High School category, Page 513

Seneca Valley avenged its loss in last year’s PIAA finals and earned a berth in the state championship game for the third straight year with a 2-0 victory over Conestoga in the Class 4A semifinals Wednesday night in Chambersburg. After a scoreless first half, Max Marcotte finished off a feed...

The PIAA soccer championships will move to a new venue this year with eight title games set for Friday and Saturday at Eagle View Middle School’s Bobby Rahal Toyota Field on the campus of Cumberland Valley High School in Mechanicsburg. Since 1998, the state finals have been played at HersheyPark...

The girls basketball roster at Franklin Regional last year had a mix of guards and forwards, varying heights and positions. What it didn’t have was a senior. Not one. So coach Bernie Pucka is hoping a young group comes back battle-tested and tempered when practice tips off Friday. “It elevates...

Franklin Regional is looking for more consistency, start to finish, end to end. “We want to string together good possessions, string together more stops and string together more wins,” Panthers coach Jesse Reed said. Last year, the Panthers (7-14, 5-7 Section 3) did not win more than two games in...

While the number of WPIAL football teams still fighting for gold continues to dwindle, those listed below in our weekly power rankings continue to thrive. Win and advance. Eight district teams did just that with wins last week to move on in their respective classifications, now one win or two...

Becoming role models and difference-makers at your school and community was the theme of the 13th annual WPIAL Sportsmanship Summit on Wednesday at the Heinz History Center and Sports Museum. At least four students from 62 high schools attended the event and listened to numerous speakers urging them to create...

The Cheswick Christian girls basketball team enters the 2022-23 season off a playoff appearance and a winning record at 10-9 in what was a return to a full schedule after the team played just nine games the year before. Gone from that team are three starters: Daylin Rivera, Olivia Rochkind...

Following a 3-11 record in the covid-shortened 2020-21 season, the Cheswick Christian boys basketball team took a step forward last season by going 7-11 and making the playoffs in the Southwest Christian Athletic Conference. After graduating two players, the team and coach Todd Rosio want to take another step forward...

It didn’t take Belle Vernon or Freeport long to shake off the rust after receiving a first-round bye in the WPIAL Class 3A football playoffs last Friday. Even though the remnants of Hurricane Nicole made things difficult to throw the ball, dominant running games were featured, and both teams easily...

Riverview junior Lola Abraham has put together an impressive resume of on-field soccer results the past several years with her Pittsburgh Riverhounds Academy club and with her high school teammates. She now hopes that she can do the same thing at Pitt. Abraham has concluded her recruiting process with a...

The North Catholic girls volleyball team will have a chance to win back-to-back state volleyball championships in different classifications. North Catholic (19-2) defeated Thomas Jefferson (19-3) in four sets Tuesday night, 20-25, 25-19, 27-25, 25-14, in the PIAA Class 3A semifinals at Fox Chapel. The Trojanettes beat Trinity in three...

High schools Field hockey PIAA playoffs Class 3A Semifinals Wednesday’s schedule Wilson (20-2-1) vs. Emmaus (25-0) at Hamburg, 5 p.m.; Lower Dauphin (20-3-1) vs. Conestoga (21-2) at Exeter Township, 6:30 p.m. Class 2A Semifinals Wednesday’s schedule Villa Maria Academy (18-6) vs. Mechanicsburg (18-4-1) at Governor Mifflin, 7 p.m.; Gwynedd Mercy...

Two weeks ago, North Allegheny left the WPIAL girls volleyball championships disappointed, but one positive that came from the loss to Pine-Richland was a lesson about where the Tigers needed to improve. They applied that lessons Tuesday night and got some revenge, earning a 3-1 win over the Rams in...

The ribbon will be cut this weekend unveiling the latest new beltway in the commonwealth that will allow teams from all over the state to “cruise to Cumberland Valley.” Following 24 consecutive seasons of the football championships being decided at Hersheypark Stadium, the PIAA has moved the annual December event...

The Burrell girls basketball team was on the move in the offseason, dropping down to Class 3A. Bucs coach Shaun Reddick hopes that change can be one of a few sparks for the team as it hopes to improve on last year’s 4-15 overall record and 4-8 mark in section...

A new section with new opponents in a new classification doesn’t change the goals of the Burrell boys basketball team. That’s the view of fourth-year Bucs coach Mike Fantuzzo, who hopes to guide this year’s group to a return trip to the WPIAL and PIAA playoffs. Burrell, like all the...

With the season more than a month old already, the PIHL announced its first batch of players of the month. October’s best performers selected by the league are Trey Gallo of North Allegheny (Class 3A), Wes Schwarzmiller of South Fayette (2A), Owen Tutich of Greensburg Salem (A) and Ben Korol...

If the Derry girls basketball team is to have a successful season, the word “team” needs to be emphasized. The Trojans relied on Tiana Moracco to lead the offense the past few seasons, but Moracco took her 23 points per game average to Pitt-Greensburg. “We need everyone to improve their...

Things are looking up for the Derry boys basketball team. After a disappointing season in 2021-22 that saw the Trojans finish 6-13 overall and 1-11 in Section 1 (Class 4A), veteran coach Tom Esposito has his team looking to turn things around. Esposito begins his 25th season as coach, 16th...

The PIAA didn’t want teams to deal with the cold temperatures, snow and wintry mix that hit the state Tuesday. As a result, the association postponed all boys and girls soccer and field hockey semifinal games to Wednesday. All games will be played at the same times and sites. Two...

High schools Field hockey PIAA playoffs Class 3A Semifinals Tuesday’s schedule Wilson (20-2-1) vs. Emmaus (25-0) at Hamburg, 5 p.m.; Lower Dauphin (20-3-1) vs. Conestoga (21-2) at Exeter Township, 6:30 p.m. Class 2A Semifinals Tuesday’s schedule Villa Maria Academy (18-6) vs. Mechanicsburg (18-4-1) at Governor Mifflin, 7 p.m.; Gwynedd Mercy...

Liam Wiseman, Mason Heininger and Danny Downey scored as Fox Chapel picked up a 3-2 victory in PIHL Class A hockey Monday night, handing Greensburg Salem its first loss of the season. Carter Cherok and Colten Humphrey scored third-period goals as Greensburg Salem (6-1) tried to erase a 3-0 deficit....

Not a single member of last year’s Apollo-Ridge girls basketball team was lost to graduation. The youthful Vikings capped a 16-7 overall season with a trip to the WPIAL Class 2A quarterfinals and a berth in the PIAA tournament. With everyone back, energy and anticipation is high for the upcoming...

The Apollo-Ridge boys basketball team started last season with three wins over its first five games. Then injury and other misfortune conspired against the Vikings, who lost 14 of their final 15 games to finish 4-18 overall and 3-9 in section play. That was then, 6-foot-4 senior guard/forward Gage Johnston...

At the start of the playoffs, coach Rich Garland posed a question to his girls soccer players at Mt. Pleasant. “I said, ‘Do you want to just play, or do you want to do something special?’ ” the coach said Monday night as he oversaw a low-key practice in 33-degree...