High School category, Page 724

Nov. 10 was a busy day for eight Chartiers Valley athletes as the seniors put pen to paper and officially signed on the first of two national letter of intent days. None of these current Colts wanted to wait until Feb. 2 for the second NLI day as they look...

In her first season as coach of the Chartiers Valley girls volleyball program, Amanda Burgess guided the Colts to a fourth-place finish in Section 2-3A and a WPIAL playoff berth. While Chartiers Valley lost in the preliminary round to Central Valley, the hopes and plans were to build off the...

Already a four-time defending state champion, the North Allegheny girls volleyball team earned a trip to the PIAA finals for the fifth year in a row after defeating rival Shaler, 3-1, in a PIAA Class 4A semifinal Nov. 6 at Fox Chapel. The Tigers rallied from a 25-19 loss in...

There was a time when Maura Mlecko was the freshman on North Allegheny’s cross country team, running at the state championship meet in Hershey for the first time. But like runners on that course, four years can go by fast. As a senior surrounded by freshmen, Mlecko was back in...

It’s the time of year when postseason games and accolades pile up for the Franklin Regional boys soccer program. Another season stretched into mid-November for the program, which learned a new scheme and overcame some adversity to stay among the WPIAL powers. The Panthers reached the WPIAL semifinals before falling...

The Hampton boys and girls cross country teams each have a lot to look forward to next season. For the boys, it’s where they have been, and for the girls, it’s where they are going. The boys will return five of their top runners from the most successful season in...

Following their WPIAL playoff loss to Thomas Jefferson, the Hampton senior football players gathered at midfield inside a quiet, emptied Fridley Field. “It was bittersweet,” senior tackle John Morris said. “We just talked about memories. Just the seniors.” They had a lot to talk about. The senior-heavy Talbots enjoyed the...

The 128th football season for Shady Side Academy was a season like no other. First, the school adopted a new nickname – the Bulldogs – and the team began a co-operative agreement with The Neighborhood Academy. “Historically amazing,” said Bulldogs coach Chuck DiNardo. “We took two groups of kids who...

Fox Chapel’s football schedule this season was like a bakery near closing time — no creampuffs. Ten of the 12 teams the Foxes (5-7) played this season were playoff teams. The only two non-playoff teams on the card — Shaler and Kiski Area — were competitive teams that stayed in...

On one sideline will be Mt. Lebanon, the undefeated No. 1 seed in the WPIAL playoffs that is making its first championship appearance since 2000. On the other side is Central Catholic, a two-time defending WPIAL champion that reached the finals more often than not in the past decade. Which...

For Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, a one-point victory goes a long way when you get this far. The Chargers are headed all the way to Heinz Field next week to play in the WPIAL Class A championship game for the second time in four years after edging Rochester,...

Going into halftime, Allderdice held a narrow lead and was dreaming of the possibility of upsetting the District 10 champion McDowell. The Trojans immediately put those Dragons dreams to sleep. McDowell (9-2) imposed its will on three straight drives to start the second half, building a three-score lead over Allderdice...

Top performers for Week 12 of high school football in Western Pennsylvania. Passing 282 - Josh Jenkins, Sto-Rox (17 of 27) 193 - Joey Prentice, North Catholic (16 of 31) 168 - Ryan Palmieri, Pine-Richland (20 of 31) 144 - Kole Olszewski, Bishop Canevin (9 of 13) 104 - Joe...

Friday night was the first time since 1959 that the McKeesport and Aliquippa football teams faced each other. It was definitely worth the wait. Quentin Goode threw a play-action touchdown pass to a wide-open Jayace Williams on second-and-goal from the 9-yard line in the second overtime as the Quips made...

Serra Catholic will be making a trip to the North Shore next week. The sixth-seeded Eagles scored a late go-ahead touchdown and picked up a big fourth-down stop with less than a minute remaining in the game to preserve a 13-12 victory over second-seeded Sto-Rox in a WPIAL Class 2A...

There have been times Bishop Canevin coach Rich Johnson has gone with his gut when deciding his quarterback. On Friday night, he made a change to freshman Kole Olszewski early in the second quarter hoping for a spark. Olszewski provided more than just one spark. He came out on fire....

For a team with a 2,000-yard passer, Beaver Falls opted for a ground game Friday night. It worked out as the Tigers are headed back to Heinz Field for the WPIAL Class 2A title game. Beaver Falls scored twice before Steel Valley ran an offensive play en route to a...

Devin Whitlock, Quinton Martin, Cole Weightman, Tommy Kovatch and the boys in green are heading to Heinz Field in search of a WPIAL championship. Belle Vernon will play for the WPIAL Class 4A title after knocking off No. 5 seed and rival Thomas Jefferson, 21-7, on Friday at West Mifflin....

It wasn’t easy but North Catholic is back in the WPIAL championship game. Backed by a stout defensive effort and a second-half touchdown, the No. 2 seeded Trojans downed No. 3 Avonworth, 7-0, in the WPIAL Class 3A semifinals Friday night at Fox Chapel. “It was just a classic football...

When Cade Yacamelli fumbled on the first play of the game, the Penn-Trafford senior said some unflattering words to himself. But he sure made up for it later. Yacamelli rushed for 207 yards on 19 carries and scored three second-half touchdowns to help lead Penn-Trafford to a dominating 24-6 victory...

High schools Field hockey PIAA playoffs Championship Saturday’s schedule Class 3A Emmaus vs. Lower Dauphin at Whitehall, 3 p.m. Class 2A Twin Valley vs. Gwynedd Mercy at Whitehall, 12:30 p.m. Class A Wyoming Seminary vs. Oley Valley at Whitehall, 10 a.m. Football WPIAL playoffs Class 6A Finals Saturday’s schedule Mt....

Heinz Field hadn’t been built the last time Moon made the WPIAL football finals, but the Tigers are headed there now. No. 1 seed Moon used a familiar combination of gritty defense, a physical running game and one long touchdown run to defeat No. 5 Penn Hills, 14-9, in a...

HERSHEY – Two unbeaten combatants, no matter how good, cannot not both escape a state title game undefeated. So though Seneca Valley acquitted itself well in the PIAA Class 4A boys soccer finals Friday night, Conestoga came away still unbeaten and as state champions with a 1-0 decision at Hersheypark...

HERSHEY – Moon has a new trophy, and it may look a touch different from the ones the Tigers earned in the past. With a 2-0 victory over Conestoga on Friday night, Moon won the PIAA Class 4A girls’ soccer championship. The last time the Tigers (20-1-1) won the state...

As sophomore Nick Allen stepped to the ball as Quaker Valley’s fifth shooter in a tiebreaking penalty kick shootout Friday afternoon, he found himself in the middle of a moment he had pictured for years. Allen converted his attempt past Lewisburg goalkeeper Tony Burns to send Quaker Valley players, coaches...