High School category, Page 865
Talented Norwin softball squad still figuring out where pieces fit
This installment of the Norwin softball team has coach Brian Mesich scratching his head — and scratching his lineup card often with an eraser. It’s like he know the answers to a crossword puzzle, but they won’t fit in the little squares. “I couldn’t name a starting lineup right now,”...
High school scores, summaries and schedules for March 29, 2021
High schools Baseball Monday’s results WPIAL Class 5A Section 2 Hampton 6, Woodland Hills 1 Mars 14, Fox Chapel 8 Class 4A Section 2 Montour 11, Quaker Valley 3 Central Valley 20, Ambridge 6 Section 3 Belle Vernon 4, Uniontown 2 Elizabeth Forward 7, Greensburg Salem 5 Class 2A Section...
High school roundup for March 29, 2021: Avonworth’s McAleer no-hits Freedom
Sean McAleer threw a five-inning no hitter, striking out eight, to lead Avonworth to a 10-0 nonsection baseball win over Freedom (0-2) on Monday afternoon. Jon Bodnar had two hits and drove in three runs for the Antelopes (1-0). Jonah Summers also had two hits. Belle Vernon 4, Uniontown 2...
What to watch for in WPIAL sports on March 30, 2021: Ranked softball squads meet
In the 2017 WPIAL Class 6A baseball semifinals, North Allegheny defeated Canon-McMillan, 5-3. It marked the second straight year the Big Macs lost in the district semifinals. A year later in May of 2018, Canon-McMillan finally cleared the semifinals hurdle with a win over Central Catholic that set up a...
Trib HSSN Girls Basketball Team of the Week for March 29, 2021: North Allegheny
On the district stage, North Allegheny has been a dominant force since Spencer Stefko took over the girls basketball program in 2016. Since then, the Tigers have been to six straight WPIAL championship games, winning four of them, striking gold in each of the last two seasons. However, that incredible...
Trib HSSN Girls Basketball Player of the Week for March 29, 2021: North Allegheny’s Lizzy Groetsch
North Allegheny used a balanced attack on offense and a suffocating defense all season to win a second straight WPIAL Class 6A girls basketball championship. However, in the two biggest games of the season last week, the Tigers turned to Lizzy Groetsch to lead the way. The senior, averaging 16...
Mt. Pleasant’s multi-sport seniors bring power, athleticism to diamond
Mt. Pleasant’s six-man senior baseball class will likely not be sending anyone to play at the college level. But that doesn’t mean the Vikings will lack talent specific to the sport. In fact, it could be quite the opposite. This group is strong and athletic and plays multiple sports. It’s...
Loaded Mt. Pleasant softball focused on winning titles
Mt. Pleasant softball is not mincing words when it comes to its end game this season. “For these seniors, the goal is championship or bust,” coach Chris Brunson said. “It has to be. These girls were seventh- and eighth-graders when we were winning championships. They want their turn at it.”...
Volleyball coaches association releases WPIAL Week 1 poll
Several WPIAL boys volleyball teams kicked off the 2021 spring season with matches Friday and Saturday. Picking up wins were North Catholic, Hopewell, Mars, Butler, South Fayette, Seton LaSalle and Seneca Valley. Seven nonsection games are on the docket this evening, and section play for Class AAA begins Tuesday. The...
2021 WPIAL Class A baseball preseason breakdown
WPIAL baseball players have been waiting nearly two seasons to get back on the field of play after the coronavirus pandemic forced officials to cancel the entire 2020 campaign. With the 2021 season moving forward, district players are eager to showcase their skills and lead their teams to the postseason....
2021 WPIAL Class A softball preseason breakdown
After a year away from the diamond, softball players from across Western Pennsylvania are itching to get back in the field of play. With the 2021 season moving forward as planned, WPIAL teams will get the chance to do just that. Several perennial powers will look to regain their place...
PIHL standings: Week of March 29, 2021
Here are the latest PIHL standings through Sunday. The PIHL Penguins Cup playoffs are set to start April 5. The Pennsylvania Cup championships are set for April 24. *- clinched a playoff spot x- eliminated from playoff chase Team – Wins – Losses – OT/Shootout Loss = Total Points Class...
