High School category, Page 612
Bishop Canevin tops Greensburg Central Catholic in matchup of Class A contenders
Last year, on what turned out to be a drive to the WPIAL Class A championship, Bishop Canevin coach Rich Johnson always said that defense was his team’s calling card. That proved to be the case Saturday night as the Crusaders held Greensburg Central Catholic to one first down in...
What we learned in Week 1: New WPIAL approach leads to competitive schedule
This was the most competitive Week 1 in recent WPIAL history, but that probably wasn’t a coincidence. The WPIAL made a major change in recent years to the way it schedules nonconference games, an adjustment that seemed evident in the final scores Friday night. In all, there were five overtime...
Latrobe, Norwin battle to draw at Moe Rosensteel memorial tourney
Exhausted after 100 minutes of soccer that resulted in a grueling 2-2 tie in hot and humid conditions, Latrobe and Norwin girls soccer players reflected on the state of their game and the cause. The teams played to a double-overtime draw in the final of three matchups of the inaugural...
A-K Valley H.S. football notebook: Apollo-Ridge weathers storm in emotional victory
Apollo-Ridge coach John Skiba was overcome with emotion, tears flowing down his face, after speaking with his team following a highly emotional 34-19 home victory over Valley on Friday. Injuries to key players and deficits at halftime and in the fourth quarter challenged the Vikings players. But they rallied around...
Trib HSSN WPIAL football rankings: Week ending Sept. 4, 2022
WPIAL football rankings Class 6A Rank, Team, W-L, Last 1. Central Catholic, 1-1, 1 2. North Allegheny, 2-0, 3 3. Seneca Valley, 1-1, 2 4. Mt. Lebanon, 0-2, 4 5. Canon-McMillan, 0-2, 5 Class 5A Rank, Team, W-L, Last 1. Gateway, 2-0, 1 2. Penn Hills, 1-1, 3 3. Pine-Richland,...
Westmoreland H.S. football notebook: Hempfield putting up points in a hurry
Look down, and you might miss a play. Go to the concession stand, and you might miss a whole drive — maybe two. Hempfield is playing turbo-fast with its no-huddle spread offense, a product of offensive coordinator Ryan Reitz, who began to install the system last year and is seeing...
George Guido: Community showed up for annual Pack the Park fundraiser
Kudos to everyone involved in the quick action last Monday to switch the planned Kiski Area outdoor volleyball event to the high school gym. The outdoor venue at Vandergrift’s Kennedy Park was to be the site of the second annual Pack the Park fundraiser for the Choose to Serve Foundation,...
Strength and conditioning coaches, trainers bolster Westmoreland County football programs
High school football teams used to use an honor system in the summer months for offseason training. Players promised to work out on their own. Coaches hoped they did. “The offseason dictates everything,” Hempfield coach Mike Brown said. “I mean, kids play other sports, and that’s fine. But training is...
A-K Valley athletes of the week: Valley’s Taylor Heuser, Springdale’s Billy Lawrence
Taylor Heuser Class: Senior School: Valley Sport: Soccer Report card: Heuser scored three goals Wednesday to lead the Vikings (1-1, 0-1 Section 2-2A) to a 7-0 victory over East Allegheny in nonsection play. The senior forward, a three-time letter winner, was Valley’s leading scorer last year. How did the team...
Leechburg rolls past Summit Academy as reserves get into the act
After a season-opening loss to Apollo-Ridge, it was bounce-back Saturday for Leechburg. Leechburg scored on all eight first-half possessions and twice more in the second half en route to a resounding 69-0 nonconference victory at Summit Academy. It was the biggest margin of victory and the third-highest point total in...
Westmoreland high school athletes of the week: Allison Tepper and Hunter Jurica
Allison Tepper School: Mt. Pleasant Sport: Golf Year: Junior Claim to fame: Tepper has been the top scorer this season for the undefeated Lady Vikings, who recently turned some heads with a 187-190 win over Greensburg Central Catholic at Norvelt Golf Club. Tepper was the medalist in the nine-hole match...
Schedule toughens for 5-time defending PIAA champion North Allegheny girls volleyball team
Section 1 is smaller this season, so the North Allegheny girls volleyball team had to fill some open dates on its schedule. The section shrunk from seven teams to five, leaving the Tigers with only eight section matches. As a defending WPIAL and PIAA Class 4A champion with a majority...
North Allegheny notebook: Tigers football team opens with shutout win
The North Allegheny football team scored a 41-0 nonconference victory over visiting Allderdice on Aug. 26. Logan Kushner threw for 167 yards and three touchdowns to lead Class 6A No. 3 North Allegheny (1-0). Tyree Alualu ran for two touchdowns and caught another for the Tigers. Field hockey team tops...
