High School category, Page 579
While the Birdie waits for an NIL deal, he’ll make his Week 9 Westmoreland County picks
The Birdie Last week: 13-1 (92.9%) Season: 88-21 (80.7%) The Birdie gets paid to predict football games. When he found out high school players might be getting paid for endorsements, he nearly fainted in the break room. He never thought he would see the day. He even missed his pickleball...
A-K Valley soccer playoff preview capsules for games of Oct. 27, 2022
Thursday’s games Boys Class 2A Quarterfinals 12-West Mifflin (12-6-1) at 4-Deer Lakes (17-2) 6:30 p.m., Lancers Stadium, West Deer Winner plays: Winner of 1-South Park (18-0)/8-McGuffey (13-5-1) in semifinals Monday (time, site TBD) Players to watch: Fynn McCracken, GK, West Mifflin; Nate Litrun, D, Deer Lakes Corner kicks: Senior forward...
WPIAL bracketology: Don Rebel, Chris Harlan forecast 2022 football playoff pairings
Bracketology before the playoff field is set is a curious idea. One that some might think gives solid insight into what the WPIAL football steering committee might do when they meet on Saturday. Or it may be looked at with folly by others who see the ramblings of two guys...
Westmoreland WPIAL soccer playoff capsules: Games for Thursday, Oct. 27, 2022
WPIAL soccer playoffs preview Girls Class 3A Quarterfinals 5-Latrobe (11-2-2) at 4-Thomas Jefferson (17-2) 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Thomas Jefferson Stadium, Jefferson Hills Winner plays: Winner of 9-Franklin Regional (11-5-2)/1-Mars (15-0), 8 p.m. Tuesday in semifinals (site TBD) Players to watch: Robin Reilly, MF, Latrobe; Bella Vozar, MF, Thomas Jefferson Corner...
Trio of runners aim to defend titles at WPIAL cross country championships
The WPIAL cross country championships will be held Thursday at Cal (Pa.)’s Roadman Park. The course is known for its treacherous hill between mile markers 1 and 2. Those who can navigate the climb will have the best chance to advance to Hershey for the PIAA championship meet Nov. 5....
Once a critic of PIAA competitive-balance rule, state rep from Beaver County supports overhaul
The PIAA’s plan to remove the transfer criteria from its competitive-balance formula received support Tuesday from a Beaver County legislator who was an outspoken critic of the current rule. State Rep. Rob Matzie (D-Beaver County) wrote a critical letter to the PIAA last December when the Aliquippa football team was...
High school scores, summaries and schedules for Oct. 25, 2022
High schools Field hockey WPIAL playoffs Semifinals Thursday’s schedule Class 3A Mt. Lebanon at Pine-Richland, 6 p.m. North Allegheny vs. Peters Township at Pine-Richland, 7:30 p.m. Class 2A Oakland Catholic at Penn-Trafford, 6 p.m. Latrobe vs. Fox Chapel, 7:30 p.m. Class A Winchester Thurston at Ellis School, 6 p.m. Aquinas...
High school roundup for Oct. 25, 2022: Second-half goal lifts Serra Catholic past Burrell
AJ Mejalli scored with just under 17 minutes remaining in the second half to propel No. 10 Serra Catholic to a 1-0 upset win over No. 7 Burrell in a WPIAL Class A boys soccer first-round match Tuesday night. The Bucs (14-4) controlled much of the possession throughout, but Noah...
Freshman Morgan Gesinski scores 7 goals in Mt. Pleasant’s rout of West Mifflin in Class 2A
When teams open the WPIAL soccer playoffs, they immediately look to take the pressure off. It’s about that first clean shift, that first productive possession and that all-important opening goal. Ultimately, it can all add up to the first win, like it did Tuesday night for the Mt. Pleasant girls....
Dave Anderson happy with decision to pull double coaching duty at Kiski Area
Dave Anderson will be front and center Wednesday evening as a varsity assistant for the Kiski Area boys soccer team as it hosts Montour at 6:30 in a WPIAL Class 3A quarterfinal at Richard Dilts Stadium. On Monday, he was in command as the head coach of the Cavaliers girls...
Billy Lawrence records hat trick as Springdale rolls past Carlynton in WPIAL Class A 1st round
Springdale coach Paul Palo credits a good portion of his team’s attack to the instincts and natural talent among an experienced group of midfielders and forwards. Led by junior Billy Lawrence, that talent was on full display in their WPIAL Class A playoff opener Tuesday night. Lawrence had a hat...
What to watch for in WPIAL sports on Oct. 26, 2022: Upset winners look for next victory
A year ago, the top eight seeds in the WPIAL boys soccer Class 3A playoffs all advanced to the quarterfinals. This season though, two double-digit seeds were opening-round winners to deny a second straight year of the favorites gathering in the second round. One of the bigger surprises on the...
