High School category, Page 822
Westmoreland County boys soccer notes: Belle Vernon scorer sets another record
First he took down the career record for goals. Now, Daniel Sassak has the all-time points mark, too. The senior forward continued his assault on the program record book at Belle Vernon by breaking Markello Apodiakos’ career mark for points (212) when he notched a goal and an assist in...
The Birdie ready to rock, roll and pick some Westmoreland County winners
Last week: 8-4 (66.7%) Season: 59-26 (69/4%) His ears still ringing from his first Rolling Stones concert he attended last week at Heinz Field — stage-side; he knew a guy — the Birdie has been strutting around the office like Mick Jagger. He can’t believe how entertaining the band is...
Westmoreland County don’t miss high school football matchups for 2021 Week 7
Class 6A 2-Central Catholic (5-2, 3-1) at Hempfield (2-5, 0-4) 7 p.m. Friday, Spartan Stadium, Hempfield Central Catholic lost a game and its No. 1 ranking last week when it fell to Mt. Lebanon, 35-14, in a game that carried over into Saturday morning because of lightning delays. Gannon Carothers...
Conference crown hangs in the balance when Mt. Pleasant, Elizabeth Forward collide
The last time the Mt. Pleasant football team won a conference title was 2013. The Vikings have put themselves in a position to claim the school’s 10th conference championship since the merger of Mt. Pleasant Hurst and Mt. Pleasant Ramsay in 1963 on Friday when they travel to Elizabeth Forward...
Westmoreland County football players to watch in 2021 Week 7
Jamar Bethea Monessen, so., DE Since moving to defensive end against Charleroi in Week 2, Bethea has recorded seven quarterback sacks. He also has a receiving touchdown and a rushing touchdown. Danny Dlugos Greensburg Central Catholic, sr., RB/LB The senior has rushed for a team-high 323 yards and scored three...
2021 Western Pa. high school football schedule, broadcasts for Week 7
Thursday District 8 City League Brashear at Allderdice, 7 p.m. Friday WPIAL Class 6A Central Catholic at Hempfield, 7 p.m. Mt. Lebanon at Norwin, 7 p.m. North Allegheny at Canon-McMillan, 7 p.m. (HSSN, 1450 AM) Seneca Valley at Baldwin, 7 p.m. Class 5A Allegheny 6 Peters Township at Bethel Park,...
A-K Valley don’t miss high school football matchups for 2021 Week 7
Class 5A Northeast Kiski Area (5-2, 0-2) at Shaler (2-5, 0-2) 7 p.m. Friday, Lou Rettig Stadium, Shaler Township Kiski Area will attempt to bounce back from a pair of losses after an 5-0 start. The Cavaliers came up short last Friday in a 35-21 setback to Fox Chapel. Cavaliers...
Wait for it, wait for it … OK, it’s time for The Birdie to make his A-K Valley picks
Last week: 5-6 (45.5%) Overall: 49-24 (67.1%) Sitting through a lightning delay last Friday night, many around The Birdie were getting fidgety. But not our fine feathered prognosticator. “There’s never enough time to fully explore the concession stand menu during a regular Friday night game,” Birdie said. “This one was...
Freeport aims to clinch WPIAL playoff berth against rival Burrell
Freeport’s locker room motto is “Tradition Never Graduates.” And the Yellowjackets are maintaining that tradition as Freeport is one victory away from securing its 31st WPIAL playoff berth, the Alle-Kiski Valley’s best. The Yellowjackets (3-3, 2-0) are in second place in the Allegheny 7 Conference as they prepare to visit...
A-K Valley football players to watch in 2021 Week 7
Angelo Cicco Apollo-Ridge, Sr., RB/WR/DB/KR The Vikings varsity veteran does a little bit of everything for his team. He has 176 combined rushing and receiving yards through six games, and has made 20 tackles on defense. A primary kickoff returner, Cicco has brought back 17 for 306 yards, an average...
Highlands boys basketball coach Stoczynski resigns after 9 seasons
Tyler Stoczynski won 131 games in nine seasons, including 108 over the past six years, as the Highlands boys basketball coach. That run came to an end Tuesday evening when he informed the team and the Highlands administration that he would be stepping down from the position. Stoczynski, who helped...
2021 WPIAL team golf championships preview
WPIAL team golf championships 10 a.m. Thursday, Cedarbrook Golf Course, Rostraver (Gold Course, boys; Red Course, girls) Boys breakdown Class 3A Teams: Central Catholic, Fox Chapel, Mars, Mt. Lebanon, Peters Township, Seneca Valley. Players to watch: Blake Bertolo, Jr., Mars; Aidan Burchianti, Jr., Central Catholic; Zach Dyke, Sr., Mt. Lebanon;...