With defense leading way, Franklin Regional girls soccer expects strong season
After a 14-win season and a run to the WPIAL Class 3A quarterfinals, the Franklin Regional girls soccer team is primed to go farther. The Panthers return seven starters, including junior goalkeeper Aris Lamanna, an All-WPIAL selection last season. The others back are sophomore midfielder Abby Paterline, senior forward Sierra...
Realignment adds tall hurdle, but Hampton girls soccer team remains optimistic
Two years ago, the Hampton girls soccer team won its first section title since 2008. That’s almost certainly not happening again this season. The WPIAL offseason realignment moved three-time undefeated PIAA champion Mars into the Talbots’ section, leaving the rest of Section 1-3A likely fighting for second place. Mars went...
Defending WPIAL boys soccer champion Hampton embarks on extensive rebuild
The reigning WPIAL and PIAA champion Hampton boys soccer team faces a massive rebuild this season. But maybe not as much as anyone might expect. “It’s not a total melt-the-walls-down-and-rebuild-the-castle kind of thing,” coach Matt McAwley said. “It’s a younger group, but it’s all very talented players who are looking...
Fox Chapel looks to boost offense, Shady Side Academy faces injury woes as girls soccer season begins
It’s hard to believe there could have been a more seamless transition in coaching than the move from Fox Chapel girls soccer coach Peter Torres to his successor, Carlo Prati. Torres, after a thrilling WPIAL playoff ride last season, has moved on to the collegiate level at LaRoche University. Taking...
Opportunity knocks for young Norwin boys soccer roster
Don’t count Norwin out of the WPIAL playoff chase just yet. Knights veteran coach Scott Schuchert said WPIAL Class 4A is “Seneca Valley and everybody else,” but he likes to think his team is in that vast group of pursuers. While six starters return from a 14-2-1 team that lost...
High school scores, summaries and schedules for Sept. 2, 2022
Football Friday’s results WPIAL Class 6A North Allegheny 35, Canon-McMillan 21 Nonconference Aliquippa 28, Armstrong 14 Ambridge 16, Freedom 14 Apollo-Ridge 34, Valley 19 Beaver 19, Beaver Falls 16 Belle Vernon 41, Laurel Highlands 30 Bentworth 21, Avella 7 Bethel Park 27, Mt. Lebanon 24 (OT) Burgettstown 38, Beth-Center 22...
Steel Valley’s Cruce Brookins follows big blockers in run-heavy win over Sto-Rox
Cruce Brookins predicts that he and Steel Valley teammate Greg Smith could be crashing into one another on a college field in a year or two. Brookins is a Kent State commit and Smith is headed to Miami (Ohio), so they’re future rivals in the Mid-American Conference. But for now,...
2022 WPIAL statistical leaders for rushing, passing, receiving in Week 1
Top performers for Week 1 of high school football in Western Pennsylvania. Passing 323 - Chris Cibrone, Peters Township (19 of 37) 313 - Keegan Smetanka, Shaler (22 of 36) 257 - Nehemiah Azeem, OLSH (16 of 36) 249 - Graham Hancox, Seneca Valley (20 of 44) 239 - Julian...
High school football roundup for Week 1: Gavlik leads North Allegheny past Canon-McMillan
Andrew Gavlik ran for 104 yards and three touchdowns as No. 3 North Allegheny opened Class 6A conference play with a 35-21 victory over No. 5 Canon-McMillan (0-2, 0-1) on Friday night. Logan Kushner threw for 194 yards and a touchdown for North Allegheny (2-0, 1-0). Mike Evans tossed for...
Upper St. Clair makes short work of North Hills
North Hills coach Pat Carey knew his team was in for a challenge against a big, athletic and, perhaps most importantly, experienced Upper St. Clair team. His expectations turned into a cruel reality Friday. The Panthers (2-0) stymied North Hills for nearly the entire night, running away with a 37-7...
Bethel Park off to 2-0 start after OT victory against Mt. Lebanon
Bethel Park deployed a relentless ground attack to defeat Mt. Lebanon in overtime, 27-24, on Friday night. The victory over the defending Class 6A state champion has Bethel Park off to a 2-0 start. “They’re still Mt. Lebanon,” Blackhawks coach Brian DeLallo said. “It’s good for us to see that...
Hayes scores 4 times as Aliquippa uses pair of 4th-quarter TDs to top Armstrong
Aliquippa, the defending Class 4A WPIAL and state champion, chose not to play a Week Zero game, so tonight’s trip to Armstrong marked the Quips’ first step in defending the dual 2021 titles. Step 1 was a good one, as the Quips earned a hard-fought 28-14 victory at Armstrong. “It...
