High School category, Page 717
North Hills boys basketball staying focused despite impressive start
Buzz Gabos is cautiously optimistic. Gabos, coach of the North Hills boys basketball team, led the Indians to a 12-0 record through Jan. 18, with a 6-0 mark in Section 1-6A. North Hills has not just won, but has been dominant in most matchups, outscoring opponents by more than 25...
North Allegheny AD Bozzuto sees future Class 6A football alignment with larger field
North Allegheny athletic director Bob Bozzuto has a forward-thinking mindset when it comes to football conference realignment. The ink barely has dried on WPIAL plans for the next two seasons, but he’s ready to start thinking about 2024 and ’25. “We need to think outside of the box,” Bozzuto said....
Franklin Regional wrestlers look forward to postseason tournament
When wrestling season began back in December, Franklin Regional coach Matt Lebe wasn’t sure how things would work out for his team after two potential starters decided to pursue other avenues. But through hard work and belief in the coaches, the Panthers (5-0, 5-0) found themselves atop the Class 3A,...
Franklin Regional notebook: Basketball set for Shootout at Seton Hill
The Franklin Regional girls and boys basketball teams will take a break from their section schedules to play in the Shootout at Seton Hill set for Sunday at Seton Hill University in Greensburg. The girls will play the first of five games at the McKenna Center, at 1 p.m. against...
Isabella McNutt hears the cheers on Hampton wrestling team
Hampton sophomore Isabella McNutt began martial arts at age 4 and earned her Taekwondo black belt at age 7. But she sought something new. “I’ve always wanted to do wrestling,” she said. “I feel like it expands my knowledge in all martial arts. I thought, ‘Wow, that looks cool.’ I...
Realignment sends several Hampton sports teams down in class
Seven Hampton athletics teams will be getting new scenery for the 2022-23 and 2023-24 sports seasons. The PIAA enrollment-based parameters, released earlier this month, will drop the programs down one classification, including boys basketball, baseball and wrestling. Four girls teams — softball, tennis, cross country and swimming — will also...
A-K Valley athletes of the week: Springdale’s Ryan Reinsfelder, Apollo-Ridge’s Sydney McCray
Ryan Reinsfelder Class: Senior School: Springdale Sport: Basketball Report card: Reinsfelder sank eight 3-pointers and scored 27 points to lead the Dynamos to a 78-63 win over rival Riverview on Tuesday. He missed six weeks with an ankle injury, but has returned to form as an outside shooting threat. How’d...
High school scores, summaries and schedules for Jan. 21, 2022
High School Basketball WPIAL Boys Friday’s results Class 6A Section 1 Butler 86, North Allegheny 79 North Hills 80, Pine-Richland 68 Class 5A Section 3 Franklin Regional 42, Kiski Area 37 Gateway 82, McKeesport 48 Latrobe 77, Woodland Hills 66 Section 4 Mars 63, Armstrong 44 Hampton 70, Plum 35...
Markus Frank’s knack around basket leads unbeaten Quaker Valley past Lincoln Park
Quaker Valley’s Markus Frank has a knack for scoring around the rim from angles that seem almost impossible, yet he makes them with ease. And he makes them in a hurry. “At least once a practice, he’ll make a shot and we’ll all find ourselves looking at each other and...
What to watch in WPIAL sports on Jan. 22, 2022: Section showdown in girls hoops
While Saturday will be busy with one-day high school events (see below), there is one big section matinee contest set in district girls hoops. Two of the top three teams in Section 3-4A collide when Belle Vernon visits Elizabeth Forward at 12:30 p.m. The Leopards lead the section with a...
High school roundup for Jan. 21, 2022: Penn Hills handles Central Catholic
George Mitchell scored 18 points and made four 3-pointers to lead Class 5A No. 4 Penn Hills to a 55-43 victory over Class 6A No. 3 Central Catholic in a nonsection boys basketball matchup Friday night. Daemar Kelly had nine points and 10 assists for Penn Hills (11-2, 4-2). Randy...
No. 1 North Hills rolls on with win over No. 4 Pine-Richland
With every win, the North Hills boys basketball team has seen the target grow on its back as an emerging favorite in Class 6A, but it hasn’t been a deterrent. The Indians went into a hostile environment at Pine-Richland on Friday night and were in a tight game for most...
