High School category, Page 665
Westmoreland County softball notebook: Realignment to shake up sections
There is plenty of softball left in 2022, but the WPIAL has set the table for next season with its realignment for the new two-year enrollment cycle. The most significant movers and shakers locally are Yough and Ligonier Valley, who will be section opponents in Class 3A after changing classifications....
Norwin softball looking to overcome soggy, slow start to season
Frustrated and chasing consistency, Norwin softball coaches and players have felt like pulling the lever on the escape hatch lately. Make it stop. The Lady Knights are not asking for pity. They just want to practice and play at home. The season has had more stops than starts with rainy...
High school scores, summaries and schedules for April 19, 2022
High schools Baseball Tuesday’s results Class 6A Section 1 Allderdice at Seneca Valley, ppd. Central Catholic at North Allegheny, ppd. Pine-Richland at Butler, ppd. Section 2 Canon-McMillan at Norwin, ppd. Hempfield at Mt. Lebanon, ppd. Upper St. Clair at Baldwin, ppd. Class 5A Section 1 Latrobe at Gateway, ppd. McKeesport...
High school roundup for April 19, 2022: Indiana holds off North Catholic
Zach Tortorella had three hits and Gavin Homer and Michael Tortorella each drove in a pair of runs to lead Indiana to a 7-6 victory over North Catholic in Section 1-4A baseball Tuesday. Steven Budash singled and doubled and Garrison Dougherty also had two hits for Indiana (6-2, 4-1). Blake...
What to watch for in WPIAL sports on April 20, 2022: 4-way baseball battle for section top spot
Last year, WPIAL Section 3-5A baseball produced three champions as Shaler, South Fayette and West Allegheny finished tied for first place with 8-2 records. Could the terrific three become the fabulous four this season? Heading into the start of another sectional series that has been pushed back two days by...
Trib HSSN state softball rankings for April 19, 2022
While there was a seven-team shuffle in and out of the state baseball rankings, the girls tread lightly this past week on the damp softball diamonds, leading to few changes in the weekly Trib HSSN state softball rankings from last week. There were only four changes total, with two of...
Trib HSSN state baseball rankings for April 19, 2022
Things around state baseball diamonds have been pleasant for a few days, then into a deep chill the rest of the week, or vice-versa. That not only describes the weekly weather pattern thus far in April, it also covers the results from games played last week by teams in the...
High school track and field notebook: Strong field headed to Butler this weekend
The 57th annual Butler Invitational will be held over two days this weekend. The girls take the track Friday and the boys Saturday. There are 48 teams entered in the meet. The invitational will feature some of the top athletes in Western Pennsylvania. “It’s a time to measure yourself against...
Young Derry track team finding success ahead of schedule
It wasn’t a picturesque day at Derry track practice Monday. A cold wind was gusting and ice pellets were pelting the distance runners during their workout. But there were no complaints. There was work to do and the runners were fighting through the harsh elements. Derry is in the midst...
Derry boys volleyball program rebuilding with tenacious team
For years, Derry has resided among the elite high school boys volleyball teams in the WPIAL, challenging for championships and sending players off to college. Then, covid-19 hit, and the Trojans, like many other teams, were knocked down. “Going into the pandemic,” Derry coach Shawn Spencer said, “when everything was...
Freeport girls lacrosse team gaining experience
Ed Smith is looking for improvement, and he sees it happening every day. Freeport’s first-year girls lacrosse coach has witnessed his 16-member team grow and develop with every practice and game this season. “They’ve improved every game,” he said. “Last week was the best we’ve played yet.” Freeport is off...
Nick Dizon steps down as Kiski Area’s girls basketball coach to lead Penn State Greater Allegheny program
Nick Dizon called it a very tough decision, but after four years as coach of the Kiski Area girls basketball team, he is stepping away to lead the women’s program at Penn State Greater Allegheny. “I met with the team (Monday) night, and talking with them was probably one of...
High school scores, summaries and schedules for April 18, 2022
High schools Baseball Monday’s results WPIAL Class 5A Section 4 Bethel Park at Peters Township, ppd. Class 4A Section 3 West Mifflin at Elizabeth Forward, ppd. Class 3A Section 1 Hopewell at Ellwood City, ppd. Class 2A Section 2 Aliquippa at Shenango, ppd. Riverside at Summit Academy, ppd. Class A...
