High School category, Page 707

Xander Smith and Joey Castle were a one-two special teams punch for Norwin this season. Smith centered long snaps to Castle, who boomed punts into orbit. Castle also made good on extra points and field goals and aimed for touchbacks as the Knights’ kicker. The junior pair continues to follow...

HERSHEY — The state’s competitive-balance rule is working as originally intended, despite Aliquippa football’s strong objections to playing bigger schools, says the PIAA’s top administrator. “In my opinion, they have no legitimate complaint,” PIAA executive director Bob Lombardi said “as seen by winning a state championship this year, and last...

Greensburg Salem used pressure defense and the scoring of the Mankins sisters to defeat Greensburg Central Catholic 48-30 to win the Greensburg Salem Tip-Off Tournament on Saturday. Abby Mankins led all scorers with 21 points and Kait Mankins had 10 for the Golden Lions (2-0). Bailey Kuhns and Mya Morgan...

Matt McDonough drove the length of the court and scored in the lane with five seconds left in overtime to put North Allegheny ahead by two, then came up with a steal with two seconds remaining to lift the Tigers past Penn-Trafford, 56-54, in the Hempfield Tip-Off Tournament on Saturday....

High schools WPIAL Basketball Saturday’s results Boys Aquinas Academy Tournament Aquinas Academy 73, Harvest Baptist 49 Avonworth Tournament Avonworth 75, Ambridge 39 Shaler 87, Winchester Thurston 60 Baldwin/Peters Township Tournament Baldwin 68, Albert Gallatin 30 Laurel Highlands 83, Peters Township 58 Brentwood Tournament Consolation Beaver 61, Northgate 39 Championship Brentwood...

The wheels were set in motion for a double-digit victory. But the wheels nearly came off for Hempfield in the fourth quarter Saturday night against Franklin Regional. The host Spartans tried to give away the finale of the 17th annual Hempfield Tip-Off Basketball Tournament, watching a 14-point lead dry up...

HERSHEY – There’s a new champion in PIAA Class 6A football, which surely surprises much of the state. “It’s a surprise to everybody but us,” said Mt. Lebanon senior Alex Tecza, who scored three times Saturday night, including two touchdowns in a 90-second fourth-quarter span as the Blue Devils celebrated...

After winning its season opener by 64 points Friday night, the Highlands boys basketball team finally was able to pull away in the fourth quarter Saturday night for a 61-40 victory over Deer Lakes. The Golden Rams opened the final period with an 18-3 run to secure the victory. Tip-off...

Upper St. Clair edged Pine-Richland nine months ago to win the 2021 WPIAL 6A boys basketball championship. The sequel took place Saturday in another championship game, this time of the Upper St. Clair Tip-off Tournament. While the cast for the host Panthers had completely changed from last season, the end...

HERSHEY — It’s unsure how much sleep the Penn-Trafford football team got Friday night after its stunning 17-14 overtime win against Imhotep Charter. But there is a good chance it was very little. “I’m staying up all night. I don’t care,” senior running back Cade Yacamelli said. “I’m going to...

The moments before the start of the basketball season can be mentally taxing on a coach. Are we ready? Could we have done more in practice? Do we know enough to counter our opponents? For a new coach, new to a school or returning to the bench, it’s even more...

HERSHEY – Central Valley captured its second consecutive PIAA Class 3A title by defeating Wyomissing, 7-0, in a defensive struggle Saturday at Hersheypark Stadium. Landon Alexander scored on a 28-yard run on third-and-12 with 9:54 left to snap the scoreless tie. Alexander rushed for 231 yards on 35 carries and...

PIAA Class 6A football championship Mt. Lebanon vs. St. Joseph’s Prep 6 p.m., Saturday, Hersheypark Stadium, Hershey On the air: TV: PCN; Radio: KDKA-AM (1020), KDKA-FM (100.1), WJPA-FM (95.3); Streaming audio: tribhssn.triblive.com PIAA titles: Mt. Lebanon 0; St. Joseph’s Prep 6 (2013, ’14, ’16, ’18, ’19, ’20) Mt. Lebanon (14-0)...

