High School category, Page 611

Cade Yacamelli and Gwendolyn Hershberger were finalists for the 66th annual Westmoreland County Scholar-Athlete Excellence Awards, hosted by Judge John J. Driscoll. They were among a group of 13 considered for the annual awards, which were handed out May 3 at Ferrante’s Lakeview in Hempfield. The banquet was sponsored by...

When the Penn-Trafford baseball team lost 10-2 in a nonsection game to Plum on April 29, Warriors coach Dan Miller told Mustangs coach Carl Vollmer that he was sorry that his team didn’t put forth their best effort. Miller vowed that if they met again, the effort would be different....

Eventually, Matthew Rosemeyer hopes the Penn Hills Big Red rugby club will be able to play a full schedule. However, the team is still working on building its program from the ground up. Issues with low numbers have limited the Big Red to playing a schedule mostly comprised of rugby...

The Pine-Richland boys lacrosse team installed new offensive and defensive philosophies this season and did so against an ambitious early season schedule. It was all done by design, but it came with some early heartache as the Rams dropped eight of their first nine games. However, once they got into...

Prior to a high-stakes game against North Allegheny on May 4, Pine-Richland baseball coach Kurt Wolfe told his team there would be a playoff-type feel. For starters, a share of the section championship was on the line. Add in a raucous crowd for fan appreciation day at Pine-Richland and the...

The PIAA’s largest boys basketball classification is often dominated by Eastern Pennsylvania teams, but three WPIAL players made the all-state team for Class 6A. Butler senior Devin Carney, a 25-point scorer headed to Duquesne, earned first-team honors in a statewide vote of sportswriters. Carney is a four-year starter who finished...

The WPIAL boys volleyball regular season is down to the final week of the regular season. After taking the top five finishers in each section last spring, the WPIAL has gone back to the standard, which is the top four teams qualifying for the district postseason. Once again, Trib HSSN...

High schools Baseball Saturday’s schedule Class 5A Section 4 Peters Township 3, Trinity 1 Nonsection Erie McDowell at Gateway, ppd. Upper St. Clair at South Fayette, ppd. Our Lady of the Sacred Heart at Greensburg Central Catholic, ppd. Indiana at Homer-Center, ppd. Lacrosse Saturday’s results Boys Nonsection Peters Township 15,...

The WPIAL has been around for more than 100 years, but the organization was exclusively for boys until Ruth Ann Burke and some like-minded colleagues insisted that must change. It was the late 1960s, and interscholastic girls sports still were an afterthought in high schools, with limited opportunities arranged by...

Two WPIAL playoff slots remain open for local teams as the regular season goes into its final three days. Kiski Area is still alive for one of the Class 5A baseball positions. The Cavaliers (2-7) need to defeat Franklin Regional (3-7) in a game that was postponed at least twice...

Class 6A Rank, Team, W-L, Last 1. North Allegheny, 12-5, 1 2. Mt. Lebanon, 11-7, 3 3. Norwin, 9-7, 4 4. Pine-Richland, 9-8, 5 5. Butler, 9-5, 2 Out: none Class 5A Rank, Team, W-L, Last 1. Peters Township, 14-1, 1 2. Bethel Park, 12-2, 3 3. West Allegheny, 12-4,...

Lizzie Suwala-Sheaffer could hit a shot from anywhere on the basketball court. With a layup, a mid-range jumper or a 3-pointer, the Ford City and Clarion University graduate often frustrated opposing defenses while energizing her teammates, coaches and fans of the teams she represented. Suwala-Sheaffer probably is best known for...

Liz Tapper School: Hempfield Sport: Track and field Year: Junior Claim to fame: Tapper puts on a show when she throws the discus — and often other events, too. She holds the No. 1 distance in the event in the state (164 feet, 4 inches), a mark that also ranks...

Class 6A Rank, Team, W-L, Last 1. Mt. Lebanon, 11-3, 2 2. Hempfield, 10-2, 1 3. Pine-Richland, 11-2, 3 4. Bethel Park, 7-6, 5 5. North Allegheny, 10-5, 4 Out: none Class 5A Rank, Team, W-L, Last 1. Penn-Trafford, 13-1, 1 2. Armstrong, 15-2, 4 3. Trinity, 15-2, 3 4....

Jacob Danka Class: Senior School: Deer Lakes Sport: Baseball Report card: Senior pitcher, first baseman and outfielder Jacob Danka had a productive week for the Lancers as he went 2 for 3 with a double and four RBIs in a 12-2 win over Valley on Monday. He followed up with...

Penn Hills’ athletes were able to leave a lasting impression at the South Fayette Invitational. The Indians, who are still trying to see athletes qualify for the WPIAL Class 3A track and field championship meet May 18, were able to take another step forward in their progress. Achan Green won...

Riverview and Springdale are rivals in every sport, and baseball this spring is no exception. So, you can’t blame the Raiders players for being a little excited when they finished off a two-game Section 3-A sweep of the Dynamos last week. Game 1 went down to the wire, and Game...

There is no offseason for the Norwin wrestling program. A Norwin graduate and a rising standout competed recently in national competitions. Kurtis Phipps, a sophomore at Bucknell, and Landon Sidun, who is set to make the jump from junior high to varsity wrestling, competed at the United States Marine Corps/USA...

North Allegheny’s boys and girls track teams had a successful run at the WPIAL semifinal meet May 4. The boys team defeated Hempfield (110-40) and Kiski Area (118-32) to advance to the WPIAL team championships. The NA girls also beat Hempfield (109-41) and Kiski Area (129-21) to advance to the...

Connor Smith likes to experiment with his pitch grips, so when his favorite MLB pitcher shared a splitter setup on a podcast, the North Allegheny right-hander had to give it a try. Smith already throws a splitter, but he wanted one that could fool batters like Kevin Gausman’s does. “It’s...

Hampton sophomore Mackenzie Reese was looking for an inside pitch in the bottom of the eighth inning against Seneca Valley on April 22. She got it, and with one swing of the bat, she did something Ron Fedell had never experienced in 24 seasons as Hampton softball coach. Reese drove...

Qualifying for the WPIAL Class 3A track and field championships this spring won’t be enough for Ava Vitiello. The Hampton junior is in the running for much more than just an invitation. “I’m hoping that it goes really well,” she said, “and I think it will.” Vitiello was content to...

After missing last season because of elbow surgery and 2020 because of the coronavirus pandemic, Shady Side Academy junior David Mnuskin wanted to make the most of a rare opportunity. Mnuskin and doubles partner Sam Bitzer brought home the WPIAL Class 3A doubles title to Shady Side by defeating Franklin...

As Fox Chapel readies for the WPIAL track and field postseason, a number of athletes came to prominence during the regular season. One is sophomore Anna Troutman, who is new to the sport. She has wasted little time becoming well-known around the state. “Anna is having a great season with...

Mt. Pleasant softball standout Katie Hutter has changed her college plans. Initially an Akron commit — a decision she made in fall 2020 — Hutter decommitted because of a coaching change. The senior has opened her recruiting. Hutter, a .593 hitter and shortstop, will likely play outfield in college....