High School category, Page 644

We have seen in the past, complete turmoil takes over this time of year when it comes to the state rankings with so many head-to-head clashes. For the most part, the latest Trib HSSN rankings held up. Nine teams dropped out after losses in the PIAA second round and quarterfinals,...

Eleven girls basketball teams saw two dreams come to an end this past week. First, their goal of winning a PIAA basketball championship, and second, finishing the season in the coveted Top 5 of the Trib HSSN state rankings. While every class saw at least two teams ousted with the...

Fox Chapel’s Sophie Shao stood on the bulkhead next to the starting block for nearly 10 minutes as PIAA officials worked out a problem with the timing system. “I wasn’t thinking about too much,” Shao said as she waited to swim the girls Class 3A 100-yard butterfly Wednesday evening at...

High schools Basketball Boys PIAA playoffs Class 6A Quarterfinals Wednesday’s results Lower Merion 72, Scranton 44 Roman Catholic 75, Cheltenham 62 Archbishop Wood 74, North Hills 47 Fox Chapel 39, Northampton 37 Semifinals Saturday’s schedule Lower Merion (27-3) vs. Roman Catholic (22-4) Archbishop Wood (20-7) vs. Fox Chapel (27-1) Class...

The McKeesport and Moon girls basketball teams had a lot of similarities ahead of their PIAA Class 5A quarterfinal matchup Wednesday night. The schools shared the same nickname, Tigers. They also had strong regular seasons and after both lost in the WPIAL semifinals they rebounded with solid runs in the...

The Franklin Regional boys 200 medley relay fashioned the best swim in program history at the WPIAL Class 3A championships March 3 at Pitt’s Trees Pool. They clocked a time of 1 minute, 33.50 seconds that day, and it was the standard the quartet of sophomore Holden Thomas, senior Owen...

Sydney Matijevic’s smile hid the pain in her heart. But while the Jeannette senior was smarting, she wasn’t quitting. “I love to be here,” Matijevic said Wednesday after the Jayhawks’ softball practice at the high school. “I totally love it. I’ve always loved the sport. It cheers me up and...

When he was a baseball player at Jeannette — and a fine one at that — Marcus Clarkson drove more than a few pitches into the atmosphere at the city’s Clarkson Field. No, it is not named after Jeannette baseball coach Marcus Clarkson, but rather for his great-uncle, James “Buster”...

Mario Cavallaro skated wide as two defenders closed in on his puck-handling teammate, Alex Thomas. Then, in a flash, the pair of sophomore forwards connected for some playoff magic. Thomas delivered a pass to Cavallaro, who fired his second goal of the game into the back of the net 2...

J.P. Dockey blocked an Isaac Harris’ 3-point attempt with a second remaining as Fox Chapel narrowly defeated District 11 champion Northampton, 39-37, in a close quarterfinal game in the PIAA Class 6A playoffs in Chambersburg. Eli Yofan scored 14 and Colin Kwiatkowski added eight points for Fox Chapel (27-1). Yofan’s...

Heading into the program’s first state quarterfinal appearance, South Allegheny boys basketball coach Tony DiCenzo knew his team was in need of a strong offensive performance. “When we are going well, it’s because our offense is clicking in all phases,” DiCenzo said earlier this week. “If we do the things...

LEWISBURG — Seneca Valley was well represented at the PIAA Class 3A boys diving championships Wednesday at Bucknell. The Raiders earned four of the five qualifying berths from the WPIAL championships Feb. 26 at North Allegheny. WPIAL silver medalist Isaiah Clerkley, a sophomore, led Seneca Valley and the WPIAL contingent...

LEWISBURG — The consolation and championship finals for the first day of the WPIAL Class 3A swimming championships are set. Preliminary swims Wednesday in the 200-yard medley relay, 200 freestyle, 200 individual medley, 50 free, 100 butterfly and 200 free relay determined the top 16 in each event, and swimmers...

The PIAA chose Norwin as host site for the rematch of New Castle and Gateway, one of two all-WPIAL pairings in the state basketball semifinals. They’ll meet at 7 p.m. Friday with the winner advancing to Hershey. New Castle defeated Gateway by 10 points when they played Feb. 28 in...

The Highlands softball team now is the hunted. After Golden Rams fashioned an 18-6-1 record and made a run to the WPIAL Class 4A championship game and PIAA semifinals last season, the returning players and a couple of newcomers to the lineup hope to hold off the challenges from within...

Last season, the Highlands baseball team came into the WPIAL quarterfinals on a six-game winning streak but left with a third loss of the season to Blackhawk. Now, as a new season dawns, the Golden Rams, with 10 seniors and a solid nucleus of key starters back, hope to take...

After a one-year hiatus, the PIAA Class 3A and 2A swimming and diving championships are back at Bucknell University. Covid logistics moved the meets last year to Cumberland Valley High School. The change in venue didn’t hinder the WPIAL’s ability to make its mark with numerous championships and medal-winning performances....

How do you describe a game with more than a dozen blocks, more than two dozen turnovers, and the first team to score 40 points won? “A total fist fight,” New Castle coach Ralph Blundo said, “and we knew that’s what it was going to be.” At the end, his...

Welcome to Quarterfinals Wednesday in the PIAA basketball playoffs. The Avonworth boys basketball team has accomplished a lot this season. • The Antelopes reached the WPIAL championship game as the No. 8 seed before falling to Shady Side Academy. • They reached the 20-win mark by advancing to the state...

Thomas Jefferson scored four second-period goals, including a hat trick by Colby Bilski, and skated past Penn-Trafford, 6-2, in the PIHL Cup Class 2A semifinals Tuesday at the Robert Morris University Island Sports Center. . The victory puts the Jaguars in the Penguins Cup championship game against Franklin Regional on...

High schools Basketball Boys PIAA playoffs Class 6A Quarterfinals Wednesday’s schedule Lower Merion (26-3) vs. Scranton (23-2) at Bethlehem Freedom, 7:30 p.m.; Roman Catholic (21-4) vs. Cheltenham (30-1) at Cardinal O’Hara, 7:30 p.m.; North Hills (26-1) vs. Archbishop Wood (19-7) at Chambersburg, 5 p.m.; Northampton (21-7) vs. Fox Chapel (26-1)...

Alayna Rocco and Dacia Lewandowski each recorded double-doubles, leading WPIAL champion North Catholic to a 60-52 victory over Forest Hills in the PIAA Class 3A girls basketball quarterfinals Tuesday night. Rocco had 26 points and 10 rebounds. Lewandowski had 22 points and 10 boards. The Trojanettes (22-5) broke a 42-42...

There will be a WPIAL rematch in the state semifinals, but Laurel Highlands won’t be there. The previously undefeated WPIAL champions were stunned Tuesday night by a determined Gateway team that dominated on the glass, piled up second-chance points and celebrated a 55-52 victory in a PIAA Class 5A quarterfinal...

A sense of normalcy is back at the PIAA swimming and diving championships, and for the numerous qualifiers from the Alle-Kiski Valley and Westmoreland County schools, it only adds to the anticipation. The championships return to Bucknell. Spectators return. The lineups for each event are back to 32 for each...

If there was one thing that stood out about the 2021 Hempfield baseball team, it was solid pitching. With the WPIAL’s new pitching rules, playing section games on back-to-back days, the Spartans had the luxury of being deep on the mound. Hempfield finished 16-9 overall and tied with Norwin with...