High School category, Page 76
Shaler upends Franklin Regional in PK shootout to earn long-awaited playoff win
Bill Ament stood facing his players on the sideline and flashed a wide grin. “We’re practicing tomorrow, you know?” the Shaler girls soccer coach said firmly. With that, he offered a nod and a wink while hoping for a favorable response. Indeed, his Titans players made no effort to hide...
Mt. Pleasant boys show ‘blond ambition,’ edge Elizabeth Forward in WPIAL 1st round
With players’ and coaches’ hair dyed blond, Mt. Pleasant pushed on in its quest for soccer gold. “That’s what we do at playoff time,” said Vikings coach Floyd Snyder, referring to a hair-coloring tradition that began years ago in the program. The fifth-seeded Vikings kept their heads Monday night to...
Deer Lakes boys embrace pressure, roll past Central Valley in WPIAL 1st round
Deer Lakes senior forward Peyton Kushon doesn’t shy away from the environment created by the WPIAL Class 2A playoffs. The pressure in do-or-die moments doesn’t feel suffocating. For Kushon, it’s more comforting. Sixth-seeded Deer Lakes, behind two goals from Kushon, marched on with a 5-1 win over No. 11 Central...
Plum girls take care of business in WPIAL 1st round with shutout of Chartiers Valley
For the seventh year in a row, the Plum girls soccer team opened the WPIAL Class 3A playoffs with a Monday evening home game. The Mustangs were undefeated in the first six matchups, outscoring their opponents 33-3. The winning continued under the lights at Mustangs Stadium, this time against a...
WPIAL golfers in the running for PIAA titles after 1st round
Several golfers from the WPIAL put themselves in outstanding positions Monday to make a run at PIAA individual golf titles at Penn State University. Among those players were returning champions Carson Kittsley of Fox Chapel in Class 3A boys and Mya Morgan of Elizabeth Forward in Class 3A girls. Kittsley,...
Burrell girls volleyball takes measured approach into WPIAL playoffs
For the first time in program history, the Burrell girls volleyball team will enter the WPIAL playoffs as a section champion. But head coach Kourtney Lehman said the Bucs players, who outlasted Southmoreland in four games on the road Thursday to clinch the outright Section 5-2A title, quickly turned the...
Westmoreland County soccer playoff preview capsules for Oct. 21, 2025
WPIAL soccer playoffs Boys Class 4A First round 11-Woodland Hills (7-7) at 6-Norwin (10-5-3) 8 p.m. Tuesday, Norwin Knights Stadium, North Huntingdon Winner plays: At 3-Plum (14-2-2) Saturday in quarterfinals Players to watch: Andrew Bingham, Woodland Hills; Ryan Schoemer, Norwin Throw-ins: Woodland Hills returns to the WPIAL playoffs for the...
A-K Valley soccer playoff preview capsules for Oct. 21, 2025
WPIAL soccer playoffs Girls Class A First round 13 Chartiers-Houston (8-5-2) at 5-Springdale (10-1-1) 6 p.m. Tuesday at Springdale High School Winner plays: Winner of 12-Riverview (8-5) vs. 5-Riverside (8-3-1) Saturday in quarterfinals (site/time TBD) Throw-ins: Springdale is seeking back-to-back WPIAL titles. The Dynamos captured the third WPIAL crown in...
Pine-Richland, Peters Township, Shady Side Academy earn top seeds for WPIAL field hockey playoffs
The WPIAL field hockey committee on Monday released the brackets for the Class 3A, Class 2A and Class A playoffs. Pine-Richland (Class 3A), Peters Township (Class 2A) and Shady Side Academy (Class A) are the No. 1 seeds. Pine-Richland will host No. 4 Norwin in one Class 3A semifinal at...
Where Penn State’s recruits stand a week after James Franklin’s firing
Penn State has 21 high school seniors who remain committed in its Class of 2026 after coach James Franklin was fired Oct. 12. Though, many members of that group are “exploring other options” and visiting alternate suitors in the Power 4 conferences. Fort Cherry safety Matt Sieg and Imani Christian...
High school sports schedules for Oct. 20, 2025
High schools Hockey PIHL Monday’s schedule Class 3A Central Catholic vs Franklin Regional at Palmer Imaging Arena, 7:10 p.m. Class 2A Hempfield vs Norwin at Palmer Imaging Arena, 9:10 p.m. Class A Westmont Hilltop vs Avonworth at Baierl Ice Complex, 7 p.m. Blackhawk vs Moon at RMU Island Sports Center,...
What to watch for in WPIAL sports for Oct. 20, 2025: Rematches highlight 4A girls soccer 1st round
The opening round of the 2025 WPIAL soccer playoffs continues Monday with first round matches in three brackets, including girls Class 4A. There are only four first round matches slated in the opening round as the top four seeds; No. 1 Peters Township (14-2-2), No. 2 Seneca Valley (10-3-2), No....
