High School category, Page 181
Cheswick Christian girls basketball team looks to build off last season’s division title
The Cheswick Christian Academy girls basketball team knows what it’s about, and that’s functioning as a five-person unit instead of relying on a few stars to get victories. With a small roster, like this season’s that is dominated by sophomores, freshman and grade-schoolers, embracing that team mentality can go a...
Trib 10: 3 pairs of power-ranked teams to clash this weekend
The power-ranked teams flexed their muscles again in the second weekend of the WPIAL football playoffs with nine of the 10 winning and advancing to Semifinals Friday or Championship Saturday. The only team ousted was the team that was on top of the Trib 10 for the first month-plus of...
PIAA football postseason set to commence
The journey to Cumberland Valley kicks off this weekend with the start of the 2024 PIAA football playoffs. It’s a merger of the district and state playoffs. Most districts will be hosting their championship or semifinals on Friday or Saturday, while other district champions have been crowned and the focus...
Perfect season within reach for 2 WPIAL teams at PIAA boys soccer championships
Two WPIAL boys soccer teams are headed east on Friday to play for state gold in the 2024 PIAA boys soccer championships. Both Moon in 3A and Bentworth in Class A are not only in search of their first state championship in boys soccer, they are also one win from...
Championship field set for 2024 PIAA girls soccer finals
With three rounds in the books in the 2024 PIAA girls soccer playoffs, only one team from the WPIAL is still alive heading into the state finals. With Mars, Quaker Valley and Seton LaSalle all falling in the semifinals, only Springdale in Class A will be representing District 7 and...
3 WPIAL teams to vie for PIAA girls volleyball championships
Eight years ago, the WPIAL had three teams win PIAA girls volleyball championships as North Allegheny in Class 4A, Knoch in 3A and Freeport in 2A all brought home state gold in 2017. The district will try to match that record success as three teams from the WPIAL are headed...
Strong returning cast sparks optimism in Franklin Regional girls program
The thought of hanging a section banner on the wall brings a smile to Bernie Pucka’s face. It almost makes him giddy. He hunts pheasant and deer, but he would love to bag a section. “That would be … incredible,” the fourth-year coach of the Franklin Regional girls basketball team...
The Birdie gives props to Jeannette’s last men standing, makes semifinal pick
Last week: 3-0 (100%) Season: 101-34 (74.8%) And then there was one. The Birdie is good at predicting high school football, but if you’d have asked him in the summer which Westmoreland County team would be the last one standing, he would not have said Jeannette. But give the gridiron...
Upset-minded Jeannette to face toughest task yet in top-seeded Fort Cherry
If Jeannette can turn back Fort Cherry early like it has its past several opponents, the Jayhawks could have a shot at dethroning the top-seeded and defending WPIAL football champion Rangers. The halftime score could reveal whether the Jayhawks have a puncher’s chance, if the Class A kick seekers’ season...
New-look roster to write next chapter for Franklin Regional boys basketball
The word “almost” gets thrown around a lot when people talk about the 2023-24 Franklin Regional boys basketball program. The Panthers almost beat Moon in the WPIAL Class 5A championship game. They almost rallied to put a scare into powerhouse Imhotep Charter in the PIAA championship, their first trip to...
Seneca Valley football coach Ron Butschle steps down after ‘difficult year’
Citing a “negativity” around the program, Ron Butschle resigned Tuesday as Seneca Valley’s football coach, saying his exit might give the team a fresh start. This was Butschle’s second stint as the Raiders head coach starting in 2017. The team went 39-42 in the past eight seasons and reached the...
Trib HSSN Pennsylvania high school football rankings for Nov. 12, 2024
There were several changes in the three largest classifications this week in the Trib HSSN state rankings, but the three small school classes were unchanged. Two perennial state powers and champions from 2023 were ousted in Week 10 with state title reigns for Aliquippa in Class 4A and Southern Columbia...
Another shutout sends Bentworth boys into 1st PIAA championship game
The Bentworth boys soccer team has spent this season making history. The Bearcats marched to Highmark Stadium and captured their second straight WPIAL championship — the second in program history — earlier this month. Now, after defeating McConnellsburg, 2-0, at Westmont Elementary’s Price Field in Johnstown on Tuesday, the Bearcats...
