High School category, Page 791
Full schedule breeds enthusiasm inside Cheswick Christian girls basketball program
After a covid-shortened 2020-21 season in which the Cheswick Christian girls basketball team played only nine games, signs are pointing towards a return to a more normal slate this winter. That’s a welcomed proposition for Chargers coach Jacque Willis and her team. Cheswick Christian returns three starters from last year’s...
Franklin Regional girls basketball team’s young roster to sport new look on defense
Bernie Pucka used to be an assistant football coach at Franklin Regional, but now he is the school’s new girls basketball coach. He may still have some football tendencies as he settles into his new surroundings. “I’m the defensive coordinator and (assistant) Krista Pietropola is the offensive coordinator,” Pucka said....
New coach brings energy boost to Franklin Regional boys basketball
The more time Jesse Reed spends around his Franklin Regional boys basketball team, the more enlivened he gets. “It’s been better than I ever imagined,” Reed said. “I love this.” Reed, a former standout at Greensburg Central Catholic, Saltsburg and The Kiski School who played collegiately at American and professionally...
Penn-Trafford’s unsung heroes to bring lunch pails to WPIAL championship game
When people talk about the 2021 Penn-Trafford football team, the names that are mentioned frequently are Wisconsin recruit Cade Yacamelli, quarterback Carter Green and members of the imposing offensive line. But there is a lot more to the Warriors. Every successful football team has players that go unnoticed to the...
Mix-and-match approach carries Belle Vernon to brink of WPIAL championship
Championship teams usually have it all sorted out by now. They know who is starting on both sides of the ball, where they’ll play and who will be their backups. But Belle Vernon, set to play for a WPIAL football title Saturday afternoon at Heinz Field, still has moving pieces....
While making Westmoreland County finals picks, Birdie sees red on Highway to Heinz
Last week: 2-0 (100 %) Season: 97-37 (72.4%) Whether in packets or by the bottle, the Birdie has a ketchup obsession. An unhealthy Heinz ketchup obsession. Ever since last week when Penn-Trafford and Belle Vernon won semifinal games to advance to the WPIAL finals Saturday at Heinz Field, he has...
2021 Western Pa. high school football schedule, broadcasts for Week 13
Football WPIAL playoffs Championship Class 5A Saturday’s schedule Moon (12-0) vs. Penn-Trafford (10-2) at Heinz Field, 6 p.m. (HSSN, 1020 AM, 107.1 FM, 92.1 FM, 1230 AM, 99.3 FM, 1460 AM) Class 4A Saturday’s schedule Aliquippa (10-1) vs. Belle Vernon (10-0) at Heinz Field, 3 p.m. (HSSN, 1020 AM, 92.1...
High school scores, summaries and schedules for Nov. 23, 2021
High schools Football WPIAL playoffs Championship Class 5A Saturday’s schedule Moon (12-0) vs. Penn-Trafford (10-2) at Heinz Field, 6 p.m. Class 4A Saturday’s schedule Aliquippa (10-1) vs. Belle Vernon (10-0) at Heinz Field, 3 p.m. Class 3A Saturday’s schedule Central Valley (12-0) vs. North Catholic (12-0) at Heinz Field, noon...
High school roundup for Nov. 23, 2021: Chartiers Valley scores comeback win
Greg Kraemer scored two of his three goals in the last eight minutes of regulation and Brady Nairn’s second goal of the game was the overtime winner as Chartiers Valley pulled off a 7-6 comeback win over Norwin in PIHL Class A hockey Tuesday night. Kraemer added three assists and...
Burrell girls basketball program rolls with changes
When Shaun Reddick took over as coach of the Burrell girls basketball team in June, it marked his return to that capacity for the first time since one season at the helm of the Bucs two decades ago. Very familiar with the Burrell girls basketball program in a number of...
Burrell boys basketball team confident in ability, experience
Two years ago, the Burrell boys basketball team won just one game. The Bucs made strides last season in the midst of all of the covid uncertainty, improving to 9-10 overall and 5-6 in Section 1-4A. They suffered a WPIAL first-round loss to Central Valley. Coach Mike Fantuzzo said he...
Trib HSSN state football rankings for Nov. 23, 2021
Usually at this time of year, there is a large shuffling of the deck when it comes to state rankings as the district playoffs wind down and morph into the state playoffs. That is not the case this week in the Trib HSSN weekly state rankings as, outside of Class...
