High School category, Page 589
Defense fuels Norwin boys past Uniontown in tournament final
Norwin is trying to develop a defensive identity early in the season. The fact that said development has come with two wins in two games is a bonus that second-year coach Lance Maha will gladly take. “We want to be a good halfcourt defensive team,” Maha said. “When we share...
George Guido: New basketball coaches debut across Alle-Kiski Valley
The start of the high school basketball season Friday featured a number of coaches making their debuts with their respective teams and the advanced start of the season itself. Albie Fletcher, assistant coach to the departed Terence Parham and longtime youth coach in the community, made his debut as Deer...
Freeport boys basketball team pounces early, beats Valley in Tip-Off Classic
A nightmarish first quarter for Valley on Saturday led to Freeport’s first boys basketball victory of the season, 55-33. The Vikings went scoreless in the first quarter as Freeport jumped out to a 20-0 lead. But the teams were nearly even for the rest of the game. Brady Sullivan led...
Deer Lakes’ Ryan Hanes named 2022 Valley News Dispatch Boys Soccer Player of the Year
Postseason honors have been piling up for Deer Lakes senior Ryan Hanes. The WPIAL Class 2A Player of the Year was selected to the All-WPIAL team for a second straight year and picked to the all-state team last week. Now, he can add another postseason award to the list. The...
Plum’s Kaitlyn Killinger named 2022 Valley News Dispatch Girls Soccer Player of the Year
Kaitlyn Killinger works with a girl in her neighborhood, a member of the Plum youth soccer program, on several aspects of the game. “She tells her mom all the time about me and how she looks up to me,” said Killinger, who recently completed a standout four-year varsity career with...
Greensburg Central Catholic’s Sara Felder earns Tribune-Review Westmoreland Girls Player of the Year honors
As the offense built from the back, slowly at first and then picking up speed, Sara Felder ran wide like a receiver in football. When the pink-shoed senior forward took the ball and turned on her speed, few teams could keep up with her. There were times when she drew...
Greensburg Central Catholic’s Carlo Denis named 2022 Tribune-Review Westmoreland Boys Soccer Player of the Year
When Greensburg Central Catholic needed a goal over the top, it knew whose number to call. Carlo Denis combined speed and a knack for finding space in opposing defenses, giving the Centurions a scoring machine who caused matchup problems for back lines all over WPIAL Class A. The senior forward...
Moon’s Hailey Longwell headlines Trib HSSN Girls Fab 15 Soccer Team
Hailey Longwell had nothing to lose this season. How could she? Her team went a perfect 24-0. The Moon standout powered a run to WPIAL and PIAA championships as the Tigers dropped a class to 3A and dominated. For her efforts, Longwell is the TribLive HSSN Girls Soccer Player of...
Seneca Valley’s Beau Lizewski leads Trib HSSN Boys Fab 15 Soccer Team
When Seneca Valley needed to break down a back line, funnel possession to the midfield or counter an attack, the Raiders knew who get the soccer ball to. Senior midfielder Beau Lizewski has been one of the WPIAL’s most complete players during his prep career, and a winner at that....
Penn-Trafford’s Joe Enick named 4th annual Bill Fralic Memorial Award winner
The more Joe Enick learned about Bill Fralic, the more he saw himself in the football legend. He saw the blue-collar approach to life, the intense work ethic and the passion for the game. He saw the angry football player and the gentle giant. “We were at hunting camp last...
New coach excited to see how Pine-Richland girls progress
The first goal Gabby Baldasare wanted to achieve after taking the Pine-Richland girls basketball job in May was to establish what she wants the culture to be in the program. She’s been pleased with the response and is looking forward to seeing how the team continues to progress now that...
New coach with college ties looks to turn around North Hills girls program
Tony Grenek wants his new team to stand up to the bullies. Grenek, hired this offseason to lead North Hills’ struggling girls basketball program, brings years of success in the college ranks and hopes that now translates to the high school game. “My wife and I just absolutely love the...
Royce Parham, North Hills boys out to take care of unfinished business
North Hills enters the new high school boys basketball season coming off one of the most successful years in program history. But the way the season ended, with a heartbreaking first loss in the WPIAL 6A title game and another defeat in the PIAA playoffs, left a sour taste in...