Sophomore guard Megan Marston scored 17 of her game-high 21 points in the second half, and junior forward Dannika Susko added 12 points and nine rebounds as the Plum girls basketball team topped Freeport 43-33 in the second game of the Freeport Tip-Off Tournament on Friday at Freeport Middle School....

PIAA Class 3A football championship Central Valley vs. Wyomissing Noon, Saturday, Hersheypark Stadium, Hershey On the air: TV: PCN; Radio: WKPL-FM (92.1), WBVP-AM (1230), WBVP-FM (99.3) and WMBA-AM (1460); Streaming audio: tribhssn.triblive.com PIAA titles: Central Valley 1 (2020), Wyomissing 1 (2012) Central Valley (14-0) Player to watch: Sean FitzSimmons FitzSimmons...

High schools WPIAL Basketball Boys Aquinas Academy Tournament Friday’s results Aquinas Academy 63, Cornerstone Prep 39 Harvest Baptist 66, Cornerstone Prep 53 Cheswick Christian Academy at Aquinas Academy, ppd. Avonworth Tournament Friday’s results Avonworth 65, Winchester Thurston 53 Shaler 74, Ambridge 67 Saturday’s schedule Shaler vs. Winchester Thurston, 2 p.m....

Jake DiMichele scored a game-high 33 points as Our Lady of the Sacred Heart ran its winning streak to 41 games with a 65-54 season-opening win over Franklin Regional at the Hempfield tournament Friday night. Class 5A Franklin Regional (0-1) never led but tied the Chargers, 48-48, with just over...

Casey Nixon hit five 3-pointers and scored 17 points to lead Blackhawk to a 70-39 victory over Ellwood City (0-1) in the Montour tip-off tournament Friday night. Alena Fusetti added 13 points and Quinn Borroni had 10 for the Cougars (1-0), who tied a school record with 16 3-pointers in...

Playing its first game without senior forward Ben Myers, who has been a staple in the lineup, Penn-Trafford had a different look to its boys basketball team in the season opener. The 6-foot-6 Myers is done for the season with a torn ACL, making the Warriors a much more guard-oriented...

HERSHEY — It might not equal the Miracle on Ice, but Penn-Trafford’s 17-14 stunner against Imhotep Charter will hold a prominent place in Westmoreland County sports history. Nathan Schlessinger kicked a 24-yard field goal in overtime, and defensive end Conlan Greene’s sack on fourth down lifted Penn-Trafford to a thrilling...

Nobody was too surprised to see St. Joseph’s Prep in Hershey. Mt. Lebanon coach Bob Palko certainly wasn’t. “They’ve been there, what, nine years in a row?” he said. Close. The Philadelphia Catholic League team is making its fifth consecutive appearance in the state finals and the eighth in nine...

Chris Skatell, in his coaching debut at Greensburg Central Catholic, beat longtime pal Scott Giacobbi of Latrobe on Friday night, and Skatell said the Centurions were fortunate to come out on top on the opening night of high school girls basketball. Bailey Kuhns scored 17 points, Natalie Ward collected all...

Deer Lakes had the lead for all but about two minutes in the second half of its season opener Friday. But the Lancers had to hold on for a 55-52 victory over Moon in the opening round of the Highlands Tip-Off Tournament. Deer Lakes had a 53-45 lead with 51.4...

The Highlands girls basketball team trailed Fox Chapel for most of the first half of Friday’s season opener at the Freeport Tip-Off Tournament. But senior guard Maria Fabregas’ 3-pointer at the first-half buzzer gave the Golden Rams a one-point advantage. Highlands didn’t look back from there as it opened the...

In 34 years of PIAA football playoffs, the WPIAL has never had more than three state champions crowned in a single year. One record has already been set this state postseason as the WPIAL sent five champions to Hershey to play in the PIAA finals. WPIAL champions Mt. Lebanon in...