High School category, Page 168
With 8 returning WPIAL qualifiers, North Allegheny wrestlers set sights high
In the bowels of North Allegheny High School a few days before Thanksgiving, the NA wrestlers ran end-of-practice wind sprints to the loud encouragement of coaches and classic rock. The Tigers plan to make even more noise this season. “I don’t see any issues with their work ethic, and that’s...
High school sports scores, schedules for Dec. 6, 2024
High schools Basketball Boys Friday’s results Aquinas Academy tournament Aquinas Academy 84, Cheswick Christian 53 South Park 80, Propel Montour 50 Baldwin/Peters Township tournament Baldwin 74, Shaler 50 Peters Township 69, Altoona 42 Brentwood tournament Brentwood 57, Freedom 45 Carrick 81, Geibel Catholic 59 Brownsville tournament Our Lady of the...
Bethel Park tops Seton LaSalle in back-and-forth contest
Early December high school basketball doesn’t usually offer many intriguing storylines as teams search for an identity while trying to put one in the win column. However, a good storyline wasn’t difficult to find Friday in the first game of the Upper St. Clair boys basketball tip-off tournament. Two playoff...
Central Catholic ready for championship-caliber challenge vs. St. Joseph’s Prep
On this side of the state, St. Joseph’s Prep probably finds few fans. The Philadelphia Catholic League power is a lightning rod for critics who say the eight-time PIAA champion has won titles with players who crossed state lines to get there. But don’t expect to hear any such gripes...
High school roundup for Dec. 6, 2024: Peters Township wins girls basketball showdown with Upper St. Clair
Natalie Wetzel scored 20 points to lead Peters Township to a 63-44 victory over Upper St. Clair in a battle of WPIAL girls basketball powers at the Baldwin/Peters Township tournament on Friday. Bri Morreale added 18 points and Taylor McCullough had 14 for Peters Township (2-0), the preseason No. 1...
Greensburg Central Catholic holds on to beat Franklin Regional
One coach was concerned with how his team started. The other, with how his finished. It’s very early, but critiques now are going to be harsher than they might be later in the season. Greensburg Central Catholic built double-digit leads at halftime and at the start of the fourth quarter...
Fox Chapel boys team picks up steam in win vs. Plum
After a shaky first half, Fox Chapel immediately came out of the halftime locker room and set the tone for the second half as the Foxes defeated Plum, 52-37, in the Chartiers Valley Tournament on Friday night. The Foxes (2-0) were led by senior Caden Kaiser, who scored the first...
PIAA Class 6A football championship preview: Central Catholic vs. St. Joseph’s Prep
On a weekend that featured six schools making their PIAA championship game debut, the final contest of the weekend includes two schools that have been there, done it several times over. In fact, St. Joseph’s Prep out of the Philadelphia Catholic League in Philadelphia and Central Catholic out of the...
PIAA Class 3A football championship preview: Avonworth vs. Northwestern Lehigh
The PIAA Class 3A championship game features two schools making their second appearance in the football state championship game and still in search of their first PIAA gold. Five years ago, WPIAL champion Avonworth suffered one of the biggest losses in PIAA football playoff history, falling to state power Southern...
Avonworth sees similarities in PIAA finals opponent Northwestern Lehigh
As Avonworth makes its second trip to the state finals in five years, the Antelopes feel differently about this one. “We’re not playing the Green Bay Packers,” coach Duke Johncour said with a laugh. That’s no knock on their opponent. Undefeated District 11 champion Northwestern Lehigh (15-0) awaits in the...
High school scores, summaries and schedules for Dec. 5, 2024
High schools Basketball Boys Thursday’s results Nonsection Bentworth 52, Charleroi 50 Bishop Canevin 48, Lincoln Park 38 Wilmington 47, Environmental Charter 43 New Brighton 72, South Side 60 West Allegheny 62, Steel Valley 36 Friday’s schedule Aquinas Academy tournament Propel Montour at South Park, 7 p.m. Cheswick Christian at Aquinas...
High school roundup for Dec. 5, 2024: Blackhawk wins battle of state champs
In a matchup of reigning state champions, Aubree Hupp scored 17 points and Andrea Kinger hit a pair of free throws with five seconds left to lead Blackhawk to a 49-46 victory over Kennedy Catholic in nonsection girls basketball Thursday. Bella Magestro scored 16 points, Tori Harvey added 14 and...
