Michael Love stories, Page 53
A-K Valley softball preview: Realignment freshens local matchups
To Katie Armstrong, it seems like just yesterday the Burrell softball team was making its run in the WPIAL and PIAA playoffs en route to a 14-3 final record. “It was so cool to see what we did because we were so young to start the season with a number...
WPIAL trio claims PIAA Class 2A boys diving medals
A trio from the WPIAL took their places on the medal podium at the conclusion of the PIAA Class 2A boys diving championship meet Thursday afternoon at Bucknell University. WPIAL champion Brecken Finkbeiner, a junior from Blackhawk, led the WPIAL contingent with a fourth-place finish with 219.35 points, 15 points...
Mt. Pleasant’s Lily King breaks state record in 100 freestyle in PIAA Day 2 preliminaries
LEWISBURG — After a strong opening day of the PIAA swimming championships Wednesday, WPIAL Class 2A boys and girls swimmers returned to Bucknell on Thursday morning and carried the momentum into some top preliminary swims in the 100-yard freestyle, 500 free, 100 backstroke, 100 breaststroke and 400 free relay ....
WPIAL swimmers claim 7 state titles on 1st day of PIAA Class 2A swim championships
WPIAL swimmers had a banner day Wednesday to open the PIAA Class 2A championships at Bucknell University’s Kinney Natatorium. The WPIAL came away with seven state titles – two relays and five individuals – and earned numerous other top medal-winning performances. Southmoreland senior Henry Miller went 2 for 2 Wednesday...
Southmoreland’s Henry Miller rocks PIAA competition with pair of gold-medal swims
A perk of being the No. 1 seed for a PIAA swimming finals heat is getting to pick the walk-up music that is played while the eight finalists make their way to the starting blocks. Southmoreland senior Henry Miller had that opportunity twice Wednesday evening as he was the top...
Freeport’s Kira Schrecongost, other A-K Valley swimmers face best, score medals at PIAA meet
Freeport sophomore Kira Schrecongost and South Park junior Katie Jackovic know the power of Bedford junior Leah Shackley. Schrecongost placed third in the girls Class 2A 100-yard butterfly with a time of 56.16 seconds Wednesday at the PIAA swimming championships at Bucknell. Jackovic was second in a time of 55.51....
North Catholic’s Maggie Foley collects 3rd silver medal in PIAA Class 2A girls diving
North Catholic senior Maggie Foley had gold on her mind Wednesday afternoon at the PIAA Class 2A girls diving championships at Bucknell University. She finished runner-up the past two years to Marple Newtown graduate Alexandra Pastris. But the Pitt commit’s rise to the top of the podium was cut off...
WPIAL swimmers earn No. 1 seeds for PIAA Class 2A finals
The WPIAL will be well represented Wednesday afternoon and evening in the championship finals at the PIAA Class 2A swimming championships at Bucknell University. On the girls side, the Mt. Pleasant 200-yard medley relay of sophomore Kiersten O’Connor and seniors SaraJo Gardner, McKenna Mizikar and Reegan Brown (1:48.29); King in...
Armstrong Sports Hall of Fame to welcome 12 new members
The Armstrong Sports Hall of Fame is back. After a three-year hiatus because of the covid pandemic, the hall of fame will host an induction banquet April 30, at Laube Hall at Freeport Community Park. The Class of 2023 is John Bartolovic (football coaching, Ford City), Pamela Hobaugh (basketball, Ford...
Mt. Pleasant swimmers gearing up for medal haul at PIAA championships
Mt. Pleasant sophomore Lily King reigned supreme at the WPIAL swimming championships March 2 and 3 as a strong contingent of Westmoreland County and Alle-Kiski Valley Class 2A and Class 3A competitors made their marks at Pitt’s Trees Pool. Now, they hope to do the same at the PIAA championships...
Gateway swimmers hope to finish season strong at PIAA championships
Members of the Gateway boys and girls swim teams are at Bucknell this week competing at the PIAA Class 3A and 2A championships, and they hope to build on strong individual and relay performances from the WPIAL meet at Pitt two weeks ago. “All of the kids are pumped for...
After tough season, Gateway softball seeks improvement in ’23
When the Gateway softball team faced Thomas Jefferson for the first of two Section 2-5A matchups last year, the Jaguars stung the young Gators, 15-0, in three innings. Three weeks later, Gateway took TJ to the full seven innings in a 9-0 loss. To second-year Gators coach Donny Holl, that...