Westmoreland County girls athlete of the week: Penn-Trafford’s Malia Kearns
Malia Kearns School: Penn-Trafford Sport: Soccer Class: Senior Claim to fame: Kearns, a Robert Morris commit, recorded two goals and three assists to lead Penn-Trafford (5-7, 4-5) to a 7-1 win over Hempfield in Section 3-4A action Oct. 4. Three days later, Kearns had a goal and an assist for...
Freshmen bring spark to Greensburg Central Catholic girls tennis program
Denise Cefola-Guzik remembers the good old days of Greensburg Central Catholic girls tennis and hopes the 2021 season will return a once-proud program to prominence. The Centurions finished second to Valley in Section 1-2A with a 6-1 record, making the Class 2A team playoffs for the first time since 2018....
Led by junior class, Derry golf program reaching new heights
Over the last year, Hunter Jurica’s golf game has taken off. The proof? A 13-stroke improvement from last year’s WPIAL Class 2A individual championships to this season, and a trip to the PIAA championships for the first time in the junior’s career. “I wouldn’t say that I’m happy, but I...
A-K Valley girls athlete of the week: Kiski Area’s Eliza Miller
Eliza Miller Class: Sophomore School: Kiski Area Sport: Cross Country Report card: Miller set a Division I, Section 4 meet record with a time of 18 minutes, 57 seconds en route to winning at Northmoreland Park last Wednesday. Her performance helped the Kiski Area girls to a third-place finish in...
Burrell hockey team features deeper roster for 1st-year head coach
When Burrell hockey president Dave Burkett approached Luke Kopchak this summer about becoming the next coach of the Bucs, it didn’t take long for him to decide to jump on the opportunity. Kopchak had coached many of the players on the roster in amateur hockey and was an assistant for...
Apollo-Ridge continues to fight despite shorthanded roster
After the Apollo-Ridge footall team made its first WPIAL semifinal appearance last season, a number of quality players graduated, and the Vikings had key positions to fill. It has been as hard to keep the players on the field as it was to find the replacements. Apollo-Ridge’s season has been...
High school scores, summaries and schedules for Oct. 12, 2021
High schools Field hockey Tuesday’s results Class 3A Hempfield 10, Allderdice 0 Class 2A Latrobe at Oakland Catholic, (n) Penn-Trafford 2, Fox Chapel 0 Class A Ellis School at Winchester Thurston, (n) Wednesday’s schedule Class 3A Norwin at Peters Township, 7:45 p.m. Pine-Richland at Mt. Lebanon, 7:45 p.m. Class A...
High school roundup for Oct. 12, 2021: Latrobe girls soccer wins 1st section title since ’92
Robin Reilly, Regan Reilly and Ella Bulava scored to lead Latrobe to a 3-0 victory over Hempfield (0-14, 0-9) in Section 3-4A girls soccer Tuesday, giving the Wildcats their first division title since 1992. Becca Reed and Morgan Reilly recorded assists and Sofia DeCerb and Corinne Brunette combined on the...
Kentucky coach John Calipari visits Imani Christian to see 6-10 freshman phenom
Imani Christian is a small school in East Hills, yet Saints basketball coach Khayree Wilson welcomed one of college basketball’s biggest names Tuesday. Kentucky coach John Calipari was there to see Alier Maluk, a 6-foot-10 freshman who already has offers from Pitt, LSU, Seton Hall and Texas A&M. The 15-year-old...
WPIAL Clinched for Oct. 12, 2021: Girls volleyball
There are still two weeks left in the WPIAL girls volleyball regular season, but several teams have already clinched a spot in the upcoming district playoffs. The top four teams in each section qualify for the district playoffs. All teams tied for a playoff spot in which head-to-head does not...
WPIAL Clinched for Oct. 12, 2021: Girls soccer
Section play in the 2021 girls soccer regular season section play has less than one week left. The top four teams in each section qualify for the district playoffs. All teams tied for a playoff spot in which head-to-head does not break the tie qualify for the postseason. Trib HSSN’s...
What to watch for in WPIAL sports on Oct. 13, 2021: Final boys soccer playoff spots on the line
Fourteen of the 16-team playoff field is set in Class 3A WPIAL boys soccer with the final two postseason berths possibly decided by two matches Wednesday. In Section 1-3A, Knoch (5-6-1) visits Indiana (6-7) with fourth place and a playoff spot at stake. The winner of the match clinches a...
Plum girls soccer team gears up with playoffs right around corner
The Plum girls soccer team has displayed its usual dominance through the regular season, and the two-time WPIAL Class 3A finalists have their sights set on another strong postseason run. But before the Mustangs, 14-1 overall after Tuesday’s 10-0 victory over Section 3 playoff contender and rival Penn Hills, can...
