High School category, Page 8

Each week throughout the high school football season, the Valley News Dispatch will take a look at the players, coaches and events that shaped our scholastic legacy. After falling behind 17-0 in the first quarter, Freeport rallied for a 21-17 victory in the opening round of the 1985 Class 2A...

Jeannette has been spreading the wealth with an all-hands-on-deck approach of late. The Jayhawks only have 22 players, but seven have found the end zone in the last three weeks — in six different ways. Jeannette (8-3), which will face Clairton (10-1) on Friday night in the WPIAL Class A...

When Jeannette lost to Clairton earlier in the season, Jayhawks football coach Tommy Paulone put 20 golf balls in a vase — 16 white, three blue and one yellow. The white represented how many practices the team had left in the season. Blue and yellow were for the remaining games,...

High schools Field hockey PIAA playoffs Class 3A Quarterfinals Saturday’s schedule Villa Maria (21-2) vs. Mechanicsburg (18-4-1) at Exeter Township, 2 p.m.; Avon Grove (22-1) vs. Garnet Valley (17-7) at Perkiomen Valley, 2 p.m.; Penn Manor (20-4-1) vs. Parkland (18-6) at Exeter Township, 4 p.m.; Central Bucs West (18-4-1) vs....

A lot of the district teams ranked in the weekly Trib 10 from last week got a chance to collect candy, hand out treats or even scout future opponents since they were enjoying an opening round bye in the WPIAL playoffs with opening night falling on Halloween. Now the good...

Player of the week Jaden McCray Apollo-Ridge, Sr., RB/WR/DB McCray has been a dual threat in the Vikings’ offense all season, especially in a WPIAL Class 2A first-round win over Riverside last Friday at Owens Field. McCray ran the ball just eight times, but he totaled 63 yards and all...

Jackson Babinsack has been a well-known special teams name among Highlands football faithful since his freshman year in 2023. The Golden Rams junior, the team’s punter and kickoff specialist who also handles extra points and field goals, has delivered the goods in some big games the past three years and...

Last week: 4-3 Season: 93-23 (80.2%) One of the hottest topics of the long, cold football offseason that lies ahead is sure to be WPIAL realignment. “The world needs to know what I think about this topic,” The Birdie said without a hint of sarcasm or self-awareness this week. “The...

For the second time in their century-long histories, No. 8 Freeport and No. 1 Avonworth will face off in the WPIAL Class 3A quarterfinals Friday at Lentzner Field. Freeport is looking to dethrone the defending WPIAL champion Antelopes and secure a spot in the WPIAL semifinals. The Yellowjackets advanced to...

A bye week allowed Penn-Trafford to spend extra time in the film room. “In two weeks, we’ve watched 11 Moon games,” Warriors coach John Ruane said. The Warriors already were familiar with Moon before spending hours learning more about the Tigers in a darkened room. Now, they feel like they...

Last week: 4-1 (80%) Season: 103-28 (79%) It could be a theme for English class: “How I spent my bye week,” by the Birdie. In an effort to simulate what Penn-Trafford and Norwin went through last week, your county high school football consultant didn’t attend a game last week and...

Football WPIAL playoffs Class 6A Semifinals Friday’s schedule Canon-McMillan (4-6) vs. Central Catholic (9-1) at West Mifflin, 7 p.m.; Norwin (7-3) at North Allegheny (7-3), 7 p.m. Class 5A Friday’s schedule Shaler (4-7) at Pine-Richland (9-1), 7 p.m.; Moon (8-3) at Penn-Trafford (9-1), 7 p.m.; Bethel Park (7-4) at Peters...

Player of the week Kymon’e Brown Jeannette, Sr., QB/DB Brown rushed for 123 yards and a touchdown and threw for 138 yards and a TD to Jayce Powell in helping Jeannette defeat Bentworth, 38-24, in a WPIAL Class A playoff game. Brown has completed 80 of 166 passes for 1,494...

When North Allegheny rallied to defeat Norwin, 20-17, in Week 4, the Tigers used five big plays to secure victory. They blocked a punt, got two long touchdown passes, a fourth-quarter interception and a stop by defensive tackle Lincoln Hoke. Those plays prevented Norwin from earning its first win over...

The March to Manchester and the PIAA soccer finals at Northeastern High School got off to a great start for WPIAL teams in both the girls and boys playoffs Tuesday. Girls teams from District 7 were a combined 8-3 in the opening round while the boys were even better with...

The WPIAL sent 11 teams into the opening round of the 2025 PIAA girls volleyball playoffs and, following opening night on Tuesday, eight district teams are moving on to the state elite eight. Here are the matchups, plus sites and times for the girls volleyball quarterfinals set for Saturday. Volleyball...

With many teams on a bye, there was very little movement from last week in this fresh edition of the Trib HSSN Top 5 in the state, with one major exception. The three-year run as PIAA Class 6A champions is over for St. Joseph’s Prep. The district and state power...

High schools Field hockey PIAA playoffs Class 3A First round Tuesday’s results Villa Maria 2, Manheim Township 0 Mechanicsburg 5, Downingtown West 1 Avon Grove 3, Wyoming Valley West 0 Emmaus 5, Garnet Valley 0 Penn Manor 2, Conestoga 0 Parkland 2, Methacton 1 Central Bucs West 6, Landisville Hempfield...

David Zakrocki and Rocco Poli scored as WPIAL champion Fox Chapel began its PIAA playoff run with a 2-1 victory over District 3 fourth-place finisher Central York (15-6-1) in the Class 4A boys soccer first round Tuesday night. The Foxes (17-2) will meet District 1 runner-up Abington in the quarterfinals...

There was no PIAA hangover for the WPIAL champion Freeport girls soccer team. The Yellowjackets fought off an expected strong challenge from District 10 runner-up Fort LeBoeuf on Tuesday evening at Freeport Area Athletic Stadium. Freeport scored twice in the first half and once in the second to complete a...

Coming back down from the high of winning the WPIAL Class 2A championship was a weird feeling for Deer Lakes keeper Wesley Boyle. The Lancers are excited to pursue a state championship, but they understand nothing about moving on in the PIAA playoffs is easy. Peyton Kushon headed in a...

HOLLIDAYSBURG — Fabrizzio Costa continued his hot postseason with a goal off a penalty kick just 1 minute, 9 seconds into Tuesday’s 3-0 win by Franklin Regional over District 6 champion Hollidaysburg in the first round of the PIAA Class 3A boys soccer playoffs at Tiger Stadium. “It was pretty...

Thirteen boys received all-state accolades from the Western Pennsylvania Soccer Coaches Association. The list was announced Tuesday, and players include: • Mark Bence, Shady Side Academy • Thomas Bridges, Franklin Regional • Rocco DiDomenico, Fox Chapel • Owen Eastgate, Seneca Valley • Colin Froelich, Peters Township • Xavier Jackson, Bethel...

The We Serve First Foundation has released the list of senior girls volleyball players who will compete in the fourth annual all-star classic Dec. 6 at Kiski Area High School. The evening of volleyball will highlight the skills of 40 high school seniors from 30 schools in the Alle-Kiski Valley...

High schools Field hockey PIAA playoffs Class 3A First round Tuesday’s schedule Manheim Township (12-8-2) at Villa Maria (20-2), 3 p.m.; Downingtown West at Mechanicsburg (17-4-1), Memorial Park Stadium, 6 p.m.; Avon Grove (21-1) at Wyoming Valley West (9-8), 4 p.m.; Garnet Valley (16-7) at Emmaus (24-1); Penn Manor (19-4-1)...