High School category, Page 751
Ian Syam scores 6 TDs in 1st half as Avonworth runs over Mt. Pleasant
Ian Syam had himself a Friday night, running for the length of nearly 21⁄2 football fields while playing in just half of a WPIAL playoff game. He touched the ball only nine times and was tackled on just three occasions. The Avonworth senior running back electrified the home crowd, rushing...
Fake punt call sparks Elizabeth Forward past Freeport, into WPIAL 3A semifinals
With Elizabeth Forward facing a 4th-and-7 with 3 minutes, 15 seconds remaining in the first half Friday night, coach Mike Collodi made a call in the hopes of his team some much-needed momentum. Mission accomplished. Charlie Nigut ran for an 18-yard gain on a fake punt and, three plays later,...
Rochester football team pulls away for win over Springdale
Rochester and Springdale were knotted at seven at halftime of Friday’s WPIAL Class A quarterfinal at Freedom’s Jimbo Covert Field. But the Rams grabbed the lead early in the third and added a pair of scores in the fourth to finalize a 27-7 victory. “Springdale is a good football team....
Cornell sends Leechburg home from WPIAL quarterfinals
After winning just one game a year ago, Cornell has won two playoff games in one season for the first time to celebrate the school’s 50th anniversary season. The Raiders moved to the Class A semifinals with a 46-18 victory over Leechburg at North Allegheny’s Newman Stadium. Cornell (9-2) will...
Thomas Jefferson returns to WPIAL semifinals with dominant win over HamptonVideo
Hampton’s offense had posted extraordinary rushing numbers all season, but Thomas Jefferson knows a little about running the football, too. The Jaguars proved it Friday night. Thomas Jefferson rushed for more than 300 yards, quarterback Joe Lekse scored five times and the Jaguars defeated host Hampton, 42-14, in a run-heavy...
Penn-Trafford makes short work of upset-minded Fox Chapel
It didn’t take long for the Penn-Trafford football team to let upset-minded Fox Chapel know what was in store: a long Friday night in Harrison City. The second-seeded Warriors scored less than two minutes into the game, scored on all five of their possessions in the first half and rolled...
Plum girls soccer not satisfied as they head into state quarterfinals
The Plum girls soccer team is in uncharted territory, but at the same time, it has set its course for a familiar destination. For the first time in program history, the Mustangs will play a PIAA quarterfinal game. Plum faces District 3 champion Mechanicsburg at 1 p.m. Saturday. “It is...
A-K Valley PIAA soccer quarterfinal capsule for Nov. 13, 2021
PIAA Girls Soccer Class 3A Quarterfinals Plum (20-2-1) vs. Mechanicsburg (18-3-2) 1 p.m. Saturday at Hollidaysburg High School, Hollidaysburg Winner plays: Winner of 7-1 Mars (17-0-1)/7-3 Montour (16-7) on Tuesday in semifinals (Site and time TBD) Notes: Plum punched its ticket to the quarterfinals with a 3-1 victory over District...
Westmoreland County PIAA soccer quarterfinal capsules for Nov. 13, 2021
Boys Class 3A 7-3 Franklin Regional (17-4) vs. 7-1 Hampton (20-1) Noon at Newman Stadium, North Allegheny, McCandless Winner plays: Winner of 12-2 Archbishop Ryan (8-5-1)/7-2 West Allegheny (22-1) in semifinals Tuesday (time, site TBD) Corner kicks: Freshman Joey Bayne netted a pair of goals, including the winner with 8...
Finding keepers not a problem for Franklin Regional, GCC soccer teams
Goalkeepers for the three local teams remaining in the PIAA soccer postseason have been through a revolving door lately. Settling on one netminder has not been an easy task for coaches of the Franklin Regional and Greensburg Central Catholic boys, while the Greensburg Central Catholic girls had to make a...
High school roundup for Nov. 11, 2021: Fox Chapel tops Kiski in OT to stay undefeated
Liam Wiseman scored the winning goal in overtime to lead Fox Chapel to a 3-2 win over Kiski in PIHL Class A hockey Thursday night. Nick Miles scored the tying goal late in regulation for Kiski (3-2-1), which also got a goal from Ethan George. Danny Downey had a goal...
High school scores, summaries and schedule for Nov. 11, 2021
High schools Field hockey PIAA playoffs Class 3A Quarterfinals Saturday’s schedule Conestoga vs. Cumberland Valley at Exeter Township, noon; Methacton vs. Emmaus at Exeter Township, 10:30 a.m.; Lower Dauphin vs. Downingtown West at Exeter Township, 1:30 p.m.; Wilson vs. Central York at Manheim Township, noon Class 2A Quarterfinals Saturday’s schedule...
