High School category, Page 541

Jeannette is headed back to the WPIAL Class A playoffs after a year absence. The Jayhawks, the winningest program in the WPIAL with 770 victories, got two touchdowns apiece from senior running back Noah Sanders and junior quarterback Payton Molter and cruised to a 35-7 victory against winless Springdale to...

Many observers expected a replica of a heavyweight boxing match Friday at Golden Rams Stadium for the Greater Allegheny Conference showdown. The Armstrong High School band played the “Theme from Rocky” after the game, and it was quite appropriate as the River Hawks and Highlands combined for 971 offensive yards....

Another Friday night, another early ending for Belle Vernon. The Leopards scored touchdowns on their first seven possessions, including five in the first half, to help push Belle Vernon to a 48-0 win over Southmoreland in a Class 3A Interstate Conference matchup. Jake Gedekoh had a pair of touchdown runs,...

There was good news and bad news for Latrobe’s football team Friday night. The bad news came first: The Wildcats were thumped by No. 2 McKeesport, 54-14, in the Class 4A Big Seven Conference finale at Memorial Stadium. The good news, which softened the blow some: Latrobe is headed to...

Saturday’s games Boys Class 3A First round 12-Gateway (10-7-1) at 5-Kiski Area (14-3) 2 p.m., Richard Dilts Stadium, Allegheny Township Winner plays: Winner of 13-Montour (9-4-4)/4-Franklin Regional (14-4) in quarterfinals at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday (site TBD) Players to watch: Brendan Strawser, MF, Gateway; Anders Bordoy, MF, Kiski Area Corner kicks:...

The Freeport girls volleyball team isn’t technically defending a WPIAL championship. The Yellowjackets moved back to Class 2A after winning the Class 3A crown last year, but the goal remains the same as they begin a quest for a seventh WPIAL title since 2010. Freeport, as expected, was selected as...

North Allegheny, North Catholic, Freeport and Serra Catholic drew No. 1 seeds as the WPIAL released the four girls volleyball playoff brackets Friday afternoon. North Allegheny will attempt to win its fifth Class 4A title in six years as it begins play Thursday at home in the quarterfinals against the...

Saturday’s games Boys Class 3A First round 13-Montour (9-4-4) at 4-Franklin Regional (14-4) 2 p.m., Panther Stadium, Murrysville Winner plays: Winner of 12-Gateway (10-7-1)/5-Kiski Area (14-3) in quarterfinals at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday (site TBD) Players to watch: Andrew Prunier, MF, Montour; Colton Hudson, MF, Franklin Regional Corner kicks: Montour finished...

It’s hard to be perfect. With two weeks left in the regular season, only seven WPIAL teams still own an undefeated record, the lowest total in three years. Last season, 10 teams finished the regular season unbeaten. In 2020, there were 14, inflated in part because of pandemic cancellations. This...

The 2022 WPIAL girls volleyball regular season has come to an end with 73 teams qualifying for the district postseason. The top four teams in each section qualify for the district playoffs. All teams tied for a playoff spot in which head-to-head does not break the tie all qualify for...

High schools Cross country Thursday’s results Tri-State Cross Country Invitational At Cal (Pa.) Boys Class 3A Individual: 1. Drew Griffith, Butler, 15:32.56; 2. Jack Bertram, North Allegheny, 16:15.50; 3. Brett Kroboth, Peters Township, 16:20.59; 4. Jackson Pajak, North Allegheny, 16:37.30; 5. Gregory Kossuth, North Allegheny, 16:50.56; 6. Eli Dewitt, Seneca...

Natalie Kirsch scored the overtime winner to lift No. 17 Bishop Canevin to a 2-1 victory over Bentworth in a WPIAL Class A preliminary round girls soccer playoff game Thursday night. The Crusaders (8-9) advanced to play No. 1 Freedom at noon Saturday. Cali Evans scored on a penalty kick...

Hempfield senior Liz Tapper announced at volleyball senior night Thursday that she will be continuing her track career at the University of Michigan. Tapper selected Michigan over Duke, Ohio State and Kentucky. Tapper capped her junior season by becoming a high school national champion at the New Balance Nationals at...

The Knoch girls tennis team is back on top in WPIAL Class AA. And the Knights defeated a familiar foe to get there. Knoch and Sewickley Academy, the top seeds in the Class AA bracket, met Thursday to decide the WPIAL championship for the sixth year in a row. The...

Riverview cross country coach Palma Ostrowski walked away from the annual Tri-State Coaches Association Invitational pleased with the team’s performance. The boys finished second to Winchester Thurston, 45-52, in Class A and the girls placed third behind Winchester Thurston and Mohawk on the difficult Cal (Pa.) course. Winchester Thurston edged...

Butler junior Drew Griffith was hoping to set the course record at Cal (Pa.) during the Tri-State Cross Country Invitational on Thursday. He thought he missed the mark by five seconds. Well, he was mistaken. He broke the course mark by nine seconds after he ran a 15:32.56 in the...

Seneca Valley and Central Catholic were picked as preseason favorites to meet in the WPIAL Class 6A championship before anyone had played a game. Yet, they’ll meet Friday night in a Week 8 matchup that could ultimately keep one out of the playoffs altogether. The winner is safe. The loser...

After three years away from serving as a head basketball coach at the high school level, Shawn Bennis is back. The Highlands School Board last week hired Bennis as its next varsity girls coach. He replaces Jason Kerr, who suddenly stepped down from the position Sept. 7 after one season...

We continue the stretch run of the 2022 football regular season with four games with teams fighting for their playoff lives, one with a conference crown at stake and another that is a nonconference tuneup between rivals gearing up for showdowns in Week 9. Coming into Week 8, one team...

Here are four WPIAL high school football players to watch in Week 8: Aidan Besselman Upper St. Clair, sr., WR/FS Besselman caught eight passes for 181 yards and a touchdown last week in a 28-24 nonconference loss to Class 6A Canon-McMillan. Besselman and the Panthers will return to Class 5A...

The WPIAL football playoffs are less than two weeks away. The number of playoff teams in each classification differs, and some spots won’t be decided until the end of the regular season. Here is the breakdown for the postseason in each class: Class 6A — Top four of five teams...

Each week throughout the high school football season, the Valley News Dispatch will take a look at the players, coaches and events that shaped our scholastic legacy. Bob Uchic scored two touchdowns and threw to Steve Nagy for two more as West Deer posted a 26-6 victory at East Deer...

Robbie Labuda threw his gym bag in the car, and off he went. An hour drive to McGuffey for a soccer game awaited. The Mt. Pleasant senior barely had time to get his football cleats off after practice, but once he did, his foot was planted on the gas pedal....

We have reached the stretch run – that point in the season where teams either make it or break it into the postseason. Chick’s Picks takes this time of year quite literally. By Week 8, Chick’s Picks is in desperate need of a break to regain clarity for both her...

High schools Golf PIAA team championships Wednesday’s results Boys Class 3A Penn State White Course 1. Central Catholic 299; 2. Dallastown 305; 3. Downingtown West 308; 4. La Salle College 311; 5. State College 312; 6. Crestwood 326 Class 2A Penn State Blue Course 1. Lake-Lehman 296; 2. Devon Prep...