This week on Trib HSSN for week of Oct. 20, 2025
The “Stretch Run” of the high school football season concludes while the district postseason begins in four other WPIAL fall sports this week on the TribLive High School Sports Network. Trib HSSN has video and audio coverage of Week 9 of this high school football season, with nearly 30 WPIAL,...
Trib HSSN football player of the week for Oct. 19, 2025Video
Trib HSSN football player of the week – Tyler Eber School – Thomas Jefferson Class – Junior Height/weight – 5-foot-11, 183 pounds Position – Running back, linebacker #Earned – If there is anyone who could have used a soak over the weekend, it was Thomas Jefferson bell cow running back...
Westmoreland H.S. notebook: Several contenders prepare for state golf tournament
There have only been three PIAA boys golf champions from Westmoreland County in the 87-year history of the state championships. The PIAA finals are set for Oct. 20 at Penn State, and the county will be well represented as several players eye the title. Latrobe senior Jack Sacriponte, senior Max...
Westmoreland County soccer playoff preview capsules for Oct. 20, 2025
WPIAL soccer playoffs Boys Class 2A First round 12-Elizabeth Forward (11-7) at 5-Mt. Pleasant (14-4) 6:30 p.m. Monday, Viking Stadium, Mt. Pleasant Winner plays: Winner of 13-McGuffey (12-6)/4-Avonworth (15-2-1) on Thursday in quarterfinals Players to watch: Aiden Davis, Elizabeth Forward; Tyke Snyder, Mt. Pleasant Throw-ins: Elizabeth Forward is the third-place...
A-K Valley soccer playoff preview capsules for Oct. 20, 2025
WPIAL soccer playoffs Boys Class 2A First round 11-Central Valley (12-5) at 6-Deer Lakes (14-3-1) 6:30 p.m. Monday, Lancer Stadium, West Deer Winner plays: Winner of 3-North Catholic (15-2-1)/14-Yough (13-5) on Thursday in quarterfinals (time/site TBD) Players to watch: Owen Shearer, Central Valley; Cuyler Crim, Deer Lakes Throw-ins: Central Valley...
2025 WPIAL playoff picture, clinchings through Week 8
One week remains in the 2025 WPIAL football regular season with plenty of district postseason berths and conference crowns still up for grabs. This is the second year of the new look WPIAL football playoffs where wild card teams have expanded and are no longer figured out by the mathematical...
Strong goaltending helps Quaker Valley hockey get off to solid start
Quaker Valley’s Ian Lorang faced 50 shots in his team’s first two PIHL games this season. The senior goalkeeper didn’t let even one slip past him while playing the full 102 minutes against the Bulldogs and Spartans. The Quakers blanked Meadville, 4-0, and Montour, 5-0, in the first week of...
Shaler inducts latest class into Athletic Hall of Fame
Shaler Area School District welcomed the 2025 class into its Athletic Hall of Fame during a ceremony Oct. 4. Julia Bernesser (volleyball, track and field), Bri Dobson (softball), former superintendent Don Lee, and Tim Giel (wrestling) and the 2005 softball team were honored with a reception and induction ceremony. The...
Excitement for WPIAL title defense builds for section champ Quaker Valley
They almost make it look too easy at times. Oh yes, they work as tediously on the practice pitch, if not moreso, as any WPIAL team. And as the defending WPIAL Class 2A champions, they are talent-driven with three seniors, seven juniors, 12 sophomores plus a small but strong freshman...
‘Never satisfied’ Quaker Valley boys build late-season momentum
Sensational, simply sensational. The answer to the question, “Who has strung together a 15-game unbeaten streak prior to the postseason?” is Quaker Valley’s boys soccer team. After two early season blips on their radar, the Quakers did not lose a game in September (9-0-1) and October (5-0) in ringing up...
Penn-Trafford profile: Senior hockey player Ben Zierski
Q: Do you play another sport? A: Yes, I play golf but not on a team. Q: What is your best round and where? A: I shot a 39 at Manor Valley. Q: How old were you when you started playing hockey? A: I was 4. I did not like...
Penn-Trafford notebook: Ben Grabowski keys win over rival Franklin Regional
Junior Ben Grabowski rushed for 172 yards on just four carries and scored three touchdowns to lead the Warriors to a 48-14 victory against Franklin Regional in a WPIAL Class 5A Big East Conference battle on Oct. 10. Quarterbacks Nate Desmond and Cody Yacamelli each tossed touchdown passes. Landyn Stikkel...
Shaler moves in right direction with win over nemesis North Hills
The North Hills game has never been an easy night for the Shaler football team. The Indians inflicted plenty of pain on the Titans over the past 13 seasons. Shaler senior wide receiver Jonathan Saban insisted that meant they had a different approach at practice leading up to their Northeast...
