High School category, Page 778
Trib 10: 4 state champs sit atop final power rankings
The 2021 football season is over, and there were a lot of district teams that felt the power this fall. Four WPIAL teams earned not only a district gold medal last month, but added PIAA gold this past week in Hershey. For Mt. Lebanon and Penn-Trafford, it was their first...
High school roundup for Dec. 15, 2021: Penn-Trafford wrestlers win thriller
Adam Hall (189), Owen Ott (215) and Joe Enick (285) recorded consecutive pins in the final three bouts of the night to lead Penn-Trafford to a thrilling 33-30 come-from-behind win over PLum in Class 3A Section 1B wrestling Wednesday night. Andrew Classen (172) had a pin that put Plum (0-1,...
Hempfield wrestling serves notice, outguns Greensburg Salem
Here’s a message to the wrestling teams in the WPIAL: Don’t sleep on Hempfield. Despite graduating three PIAA placewinners, the Spartans return a strong nucleus that will surprise teams. Hempfield opened WPIAL Class 3A Section 2B action Wednesday by rolling over rival Greensburg Salem, 50-10, and retained the Crosstown Cup...
Top A-K Valley swimmers already off to strong starts
Sophie Shao was the hunted last season after bursting onto the high school scene as a freshman and winning WPIAL and PIAA Class AAA gold in the 100-yard butterfly. She answered the bell and turned away all challengers to defend both crowns. Shao, a junior, now is eyeing a WPIAL...
Westmoreland football players make it official on signing day
It’s been quite a few days for Cade Yacamelli. First he and his Penn-Trafford teammates celebrating their first PIAA football title, then came the welcome Saturday by the community, all the congratulations they received from their classmates and teachers Monday and Tuesday and being the guest of honor along with...
Gateway’s Patrick Body looks forward to joining College Football Playoff qualifier Cincinnati
Patrick Body is confident. The Gateway senior feels Cincinnati can pull out a Cotton Bowl victory over No. 1 Alabama in one of the two College Football Playoff semifinals Dec. 31. His rooting interest these days runs deeper than it ever has before. On Wednesday, the three-star defensive back finalized...
A-K Valley football players finalize Division I commitments
Brandon Lawhorn Moore made a verbal commitment to Miami (Ohio) last month, and Wednesday morning, “Beef” made it official with the Redhawks. The 6-foot-5, 290-pound Kiski Area offensive tackle joined Cavaliers senior teammate Brock Wilkins (Pitt) and dozens of others from throughout the WPIAL, including Apollo-Ridge lineman Greg Klingensmith (William...
Early signing day: Notre Dame, Pitt, Kentucky among Power 5 schools to land WPIAL, City League recruits
The excitement of signing day used to be limited to February, but that changed five years ago when the NCAA added an early signing period for Division I football. Now, most of the top recruits sign in mid-December. A number of WPIAL and City League seniors took that opportunity Wednesday,...
High school scores, summaries and schedules for Dec. 14, 2021
High schools WPIAL Basketball Boys Tuesday’s results WPIAL Mike Rettger Tournament (at Franklin Regional) Woodland Hills 50, Penn-Trafford 43 Baldwin 70, Franklin Regional 38 Class 6A Section 1 North Hills 82, Butler 62 North Allegheny 75, Seneca Valley 51 Nonsection Riverview 50, Apollo-Ridge 46 Aquinas Academy 70, Propel Montour 36...
What to watch for in WPIAL sports on Dec. 15, 2021: Wrestling teams hit the mats
Wednesday night is fight night around the WPIAL. No need to sound the alarm. These battles are all officiated on wrestling mats around the district. There are over 30 sub-sectional openers set for Wednesday as the WPIAL team wrestling season begins. One of the two 2021 district champions are set...
Trib HSSN state football rankings for Dec. 14, 2021
The state finals in Hershey were like a familiar holiday carol. There were five winners from the west, four WPIAL state champions, three days of gridiron thrills, two repeat PIAA title holders and one District 4 powerhouse program saving face for the east. The 2021 high school football season concluded...
Seton LaSalle pulls away from Keystone Oaks in border battle
It wasn’t the Hatfields against the McCoys, but there weren’t a lot of warm, fuzzy holiday wishes being spread around either when neighbors Keystone Oaks and Seton LaSalle squared off on Tuesday. The schools, only separated by a leisurely walk across McNeilly Road, played in front of a packed house...
