High School category, Page 242
New Castle wants to turn the tide under new coach
Fred Mozzocio played for New Castle in the 1980s, so the team’s new head coach understands the tradition of Red Hurricanes football. Growing up, he and his friends would be in the classroom gazing out onto the field, wishing that someday they could play for the Red Hurricanes. “There’s an...
Montour has experience to contend in Class 4A Parkway Conference
With many players back in the black and gold last fall, there were expectations for success for Montour. While the Spartans came up short of their ultimate championship goal, finishing 10-2 with a trip to the WPIAL semifinals is not too shabby. “We had an excellent season,” Montour coach Lou...
New Blackhawk coach focusing on staying in the moment
Jake Wickline isn’t worried about Blackhawk’s struggles of the past or its challenges of the future. He’s all about the here and now. Wickline was hired as the Cougars’ new head coach in February, becoming the third person to lead the program in a six-month stretch. “This job opening came...
Ambridge hopes patience pays off for experienced senior class
Sherm McBride admits that he has discovered the meaning of one, very important word over the last three years as the head football coach at Ambridge. “Patience,” said McBride, the former Aliquippa standout tasked with turning around a Bridgers program that has struggled over the last decade. “It’s all about...
High school scores, summaries and schedules for Aug. 9, 2024
High schools Golf Friday’s results Boys Tri-CADA Championship At Nemacolin CC Individual scores 1. Colton Lusk, Peters Township 71. 2. Griffin Hansberry, Peters Township 73. 3. Shane Williams, Peters Township 74* 4. Sam Bishop, South Fayette 74. 5. Camden Reyes, Peters Township 75. 6. Finn Sobehart, Peters Township 76*. 7....
Derry tackle Collin Barkley is the Trojans’ ironman
Every once in a while, Derry senior Collin Barkley will raise his hand to tell coach Mike Arone he needs a break. It doesn’t happen often. “It’s very rare he comes off the field,” Arone said. “Typically that’s one play and he’s back in the game. He’s a true ironman...
After run to WPIAL semifinals, Moon sets expectations high
After having a bounce back season last year, the Moon football program is looking to make another deep run in the WPIAL Class 5A playoffs. The Tigers improved on their 2022 performance (1-9 overall, 1-4 in the Allegheny Six Conference) by finishing 6-6 overall and 3-2 in conference play last...
Loaded with experience, Bethel Park sets championship goals
Bethel Park was in the fight for first place all season in the Class 5A Allegheny Six Conference in 2023. Same as the previous year, the Black Hawks ended up tied for second with Upper St. Clair and Moon with a 3-2 record in conference play. Despite going 4-7 overall,...
Baldwin aims to change fortunes with turnaround season
Baldwin has not reached the football postseason since 2019. Since then, the Fighting Highlanders have generated records of 2-3, 2-8, 1-9 and 1-9. They are hoping they are able to change their fortunes on the gridiron this year, although it may prove to be an uphill climb. Dana Brown had...
Fit to be tied after missing playoffs, Upper St. Clair poised for big season
Forget about tiebreakers or wild cards, Upper St. Clair’s mission this fall is to win enough conference games to clinch a playoff spot without any help. They got no help last year. The Panthers were excluded from the playoffs despite an eight-win record that was among the best in WPIAL...
South Fayette hopes success in other sports bolsters football program
This fall, the South Fayette football program will be led by new faces on the field, but they aren’t new to having successful seasons representing the Lions in other sports. Junior Drew Wehorsky will step under center for the Lions, who were 4-6 overall and 1-4 in the Class 5A...
Defending WPIAL champion Peters Township not looking past next opponent
Editor’s note: Trib HSSN will publish team-by-team previews for one conference per day until the start of the high school football season Aug. 23. The state finals are the first weekend in December and the WPIAL championships are a couple of weeks earlier, but those dates aren’t circled on calendars...
High school scores, summaries and schedules for Aug. 8, 2024
High schools Golf Boys Section 2-2A Greensburg Central Catholic 208, Mt. Pleasant 222 Medalists: Braden Marker (GCC) 37; Aydan Gross (MP) 37 Nonsection Freeport 201, Armstrong 226 Medalists: Aiden Bauman (F) 38; Jonas Miller (A) 41 Keystone Oaks 213, East Allegheny 263 Medalist: Jeremy Wagner (KO) 40 Girls Section 2-3A...
