High School category, Page 932
Westmoreland H.S. notebook: Caddying leads to Penn State scholarship for Norwin’s Marissa Boyer
Marissa Boyer envisioned a different path to college, one that even involved a different sport. The Norwin senior thought soccer would be her ticket to the next level, but carrying a golf bag at a country club, well, that works, too. Boyer, a caddie at Pittsburgh Field Club in Fox...
4 WPIAL players withdraw from Big 33 Football Classic
Four WPIAL football players picked for the Big 33 Football Classic won’t take part because of college obligations, organizers for the high school all-star game announced. Peters Township teammates Donovan McMillon and Corban Hondru were both replaced on Pennsylvania’s roster, along with Elizabeth Forward’s Chase Whatton and Canon-McMillan’s Connor McMahon....
North Allegheny captures 13th straight WPIAL girls swimming championship
For some it is an unlucky number, but for the North Allegheny girls swimmers, the number 13 was special at Upper St. Clair High School on Sunday as the Tigers captured their 13th straight WPIAL team championship. After building a large lead by sweeping the top three spots the Class...
Westmoreland basketball playoff capsules: Games for Monday, March 8, 2021
Here’s a look at Monday’s WPIAL basketball playoff games involving Westmoreland County teams: Boys Class 4A Quarterfinals 8-South Park (9-5) at 1-Belle Vernon (12-1) 6 p.m. Monday Coaches: Jason Dolak, South Park; Joe Salvino, Belle Vernon Winner plays: Winner of 5-North Catholic (16-4) at 4-Quaker Valley (13-4), 6 p.m. Thursday...
A-K Valley basketball playoff capsules: Games for Monday, March 8, 2021
Here’s a look at Monday’s WPIAL basketball playoff games involving A-K Valley teams: Boys Class 4A Quarterfinals 10-Deer Lakes (10-3) at 2-Lincoln Park (15-5) 6 p.m. Monday Coaches: Terence Parham, Deer Lakes; Mike Bariski, Lincoln Park Winner plays: Winner of 6-Central Valley (11-5) at 3-Montour (13-7), 6 p.m. Thursday About...
Senior comfortable in starring role for Baldwin boys basketball
Joey Starzynski has been on center stage in the Baldwin basketball program for the past two years. He’s been the “star” of the show on most nights, none moreso than Feb. 24 when he scored a career-high 30 points in a 68-53 nonsection win over Albert Gallatin. A 6-foot-3 senior...
South Fayette wrestling program takes lessons from difficult season
The South Fayette wrestling program recently completed the 2020-2021 season without a berth in the WPIAL Class AAA team tournament and with only one wrestler advancing to the individual sectionals. “I would say we somewhat underachieved, not based on the win-loss record in the section, but based on the performances...
Thomas Jefferson quarterback-receiver combo set for one last game together
Thomas Jefferson’s Jake Pugh and Ian Hansen proved to be a near-unstoppable aerial combination last fall. Pugh, a 5-foot-10, 170-pound senior quarterback, connected with senior wideout Hansen (5-8, 170) 42 times for 785 yards and seven touchdowns. And they aren’t finished making an impact on the football field just yet....
Balance of hockey power in South Hills shifts to Thomas Jefferson, Baldwin
One corner of the South Hills has become prime property for high school hockey aficionados. Baldwin and Thomas Jefferson, located about 6 miles apart, have monopolized the action in the PIHL Class AA ranks since the start of the 2019-20 season. The teams were a combined 23-1-0-1 at the end...
Gordon, McEnroe lead the way for Sewickley Academy hockey
The Sewickley Academy hockey team is leading the PIHL Class A Northwest Division with a record of 4-1 and an overall mark of 5-9, and the play of junior Jack Gordon and sophomore Matt McEnroe has been a major reason for the success. With 30 goals and 12 assists, Gordon...
Freshman Jack Kazalas carving his own path within Quaker Valley wrestling program
From 2016-19, John Rocco Kazalas put his stamp on the Quaker Valley wrestling program. He earned two section championships, three third-place finishes at the regional tournament, and found a place on the PIAA podium twice. He also won the first WPIAL title in program history as a senior. Now, his...
Penn-Trafford notebook: Warriors fall in girls basketball playoffs
Offensive woes late in the season ended the Penn-Trafford girls basketball team’s promising season. The Warriors dropped their WPIAL Class 6A first-round playoff game, 46-43, to Baldwin. Baldwin senior Meghan Dryburgh scored 18 points and grabbed 20 rebounds to lead the ninth-seeded Highlanders The Highlanders (9-7) paired Dryburgh’s play with...