WPIAL basketball tipoff tournament schedule for Dec. 6-7, 2024
Boys Friday’s schedule Aquinas Academy tournament Propel Montour at South Park, 7 p.m. Cheswick Christian at Aquinas Academy, 8:30 p.m. Baldwin/Peters Township tournament Shaler at Baldwin, 7:30 p.m. Altoona at Peters Township, 7:30 p.m. Brentwood tournament Carrick vs. Geibel Catholic, 8 p.m. Freedom at Brentwood, 8 p.m. Brownsville tournament Our...
What to watch for in high school sports on Dec. 6, 2024: Day 2 of state football championships kicks off
The second of three days of the 2024 PIAA football championships are set for Chapman Field at Cumberland Valley on Friday. On Day 2 in Mechanicsburg, the Class 2A and 5A state football title games take center stage. Three of the four teams playing Friday are searching for their first...
PIAA Class 5A and Class 2A football championship previews for Dec. 6, 2024
There was great excitement in these parts last season when the WPIAL sent five teams and the City League had one reach championship weekend in the 2023 PIAA football playoffs. Following several stunning results on the day after Thanksgiving, the district only has two teams remaining to play for state...
Westmoreland County boys basketball notebook: Hempfield, Jeannette to host tipoff tournaments
The Hempfield Spartan Field House will be the site of six boys basketball games Friday and Saturday for the 20th Hempfield tipoff tournament. On Friday, the opening game will mark the return of longtime coach Paul Sapotichne to Greensburg Salem. The Golden Lions will play Connellsville at 4:45 p.m. Sapotichne...
Softball smarts lead Hempfield catcher Ella Berkebile to Bucknell
A cerebral leader behind the plate for Hempfield, Ella Berkebile has softball instincts that allow her to control the cadence of games. The catcher has been battery mates with standout pitchers Riley Miller and Julia Varhola, framing spots for them while also working to get groundouts and flyouts. The junior...
High school scores, summaries and schedules for Dec. 4, 2024
High schools Basketball Boys Wednesday’s results Nonsection Aquinas Academy 79, Leechburg 50 Beaver County Christian 61, Trinity 43 Central Valley 62, Beaver Falls 32 Thomas Jefferson 78, Clairton 71 Freeport 69, Derry 60 Greensburg Central Catholic 71, Berlin-BrothersValley 39 Mohawk 79, Hopewell 53 Riverside 64, West Middlesex 47 Springdale 82,...
High school roundup for Dec. 4, 2024: 33-point night for Karis Thomas sparks Shady Side Academy girls
Karis Thomas hit for 33 points to lead Shady Side Academy to a 64-53 victory over Baldwin in nonsection girls basketball Wednesday night. Laila Banner added 11 for the Bulldogs (3-0). Thomas now has 1,040 career points after cracking the 1,000 mark in a win over Berlin Brothersvalley on Sunday....
Mamie’s win sparks Norwin wrestling to win over young Canon-McMillan
You never know which bout in a wrestling match could be the turning point. In Wednesday’s nonsection match between No. 4 Norwin and No. 10 Canon-McMillan it happened to be the first one. Knights senior Gage Mamie rallied from a 6-2 deficit to defeat Mason Calgaro, 9-6, in overtime. The...
What to watch for in high school sports on Dec. 5, 2024: State football championships kick off
Thursday marks the first of the final three days of the 2024 high school football season. The PIAA football championships kick off at Chapman Field at Cumberland Valley with the Class A and Class 4A title games. Three of the four teams are trying to win their first state football...
Riverview splits dual matches; Wylly notches pair of technical falls
Alex Wylly wants his sophomore season with the Riverview wrestling team to reflect his toughness. Wylly has demonstrated he is willing to put the time in managing the burden that comes with playing three varsity sports. Following a solid freshman season on the mat, Wylly wants to prove to the...
Mike Warfield returns as Aliquippa football coach after 1-year leave of absence
Former Aliquippa coach Mike Warfield said he found himself missing the players and coaches even more than he’d expected when he took this past football season off. So, he’s coming back. The three-time state champion was reinstated as Aliquippa’s head coach on Wednesday, ending a leave of absence he took...
PIAA tweaks competitive balance rule to make bumps in class slightly less likely
Only teams that reach the state finals will be affected by the PIAA competitive-balance rule following a change approved Wednesday. The revision comes a year late for the Greensburg Central Catholic girls basketball team, which was forced to move up to Class 3A this winter without reaching the state finals....
PIAA Class 4A and Class A football championship previews for Dec. 5, 2024
There was great excitement in these parts last season when the WPIAL sent five teams and the City League had one reach championship weekend in the 2023 PIAA football playoffs. Following several stunning results on the day after Thanksgiving, the district only has two teams remaining to play for state...