High school scores, summaries and schedules for Nov. 12, 2024
High school Field hockey PIAA tournament Class 3A Semifinals Tuesday’s results Villa Maria Academy 2, Emmaus 1 Conestoga 2, Central Bucks West 0 Championship Saturday’s schedule Villa Maria Academy (24-1) vs. Conestoga (21-3) at Cumberland Valley, 3 p.m. Class 2A Semifinals Tuesday’s results Northern York 4, Kennett 0 Warwick 1,...
High school roundup for Nov. 12, 2024: Moon lands in state title game for 1st time since ’85
Luis Silva scored the winning goal 15 minutes into the second half to lead WPIAL champion Moon to a 1-0 victory over District 3 champion Conrad Weiser (23-2) in the PIAA Class 3A boys soccer semifinals Tuesday. Silva also scored the winning goal in overtime in Moon’s 2-1 victory over...
Late momentum shift helps Greensburg Central Catholic top Frazier, advance to PIAA volleyball final
Momentum swung wildly Tuesday during the PIAA Class A volleyball semifinal at Norwin between Greensburg Central Catholic and Frazier. The Centurions had it during the first two games, then the Commodores grabbed it in the third and fourth games. But it was Greensburg Central Catholic that reclaimed it in the...
Springdale girls soccer team blanks Seton LaSalle, advance to Class A state finals
For the fourth time in program history, the Springdale girls soccer team will play for a state championship. The Dynamos scored early, led by three goals at halftime, and added one more in the latter half of the second 40 minutes to come away with a 4-0 victory over Seton...
Mars girls volleyball wins WPIAL rematch with Beaver to reach state finals for 1st time
Before the season started, Mars libero Alaina Graham said coach Tamara Caraway told the team they were going to play for the state championship. It may have seemed like a lofty goal at the time, because no Fightin’ Planets team had been there before, but on Tuesday, the preseason prediction...
Derry boys basketball team looking for big season with key players coming back
Derry Area boys at a glance Coach: Tom Esposito Last year’s record: 15-9 (7-5 Section 3-3A) Returning starters: Stanley Rajkovich (So., F); John Wasnick (Sr., G); Brayden Robinson (Jr., G). Top newcomers: Izak Lenhart (Jr., G); Liam McMahen (So., G); Parker Petroskey (So., G); Logan Irvin (Fr., G); Cason Long...
New Derry girls basketball coach faces huge challenge with inexperienced roster
New Derry girls basketball coach Nathan Keller faces a huge challenge this season, one that excites him. Keller isn’t making any brash predictions. He just wants his young, inexperienced group to improve on a daily basis. Keller has spent the past seven seasons coaching the boys and girls middle school...
Burrell boys hope to use long playoff run as building block
Experience and identity are going to be keys for coach Mike Fantuzzo and the Burrell boys basketball team this season. Experience was gained when Fantuzzo’s squad made it all the way to the WPIAL Class 3A championship game last season. The Bucs came into the playoffs as the No. 11...
Burrell girls boast exciting mix of youth, experience
Coming off a strong season, the Burrell girls basketball team looks to have an exciting combination of youth and experience this year. “We are still relatively young. We really only have two seniors,” coach Shawn Reddick said. “We’re going to be starting a lot of younger kids, which, you know,...
Rosters set for WCCA all-star volleyball match
Rosters are set for the 3rd Westmoreland County Coaches Association All-Star Girls Volleyball Match, which will be played at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 19 at Ligonier Valley High School. The game features the top senior players in Westmoreland County. Rosters are as follows: West Kylie Anthony (OH) Penn-Trafford Brandi Brozeski...
High school scores, summaries and schedules for Nov. 11, 2024
High school Field hockey PIAA tournament Semifinals Tuesday’s schedule Class 3A Villa Maria Academy (23-1) vs. Emmaus (25-1) at Exeter Township, 6 p.m.; Central Bucks West (22-4) vs. Conestoga (20-3) at Methacton, 6 p.m. Class 2A Kennett (16-7-1) vs. Northern York (21-3) at Millersville University, 6 p.m.; Palmyra (17-5) vs....
High school roundup for Nov. 11, 2024: Unbeaten Mt. Lebanon drops Upper St. Clair
Chayce Stasiowski had two goals and an assist to lead undefeated Mt. Lebanon to a 4-1 victory over Upper St. Clair in PIHL Class 3A hockey Monday night. Xavier Bias and Aiden Ziolkowski also scored for Mt. Lebanon (6-0). Jackson Rose had a goal for Upper St. Clair (3-3-1). Avonworth...