High school roundup for April 18, 2022: TJ’s Joyce scores winning goal in inaugural PIHL girls game
Brooklyn Joyce of Thomas Jefferson scored the tie-breaking goal with 11:29 left in the third period to lead Central to a 4-3 victory over East in the inaugural PIHL girls division game Monday night at Alpha Ice in Harmar. Baldwin’s Delaney Howard scored the first goal in PIHL girls hockey...
What to watch for in WPIAL sports on April 19, 2022: Section contenders collide in boys volleyball
Tuesday will probably be another good day in Western Pa. to use your inside voice. So get ready to make a lot of noise when eastern rivals collide with first place up for grabs in Class 3A boys volleyball. Nearing the midway point of section play, Norwin is a perfect...
Trib HSSN Softball Team of the Week for April 18, 2022
The 2022 Trib HSSN Softball Teams of the Week have been Ram tough. Last week it was Ligonier Valley, this week, Pine-Richland takes the honor. Early on, Pine-Richland had to be on its A game with a daunting schedule that has included five of six games against ranked teams. “When...
Trib HSSN Softball Player of the Week for April 18, 2022
Yough entered last week with a 1-1 record in Section 2-4A. Three section victories later and the Cougars are in a familiar place, 4-1 and with a half-game lead over Elizabeth Forward for first place. “Our team goals are to win the section, go deep into the playoffs and return...
North Catholic regains top spot in volleyball coaches association’s Class 2A rankings
A section clash last week between WPIAL heavyweights produced a change at the top of the latest Western Pa. Volleyball Coaches Association Class 2A rankings released Monday morning. North Catholic, No. 2 last week, upended No. 1 Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, 3-1, on April 12 and has moved...
Plum’s Kaitlyn Killinger commits to Pitt women’s soccer
Pitt is it for another Plum girls soccer standout. Junior Kaitlyn Killinger, an All-WPIAL and all-state forward who helped the Mustangs reach the WPIAL Class 3A championship game for the second year in a row and make a deep run in the PIAA playoffs, gave a verbal commitment to the...
Deer Lakes’ junior-heavy volleyball lineup gaining experience early on
Deer Lakes’ boys volleyball team had a special season in 2021, going 7-0 en route to winning a Section 2-2A title and earning a trip to the WPIAL playoffs. It was a senior-heavy group that lost to Thomas Jefferson in the first round of the postseason. Many of the current...
Westmoreland Senior Spotlight: Yough’s Emma Augustine
As the only senior on the Yough softball team, pitcher Emma Augustine is obviously in a leadership position. She’s even helping to groom her successor in the circle for the Cougars. Right behind Augustine on the pitching depth chart is Sidney Bergman, a freshman. Augustine has gotten close with Bergman,...
A-K Valley senior spotlight: Deer Lakes’ Justin Brannagan
It’s going to be tough for Justin Brannagan to top his game-winning 3-pointer in the final seconds that lifted Deer Lakes’ boys basketball team to a 39-37 victory over Blackhawk in the first round of the WPIAL playoffs. Being swarmed by teammates and fans on the court is a moment...
What to watch for in WPIAL sports for April 18, 2022: No. 1 Bethel Park to face No. 3 Peters Township in baseball
Monday will be a quiet day around the district with most schools enjoying one more day of their Easter break. However, one of the few WPIAL baseball games on the slate is a big one in Class 5A. Top-ranked Bethel Park will battle No. 3 Peters Township in the first...
Delayed 2 years by pandemic, PIHL adds girls division for high school hockey
Morgan Black was the leading scorer on a national championship hockey team this winter, but she has never worn her high school’s logo on any jersey. That’s because for a girl to play high school hockey in Western Pennsylvania, she always had to play against the boys. That changes this...
Trib HSSN Baseball Team of the Week for April 17, 2022
The early part of the 2022 Chartiers Valley baseball schedule has played out like spending the day at a great amusement park. An occasional bump in the road, but one thrill ride after another that leaves you on top of the world and wanting more as you leave the park....
