Michael Love stories, Page 43

Gateway sophomore Hunter Raymer is the defending WPIAL Class 3A champion in the boys 500-yard freestyle. He raced to the top in a time of 4 minutes, 35.83 seconds last year at Pitt’s Trees Pool. Raymer edged fellow first-year WPIAL competitor, Central Catholic’s Luke Hartman, for the title by two...

Riverview boys basketball coach Phil McGivney hoped to be involved in on-court playoff activities instead of recalling what could’ve been from the regular season. The Raiders set themselves up for a run to the WPIAL postseason, but some tough outcomes down the stretch foiled their plans for the playoffs. “I...

The Plum girls swim team will be taking one of its largest groups to the WPIAL Class 3A championships at Pitt’s Trees Pool. Nine swimmers — seven individuals and two others who will swim only relays — hope to make a splash Thursday and Friday. “From a coaching standpoint, this...

Alexa Washington felt a tinge of emotion rise to the surface last week when talking about the inevitable conclusion of her high school basketball career levied against the excitement of her Oakland Catholic team’s opportunities in the WPIAL playoffs. “I know it’s coming, but right now, all I am thinking...

Sophomore Jake Burgos scored a big victory in the Allderdice boys fencing team’s 5-4 victory over rival Fox Chapel on Feb. 10 at Allderdice High School. The defending Pittsburgh Interscholastic Fencing Association champion Dragons clinched a spot in the league playoffs with that win and a victory later in the...

The Elizabeth Forward girls basketball team averaged 60.5 points during the regular season en route to a Section 3 title, 17 victories and the No. 3 seed for the WPIAL Class 4A playoffs. But No. 6 Highlands limited the potent Warriors offense throughout Friday’s quarter­final matchup at Gateway’s Furrie Sports...

The road to the Golden Gloves state and national finals begins Saturday with a loaded card at Gloria’s Gym in the Monroeville Mall. Both eliminations and championships will be a part of the 14-bout card and will feature Golden Gloves veterans and others new to the amateur tournament. Eleven of...

The third time was the charm for the Highlands boys basketball team. After a pair of losses to rival Hampton in section play, the Golden Rams had payback on their plate Thursday in a WPIAL Class 4A quarterfinal game at a packed North Allegheny High School. Three Highlands players led...

WPIAL Girls Basketball Playoffs Class 4A Quarterfinals 6-Highlands (15-7) vs. 3-Elizabeth Forward (17-5) 6 p.m. Friday at Gateway High School, Monroeville Winner plays: Winner of 7-Beaver Area (14-8) at 2-North Catholic (19-3) on Tuesday in semifinals (site/time TBD) Players to Watch: Kalleigh Nerone, Highlands; Julia Resnik, Elizabeth Forward Layup lines:...

Dennis Jones watched St. Joseph girls basketball’s first-round playoff victory over Geibel on the team’s Hudl account. Monday’s triumph propelled the Spartans into the WPIAL Class A quarterfinals Thursday at Monessen. Jones, in his fifth year as St. Joseph’s coach, said he is grateful to be able to follow the...

WPIAL basketball playoffs Boys Class 4A Quarterfinals 4-Hampton (21-2) vs. 5-Highlands (20-3) 8 p.m. Thursday at North Allegheny High School, McCandless Winner plays: Winner of 1-Lincoln Park (22-1)/8-South Allegheny (19-4) in semifinals Monday (site, time TBD) Players to watch: Robert Coll, Hampton; Cam Reigard, Highlands Layup lines: These Section 1...

Ben Fiore is coming home. The 2015 Kiski Area graduate and former Cavaliers soccer player is the new boys coach at his alma mater. Fiore was hired Monday by the Kiski Area School Board to take over for Sean Arnold, who stepped down after the 2022 season, concluding nine years...

Senior-laden Oakland Catholic didn’t waste any time in taking control of its WPIAL girls basketball Class 5A first-round game against Kiski Area on Tuesday at Fox Chapel. The second-seeded Eagles, with four senior starters, opened a double-digit lead just five minutes into the game and rolled from there. Senior Alexa...