Yough boys basketball team falls flat in 2nd half, loses to Uniontown
With a name like Notorious Grooms, there has to be a back story. But the Uniontown freshman basketball player said it’s as simple as the definition. “It just means you’re known for something. You’re, like, famous for doing something,” he said. Grooms is becoming known for his clutch play in...
Latrobe boys knock off 1st-place Woodland Hills
Latrobe hasn’t had much to celebrate in boys basketball this season. But the Wildcats got to celebrate Friday night when they stunned first-place Woodland Hills, 77-66, in a WPIAL Section 3-5A contest at home. The Wildcats (4-9, 2-5) are in an unfamiliar position in the section, in last place. But...
Andrew Maddalon helps North Catholic beat Burrell, clinch playoff spot
North Catholic junior Andrew Maddalon picked a good time for a career-best scoring night. The junior guard poured in 37 points Friday night as the Trojans started the second half of the Section 1-4A season by becoming one of the first WPIAL schools to clinch a playoff berth. “We got...
Deer Lakes boys rebound for victory against Knoch
The Deer Lakes boys basketball team was looking for a bounce back from Tuesday’s loss to Section 1-4A leader North Catholic as it hosted section rival Knoch on Friday. Mission accomplished. Led by 21 points from both Bryce Robson and Armend Karpuzi, the Lancers turned back the charge of the...
Former football coach Eric Kasperowicz drops lawsuit against Pine-Richland, hopes to reclaim job
Former Pine-Richland football coach Eric Kasperowicz is dropping his defamation lawsuit against the school district and its administrators in hopes of reclaiming his coaching job. Kasperowicz in August filed a federal lawsuit against the district and several top officials claiming they damaged his reputation by publicly accusing him of knowing...
What to watch for in WPIAL sports on Jan. 21, 2022: Heavyweight rematch in 4A basketball
What better way to begin the second half of section play in WPIAL boys basketball than with two of the top three teams in Class 4A clashing for a second time this season? The showdown for first place in Section 2-4A takes place in Midland as No. 3 Lincoln Park...
High school scores, summaries and schedules for Jan. 20, 2022
High School Basketball Boys Thursday’s results Class 5A Section 2 Chartiers Valley 78, Trinity 56 Class 4A Section 3 Southmoreland 41, South Park 35 Class 3A Section 3 Ligonier Valley 65, Apollo-Ridge 43 Class 2A Section 2 Fort Cherry 66, Burgettstown 43 Section 3 Serra Catholic 74, Jeannette 69 Class...
High school roundup for Jan. 21, 2022: North Catholic tops Freedom in fight for 1st place
Dacia Lewandowski scored 18 points to lead No. 1 North Catholic to a 52-47 girls basketball victory over No. 4 Freedom in a battle for the top spot in Section 1-3A Thursday night. Alayna Rocco added 16 points and Tori Drevna had 10 for North Catholic (10-4, 7-0). Shaye Bailey...
No. 5 Latrobe girls score season high in points, turn back Woodland Hills
Camille Dominick played three positions Thursday night, working the wings as a small forward before moving to the post as a power forward and then playing some center. The 6-foot junior helped the Wildcats build a commanding lead with her 3-point shooting, then filled in around the rim when senior...
Laurel girls basketball coach resigns midseason, says ‘hand was forced’
The Laurel girls basketball team is trying to reach the WPIAL playoffs for the fifth year in a row, but the Spartans must do so without their head coach. Coach Matt Stebbins, who was in his sixth season, said Thursday he recently resigned under pressure, but declined to discuss specifics....
Gracie Spadaro joins mom in Southmoreland 1,000-point club
Like mother, like daughter. Senior basketball player Gracie Spadaro moved in with some unique company when she joined the 1,000-point club at Southmoreland. Well, she was already moved in. Her mom achieved the same milestone 25 years ago. Susan (Love) Spadaro, an assistant coach for her daughter’s team, also scored...
Imani Christian hires LaRoi Johnson as football coach
Football coach LaRoi Johnson is returning to his roots. The former Homewood resident was hired to coach at Imani Christian Academy, which is less than a mile from his old home. The private school in East Hills is a place Johnson already knows well, having coached there as Imani’s offensive...
Fox Chapel boys basketball emerges as dominant force in section play
The Fox Chapel boys basketball team continues rolling on, seeking a goal that has never been reached in school history — winning three consecutive section titles. At the halfway mark in Section 3-6A play, the Foxes are undefeated at 5-0, one game ahead of Central Catholic after the 54-37 victory...