High school roundup for Dec. 14, 2021: Fox Chapel rolls past Shaler
Jake DeMotte scored 20 points and Fox Chapel flexed its muscles with a 69-55 win over Shaler in nonsection boys basketball Tuesday night. The Foxes (2-1) took over the game with a 21-8 run in the second quarter. JP Dockey and Eli Yofan scored 14 points each. Logan Bernesser led...
Depth shows for GCC boys basketball team in win over Ligonier Valley
Developing depth can be just as important as winning, and Greensburg Central Catholic is doing both as it builds toward section play. “We feel pretty comfortable with our starting five, so the big thing for us right now is six though 10,” Centurions boys basketball coach Christian Hyland said. “We’re...
Highlands girls stay busy during undefeated start to season
The Highlands girls basketball team took advantage of the opportunity to get on the court in game action starting last Friday against Fox Chapel at the Freeport Tip-Off Tournament through Tuesday evening’s game against neighboring St. Joseph. The Golden Rams played four games in five days — Sunday was a...
Franklin Regional girls basketball shows promise in strong opening weekend
Franklin Regional girls basketball players are trying to learn a new system under coach Bernie Pucka, and if that means a few extra hours in the gym, so be it. They are committed to the cause after a good start to the season. After playing games last Friday and Saturday,...
Westmoreland girls basketball notebook: Greensburg Salem developing depth
Greensburg Salem knows if it is going to compete with the top girls basketball teams in Section 4-5A, it can’t rely solely on the scoring of senior guard Abby Mankins and her sister, sophomore forward Kaitlyn Mankins. Offense will take the team only so far. There has to be more...
Westmoreland high school notebook: Jeannette prepared to carry on football coaching tradition
Jeannette is ready to hire a football coach. The district will vote on a recommended candidate at a special meeting Monday. Four finalists — all of whom graduated from Jeannette — were chosen, carrying on a traditional trait for recent hires. One of them will replace Roy Hall, who resigned...
Big Seven: Cornell, Rochester lead all-conference team, share top player awards
The Big Seven was competitive this fall, with every team winning at least two conference games. That depth is reflected in the all-conference team. Rochester’s Sal Laure was named both the offensive and defensive player of the year in the Class A conference, but the senior shared each award with...
Eastern: Leechburg, Clairton earn top individual awards on all-conference team
Leechburg quarterback Thomas Burke finished fifth among all WPIAL passers this season, earning the senior Offensive Player of the Year honors in the Eastern Conference. Burke finished with 2,232 passing yards and 18 touchdowns for the Blue Devils, who also had senior Eli Rich named the conference’s top lineman. Both...
Tri-County South: Top rushers Landan Stevenson, Colin Brady lead all-conference selections
Mapletown’s Landan Stevenson and West Greene’s Colin Brady play for small schools but they put up big numbers. The two running backs finished among the Top 10 rushers in the WPIAL this season, earning all-conference honors in the Class A Tri-County South. Stevenson, a junior, rushed for 1,725 yards and...
Allegheny: Steel Valley’s Nijhay Burt leads all-conference team as 2-way standout
Steel Valley’s Nijhay Burt rushed for more than 2,000 yards and scored 35 touchdowns, but Allegheny Conference coaches recognized the senior wasn’t only an offensive star. Burt earned both offensive and defensive player of the year honors in the WPIAL Class 2A conference along with first-team all-conference honors on both...
High school roundup for Dec. 13, 2021: Blackhawk coach earns 300th win
Blackhawk sank 13 3-pointers to earn coach Steve Lodovico his 300th career win in a 66-38 girls basketball nonsection victory over Class A contender Rochester on Monday night. Kassie Potts (18 points), Quinn Borroni (13) and Alena Fusetti (11) finished in double figures for the Cougars (3-0). Corynne Houser scored...
High school scores, summaries and schedules for Dec. 13, 2021
High schools WPIAL Basketball Boys Monday’s results Mike Rettger Tournament (at Franklin Regional) Franklin Regional 53, Penn-Trafford 47 Baldwin 61, Woodland Hills 47 Nonsection Moon 55, Ambridge 28 Burgettstown 65, Bentworth 51 Highlands 61, Imani Christian 55 North Catholic 68, Hickory 44 McKeesport 85, Propel Braddock Hills 32 Armstrong 57,...
Franklin Regional stops Penn-Trafford in OT nail-biter, giving coach his 1st win
Jesse Reed’s first win at Franklin Regional may have aged the young coach some, but he will take it. “I’m 28 going on 48 after that one,” Reed said. The Panthers rallied from a slow start to edge past visiting Penn-Trafford, 53-47, in overtime Monday night in a see-saw first-round...