Penn-Trafford hunting elusive WPIAL football title
Penn-Trafford has a storied football program, but its resume is missing a couple of key items: WPIAL and PIAA titles. The Warriors can add those to the trophy case over the next few weeks starting Saturday at Heinz Field when they face Moon in the WPIAL Class 5A championship game....
Westmoreland County high school notebook: Big-school soccer standouts honored
A number of area soccer players were recognized by the Big 5/6 Conference, which follows the top classifications in WPIAL sports. The website’s all-section teams were announced for boys and girls soccer. Girls’ first-team selections for Section 3-4A include senior Paloma Swankler, junior Reagan Casper and freshman Julia Bursick of...
After top scorer, lack of depth presents challenge for Derry girls basketball
When Gene Brisbane took over the girls basketball program three years ago, he inherited a struggling program. Derry qualified for the WPIAL playoffs in 2020, but the team took a step back in 2021. Like every team, covid-19, injuries and other circumstances slowed the progress. As Brisbane begins his third...
Mt. Lebanon’s latest title gives youngest Harvey brother equal bragging rights at Thanksgiving dinner
Thanksgiving means family, food and football in the Harvey household, and as the youngest of eight kids, William Harvey grew up hearing stories from the time his oldest brother won a WPIAL title. This year, when the siblings gather in Mt. Lebanon for dinner and their annual turkey bowl, he...
Derry boys basketball looking to build on strong offseason
High school basketball practice officially began for the 2021-22 season Nov. 19, but the Derry boys basketball team, like all teams across the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, have been holding offseason workouts since the end of the previous season. Derry’s Tom Esposito, who is beginning his 18th season as a head...
High school roundup for Nov. 22, 2021: Knizner’s hat trick fuels Franklin Regional
Matty Knizner scored two of his three goals in the first period to lead Franklin Regional to a 6-2 victory over Shaler in PIHL Class 2A hockey Monday night. Ben Yurko scored the other goal in the first, Chase Williams netted a goal in the second, and RJ Kelly added...
High school scores, summaries and schedules for Nov. 22, 2021
High schools Football WPIAL playoffs Championship Class 5A Saturday’s schedule Moon (12-0) vs. Penn-Trafford (10-2) at Heinz Field, 6 p.m. Class 4A Saturday’s schedule Aliquippa (10-1) vs. Belle Vernon (10-0) at Heinz Field, 3 p.m. Class 3A Saturday’s schedule Central Valley (12-0) vs. North Catholic (12-0) at Heinz Field, noon...
Trib HSSN Football Team of the Week for Nov. 22, 2021
Bob Palko knows a thing to two about winning championships. Coming into Saturday’s WPIAL Class 6A football title game against Central Catholic, Palko had led teams to eight district crowns, one shy of the leader, Bill Cherpak of Thomas Jefferson. So when he didn’t like what he saw from his...
After football season, Belle Vernon boys basketball team has title aspirations too
There is not much Belle Vernon boys basketball coach Joe Salvino has not dealt with on the hardwood in his 38 seasons in coaching. Case in point: starting basketball practice while the Leopard football team is still playing and may be playing for some time. There are a couple of...
Lots of opportunities await for Apollo-Ridge boys basketball team
The Apollo-Ridge boys basketball team was hit hard by graduation, as much of its starting lineup, including four players who played all 16 games and accounted for 819 of the 915 points the team scored last season, moved on. But coach Greg Fox said new opportunities have created competitive early-season...
Belle Vernon girls basketball looks to build on playoff season
The first year of the Kaitlyn Slagus era at Belle Vernon has to be viewed as a success. She inherited a young team, got the Leopards into the WPIAL playoffs and nearly advanced to the second round. The second season could bring even more successes as Slagus implements more of...
Inexperienced Apollo-Ridge girls basketball team eager to ‘prove themselves’
Veteran Apollo-Ridge girls basketball coach Ray Bartha said he is cautiously optimistic about what direction his Vikings team can take this winter. “We’ve been working and practicing pretty hard,” said Bartha, who enters the second year of his second stint as coach. “Some things look pretty good some days, and...
PIAA releases sites, times for state football quarterfinal round
PIAA football playoffs Quarterfinals Class 6A District 1 final: Coatesville at Garnett Valley, 7 p.m. Friday 12-1 St. Joseph’s Prep vs. 11-1 Freedom at Bishop O’Hara, 6 p.m. Friday 6-1 State College at 3-1 Harrisburg, 1 p.m. Saturday 10-1 McDowell at 7-1 Mt. Lebanon, 7 p.m. Friday Class 5A 10-1...