A-K Valley soccer playoff preview capsules for games of Oct. 26, 2022
Wednesday’s games Boys Class 3A Quarterfinals 13-Montour (11-4-4) at 5-Kiski Area (16-3) 8 p.m., Richard Dilts Stadium, Allegheny Township Winner plays: Winner of 1-Moon (17-0-1)/8-Bethel Park (14-5) in semifinals Monday (time, site TBD) Players to watch: Andrew Prunier, MF, Montour; Maddox Anderson, GK, Kiski Area Corner kicks: Montour opened the...
Trib HSSN State Football Rankings for Oct. 25, 2022
Call it the regular season calm before the postseason storm. The best 30 PIAA football teams across the state as ranked in the latest Trib HSSN state rankings were a near perfect 26-1 in Week 8 with three teams not playing. The lone team to taste defeat was Class A...
Westmoreland WPIAL soccer playoff capsules: Games for Wednesday, Oct. 26, 2022
Girls Class A Quarterfinals 5-Greensburg Central Catholic (12-4) at 4-Chartiers-Houston (15-2) 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Buccaneer Stadium, Houston Winner plays: Winner of 9-Seton LaSalle (12-4)/1-Freedom (14-4) 8 p.m. Monday (site TBD) in semifinals Players to watch: Riley Kerr, MF, Greensburg CC; Haley Siege, MF, Chartiers-Houston Corner kicks: Greensburg Central Catholic advanced...
Football fans lining up for coveted Central Valley vs. Aliquippa tickets
The hottest ticket in Beaver County isn’t for a British pop star or an 80’s rock band back on tour. The top ticket is for a high school football game between rivals Aliquippa and Central Valley, two undefeated state champions who’ll play for a conference title Friday night. When Aliquippa...
High school scores, summaries and schedules for Oct. 24, 2022
High schools Field hockey WPIAL playoffs Semifinals Thursday’s schedule Class 3A Mt. Lebanon at Pine-Richland, 6 p.m. North Allegheny vs. Peters Township at Pine-Richland, 7:30 p.m. Class 2A Oakland Catholic at Penn-Trafford, 6 p.m. Latrobe vs. Fox Chapel, 7:30 p.m. Class A Winchester Thurston at Ellis School, 6 p.m. Aquinas...
High school roundup for Oct. 24, 2022: Mars girls need OT to finish Penn-Trafford, get out of 1st round
Top-seeded Mars ran its winning streak to 78 consecutive games with a victory in the first round of the WPIAL Class 3A girls soccer playoffs, but it wasn’t easy. Gwen Howell scored the game-winner in the first overtime to lift the Fightin’ Planets to a 1-0 victory over No. 16...
West Mifflin gets past Belle Vernon, earns elusive trip to WPIAL quarterfinals
In what is believed to be a first in program history, West Mifflin is advancing to the WPIAL quarterfinals after holding off a late Belle Vernon push for a 1-0 win in a Class 2A boys soccer first-round match at The Beach at James Weir Stadium. Senior Nick Kosuda’s rocket...
Latrobe tops Ringgold to pick up school’s 1st girls soccer playoff win ‘in style’
From the inaugural Wildcat growl that greeted players and fans over the loudspeaker to open the game, to the final horn that ended it, Latrobe was focused on one goal: Make some noise in the WPIAL playoffs. The Wildcats came in loud and clear in their historic postseason opener. On...
Plum girls soccer team cruises past Kiski Area in first-round playoff game
The Plum girls soccer team left no doubt in its WPIAL Class 3A first-round playoff game with Kiski Area on Monday at Mustangs Stadium. The No. 3 Mustangs led 4-0 at halftime and added five more goals in the second half to post an 9-0 victory over the 14th-seeded Cavaliers....
What to watch for in WPIAL sports on Oct. 25, 2022: Volleyball playoffs ramp up
With the preliminary round in the books, the first round is set to go in both Class 4A and Class A in the WPIAL girls volleyball playoffs Tuesday. With the top two seeds in 4A, North Allegheny and Pine-Richland, enjoying opening-round byes, there are only six first-round matches in the...
Trib HSSN Football Team of the Week for 2022 Week 8
The Apollo-Ridge football team entered the 2022 season ready to battle for a playoff spot in a new, expanded and much tougher Class 2A Allegheny Conference. The start for the Vikings was a good one, winning in both Week Zero and Week 1, including an impressive victory in the season...
Freeport duo will compete in girls soccer playoff game, WPIAL cross country this week
Freeport senior Nora Mahan and sophomore Addy Kristofik have a busy week ahead of them. The starters for the Yellowjackets girls soccer team (13-2) hope to help lead the No. 7 seed to victory over Southmoreland in a WPIAL Class 2A first-round matchup Tuesday at 8 p.m. at Freeport Area...
Defending champs look to continue reigns as WPIAL unveils field hockey playoff pairings
A trio of WPIAL field hockey powerhouses will look to add to their trophy cases when the 2022 playoffs begin Thursday. Three-time defending champion Pine-Richland earned the top seed in Class 3A. Penn-Trafford, the top seed in Class 2A, will be looking for its seventh consecutive WPIAL crown. Shady Side...
