High School category, Page 711

PIAA Class 4A championship Aliquippa vs. Bishop McDevitt 7 p.m. Thursday, Hersheypark Stadium, Hershey On the air: TV: PCN; Radio: WKPL-FM (92.1), WBVP-AM (1230), WBVP-FM (99.3), WMBA-AM (1460); Streaming audio: tribhssn.triblive.com PIAA titles: Aliquippa 3 (1991, 2003, ‘18); Bishop McDevitt 1 (1995) Aliquippa (12-1) Player to watch: Tiqwai Hayes Each...

High schools Football PIAA playoffs Class 6A Championship Saturday’s schedule St. Joseph’s Prep (11-2) vs. Mt. Lebanon (14-0) at Hershey, 6 p.m. Class 5A Championship Friday’s schedule Imhotep Charter (11-1) vs. Penn-Trafford (12-2) at Hershey, 7 p.m. Class 4A Championship Thursday’s schedule Bishop McDevitt (12-1) vs. Aliquippa (12-1) at Hershey,...

In last week’s PIAA Class 2A semifinal victory over Farrell, five players totaled 10-plus tackles for Serra Catholic’s stout defensive unit. Zach Weber, a senior linebacker, was one of those dominant defenders as he finished with 12 tackles, 1½ tackles for loss and 1½ sacks in a 27-18 triumph that...

At 6-foot-4 and 345 pounds, Aliquippa’s Naquan Crowder fits in nicely on one of the heaviest offensive lines in the state, but a commitment made by the team’s linemen to improve their fitness has him feeling lighter on his feet. That’s good news for the Quips, because they’ll likely ask...

In 34 years of PIAA football playoffs, the WPIAL has never had more than three state champions crowned in a single year. One record already was set this postseason as the WPIAL prepares to send five champions to Hershey to play in the PIAA finals. Another record will be set...

The PIAA delayed the release of its updated enrollment numbers for the 2022-23 and 2023-24 sports seasons until January after discovering some school districts used inconsistent methods for counting their vo-tech students. New numbers were expected to be approved Wednesday by the PIAA board, giving schools their first look at...

The WPIAL never has sent more than four district teams to the state finals. Until this season. Five WPIAL champions are a win away from adding a state title to their 2021 collection. Mt. Lebanon, Penn-Trafford, Aliquippa, Central Valley and Serra Catholic are headed to Hershey. Aliquippa is looking a...

Penn-Trafford School District is planning a send-off parade for the football team Friday morning. The Warriors are playing in their first PIAA Class 5A championship game at 7 p.m. Friday against Imhotep Charter at Hersheypark Stadium in Hershey. It is called “Off to Hershey the Warrior Way.” The students and...

Neshannock girls basketball coach Luann Grybowski says her team has “unfinished business.” The Lancers won Section 1 and WPIAL championships last season but finished runner-up in the PIAA tournament after losing to Mount Carmel in the Class 2A finals. The veteran coach with 685 career wins returns the entire starting...

Our Lady of the Sacred Heart put together a perfect season a year ago, winning section, WPIAL and PIAA titles. Jake DiMichele and Dante Spadafora were first-team all-state selections, and coach Mike Rodriguez was the state’s coach of the year for Class 2A as OLSH became the 14th WPIAL team...

Burrell wrestling is looking to celebrate a “Sweet 16” this winter. If the 15-time defending WPIAL Class 2A champions are to continue their dominance, they’re going to have to replace a trio of talented wrestlers who graduated: champ A.J. Corrado, state runner-up Ian Oswalt and 24-match winner Aaron Edwards. With...

The last team other than Burrell to win a WPIAL Class 2A team title was Mt. Pleasant in 2006. But could this be the year that someone else wins that title? This is not your typical Burrell team this season. The Bucs return only five starters and had three other...

Dayton Pitzer, Mt. Pleasant The senior Pitt commit has an 85-3 career record and captured his second WPIAL and PIAA titles by winning the 215-pound weight class. An injury prevented him from wrestling his sophomore season. Rune Lawrence, Frazier The sophomore (30-1) earned his first WPIAL and PIAA titles at...

Burrell has won 15 consecutive WPIAL Class 2A titles, but could this be the year its reign ends? Some coaches have said, “until someone beats them, I won’t believe it.” But the Bucs, who went 14-2 last season, return only five starters from a team that placed third in the...

The WPIAL has scheduled a hearing Dec. 21 to address racial allegations stemming from a football playoff game last month between South Side and Steel Valley. The WPIAL board voted to bring in school administrators and football coaches along with athletes and other individuals identified in written reports submitted by...

Last week: 0-1 (0%) Season: 98-39 (71.5%) ^ When he muffs a prediction like he did last week, the Birdie often blames an old football injury. “I stepped on an old football and fell down and hit my head,” he said, rubbing his noggin and wincing. “Still gets me now...

High schools Football PIAA playoffs Class 6A Championship Saturday’s schedule St. Joseph’s Prep (11-2) vs. Mt. Lebanon (14-0) at Hershey, 6 p.m. Class 5A Championship Friday’s schedule Imhotep Charter (11-1) vs. Penn-Trafford (12-2) at Hershey, 7 p.m. Class 4A Championship Thursday’s schedule Bishop McDevitt (12-1) vs. Aliquippa (12-1) at Hershey,...

Dylan Bourque made 23 saves to earn the shutout and lead North Catholic to a 3-0 victory over Moon in PIHL Class A hockey Tuesday night. Evan Robbins, Tay Melis and Colin Gnarra scored for North Catholic (6-2-1). Tyler Rieke made 34 saves for Moon (5-4). Pine Richland 5, Peters...

When Mark Mears took over the Latrobe wrestling program a year ago, he inherited a program that was on the rise. While his first season didn’t go as planned, the second season might turn out to be something special. The Wildcats are loaded and could challenge Waynesburg for the WPIAL...

As John Ruane prepares his football team for Friday’s PIAA Class 5A championship game against Imhotep Charter, the veteran Penn-Trafford coach has many things to worry about. But former Franklin Regional coach Greg Botta and former Jeannette coach Roy Hall offered this suggestion: Make sure you enjoy the atmosphere leading...

Waynesburg rolled to the PIAA and WPIAL Class 3A titles in the 2020-21 season, and with nine starters returning, there is no reason why it shouldn’t make another run, especially in the WPIAL. The Raiders (16-0) will be attemping to win their third consecutive Class 3A title and eighth in...

Some people consider Aiden Dunlap a hockey player who also plays baseball — in a Happy Gilmore kind of way. It is quite the contrary, apparently. The Hempfield senior is a baseball player first, hockey player second. At least according to his college decision. Dunlap, a middle infielder with smarts,...

Class 3A wrestlers to watch: Briar Priest, Hempfield The senior is the returning PIAA 132-pound champion. He was 34-5 in 2021 and is 98-20 overall. He signed with Pitt. Mac Stout, Mt. Lebanon The senior was a PIAA runner-up in 2020 after winning his first WPIAL title. He missed the...

West Allegheny became the poster boys of “anybody can win it” when it comes to the WPIAL basketball playoffs after taking the 2007 boys Class AAA crown as the No. 16 seed. Well, West A has company on that poster after No. 11 seed Ellwood City went on a shocking...

After beating Mohawk twice in the regular season, North Catholic looked ready to be fitted for a WPIAL girls basketball crown for the 21st time. However, in a district title game eyebrow-raiser, the Warriors upset the Trojans, 54-48, to bring the first basketball championship back to Bessemer. Here is a...