Springdale girls soccer sets big goal: ‘We want gold this year’
Hailey Marchlewski remembers how she and her Springdale girls soccer teammates felt after a pair of tough postseason setbacks, first by one goal to Freedom in the WPIAL Class A semifinals and then to rival Riverview, 3-1, in the PIAA quarterfinals. “We’re excited to get back out there because we...
New coach DeVito eager to build up Norwin girls soccer team
While she grasps for similarities between the girls soccer programs at Penn Hills and Norwin, Ashley DeVito continually finds herself recognizing the differences. “This is a community where kids grow up together, and there is a lot of excitement with playing together (in high school) … The game is big...
Resurgent Latrobe has star power for move back to Class 5A
Editor’s note: Trib HSSN will publish team-by-team previews for one conference per day until the start of the high school football season Aug. 23. Having coached at Penn-Trafford for a decade, Ron Prady has a good idea what it takes to win in Class 5A. That should help the third-year...
Woodland Hills looks to give Scoop Smith more help, return to playoffs
Getting the ball to Scoop Smith was the best option any time Woodland Hills’ offense faced a tough spot and needed a big play. It often worked, too, since the wide receiver scored a team-high 17 touchdowns, flashing the quickness that made him a WPIAL track champion in the 100...
Penn-Trafford looks to bounce back, meet lofty expectations
When a team wins WPIAL and PIAA titles, expectations within the football program are set high. With that said, the past two seasons at Penn-Trafford didn’t reach the expectations set in 2021. Injuries, inexperience, little mistakes and not playing up to their abilities saw the Warriors go 11-11, ousted from...
Gateway to follow veteran offensive linemen to success in Class 5A
No matter which quarterback Gateway starts behind center or which running back carries the ball, the Gators know their success is on the line. As in, the offensive line. The Gators have some new faces in the backfield, but all five blockers are returning starters. That experience should be a...
Kiski Area seeks return to postseason in move up to Class 5A
The Kiski Area football team made a move up to Class 5A in the offseason, but what Cavaliers veteran head coach Sam Albert hopes doesn’t change is his team’s ability to make the WPIAL playoffs. He said the battles in its revamped conference with Armstrong, Franklin Regional, Gateway, Latrobe, Penn-Trafford,...
Don’t forget about Franklin Regional in conference title race
Lance Getsy doesn’t seem to mind that people are overlooking his Franklin Regional football team. The clamor surrounding the WPIAL Class 5A Big East Conference this preseason has mostly been about Latrobe, Penn-Trafford and Woodland Hills. But anyone who forgets about Franklin Regional might be making a big mistake. The...
Armstrong looking for new cast to step up as team makes jump to Class 5A
With a move up to Class 5A, Armstrong knows that this season will definitely be a tough one, with a new class and new section opponents. The section includes traditional powerhouses Gateway and Woodland Hills, to go along with Penn-Trafford and Franklin Regional, which have each won the section at...
Pack the Park in Vandergrift again will kick off girls volleyball season in A-K Valley
When Pack the Park, an early-season matchup between the Kiski Area and Norwin girls volleyball teams on the outdoor courts at Kennedy Park in Vandergrift, began in 2021, Tim Toy had a vision that it would be an annual event to celebrate the start of each fall season. Now in...
Greensburg Central Catholic baseball player Anthony Grippo commits to Penn State
A new NCAA recruiting rule kicked in earlier this month. It prevents college coaches from communicating with prospects until Aug. 1 of their junior year. When that day rolled around for Anthony Grippo, his cellphone “blew up.” The rising junior from Greensburg Central Catholic had more than 20 calls or...
Pieces in place for another strong season at Pine-Richland
Editor’s note: Trib HSSN will publish team-by-team previews for one conference per day until the start of the high school football season Aug. 23. In his first two years at Pine-Richland, Jon LeDonne has guided the Rams to the WPIAL championship game. Following the WPIAL and state title run in...
