High School category, Page 676
Former Cager Classic MVP Corey Smith now coaching in all-star basketball game
Kiski Area coach Corey Smith has come full circle with the Cager Classic. He was the East MVP in 2002, an assistant under Greg Hutcherson and now the head coach for the East as the Cager Classic returns after a two-year hiatus brought on by the coronavirus pandemic. The event...
Altavilla leaves legacy in Baldwin girls basketball program
Athleticism is deeply rooted in her family. It’s in the genes. Senior hoopster Morgan Altavilla, 17, carried on the athletic tradition established in recent years at Baldwin by her older brothers, Doug and Nick. Baldwin’s second-year basketball coach Jamal Woodson labeled Altavilla as one of the top female players in...
Quaker Valley swimmers, divers produce medal-winning performances
Quaker Valley swimmer Emily Connors ended her superb sophomore season as a triple medalist at the PIAA Class 2A girls championships held at Bucknell. Connors placed sixth in the 100-yard freestyle in 52.22 seconds and eighth in the 100-yard butterfly in 57.16. She finished third in both events at the...
Quaker Valley’s Gardinier garners career-high 36 in PIAA second round
One of the most impressive performances of the year was turned in by Jack Gardinier in the PIAA Class 4A second round. A 6-foot senior guard and the Quakers’ third-leading scoring threat this season, Gardinier scored a career-high 36 points to spark QV past Belle Vernon, 86-75. “Everyone on the...
Penn-Trafford wrestler Hohman goes out on a high note
Penn-Trafford’s Troy Hohman didn’t reach his goal of being a PIAA Class 3A champion, but the senior did end his high school career on a high note. In winning the seventh-place match at the PIAA championship March 13 at Giant Center in Hershey, Hohman earned his 100th career victory. He...
Penn Hills track and field looks to benefit from larger roster
The Penn Hills indoor track team had a strong winter. With some reinforcements in tow, Indians coach Lee Zelkowitz believes the spring squad may be able to have even more success. Penn Hills will have about 30 more athletes out for the team compared to last spring, with the numbers...
Penn Hills softball teams confident of better season in 2022
There were things for Kiera Mack to be happy with despite a loss to Our Lady of the Sacred Heart in a scrimmage last Wednesday. While Penn Hills’ softball team fell behind early, the Indians didn’t fold. They were able to make a comeback before losing. “I think that will...
Chris Rotelli takes over Pine-Richland boys volleyball program
Chris Rotelli has been coaching for 25 years and in previous spots he’s had to build a program from the ground up. That’s exactly what he intends to do with Pine-Richland boys volleyball. It’s not going to happen overnight, but with the principles he’s putting in place both on and...
Pine-Richland notebook: Fourth grade girls basketball team wins state title
The fourth-grade Pine-Richland girls basketball team is a state champion. The Rams topped Whitpain Recreational Association, 16-12, in the state final March 20 in State College. Pine-Richland went 4-0 at the tournament. They defeated Whitpain in the first round, Chartiers Valley in the quarterfinals and Thomas Jefferson in the semifinals...
Norwin notebook: Girls bowling team reaches playoff round at states
The Norwin girls bowling team reached the playoff round of the state championships March 19 in Lancaster. The Knights were tripped up by Neshaminy in the quarterfinals, 2-0. Neshaminy went on to defeat Shikellamy in the finals. Norwin was third after the qualifying round. Kali Siegel (533), Kari Siegel (487),...
North Hills basketball pleased with breakout season
Buzz Gabos is happy with the year his North Hills boys basketball team had in 2021-22. But the finish stings. The Indians went 26-2, winning the Section 1-6A title and going unbeaten in the regular season. North Hills secured the top seed in the Class 6A postseason but lost to...
North Allegheny notebook: Ayden Owens claims national indoor title
North Allegheny graduate Ayden Owens won the NCAA Division I indoor heptathlon title on March 12. The Arkansas track and field athlete produced 6,211 points, the third-best winning score in NCAA history. He won the final event, the 1,000 meters, with a time of 2:31.55, vaulting himself from fourth place...
With PIAA title, Thomas Jefferson’s Finnerty finishes 44-1
Thomas Jefferson’s wrestling team didn’t have a great season, but it was a good year for the Jaguars. TJ’s Brian Finnerty didn’t have a good senior season; it was great. In fact, Finnerty ended his brilliant career as the best of the best in the TJ wrestling program. A Kent...