Gateway boys build confidence after WPIAL playoff victory
Gateway boys basketball coach Alvis Rogers appreciated the spirited atmosphere that an increased number of fans, including student sections, brought to the Gators’ WPIAL Class 5A first-round game against Albert Gallatin last Wednesday at the Furrie Sports Complex. Two days earlier, the Gov. Tom Wolf administration raised gathering limits on...
Up-and-down season provides ‘learning experiences’ for Gateway girls
The Gateway girls basketball team hoped for good things from their WPIAL Class 5A preliminary-round game March 1 at Mars. Despite a spirited effort, which included a rally from a double-digit deficit, the Planets pulled away for a 47-33 victory that ended the Gators’ season at 7-11. “We started off...
Shaler hockey shifts focus to development after missing playoffs
Cory Sakolsky knew a 19-day break was going to make things difficult for the Shaler hockey team. The Titans’ chances of making the PIHL Class AA playoffs were slim even if they had a chance to play out the regular season as previously planned. Shaler dropped a 6-1 decision to...
Shaler bowler a quick study, earns trip to regionals
Sydney Lang enjoyed having an opportunity to ease into being a member of the Shaler varsity bowling team. Watching and learning and learning from a deep Titans team that qualified for states last season gave Lang, whose primary sport is softball, time to learn. That eagerness to learn hasn’t faded...
Carlynton bowling revels in successful season
Daniel Kuhn just completed his fourth season as Carlynton boys and girls bowling coach. Color him very pleased with how the season played out for both of his Cougars teams this season. “When you expect great things, they tend to happen,” Kuhn said. “Greatness, both physically bowling and the emotional...
Defense carries Penn-Trafford boys to 1st playoff win in 20 years
When Doug Kelly was hired as the boys basketball coach at Penn-Trafford, one thing he and his staff focused on was team defense. It was a big reason why the team won its first playoff game in 20 years. The Warriors defeated North Hills, 63-50, in a WPIAL Class 6A...
Franklin Regional notebook: Dibert, Solomon have state title aspirations
Franklin Regional senior Carter Dibert captured his second Class AAA WPIAL/PIAA Southwest Regional title on Feb. 27, but the Arizona State recruit wants another PIAA title. Junior Finn Solomon was denied his WPIAL title, but he too wants the bigger prize. Dibert used an escape, takedown and a three-point near...
Franklin Regional team manager Ben Kimmich is ‘life of the team’Video
Ben Kimmich smiles as the basketball comes to him in the Franklin Regional lay-up line. He takes the ball, dribbles a couple of times, hop-steps and banks in a two-handed shot that he shoves into the air with a grunt, before jogging back to the end of the line. Varsity...
Fox Chapel freshman makes mark at WPIAL championships
Whether it was a sprint or a more measured pace, Zachary Zornan-Ferguson was able to shine in his WPIAL swimming championship debut Sunday at Upper St. Clair High School. The Fox Chapel freshman recorded a pair of second-place finishes in opposite events: the 50-yard freestyle and 500 free. He first...
High school scores, summaries and schedule for March 6, 2021
High schools Basketball Boys City League Saturday’s result Brashear 50, Obama Academy 38 WPIAL playoffs Class 6A Semifinals Tuesday’s schedule Upper St. Clair (17-1) vs. Butler (12-8), 6 p.m.; Pine-Richland (12-5) at Fox Chapel (18-2), 6 p.m. Class 5A Quarterfinals Saturday’s results Chartiers Valley 53, Gateway 47 Laurel Highlands 48,...
Hampton boys win school’s first WPIAL team swimming title in 22 years
Everyone knew what to expect from Belle Vernon senior Ian Shahan coming into the WPIAL Class AA swimming championships Saturday. After all, he had previously won five gold medals in his high school career. But the fact that Hampton won the team title, something the Talbots hadn’t done since the...
Belle Vernon’s Shahan claims 2 more WPIAL individual championshipsVideo
Ian Shahan found himself in seventh heaven at Saturday’s WPIAL Class AA swimming championships at Upper St. Clair High School. The Belle Vernon senior and Army commit captured his sixth and seventh individual titles: the 50-yard freestyle and 100 butterfly. He joined Southmoreland sophomore Henry Miller (100 breaststroke) and the...
Mt. Pleasant’s Pitzer pins his way to Class AA West Super Regional title
Over the past three weeks, Mt. Pleasant 215-pounder Dayton Pitzer has been dominating, and that continued Saturday at the PIAA Class AA West Super Regional tournament. Pitzer extended his pin streak to 13 in contested matches by pinning all three of his opponents at IUP’s Kovalchick Convention and Athletic Complex...
