Chris Harlan stories, Page 24
North Allegheny’s David Posey turns tables, no-hits Mt. Lebanon for WPIAL Class 6A baseball title
David Posey wasn’t the starting pitcher drawing no-hit talk before the WPIAL finals, yet the North Allegheny senior walked off the mound at Wild Things Park with a zero on the scoreboard. All eyes were on Mt. Lebanon ace David Shields, who had no-hit North Allegheny here a year ago,...
2024 WPIAL Class 6A baseball championship preview: Mt. Lebanon vs. North Allegheny
2024 WPIAL Class 6A baseball championship No. 1 Mt. Lebanon (18-4) vs. No. 3 North Allegheny (16-6) 7 p.m. Wednesday at Wild Things Park, Washington On the air: TribLive HSSN How they got here: Mt. Lebanon defeated No. 8 Butler, 5-0, in the quarterfinals and No. 5 Seneca Valley, 11-5,...
Avonworth dethrones Riverside in marathon 14-inning WPIAL Class 3A title game
A 14-inning game in the WPIAL finals is almost unthinkable, but Avonworth catcher Mason Metz thought the outcome might go down as the biggest surprise from Tuesday night’s marathon. That’s because his underdog Antelopes won. “They saw a No. 7 next to our name, said we didn’t play anyone in...
2024 WPIAL Class 4A baseball championship preview: North Catholic vs. Indiana
2024 WPIAL Class 4A baseball championship No. 6 North Catholic (16-4) vs. No. 9 Indiana (13-9) 4 p.m. Wednesday at Wild Things Park, Washington How they got here: North Catholic defeated No. 11 Elizabeth Forward, 8-0, in the first round; No. 3 West Mifflin, 4-0, in the quarterfinals; and No....
Fort Cherry relay team wins PIAA gold after coming close in football, basketball
SHIPPENSBURG — Before the state track championships started, Fort Cherry’s relay team of Dylan Wudkwych, Tegan Henke, Shane Cornali and Matt Sieg got a text from the school’s basketball coach. His message was simple: The third time is the charm. “And we got it done,” Sieg said. The school’s football...
Hampton’s Dale Hall golden again, but in a different event, at PIAA meet
SHIPPENSBURG — Hampton’s Dale Hall won a state title in the 800 meters Saturday at the PIAA track championship, a year after winning gold in the 1,600 meters. Winning two different events shows the senior’s versatility. In fact, Hall wants to next try the 2,000-meter steeplechase next Friday during “Night...
Avonworth/Northgate sprinter Hayzes Robinson joins sisters’ tradition with PIAA gold in 100
SHIPPENSBURG — Winning gold medals at Seth Grove Stadium is somewhat of a tradition for the Robinson sisters, one that Hayzes was more than excited to join Saturday. The Avonworth/Northgate senior earned her first by winning the 100-meter dash at the PIAA Class 2A track championship, joining sisters Hunter and...
Butler’s Drew Griffith breaks PIAA championship record in 3,200, but national mark must wait
SHIPPENSBURG — Drew Griffith won his second PIAA gold medal and broke a state championship record Saturday, but unlike a day earlier, the Butler star didn’t take a run at any national marks. He’ll save that for summer. The senior won his second title in two days at the PIAA...
Freeport’s Michael Braun adds 2nd state medal to his collection
SHIPPENSBURG — After crossing the finish line at Seth Grove Stadium, distance runners are ushered to the infield turf where they can go in a few different directions. Some make their way toward the shade of their team tents, which Freeport’s Michael Braun did a year ago. But this year,...
Cross country champion Jaxon Schoedel of Mohawk adds PIAA title in 3,200 meters
SHIPPENSBURG — Mohawk’s Jaxon Schoedel was stuck in a slow heat for the 1,600 meters a day earlier, but the 3,200 meters had everybody in one big group Saturday. That’s how he likes it. “Yesterday was about racing the clock and today was about racing one of the best distance...
Pine-Richland pole vaulter Nadia Constantakis uses gymnastics skills to place 2nd at states
SHIPPENSBURG — Lifelong gymnast Nadia Constantakis remembers being a newcomer to the Pine-Richland track team, working out with the sprinters and having a revelation. “I wanted something more exciting,” she said Friday, thinking back to her sophomore year. “When I was looking around the track, I saw the pole vaulters...
Fox Chapel’s Rowan Gwin part of dominant showing for WPIAL in 1,600 at PIAA championships
SHIPPENSBURG — Fox Chapel’s Rowan Gwin wasn’t at Seth Grove Stadium last year for the state track championships, but his mind was. “I think I watched the times on my phone and was mad I wasn’t here,” said Gwin, who missed most of last season with a leg injury. “The...
