High School category, Page 810
Latrobe QB Bobby Fetter displays leadership, perspective for Wildcats
When Bobby Fetter learned he might not be able to play football again after he separated his left shoulder for a third time and needed surgery, the Latrobe senior gained a measure of perspective. He didn’t ask for pity, and he didn’t pout. Instead, he used his consternation to help...
2021 WPIAL golf season primer
High school golf season at a glance Boys Class 3A • Defending champion: Franklin Regional won its first WPIAL title and sent two players to the PIAA tournament, also a program first. The Panthers are not exactly facing a rebuild: They return seniors Zach Abdallah and Jeff Anderchak, both high-30s...
2021 HSSN football position-by-position breakdown: Scouting the wide receivers
TribLive HSSN will break down the top players at one position per day until Week Zero. Here’s a look at the top wide receivers for the 2021 season. 1. Robert Dickerson North Hills Senior, 6-0, 185 Nobody can accuse Dickerson of being one dimensional. The two-sport star did a little...
Shaler out to end losing streak with new offense
Luke Cignetti and the Shaler football team are ready to show everyone their offense may have a little more zip this season. The junior running back is excited for the Titans to demonstrate their new wrinkles. “We seem to be clicking and firing on all cylinders,” Cignetti said. “As long...
After offseason upheaval, Pine-Richland has something to prove
Pine-Richland is a defending WPIAL and PIAA champion, but the Rams aren’t focused on last year. At this point, that undefeated season seems long ago. “Even though we won a state championship, I feel we have a chip on our shoulder,” senior Jeremiah Hasley said. “There’s a lot of doubt...
Penn Hills ready to tackle front-loaded schedule
Luke Pugliese doesn’t anticipate having to wait until the Penn Hills football team opens Class 5A Northeast Conference play in early October to find out what kind of team the Indians have. The Penn Hills senior offensive lineman sees the challenges lurking from day one. Penn Hills will have scrimmages...
New dual-threat QB brings excitement to North Hills
North Hills is talented and experienced on defense this season, and a little bit Green at quarterback. But that’s just fine. Speedy junior John Green will take over under center, giving the Indians a dynamic dual-threat quarterback as they try to return to the WPIAL Class 5A playoffs following a...
With more preparation, Kiski Area expects strong start to season
Matt Hilty is hoping this season at Kiski Area can start and remain normal after a 2020 fall that was anything but. The senior two-way starter and second-team Class 5A Northeast Conference all-star at linebacker was part of a Cavaliers team that had to make do without much preseason preparation...
Fox Chapel looks to ride deeper roster into postseason
After a brief interlude as a playoff contender last season following a two-game winning streak, Fox Chapel fell back and missed a WPIAL playoff spot. But with a number of returning players and the expansion of the playoff field back to the pre-pandemic four teams from each conference, the Foxes...
Greensburg Central Catholic girls golf team looks to continue its dominance
There hasn’t been a more consistent Class AA girls golf team in the WPIAL or state than Greensburg Central Catholic. The Centurions have won six consecutive WPIAL titles and have finished first or second in the PIAA for six consecutive seasons, winning in 2018 and ’19. North East, from District...
10 WPIAL players make All-American games watch list
The 2021 High School All-American soccer games will be played Dec. 11 in Orlando, Fla. The WPIAL might have quite a showing on a national stage. Ten senior players from the district are on the All-American games watch list, which came out Wednesday, including eight girls. Selections will be announced...
Despite defection of teammates, Jeannette’s Justin Shank determined to give his all
Justin Shank often asks himself, “Why me?” Fresh off a WPIAL Class A championship and PIAA runner-up finish as a two-way lineman, the Jeannette senior watched helplessly as teammate after teammate transferred to other schools. “I felt betrayed,” Shank said. “We had all talked about winning another championship with everyone...