After busy offseason, top scorer Meghan Murray ready to lead Hampton girls
The best player on the Hampton girls basketball team spent this summer getting even better. Junior point guard Meghan Murray, a first-team all-Section 2-5A pick last season, devoted countless hours to putting up thousands of shots to improve her perimeter game. “I had problems last year with the 3s,” Murray...
Coach’s milestone win just the 1st step for Hampton boys
At some point early this winter, Hampton boys basketball coach Joe Lafko will achieve something “that’s been a career goal with me forever.” The WPIAL Hall of Famer will earn his 500th victory spanning 32-plus seasons, including the past 26 at Hampton. Lafko, 56, will celebrate with his players, his...
After turnaround season, Shady Side Academy girls look to take another step forward
As one of the WPIAL’s most accomplished girls basketball coaches, Jonna Burke would rather talk about her players. Burke, entering her second season at Shady Side Academy, is just eight victories away from the coveted 500 mark. “It means I’ve been coaching a long time,” Burke said with a laugh....
Shady Side Academy boys look to reload for repeat run
It was a memorable season for the Shady Side Academy boys basketball team. The Bulldogs, in their first year with that moniker, brought home the WPIAL Class 3A title with a 66-54 win over Avonworth at Petersen Events Center. It was part of a 20-7 season that ended with a...
Expectations high for ‘underestimated’ Bethel Park girls
Optimism is abundant in the Bethel Park girls basketball program. “The team is very excited for the season to start,” coach Samantha Loadman said. “We’ve been putting in the work for months and can’t wait to start playing some games. “We expect to show up for every game prepared and...
New coach Dante Calabria working with youthful roster at Bethel Park
Seven seniors. Count ‘em, seven. That’s half a roster, and that’s how many players the Bethel Park boys basketball team lost to graduation. It’s the team that Bethel Park floor boss Dante Calabria inherited from former coach Josh Bears this season. Bears resigned after seven years with the Black Hawks....
Big-play Union tops Port Allegany, advances to PIAA Class A football final
CLARION — For the second consecutive week, the Union Scotties defense came up with big plays when needed. The Scotties forced four turnovers, including a fumble return for a touchdown, to defeat Port Allegany, 46-36, in the PIAA Class A semifinals at PennWest Clarion’s Memorial Stadium on Friday night. It...
High school scores, summaries and schedules for Dec. 2, 2022
High Schools WPIAL Basketball Boys Friday’s schedule Aquinas Academy Tournament Cheswick Christian vs. Aquinas Academy, (n) Pittsburgh Christian Academy at Hillcrest Christian Academy, (n) Armstrong Tournament Kiski Area 61, Geibel 60 Armstrong 55, Grove City 35 Baldwin/Peters Township Tournament Peters Township 71, Altoona 58 Chartiers Valley 53, Baldwin 52 Brentwood...
High school roundup for Dec. 2, 2022: Meleek Thomas nets 38 as Lincoln Park beats Imani Christian
Meleek Thomas scored a game-high 38 points to lead Lincoln Park to a 77-74 victory over Imani Christian in a star-studded boys basketball matchup at the Midlan Classic at Geneva College on Friday night. Brandin Cummings added 22 points for Lincoln Park (1-0), which rallied from a six-point halftime deficit....
Westinghouse ends City League’s 25-year wait, tops Steel Valley to reach state finals
No City League football team has reached the state finals in 25 years, but Westinghouse is headed there next week. The rest of Western Pennsylvania might be surprised but the Bulldogs sure aren’t. Senior running back Khalil Taylor ran for 157 yards and one of four Westinghouse rushing touchdowns Friday...
Belle Vernon slams door in 2nd half to beat Martinsburg Central, reach state finals
Time and time again this season, Belle Vernon’s defense has come up clutch and made game-clinching plays, and Friday night’s 21-17 Class 3A PIAA semifinal victory over District 6 champion Martinsburg Central was no different. After forcing a turnover on downs with under five minutes remaining to get the ball...
Ryan Palmieri accounts for 4 TDs, leads Pine-Richland back to state championship game
ALTOONA — Pine-Richland football coach Jon LeDonne changed his philosophy for Friday’s PIAA Class 5A semifinal. Instead of putting his defense on the field if he won the toss, he decided to see how his offense would respond. LeDonne won the toss, sent his offense on the field and the...