Thomas Jefferson’s Lekse looks to past for inspiration
Joe Lekse, this year’s Breisinger Award winner, had his eye on the prize throughout his entire varsity career. He explained. “In my four years playing football at Thomas Jefferson, I aspired to be like each winner of the Breisinger Award,” said Leske, a senior quarterback/defensive back. “My freshman year, Gabe...
High school scores, summaries, schedules for March 26, 2022
High schools Baseball Saturday’s results Ripken Experience, Myrtle Beach, S.C. Chagrin Falls (OH) 14, Waynesburg Central 4 Highlands 9, Chagrin Falls (OH) 5 Highlands 11, West Greene 0 Chardon (OH) 15, Deer Lakes 1 Pickerington North (OH) 7, Baldwin 5 Upper Arlington (OH) 10, Latrobe 9 Penn Hills 10, Deer...
High school roundup for March 26, 2022: Peters Township claims state hockey championship
William Tomko scored what proved to be the game-winning goal with 3 minutes, 11 seconds remaining in the second period and Peters Township knocked off defending Class 3A state champ Malvern Prep, 5-4, in the state final Saturday at Ice Line Arena in West Chester. It is the Indians’ sixth...
Plymouth-Whitemarsh derails Mt. Lebanon in Class 6A state title game
HERSHEY – Mt. Lebanon fell in the PIAA Class 6A girls basketball championship game 60-40 to Plymouth-Whitemarsh at the Giant Center on Saturday evening. “Obviously, (Plymouth-Whitemarsh) is undefeated for a reason,” Mt. Lebanon coach Dori Oldtaker said. “They played very well tonight and they shot well.” The Blue Devils (27-2)...
2022 Valley News Dispatch Wrestling All-Stars
Calio Zanella Burrell, fr., 113 pounds 2021-22 record: 29-15 Overall record: 29-15 Helped the Bucs reach the WPIAL Class 2A team finals. He placed fifth in the WPIAL tournament and qualified for the PIAA Southwest Regional, where he went 1-2. He was one of the better freshmen in the A-K...
Burrell’s Cooper Hornack named 2022 Valley News Dispatch Wrestler of the Year
There is room for one wrestler to stand atop the podium in Hershey’s Giant Center. Hundreds of wrestlers in each weight class start the season with hopes of being that person, having their name called on the PA system as their coach drapes a gold medal around their neck at...
2022 Tribune-Review Westmoreland County Wrestling All-Stars
Ty Kapusta Franklin Regional, so., 106 pounds 2021-22 record: 32-9 Career record: 43-15 The Panthers sophomore finished third in the WPIAL and fourth in the PIAA in Class 3A. He reached the state semifinals before falling to Bethlehem Catholic’s Nathan Desmond. His biggest win in the state tournament was a...
Mt. Pleasant’s Dayton Pitzer named Tribune-Review Westmoreland County Wrestler of Year for 3rd time
Mt. Pleasant senior Dayton Pitzer finished off quite a wrestling career by becoming a three-time WPIAL and PIAA Class 2A champion. The Pitt commit did it in impressive fashion, pinning his way to the title with 12 consecutive falls. He made into the second period during the run just once...
George Guido: Fox Chapel boys team big part of memorable basketball season
It’s time to say goodbye to the local high school basketball season. And what a season it was. Two high schools located about a mile from each other — Fox Chapel and Shady Side Academy — won WPIAL titles. That’s the first time two schools that close to each other...
Long scoreless stretch dashes Aliquippa’s hopes for state basketball title
HERSHEY — Aliquippa reached the state finals with four sophomores in the starting lineup, and that youth maybe showed itself at the worst time. The Quips went scoreless for more than six minutes, and their opponent scored 25 consecutive points, a frustrating run Aliquippa couldn’t overcome in Saturday’s 76-58 loss...
West Chester East power play too much for Norwin in Class A Pennsylvania Cup title game
WEST CHESTER — Norwin’s inspired playoff run came to an end Saturday with a 10-0 loss to West Chester East in the Class A Pennsylvania Cup title game at Ice Line Quad Rinks in West Chester. It’s the second straight Class A title for WC East, whose depth and experience...
Freedom falls to Neumann-Goretti in 1st state championship appearance
HERSHEY – Freedom wanted to win a state title in its first trip to Hershey, but the championship trophy went home with a team that already owned four. Still, the Bulldogs were confident they took home something else: some statewide respect. “Nobody thought we’d be here,” sophomore Shaye Bailey said....
