High School category, Page 600
North Allegheny volleyball avenges WPIAL loss, beats Pine-Richland in state semis
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...
Trib HSSN High School Football State Rankings for Nov. 15, 2022
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...
Experienced lineup, drop to Class 3A could spark Burrell girls
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...
Burrell boys eye return to postseason after dropping to Class 3A
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...
PIHL selects October players of the month
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...
Derry girls basketball relying on team effort to replace star scorer
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...
Derry boys basketball team eyes step forward after down season
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...
PIAA postpones soccer, field hockey semifinals to Wednesday
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 school scores, summaries and schedules for Nov. 14, 2022
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...
High school roundup for Nov. 14, 2022: Fox Chapel sends Greensburg Salem to 1st loss
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....
With roster intact from playoff team, Apollo-Ridge girls expect big season
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...
Excitement building for boys basketball season at Apollo-Ridge
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...
Mt. Pleasant girls soccer team makes good on vow to do something ‘special’
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...
‘Second family’ of Belle Vernon girls basketball ready for run
Jenna Dawson was happy to find something that clicked in place. Falling in love with basketball was something the Belle Vernon senior guard picked up from her dad, Eric, who also played for the Leopards. Out of Dawson and her two siblings, she was the only one who stuck with...
What to watch in WPIAL sports on Nov. 15, 2022: Mars, Moon girls set for big rematch
Editor’s note: All PIAA soccer and field hockey matches scheduled for Tuesday were postponed to Wednesday due to inclement weather. Two volleyball matches — Freeport vs. Phillipsburg-Osceola in Class 2A and Sacred Heart Academy vs. West Branch in Class A — were also postponed until Wednesday. Ten days after it...
Belle Vernon boys basketball in holding pattern for now
Joe Salvino is fortunate to have a large amount of experience behind him to handle what in other states would be a unique issue. Due to the success of Belle Vernon’s football program, and how the PIAA does the football schedule, getting the boys basketball team on track will take...
Freeport volleyball team prepares for state semifinal matchup
Normally, team banquets are designated for the end of a high school season when the program looks back at all its accomplishments. The Freeport volleyball team held its team banquet Sunday. While coach Tom Phillips said the evening was a perfect time for fellowship and reflection on what the Yellowjackets...
Westmoreland soccer playoff preview capsules for games of Nov. 16, 2022
Today’s games Girls Class 2A Semifinals Mt. Pleasant (21-2) vs. General McLane (15-5-1) 7 p.m. Wednesday at Slippery Rock High School, Slippery Rock Winner plays: Winner of 3-1 Wyomissing (21-1)/4-1 Central Columbia (23-0) in championship, 10 a.m. Saturday at Eagle View Middle School, Mechanicsburg. District finish: Mt. Pleasant 7-2; General...
Trib HSSN Football Team of the Week for 2022 Week 11
There is an old saying among football executives and coaches: “If you have two quarterbacks, you actually have none.” Well, the Upper St. Clair football team has spent the season trying to bury that old adage. Not only have the Panthers been using two quarterbacks, but they are young, in...
Westmoreland County Senior Spotlight: Greensburg Salem’s Aaron Tressler
When the WPIAL Class 2A cross country championships began Oct. 27 at Cal (Pa.), 231 boys from across the district were in the field. Greensburg Salem’s Aaron Tressler finished ahead of all but 14 of them. Tressler, who turned in a time of 17 minutes, 22.80 seconds, mostly was satisfied...
A-K Valley Senior Spotlight: Plum’s Ben Pittman
The Plum boys soccer team has had a lot of success this season, winning a section title and punching a ticket to the PIAA tournament for the first time in 17 years. Contributing greatly to the team’s success is senior center midfielder Ben Pittman. “It feels good for sure that...
Freeport cross country coach Melissa Schaeffer inducted into Carnegie Mellon Hall of Fame
Melissa Schaeffer had to wait a year to be officially inducted into Carnegie Mellon’s sports Hall of Fame, but it was well worth it. A four-time All-American in track and field at CMU, Schaeffer, a Kiski Area grad and the current cross country coach at Freeport, was part of the...
2022 All-WPIAL field hockey players recognized
The WPIAL Field Hockey Coaches Association announced its postseason awards for the 2022 season. Here’s a look at the All-WPIAL honorees: Class 3A Isla Abrams, North Allegheny, jr., forward* Jessica Albertson, Pine-Richland, jr., forward Danielle Deer, Pine-Richland, sr., defender* Autumn Dowiak, Mt. Lebanon, so., midfielder Addison Evan, Mt. Lebanon, so.,...
WPIAL’s top linemen named finalists for 4th annual Bill Fralic Memorial Award
As expected, six finalists were announced for the fourth Bill Fralic Memorial Award, which honors the top senior football interior lineman in the WPIAL. But more news came out of Monday morning’s press conference at The Western Pennsylvania Sports Museum at Heinz History Center. Mainly that the museum will now...
High school sports schedules for Nov. 14, 2022
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...
