High School category, Page 619
Championship roster almost entirely intact as Bishop Canevin aims to defend WPIAL title
Two years removed from a one-win season, Bishop Canevin quickly built a solid foundation for the football program that led to the school’s first WPIAL championship since 1990 last fall. “It was a great year for the Bishop Canevin school, alumni, community and our program,” second-year coach Richard Johnson said....
After competitive offseason, Avella aims to return to playoff contention
Avella owns one of the smallest rosters in WPIAL football. Nonetheless, the Eagles are ready to face the challenges that are coming their way with a never-quit mentality. Over the offseason, Ryan Cecchini, head coach since 2011, saw the players putting in a lot of hard work, getting ready for...
2022 HSSN football position-by-position breakdown: Scouting the new coaches
Nearly three dozen WPIAL and City League football teams changed coaches since last season, some involving head coaches who’d spent a decade or more in one place. Among them, Hampton assistant coach Steve Sciullo was promoted to replace Jacque DeMatteo, who resigned after 14 seasons with the Talbots. Others were...
2022 HSSN football position-by-position breakdown: Scouting the safeties
Safety is often the last line of defense, but having a good one can be a weapon for any team. Look at the WPIAL teams that won last year. State champions Aliquippa, Central Valley, Mt. Lebanon and Penn-Trafford all had at least one difference-maker at safety. Some of those standouts...
High school scores, summaries and schedules for Aug. 23, 2022
High schools WPIAL Golf Tuesday’s results Boys Class 3A Section 1 Norwin 200, Hempfield 213 Medalists: Dom Cerelli (N) 36, Owen Dzurko (H) 40 Latrobe 204, Penn-Trafford 211 Medalists: Jake Pavlik (L) 37, Nick Turowski (PT) 34 Section 3 Pine-Richland 188, North Allegheny 199 Medalists: Mason Peterson (PR) 35, Ravi...
Senior Kevin Tomlinson driven to restore Riverview pride
Riverview senior Kevin Tomlinson has grown 5 inches in height since his freshman football season. The 6-foot-1, 185-pound wide receiver/free safety also has grown significantly through all of the ups and downs experienced during his varsity career with the Raiders. Those experiences fuel the team co-captain, and he said that...
Senior Daniel Tarabrella pushes Penn-Trafford to ‘keep climbing the ladder’
It was not a surprise to Penn-Trafford football coach John Ruane that Daniel Tarabrella had a fantastic junior season, helping the Warriors win their first WPIAL and PIAA Class 5A titles. “His desire is through the roof,” Ruane said. “He wants to be great, he wants to be on a...
Gary Gaines, coach of ‘Friday Night Lights’ fame, dead at 73
LUBBOCK, Texas — Gary Gaines, coach of the Texas high school football team made famous in the book and movie “Friday Night Lights,” has died. He was 73. Gaines’ family said in a statement the former coach died Monday in Lubbock after a long battle with Alzheimer’s disease. Gaines made...
Belle Vernon softball standout Maren Metikosh makes Division I college choice
One of the top softball players in the WPIAL has found her new home. Belle Vernon’s Maren Metikosh made a verbal commitment Tuesday to continue her academic and softball careers at Division I Central Connecticut State University. Metikosh, who is entering her senior year at Belle Vernon, will play for...
Mohawk football season on hold amidst hazing allegation
As 117 WPIAL football teams prepare to begin their new season this weekend with a Week Zero game or a second scrimmage, one district team’s season is on hold after allegations surfaced of a possible hazing incident within the team. Lawrence County and Mohawk School District officials are investigating possible...
Fresh faces ready to make impact as West Greene looks to defend Tri-County South title
For the first time under coach Brian Hanson, the West Greene football team will go into the season with a new look. Coming off another WPIAL Class A Tri-County South Conference championship, the Pioneers will be looking to replace 11 seniors from last season’s team. It’s a task Hanson is...
Monessen looks to build on ‘promising finish’ to 2021 season
Football camp 2021 was full of uncertainty for Monessen. The Greyhounds were coming off a winless season during which they had to forfeit their final three games because of a personnel shortage. They also were under a new coach: Wade Brown. When the dust settled, Monessen had won four games...