Junior Julie Spinelli hit a 3-pointer for St. Joseph just 14 seconds into Monday’s WPIAL Class A first-round girls basketball game with Geibel Catholic at St. Joseph’s Walter Dlubak Athletic Center. It was the start of a dominant performance by the fifth-seeded Spartans who rolled to a 64-26 victory over...

Girls WPIAL Basketball Playoffs Class 5A First Round 16-Plum (13-10) at 1-South Fayette (20-2) Tuesday, 8 p.m. at South Fayette High School, Bridgeville Winner plays: Winner of 9-Shaler (16-6) at 8-Penn-Trafford (15-7) on Friday in quarterfinals (site/time TBD) Players to watch: Pascale Olczak, Plum; Maddie Weber, South Fayette Layup lines:...

The Fox Chapel boys fencing team scored two wins during Friday’s Pittsburgh Interscholastic Fencing Association matches at Allderdice High School, and the Foxes moved into a second-place tie with Peters Township and Shady Side Academy. Fox Chapel (5-2) beat North Allegheny, 6-3, and Winchester Thurston, 7-2. Aquinas Academy (3-4) was...

The WPIAL boys and girls basketball playoffs are in full swing, but officials with the Cager Classic have been planning ahead for when the postseason concludes. The 26th all-star games will be March 25 at Highlands High School, and the East and West rosters for the boys and girls contests...

WPIAL basketball playoffs Boys Class 4A First round 12-Elizabeth Forward (8-13) at 5-Highlands (19-3) 7 p.m. Monday, Highlands High School, Natrona Heights Winner plays: Winner of 13-Blackhawk (11-11)/4-Hampton (20-2) on Thursday in quarterfinals (time, site TBD) Players to watch: Andrew Cook, Elizabeth Forward; Bradyn Foster, Highlands Layup lines: Elizabeth Forward...

Shelly Jones and Sarah Corrie shared the bright lights of the WPIAL throwing stage several times as track and field teammates at Gateway. The duo capped their high school careers with PIAA-qualifying performances at the 2019 WPIAL Class AAA championships at Baldwin High School. Jones took third in the shot...

The youthful Gateway boys bowling team collected 2,561 pins through three games and finished 15th out of 24 teams at the WPIBL boys team championship tournament Feb. 15, at Sims Lanes in Beaver Falls. Junior Alex Keeling-Oliver led the Gators with games of 165, 210 and 168 to finish with...

The Mohawk girls basketball team had a long ride home from Apollo-Ridge after a WPIAL Class 3A first-round game Saturday afternoon. But the nearly 90-minute trip back to the New Castle area was a joyous one. Three players landed in double figures as the No. 11-seeded Warriors came away with...

WPIAL basketball playoffs Girls Class 3A First round 11-Mohawk (14-8) at 6-Apollo-Ridge (19-3) Noon Saturday at Apollo-Ridge High School, Spring Church Winner plays: Winner of 14-Charleroi (11-9) at 3-Neshannock (16-6) in quarterfinals Wednesday (site and time TBD) Players to watch: Erynne Capalbo, Mohawk; Brinley Toland, Apollo-Ridge Layup lines: Mohawk is...

Before the Plum girls basketball team could focus on No. 1, it had to make sure it took care of business against No. 17. The 16th-seeded Mustangs got double-figure scoring performances from juniors Megan Marston and Pascale Olczak as they punched their ticket to a first-round matchup against top seed...

Ava Nitowski scored 14 points and added 11 rebounds Jan. 4 as the Highlands girls basketball team topped rival Freeport by 11. The double-double was a memorable performance and a strong start to the new year for the 6-foot senior first-year starter, who helped the Golden Rams win 14 games...

WPIAL basketball playoffs Boys Class 4A Preliminary round 17-West Mifflin (9-12) at 16-Knoch (8-14) 7 p.m. Thursday at Knoch High School, Saxonburg Winner plays: 1-Lincoln Park (21-1), 7 p.m. Monday at Lincoln Park Players to watch: Jordan Lucas-Johnson, West Mifflin; Teegan Finucan, Knoch Layup lines: West Mifflin tied for fourth...