High school sports schedules for March 29, 2021
High schools Baseball Monday’s schedule WPIAL Class 5A Section 2 Fox Chapel at Mars, 3:45 p.m. Hampton at Woodland Hills, 5 p.m. Class 4A Section 2 Ambridge at Central Valley, 4 p.m. Montour at Quaker Valley, 4:15 p.m. Section 3 Belle Vernon at Uniontown, 4 p.m. Greensburg Salem at Elizabeth...
TribLive High School Sports Network broadcasts: Week of March 29, 2021
With winter sports champions nearly all crowned, we spring into our spring high school sports coverage this week here on the TribLive High School Sports Network. We have the debuts of WPIAL baseball, softball, girls lacrosse and boys volleyball. We also begin our salute to the WPIAL basketball champions with...
Trib HSSN Boys Basketball Team of the Week for week ending March 28, 2021
During an imperfect time, Our Lady of the Sacred Heart is celebrating a perfect boys basketball season. For only the 14th time in history and the third time this century, a WPIAL boys basketball team won district and state championships while going undefeated. OLSH (24-0) went wire to wire as...
Trib HSSN Boys Basketball Player of the Week for week ending March 28, 2021
Senior Dante Spadafora and junior Jake DiMichele made up one of the higher-scoring and more successful dynamic duos the WPIAL has seen in a long time. As point guard, Spadafora set the table and DiMichele dined and feasted on opposing defenses, averaging more 30 points in what turned out to...
Trib HSSN What to Watch for: Monday, March 29, 2021
Cooler but drier weather is expected Monday as a handful of WPIAL team begins their section schedule early. Twenty-eight district baseball teams are slated to begin section play. Some of the standout games include a clash of Class 4A powers as Quaker Valley hosts Montour. The visiting Spartans are ranked...
Westmoreland notebook: Mt. Pleasant to honor Giallonardo
The Mt. Pleasant baseball team will honor the memory of former teammate Dom Giallonardo by wearing his No. 2 on the side of their new caps. “We let our seniors design our hats each year,” coach Chris Firmstone said. “They wanted to do something to remember Dom.” Giallonardo, who graduated...
With 7 starters back from 2019, Monessen softball poised for success
Count Monessen softball among the teams left wondering what might have been had the covid-19 pandemic not wiped out the 2020 season. The Greyhounds returned more than a handful of starters from a team that finished 6-10 the year before and qualified for the WPIAL Class A playoffs for a...
Patience key for inexperienced Monessen baseball team
Bill Matush took over the Monessen baseball program 18 years ago, not long after the Greyhounds went through a 38-game losing streak, but the veteran coach still likes to keep things fun for his players. One game Matush enjoys playing during practice is called “21” — something he picked up...
Carlynton girls show glimpses of bright future during .500 season
The Carlynton girls basketball team had turned itself around, going from a struggling program a decade ago to one that was a legit championship contender over the last six years. Since 2015, the Cougars won at least 19 games four times, participated in the state playoffs four times and reached...
Run to WPIAL finals helps Chartiers Valley boys carry on winning tradition
Brandon Sensor just completed his third year as boys basketball coach at Chartiers Valley. It is a program built on tradition that hasn’t skipped a beat the last three winters. The Colts are 59-17 in those three years with their district title hopes ending in the WPIAL semifinals in 2019...
Hard-hitting lineup to lead the way for Shaler softball
Tom Sorce cackled at the idea of using a designated player to hit for Shaler pitcher Bethany Rodman. The Shaler coach wants to utilize Rodman in every capacity. “If I did that, they’d run me out of here,” Source said. “She did well this summer. We’ve played two scrimmages, and...
Shaler sophomore’s early season win shows tennis team’s depth
Shaler sophomore Josh Jashinski was happy to be the last player on the tennis court. Dragged into a battle while playing No. 1 singles for the Titans against Plum on March 17, Jashinski needed a little extra support. Jashinski dropped a self-described error-filled second set in a tiebreak and would...
Gateway softball seeing where pieces fit after canceled season
Gateway’s softball team has taken a basic approach to the 2021 season, homing in directly on the game’s fundamentals. “We are working on the basics to be able to make the routine plays in the field and minimize mental mistakes,” coach Scott Lewis said. “We are working on hitting just...
