High School category, Page 178
Thomas Jefferson puts up big numbers en route to WPIAL championship game
The numbers just kept piling up for the Thomas Jefferson football team this season. The top-seeded Jaguars took a perfect 12-0 record into the WPIAL Class 4A championship game with former conference rival McKeesport, the No. 3 seed. And TJ’s legendary Bill Cherpak was going for his 10th district championship...
Baldwin volleyball teammates taking talents to Pitt-Johnstown
Baldwin seniors Avery Barrett and Kaylee Smolko hardly could wait for Nov. 13 to finally arrive. Both were scheduled to officially commit that day to Pitt-Johnstown where they will continue their athletic and academic careers. They were the only two seniors on the Baldwin girls volleyball team in 2024. “I...
Quaker Valley cross country champ sets standard for siblings
Cecilia Montagnese’s high school legacy in cross country is firmly in place. The Quaker Valley senior was the gold medalist at the WPIAL Class 2A girls individual championship race Oct. 24 at White Oak Park in McKeesport. Montagnese’s time was a career-best 17.56.2 as she ran at a 5:46 mile...
Mother-daughter WPIAL champs show soccer’s hold on Quaker Valley
The groundwork for the 2024 Quaker Valley girls WPIAL Class 2A soccer championship was laid back in 1991-92. Maybe even earlier. “Soccer runs deep in Sewickley,” said 1994 QV graduate Ashley Miko. “Most of the girls and boys grew up playing Sewickley Area Soccer, which has been around for 50...
‘Pride and joy:’ Quaker Valley girls soccer revels in 1st WPIAL title in 32 years
Lily Baker is only a freshman at Quaker Valley, but she played like a savvy veteran in the WPIAL Class 2A championship game. Baker knocked in the shot that gave the QV girls soccer team its first WPIAL crown in 32 years. The No. 2-seed Quakers hung on to beat...
Fisher’s Files: Quaker Valley adds to haul to trophy case during fall season to remember
Mike Mastroianni, athletic director at Quaker Valley, undoubtedly had an extra-wide smile on his face on the first weekend in November. And no, it wasn’t because he was counting down the hours to Election Day. Mastroianni was gleeful over the performances of so many of the Quaker Valley athletes and...
High school scores, summaries and schedules for Nov. 16, 2024
High school Football WPIAL Class 6A Championship Saturday’s result Central Catholic 45, North Allegheny 14 Class 5A Championship Nov. 23 schedule Pine-Richland (11-1) vs. Peters Township (11-1) at Acrisure Stadium, 8 p.m. Class 4A Championship Saturday’s result Thomas Jefferson 28, McKeesport 7 Class 3A Championship Nov. 23 schedule Avonworth (10-3)...
Championship tradition continues as North Allegheny volleyball wins 8th straight state title
SILVER SPRING TOWNSHIP — Having won seven PIAA Class 4A championships in a row coming into Saturday’s match, coming home with gold medals is a tradition at North Allegheny. This younger group kept the tradition alive with a 3-1 victory over Spring-Ford at Cumberland Valley High School. The Tigers lost...
Pope John Paul II takes down Mars to win 3rd straight PIAA volleyball crown
SILVER SPRING TOWNSHIP — Two-time defending champion Pope John Paul II earned its third consecutive PIAA Class 3A championship with a 3-1 win over upstart Mars at Cumberland Valley High School on Saturday. Game scores were 25-21, 21-25, 25-16 and 25-18 “I felt much more pressure last year because we...
Plum boys soccer players have ‘nothing to hang their heads about’
The Plum boys soccer team wanted to make waves in the PIAA Class 4A playoffs. It started out well for the Mustangs as they advanced past the first round Nov. 5 with a dramatic penalty-kick shootout win at District 10 champion McDowell. But they were not able to continue the...
Central Catholic avenges WPIAL title game losses with rout of North Allegheny
After three straight losses here in the WPIAL finals, three words summed up Central Catholic’s mood this week: “Enough is enough.” This time, the Vikings were too much. Top-seeded Central Catholic scored on its first five possessions, played stifling defense and enacted the mercy rule early in the third quarter...
Bright future ahead for Jeannette football team
Jeannette’s football season was on life support six weeks ago. The Jayhawks were in the midst of a three-game losing streak following consecutive losses to Leechburg, Clairton and Greensburg Central Catholic, and a berth in the WPIAL playoffs was not a certainty. But a remarkable come-from-behind 42-41 victory Oct. 11...