Freeport sophomore Colton Otterman set to take off after breakout freshman season
Colton Otterman is not the biggest dog in the fight. But the Freeport sophomore wide receiver and outside linebacker wants to make sure opponents experience his bite. After a breakout freshman season in which he had 33 tackles and a team-leading six sacks, the 5-foot-10, 162- pounder is ready to...
2021 HSSN football position-by-position breakdown: Scouting the running backs
Starting this week, TribLive HSSN will break down the top players at one position per day until Week Zero. Here’s a look at the top running backs for the 2021 season. 1. Landon Alexander Central Valley Senior, 6-0, 180 A former youth football star on the TV show “Friday Night...
New faces tasked with carrying on Penn-Trafford tradition
Rebuilding is a word that isn’t used around the Penn-Trafford football program. They just retool or restock. There is always a group of players ready to step in and take their turn. Some coaches use the team “tradition never graduates,” and what John Ruane has built at Penn-Trafford is a...
After close calls, Latrobe searching for signature winVideo
Latrobe has made things interesting late in the season the past two years, hanging around teams it wasn’t supposed to get in the ring with and nearly pulling stunners. Last year, the Wildcats took Upper St. Clair for a wild ride, finally coming up short in a highlight-filled 52-44 shootout....
New era dawns at Franklin Regional
It’s a fresh start for the Franklin Regional football team. New is the popular word around the program. Lance Getsy replaced legendary coach Greg Botta, who retired after 27 years. Getsy brought in seven new assistant coaches. A new defensive scheme is being implemented, and there are numerous new players...
Gateway gladly wears bull’s-eye in WPIAL Class 5A
On paper, Gateway certainly has the look of a WPIAL contender. The Gators added one of Pennsylvania’s top young quarterbacks in Brad Birch, return a Division I talent at wide receiver and safety in Patrick Body and carry a roster dotted with talent. But the team returns only four or...
Woodland Hills looks to build on bounce-back season
Sustaining the momentum Woodland Hills started to build last season isn’t something senior Deontae Williams takes lightly. The Wolverines went 5-3 and returned to the WPIAL Class 5A playoffs after a one-year absence, losing to eventual finalist Peters Township in the first round. “We started lifting in January and February...
No-nonsense lineman helps launch Hempfield into new era
If you like no-nonsense, hand-in-the-dirt linemen with impeccable smarts and a mean streak, Dan Sierk is your guy. The brawny senior from Hempfield will move from tight end to offensive tackle this season and will be a problem for opponents from his defensive end post. You might have a hard...
New receiving corps hoping to catch fire for Fox Chapel
Lorenzo Jenkins was Fox Chapel’s leading receiver over the past two years. But Jenkins — selected to Trib HSSN’s preseason all-star team — has moved on to Blackhawk for his senior season. And Fox Chapel has moved on to different air-attack personnel. While Jenkins accounted for 31 of Fox Chapel’s...
High school notebook: Derry football coaches bridging the age gap
Football teams are learning how to read gaps at camp this week so they can open running lanes this season. At Derry, coaches are learning what a generation gap feels like. Derry second-year coach Vince Skillings is 62 years old. Take the combined age of three of his assistants, and...
Moon plans to follow championship formula
When Moon won a conference championship two seasons ago, its formula for success was controlling the line of scrimmage, running the ball effectively and winning the time-of-possession battle. Tigers coach Ryan Linn sees all of the pieces being in place to execute that plan once again. Moon returns four starters...
Blue-chip QB boosts West Allegheny’s hopes
As September became October last season, West Allegheny was 3-1 and in good shape to earn one of eight Class 5A football playoff spots. However, the Indians lost their final three games and missed the postseason for a second straight year. West A coach Dave Schoppe wasn’t pleased with the...
Like rivals, Upper St. Clair turns to new nucleus
Upper St. Clair’s conference was among the WPIAL’s deepest in recent years with senior-heavy rosters full of experience becoming the norm in the South Hills. This year, that’s not always the case. “Our league is turning over big time,” said USC coach Mike Junko, who returns only five full-time starters....