Early deficit too much for Highlands girls to overcome in 1st PIAA playoff game
The Highlands girls basketball team dug itself an early hole in a PIAA Class 4A first-round playoff game Saturday against District 6 champion Penn Cambria at Mt. Aloysius. The Golden Rams, playing in the program’s first tournament, fought their way back from a 15-point deficit in the second quarter and...
Experienced Riverview baseball team adjusts to Class 2A competition
The Riverview baseball team lost just two starters from last year’s WPIAL playoff qualifier. While catcher Taylor Zellefrow and pitcher/outfielder Vinnie Shook will surely be missed after producing strong varsity careers, veteran coach Bill Gras said the returning starters and others ready to step up and step into new roles...
Plum baseball preparing for promising season with Florida training trip
The Plum baseball team is in Florida this week for some practice time and game play under sunny skies and in temperatures expected to reach the upper 70s. The excursion south, veteran coach Carl Vollmer said, is expected to serve as an extension to an already productive series of workouts...
Riverview unable to field softball team this spring
Faced with roster numbers that would be far fewer than required, Riverview softball will not field a team at the varsity level this spring. Athletic director Corey Thomas said this week that there was an initial sign-up meeting for the spring season, and only four girls were there. A second...
A-K Valley PIAA basketball playoff capsules: Games for March 11, 2023
PIAA basketball playoffs Girls Class 4A First round Highlands (16-9) vs. Penn Cambria (12-12) 3:30 p.m. Saturday at Mt. Aloysius College, Cresson District finish: Highlands 7-4; Penn Cambria 6-1 Winner plays: Winner of Fairview (19-8)/Beaver (15-10) Wednesday in second round (time, site TBD) Players to watch: Kate Myers, Highlands; Abby...
A-K Valley campus clippings: Freeport grad swinging hot bat at Mercyhurst
Ally DeJidas is enjoying a strong start to her softball season with Mercyhurst. The Freeport graduate and Lakers senior pitcher/outfielder led the team in batting with a .528 (19 of 36) average through her team’s first 10 games. She collected four doubles, two home runs and eight RBIs as Mercyhurst...
Three Rivers Unified Bocce regional tournament set for Thursday at Geneva College
Ten high school Unified bocce teams will gather Thursday at Geneva College’s Metheny Fieldhouse for the Three Rivers Region playoffs. Matches begin at 11 a.m. and will feature more than 100 athletes, partners, coaches and volunteers from qualifying schools Bethel Park, South Park, Chartiers Valley, Central Valley, Beaver, Grove City,...
Exchange students from France, Chile savor Highlands girls basketball playoff run
Camille Gigon and Augustina Gutierrez-Collado became fast friends when they met in August and joined the Highlands girls volleyball team. “I had never played (volleyball) before,” Gigon said. “But it was a great experience for me. I got to learn a new sport, and I got to meet a lot...
Kiski Area hockey beats North Hills in PIHL Penguins Cup quarterfinals
The Kiski Area hockey team rallied twice against Avonworth last week to claim a PIHL Penguins Cup Class A first-round victory. The Cavaliers rode that momentum Monday against No. 1 North Hills in a quarterfinal matchup at Robert Morris University’s Island Sports Center. Sophomore Ethan Bombalski scored a go-ahead goal...
Shady Side Academy boys, Allderdice girls claim Pittsburgh Interscholastic Fencing Association team titles
A several-month long series of matches culminated last Friday in the Pittsburgh Interscholastic Fencing Association playoffs at Allderdice High School, and the Allderdice girls and Shady Side Academy boys claimed team championships. The Shady Side Academy girls came into the playoffs as the top seed after finishing the regular season...
PIAA releases preliminary qualifiers for swimming and diving championships
The PIAA released the at-large (time) qualifiers Sunday afternoon for the Class 2A and Class 3A state swimming championships March 15-18, at Bucknell University. The WPIAL is well represented in every boys and girls event and owns numerous top seeds. Only the champion in each event at all of the...
Plum girls value experience in WPIAL basketball playoffs
Plum girls basketball coach Rich Mull said he knew his team had its work cut out for it when it took on No. 1 South Fayette in a WPIAL Class 5A first-round matchup Feb. 21. “South Fayette had a great reputation that precedes them, obviously, and it was a challenge...
Gateway boys turn attention to PIAA basketball playoffs
Kaleb Pryor still feels the sting of the Gateway boys basketball team’s loss to top-seeded Peters Township in the WPIAL Class 5A semifinals Feb. 25. “In a playoff atmosphere like that, in the final four or five minutes of the fourth quarter, it comes down to half-court possessions and playing...