With young lineup, Freeport girls look to keep things simple
With an influx of freshman talent, Freeport girls basketball coach Jason Kerr believes his program is headed in the right direction. “We have a nice freshman group, so that helps with our numbers,” he said. “That helps with our numbers just to be able to practice better, and this group...
A-K Valley athletes of the week: Springdale’s Baileigh Haas, Burrell’s Mike Morazcyzk
Baileigh Haas School: Springdale Class: Senior Sport: Soccer Claim to fame: Haas survived a 3-2 shootout win over Conemaugh Township in the first round of the PIAA playoffs Nov. 5. She allowed one goal in a 2-1 win against Bishop Guilfoyle in the quarterfinals Nov. 9. Haas made 10 saves...
Thomas Jefferson tops McKeesport for WPIAL Class 4A championship, giving Bill Cherpak 10th title
Bill Cherpak has never been one to tout his own stats or accolades and that remained the case after becoming the first WPIAL coach to reach double-digit championships in football on Saturday. His Thomas Jefferson players did the talking for him. “He’s the G.O.A.T. Period,” Jaguars running back Tyler Eber...
Greensburg Central Catholic rallies past Linville Hill to claim 3rd PIAA girls volleyball title
SILVER SPRING TOWNSHIP — Trailing 2-1 in the state championship match, Greensburg Central Catholic found its game and took the final two sets to win its third PIAA girls volleyball title Saturday with a 3-2 victory over Linville Hill Christian School in the Class A final at Cumberland Valley High...
With revamped roster, Freeport boys looking to develop identity
Freeport boys basketball coach Rich Macura is looking to get a boost this season from some of his multi-sport athletes returning to the court. “We’ve been working through summer league, and we’re still kind of developing our identity with the football players coming back this week,” said Macura. “I hope...
Hempfield boys plan to pick up pace, close out more wins
Even though the record might not show it, Hempfield’s boys basketball program found itself leading a majority of its losses at halftime last season. The Spartans just couldn’t put together a full game to pull out wins. This season, coach Bill Swan hopes a change in pace as well as...
With plenty of size in starting lineup, Shady Side Academy boys embrace modern game
This season, the Shady Side Academy boys basketball team will reflect the way the modern game is played. The Bulldogs will have four players over 6-foot-3 in the starting lineup, but the largest players on the court won’t be anchored to the low block. Shady Side Academy’s best passer may...
Fox Chapel notebook: Liam Wiseman hits 100-goal mark
Liam Wiseman hit a significant milestone for the Fox Chapel hockey team. During the Foxes’ 6-5 loss to Canon-McMillan on Nov. 4 at the Alpha Ice Complex, Wiseman scored three goals to reach the 100-goal mark for his career. Fox Chapel’s hockey team is off to a 3-2 start in...
Pine-Richland notebook: Rams start fast, win big in WPIAL quarterfinals
Led by stellar performances from juniors Mac Miller and Lawrence “Jay” Timmons, the Pine-Richland football team secured a 42-0 win over Franklin Regional in the WPIAL Class 5A quarterfinals Nov. 8. The Rams looked to earn a third consecutive trip to the 5A championship game when they faced Bethel Park...
Riverview runners continue to find success at PIAA championships
The Riverview boys cross country team has been a consistent commodity at the PIAA championships the past several seasons. The Raiders’ runner-up finish in the Class A race Nov. 2 in Hershey was the team’s fifth top-five placement in six years. Riverview hoped to follow up its WPIAL championship performance...
Plum tandem to continue football careers at St. Francis
With the emotions of his final high school football game — a loss to rival Penn Hills on Oct. 25 — still fresh in his mind, Plum senior Darian Slaughter decided to commit to where he will play football for the next four years. “That night, I called (St. Francis,...
Norwin notebook: Soccer standout headlines all-section list
Norwin boys soccer standout Daniel Maddock was named the player of the year in Section 1-4A by the Big 5/6 Conference, an online entity that covers the largest classifications in the WPIAL. A quick, get-ahead-of-the-pack forward, Maddock also was a first-team all-section pick after scoring 22 goals and handing out...
North Hills notebook: Bounce-back season for football team ends in dramatic loss
The North Hills football team experienced a strong, bounce-back season this fall, but unfortunately for the Indians, it was a season that ended a bit sooner than they hoped. The Indians fell in the first round of the Class 5A playoffs Nov. 1, dropping a heartbreaking contest to Franklin Regional,...