Hampton hopes to make noise vs. defending WPIAL champ Thomas Jefferson
The sound of a train horn punctuates Hampton home games, thanks to an ardent Talbots fan at a nearby home. It’s one of the WPIAL’s loudest touchdown traditions. “I didn’t know about it my first year and it scared the hell out of me,” said coach Jacque DeMatteo, who’s in...
Westmoreland County soccer notebook: All-WPIAL honors handed out
Several Westmoreland area players were named to the All-WPIAL boys soccer lists, compiled by the Western Pennsylvania Soccer Coaches Association. Norwin seniors Caleb Yuricha and Riley Zimmerman were selected in Class 4A, and Franklin Regional senior Anthony DiFalco and juniors Colton Hudson and Jake Kimmich made the 3A list, along...
WPIAL football playoff preview: An in-depth look at all 22 games
The simple math tells the story. Twenty-nine WPIAL football teams saw their dreams of a championship end on opening night. Twenty-nine others advanced to join 15 teams that enjoyed a bye week, leaving 44 teams still alive for district gold. The postseason continues Friday with two games on the Road...
Westmoreland football notebook: Quietly, Belle Vernon defense plays fast, hits hard, rarely budges
So much has been made of Belle Vernon’s offense, and rightly so. It is electric. People pay to see it. But the top-seeded Leopards can play some defense, too. Almost quietly, the defensive unit has shown up for the biggest games, continually giving senior Devin Whitlock, sophomore Quinton Martin and...
Trib HSSN football players to watch for 2021 Week 11
Here are four WPIAL high school football players to watch in Week 11: Quentin Goode Aliquippa, So., QB Goode is among the leading passes in the WPIAL this season, throwing for 1,352 yards and 13 touchdowns for the No. 2-seeded Quips. He threw for 224 yards and two scores in...
Fresh looks for PIAA soccer quarterfinalists Franklin Regional, Greensburg Central Catholic
Joey Bayne figured prominently into the Franklin Regional attack, only not this soon and not this much. He is, after all, a freshman whose best days appeared to lie ahead. But the wide-eyed striker is making a significant impact now, and on a large stage. Bayne scored both goals Tuesday...
Through the Years: Arnold capped best season in 40 years in 1961
Each week throughout the high school football season, the Valley News Dispatch will take a look back at the games, players and events that are part of local scholastic history. Arnold finished with what, at the time, was its best season in 40 years with a 9-1 record by virtue...
An educational course might help Chick’s Picks improve high school football prognosticating
Welcome to Week 11. Much like Chick’s Picks’ 9-5 job, prognosticating also requires her to keep up on the latest industry trends through a number of continuing education courses each year. With the end of the year quickly approaching, Chick’s Picks has been frantically seeking a few more courses in...
High school scores, summaries and schedules for Nov. 10, 2021
High schools Field hockey PIAA playoffs Class 3A Quarterfinals Saturday’s schedule Conestoga vs. Cumberland Valley at Exeter Township, noon; Methacton vs. Emmaus at Exeter Township, 10:30 a.m.; Lower Dauphin vs. Downingtown West at Exeter Township, 1:30 p.m.; Wilson vs. Central York at Manheim Township, noon Class 2A Quarterfinals Saturday’s schedule...
Pitt wrestling program adds 5 WPIAL standouts on signing day
The early signing period turned out to be a bonanza for the Pitt wrestling program. The Panthers received letters of intent, according to the wrestlers, from five WPIAL standouts Wednesday. Pitt coach Keith Gavin cannot comment on any recruits until the school makes an announcement after receiving confirmation from the...
Discipline key for top-seeded Belle Vernon when New Castle comes to town
Defensive discipline played a big role in Belle Vernon’s 46-14 win over McKeesport to win the Big 8 Conference title two weeks ago. As the Leopards prepare to open the playoffs with a WPIAL quarterfinal Friday, discipline still will be key. Only this time, it’s going to be the Leopards’...
Trib 10: Back to work for ranked teams in Week 11
The Trib 10 power rankings last week resembled the 1930s movie classic, All Quiet on the Western (Pa) Front. Only three of the 10 ranked teams were in action in Week 10 with Hampton, Sto-Rox and Steel Valley prevailing. The other seven teams enjoyed byes for the final time this...
Springdale aims for revenge against No. 5 Rochester in WPIAL quarterfinals
Springdale and Rochester are no strangers to each other, even though the Dynamos and Rams have played only four times in their respective histories. All four matchups were playoff games, and the teams clashed just last year in the quarterfinals of the WPIAL Class A tournament. Rochester topped Springdale, 34-17,...
