Joe Sager stories, Page 2

Blackhawk was thinking sweep, but Central Valley had other ideas. The Warriors snapped the Cougars’ nine-game winning streak Thursday with a 58-50 win. It halted Blackhawk’s home winning streak at 21 games, too. The Cougars’ last loss on John Miller Court came nearly three years ago in a 57-54 setback...

The Quaker Valley and Sewickley Academy girls basketball teams can breathe a small sigh of relief. Both programs secured WPIAL playoff berths with plenty of time to spare. Last season, the Quakers’ postseason hopes came down to their Section 2-4A finale against Ambridge. They pulled out a 45-43 victory to...

Central Valley is right back in the Section 2-4A championship race. Christiane Frye made sure of that. The senior guard tallied a game-high 26 points Thursday night to lead the Warriors to a 58-50 win at Blackhawk in a key Section 2-4A showdown. The victory tied Central Valley (15-2 overall,...

Lincoln Park’s boys basketball team has chased consistency all season. The Leopards (16-2) know they’ll have to find it before the WPIAL Class 3A playoffs approach. “We’ve had some ups and downs like every team has. We’ve been playing some great basketball one week and, the next week, we play...

In most situations, a four-goal deficit would be worrisome. That was not the case for Team Blue on Sunday in the PIHL Class AAA All-Star Game. The squad rallied from a 4-0 deficit to beat Team Gold, 11-8, at RMU Island Sports Center. “This was definitely more fun than a...

It took Team Blue a while to find some offensive chemistry in Sunday’s PIHL Class AA All-Star Game. Once it did, the squad racked up four goals in the third period to post a 7-5 win over Team Gold at the RMU Island Sports Center. “It was special to get...

Last year, Quaker Valley’s wrestling team learned how to win a championship when it captured the Section 2 title. This winter, the Quakers figured out what it took to stay on top as they defended their Section 2 team crown. “It was such a nice feeling,” Quaker Valley sophomore Patrick...

Most hockey teams are fortunate to have one all-star goaltender. Latrobe could make a case it has two. Senior Greg Irons and sophomore Vinny Amatucci have split time for the unbeaten Wildcats (12-0), who sit atop the PIHL Class AA standings. “Both are playing very well,” Latrobe coach Josh Werner...

Quaker Valley’s hockey team continues to climb the PIHL Class AA standings. With a handful of games left in the regular season, the Quakers (7-4-0-2) were atop the Northwest Division with 16 points. Josh Bemis, Max Quinn and Colin Rice have played key parts in the team’s surge. The trio...

Norwin sports one of the PIHL Class A’s top lines. Seniors Jake Dally, Mason Pivarnik and Logan Connelly have proven to be a force. The trio has produced 87 points this season. Dally (30 points), Pivarnik (30) and Connelly (27) rank among the PIHL’s scoring leaders. “We’ve clicked the last...

Most people don’t want to return from vacation. Hempfield’s hockey team has the opposite mentality. The Spartans can’t wait to get back to PIHL Class AA play Jan. 13 against Meadville. When the puck drops for that contest, it will be the team’s first game since a 9-1 win over...

Latrobe entered the holiday break 11-0 in PIHL Class AA. But once the Wildcats return to league play Jan. 16, they figure they’re back to 0-0. “I am happy for the boys. They have been working hard. But we know that record means nothing,” Latrobe coach Josh Werner said. “We...

A year ago, Greensburg Salem’s hockey team had to battle not only opponents but low player numbers, as well. That’s not the case this season. The Golden Lions have received an infusion of youth to boost the roster. “We have a lot of young talent, and that really helps with...

Norwin’s hockey team is confident it can put the puck in the net. After all, the Knights offense ranked second in PIHL Class A with 60 goals through nine games. Norwin’s 29 goals against put it in the middle of the pack, but the team wants improvement. “We have the...

Quaker Valley’s wrestling team has improved incrementally in its first three years. The Quakers hope to take their biggest step this season. After winning a section title last season and finishing fourth in the WPIAL Class AA team tournament,Quaker Valley wants to contend for a WPIAL title and reach the...

Last season, Sewickley Academy’s girls basketball team reached the PIAA Class A quarterfinals. The Panthers want to top that. This group has two years to achieve it as well. With no seniors on its roster, Sewickley Academy is thrilled to keep its squad together for this season and next. “We’re...

The maturation process sped up for Quaker Valley’s girls basketball team toward the end of last season. The young Quakers, who did not have a senior on their roster, used a strong surge to qualify for the WPIAL Class 4A playoffs. They made it to the WPIAL quarterfinals and earned...

Shoring up the defense was one of the Franklin Regional hockey team’s goals early in the season. So far, so good for the Panthers. They’ve been able to rank among the PIHL Class AA’s stingiest defenses through their first seven games. “We’re really pushing defense now. That’s the name of...

Latrobe’s girls basketball team expects a year to make a big difference for its roster. Other than three seniors, the Wildcats were loaded with sophomores and freshmen last year. That inexperience hurt a little as the team finished out of the WPIAL Class 5A playoffs with a 12-9 overall record...

Latrobe’s boys basketball team begins the season more than 800 points in the hole. The graduation of seniors Bryce Butler and Reed Fenton left quite a void in the Wildcats’ lineup and on the scoreboard. Butler averaged 22.4 points per game, while Fenton was right behind at 19.1. “I don’t...

It’s not often that conference rivals meet for a chance to play in the WPIAL championship game. That’s the case Friday, though, as Big East Conference foes Gateway and McKeesport clash at Offutt Field in Greensburg in a Class 5A semifinal. It’s not like either team has to dig deep...

With an experienced and balanced roster, Latrobe entered the season as one of the favorites to win a PIHL Penguins Cup Class AA championship. The Wildcats have reinforced that belief with a 5-0 start to the year. “We have a big group of seniors this year, and they are hungry...

Emily Clark is fine not being one of Team Canada’s top offensive threats. She had no problem putting the puck in the net Sunday, though, as her hat trick lifted the Canadians to a 5-3 win over Team USA at UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex in Cranberry. “It feels a little...

It was called an “exhibition” but Friday night’s game between Team USA and Team Canada was anything but friendly. The women’s hockey teams brought the intensity of a regular international showdown. Team Canada emerged with a 4-1 win at UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex in Cranberry. “I think we did everything...

Greensburg Central Catholic is responsible for the only blemish on the Freedom girls soccer team’s record this year. The Centurions hope to make it 2 for 2 Saturday at noon when they meet the Bulldogs at Peters Township in a PIAA Class A quarterfinal. GCC beat Freedom, 4-3 in overtime,...