With loaded roster, special season could be in store for Mapletown
Long-time Mapletown coach George Messich has been coaching football for a little more than four decades, and it’s pretty safe to say he knows a good thing when he sees it. “Our goal right now is to make the playoffs,” said Messich who is entering his 41st season as the...
New Jefferson-Morgan coach focused on creating competitive culture
Shane Ziats will be tasked with trying to turn around a Jefferson-Morgan football program that has won three or fewer games the last six seasons and hasn’t qualified for the playoffs in a decade. He’ll start the process with a culture shift for 2022. “I want to instill a competitive...
Despite graduation losses, Carmichaels expects to be right in thick of Tri-County South race
Losing a quarterback who passed and rushed for more than 1,000 yards and a player who set the program’s all-time scoring record to graduation would be a lot for any high school team, let alone one in Class A. That’s the situation Carmichaels finds itself in in 2022, but Mighty...
Beth-Center looks to open up offense, contend in Class A
The Beth-Center Bulldogs are making the move from Class 2A to Class A this season. Coach Tony Ruscitto believes the switch will be greatly beneficial for the Bulldogs. “It’s a relief,” he said. “We don’t have a lot of students and we don’t have the depth, but now it’s looking...
2022 HSSN football position-by-position breakdown: Scouting the cornerbacks
Western Pennsylvania football was always known for its quarterbacks and linemen, but that’s changed in recent decades. Ty Law, Darrelle Revis and some other former WPIAL stars added cornerback to the map. And with the rise of pass-heavy spread offenses nowadays, high school teams need as many good cornerbacks as...
High school scores, summaries and schedules for Aug. 22, 2022
High schools WPIAL Golf Monday’s results Boys Wildcat Invitational At Latrobe Country Club Team scores: 1. Franklin Regional 393; 2. Central Catholic 399; 3. Fox Chapel 408; 4. North Catholic 410; 5. Pine-Richland 412; 6. Erie Cathedral Prep 431; 7. Latrobe 447; 8. Erie McDowell 477 Individual scores: 1. David...
No time to waste as senior quarterback takes reins of Kiski Area offense
Playing three sports at Kiski Area, Lebryn Smith doesn’t have much down time. But he doesn’t mind. Competition is in his blood. “I’m definitely always on the go,” Smith said. “I don’t have that many days where I’m not doing anything. As soon as football ends, I start basketball training....
No-nonsense senior leads Norwin into Class 5A competition
While he appreciates the benefits and value of social media, Noah Vogel doesn’t rely on the look-at-me platforms to forward his football career. “Just because I don’t post something doesn’t mean I’m not working,” the Norwin senior said. “I didn’t film and post those 90-degree days in the heat when...
2022 WPIAL girls soccer preview: Rankings, contenders, players to watch
WPIAL girls soccer preview Class 4A Defending champion: Moon powered its way to WPIAL and PIAA titles and finished with a 20-1-1 record. But the Tigers moved to Class 3A so there will be a new 4A champion. The classification now has two sections and just 16 teams. Contenders: Peters...
2022 WPIAL boys soccer preview: Rankings, contenders, players to watch
WPIAL boys soccer preview Class 4A Defending champion: Seneca Valley. The two-time defending WPIAL champion Raiders have what it takes to win it all again. They bring back senior standout Beaux Lizewski, who earned all-state honors last season, and senior goalkeeper Ryan Krumenacker, who was part of 15 shutouts. The...
WPIAL title contender Clairton somehow flying under radar
Remember Clairton? As in, the football team that won 10 WPIAL titles in a 14-year span, most recently in 2019? The Bears lost in the first round of the playoffs last season and coach Wayne Wade has noticed folks seem to have forgotten about them. In fact, he was a...
New coach brings wide-ranging changes to Springdale program
It was a busy senior night last fall for the Springdale football team. Seventeen team members were honored, and many of them were key two-way starters and contributors. As the page turned to a new season, first-year Dynamos coach Ryan Tempalski, who was hired in March, and his staff were...
Riverview rebuilding project could pay off this season
Riverview has struggled in and out of Eastern Conference play with just seven victories over the past five seasons. But third-year Raiders coach Trevor George is sounding the bell of optimism that this year’s group can turn things around and be a factor in conference play and also make a...
