie Sports Complex. Just a few feet away, names of their father, Rich, and uncles Dan and Jim, are embossed on the wall with accomplishments as Gators competitors more than two decades ago. They both...
Times, sites set for Saturday’s WPIAL basketball semifinals
The first day of the 2026 WPIAL boys and girls basketball final four is now set for Saturday. The district semifinals begin with two games each in boys Class 4A, boys Class A, girls 5A and girls 3A third round showdowns. The district semifinals will continue Monday and Tuesday. Here...
Trib HSSN individual WPIAL wrestling rankings for Feb. 19, 2026
Boys Class 3A 107: 1. Lee Dreshman, fr., Canon-McMillan (40-4); 2. Michael Johnson, so., West Allegheny (26-3); 3. Riley Smith, jr., Seneca Valley (36-1); 4. Bryce Thomas, jr., Moon (30-10); 4. Parker Jennings, so., Trinity (31-9). 114: 1. Nick McGarrity, jr., Peters Township (30-7); 2. Dylan Barrett, sr., Penn-Trafford (22-6);...
Westmoreland County high school basketball notebook: Southmoreland, Ligonier Valley out to make more history
Southmoreland has checked off a number of benchmarks during recent postseason runs. The boys basketball team won its first section title since 1992 last year and doubled down with its first playoff win since 2017. This year, the Scotties (15-8) captured back-to-back section titles for the first time since 1988....
Westmoreland County high school basketball playoff preview capsules for Feb. 20, 2026
Girls Class 6A Quarterfinals 7-Hempfield (13-9) at 2-Norwin (17-4) 6 p.m. Friday Winner plays: Winner of 6-North Allegheny (10-11)/3-Upper St. Clair (11-11) Tuesday in semifinals (time, site TBD) Players to watch: Aubrey Graney, Norwin; Ava Shipman, Hempfield Layup lines: This is the rubber match between Section 2 opponents who have...
High school scores, summaries and schedules for Feb. 18, 2026
High schools Basketball Boys WPIAL playoffs Class 6A Quarterfinals Thursday’s schedule Fox Chapel (14-9) at Upper St. Clair (21-1), 7:30 p.m.; Hempfield (15-7) at Seneca Valley (13-9), 7 p.m.; Mt. Lebanon (15-8) at New Castle (21-1), 7 p.m.; Imani Christian (7-16) vs. Central Catholic (20-2) at Fox Chapel, 7:30 p.m....
Trib HSSN Pennsylvania boys basketball rankings for Feb. 19, 2026
The battle cry for the elite boys basketball teams in Pennsylvania could be, “We are through the first round of the district playoffs and all is well.” Thanks in part to byes and small playoff fields, the top 30 teams in the Trib HSSN boys basketball rankings pretty much remain...
Trib HSSN Pennsylvania girls basketball rankings for Feb. 19, 2026
The top girls basketball teams around the state are taking care of business in the early days of the district postseason. That or they are biding their time until they return to the court thanks to byes earned from their regular season success. Whatever the case, only one team lost...
What to watch for in WPIAL sports on Feb. 19, 2026: Recent champs to clash in Class 6A quarterfinals
Welcome to the second day of the quarterfinal round in the WPIAL basketball playoffs with teams in boys Class 6A and 2A and girls Class 4A and A taking center stage. Over the last five years in WPIAL Class 6A boys basketball, three schools have won district gold. Two of...
Quaker Valley dethrones defending champ Belle Vernon in Class 4A quarterfinals
Belle Vernon knew that it would have to be mistake-free on offense and defense if it wanted to travel to Quaker Valley — the top seed in Class 4A — and return home with a victory Wednesday night. Despite meticulous preparation from the No. 8 Leopards, it was the Quakers...
High school roundup for Feb. 18, 2026: Peters Township springs another upset
Can the defending champs also be a Cinderella story? Peters Township girls basketball is making a strong case for it. Taylor McCullough scored 14 points as the 12th-seeded Indians defeated No. 4 Baldwin, 43-36, for their second straight upset in the Class 5A bracket Wednesday night. Peters defeated South Fayette...