Butler’s Drew Griffith breaks national 1,600-meter record at PIAA track championshipsVideo
SHIPPENSBURG — Butler’s Drew Griffith has won big races all over the country this year, including one a few weeks ago at the iconic Penn Relays, but the Butler star arrived Friday at Seth Grove Stadium having never won there. He fixed that in record time. Griffith broke a national...
Canon-McMillan’s Rose Kuchera looks to end decorated high school career with PIAA gold medal
Canon-McMillan’s Rose Kuchera is traveling this week to the state track championships where the senior needs just one more medal to complete her triple jump collection. She already has silver and bronze. “Sophomore year I got third and last year I got second, so it really would be nice to...
Aliquippa football staying in Class 4A after judge issues preliminary injunction against PIAA
Aliquippa will remain in Class 4A football next season, a Beaver County judge ruled Thursday. The school district won the first battle in its lawsuit against the PIAA when Common Pleas Judge James Ross granted Aliquippa’s request for a preliminary injunction. As a result, the football team for now will...
WPIAL sets championship, consolation schedule for 2024 baseball playoffs
The WPIAL has set its championship and consolation schedule for the baseball playoffs with games May 28-29 in Washington. The finals are played at Wild Things Park and the third-place games are next door at Washington & Jefferson’s Ross Memorial Park. The six-game championship schedule starts with the Class A...
Pinch hitter comes through in extra innings to send North Allegheny past Pine-Richland in WPIAL semifinals
North Allegheny’s Michael Hershberger is a hitter always eager for opportunities, said his coach, who called on the junior in a big spot Tuesday night. In the eighth inning of a tied semifinal, Hershberger delivered a pinch hit two-run single that let North Allegheny complete its late rally and defeat...
Penn-Trafford squeezes past Fox Chapel in another tight game between section rivals
After splitting a pair of one-run games in section play, the WPIAL lined up Fox Chapel and Penn-Trafford for a playoff rubber match that was almost as tight. Penn-Trafford’s Brandon Roher pitched six scoreless innings, and closer Hunter Brown escaped a jam in the seventh to win the matchup that...
WPIAL chooses new board president for 2024-25 school year
The WPIAL board ushered in a new group of officers Monday with Peters Township athletic director Brian Geyer selected to serve as president. Mt. Lebanon athletic director John Grogan was tabbed as vice president and Brentwood principal Jason Olexa will serve as treasurer. Hempfield’s Tom Evans remains secretary. Geyer was...
North Allegheny to induct decorated class into school’s Athletics Hall of Fame
Former WPIAL track standout Ayden Owens-Delerme, a qualifier for this summer’s Olympic Games, was among 13 individuals selected for induction into the North Allegheny Athletics Hall of Fame. The school’s athletic department announced the 2024 class May 16. Also selected for induction were athletes Caroline Wrigley (golf), Abby McKiernan Tevis...
Beaver County judge to decide if Aliquippa football moves to Class 5A or stays in 4A
After three days of testimony in a Beaver County courtroom, attorneys for Aliquippa and the PIAA used their closing arguments to paint a contentious competitive-balance rule in drastically different ways. Aliquippa attorney Tina Miller said the PIAA Competition Formula was “irrational and unconstitutional,” while requesting a preliminary injunction to keep...
Distance-running power couple shatters records at WPIAL championships
There’s probably not much that makes Butler’s Drew Griffith too nervous at a track meet nowadays, but watching Mt. Lebanon’s Logan St. John Kletter run could be on that list. “Honestly, I probably get more nervous for her than me,” he said with a laugh. Kletter says the same about...
After rain halts WPIAL meet, Butler’s Drew Griffith doesn’t mind waiting to make more history
Butler’s Drew Griffith ran the 1,600 meters in record time at the WPIAL track and field championships and then waited around for hours as it rained off and on. He’s one of the fastest seniors in the country, but wasn’t too bothered by the slow down. “We just hung out,”...
PIAA sets 2025-28 state championship sites for basketball, wrestling, swimming
Giant Center in Hershey will continue to host the state basketball and individual wrestling championships for the next four years, and swimming and diving is staying at Bucknell. The PIAA on Wednesday approved those venues as championship sites for 2025-28. However, no site was selected for team wrestling or competitive...
No. 12 Shenango credits strength of its section after upset win over No. 5 Valley
Shenango was the underdog on paper as a fourth-place finisher from one section facing the champion of another. But the Wildcats didn’t play like underdogs. Led by junior Joe Campoli, who had an RBI double and scored twice, No. 12 seed Shenango upset No. 5 Valley, 5-3, Tuesday night in...
