High School category, Page 259
Avonworth dethrones Riverside in marathon 14-inning WPIAL Class 3A title game
A 14-inning game in the WPIAL finals is almost unthinkable, but Avonworth catcher Mason Metz thought the outcome might go down as the biggest surprise from Tuesday night’s marathon. That’s because his underdog Antelopes won. “They saw a No. 7 next to our name, said we didn’t play anyone in...
Norwin not backing down against Lexie Hames, Seneca Valley in WPIAL 6A softball finals
Norwin did not fear Hempfield in the WPIAL Class 6A softball semifinals, and the Knights claim they will not back down from star pitcher Lexie Hames in the championship, either. Why? The answer is familiarity. Fifth-seeded Norwin (10-10) hasn’t seen anything, or anybody, in the postseason it hasn’t seen before....
Adam Jackowski leads South Allegheny baseball past Burrell in WPIAL consolation game
Adam Jackowski shook off some early rough patches and started to cruise. The South Allegheny sophomore, who surrendered two runs on five hits and a pair of walks while throwing 61 total pitches over the first three innings of Tuesday’s WPIAL Class 3A consolation game against Burrell, settled down after...
WPIAL Class 5A baseball consolation game capsule: Franklin Regional vs. West Allegheny
WPIAL baseball playoffs Class 5A Third-place game Franklin Regional (19-2) vs. West Allegheny (18-6) 6:30 p.m. Wednesday at Ross Memorial Park, Washington & Jefferson College, Washington Winner: Clinches third place in the WPIAL and a berth into the PIAA playoffs. The loser is eliminated. Players to watch: Darren DeRiggi, Franklin...
2024 WPIAL Class A softball championship preview: Union vs. Chartiers-Houston
2024 WPIAL Class A softball championship No. 1 Union (20-1) vs. No. 3 Chartiers-Houston (16-2) 11 a.m. Wednesday at Cal (Pa.)’s Lilley Field How they got here: Union defeated No. 8 Jefferson Morgan, 11-2; and No. 5 West Greene, 10-0. Chartiers-Houston defeated No. 6 Jeannette, 16-0; and No. 2 Carmichaels,...
2024 WPIAL Class 4A baseball championship preview: North Catholic vs. Indiana
2024 WPIAL Class 4A baseball championship No. 6 North Catholic (16-4) vs. No. 9 Indiana (13-9) 4 p.m. Wednesday at Wild Things Park, Washington How they got here: North Catholic defeated No. 11 Elizabeth Forward, 8-0, in the first round; No. 3 West Mifflin, 4-0, in the quarterfinals; and No....
2024 WPIAL Class 3A softball championship preview: Mohawk vs. South Park
2024 WPIAL Class 3A softball championship No. 4 Mohawk (17-5) vs. No. 3 South Park (19-1) 3:30 p.m. Wednesday at Cal (Pa.)’s Lilley Field How they got here: Mohawk beat No. 13 Waynesburg, 8-5, in the first round; No. 12 Freeport, 2-1, in the quarterfinals; and No. 1 Avonworth, 5-3,...
2024 WPIAL Class 2A baseball championship preview: Serra Catholic vs. Seton LaSalle
2024 WPIAL Class 2A baseball championship No. 1 Serra Catholic (17-1) vs. No. 3 Seton LaSalle (16-3) 1 p.m. Wednesday at Wild Things Park, Washington On the air: Trib HSSN How they got here: Serra Catholic had a first-round bye and then beat No. 8 Laurel, 9-1, in the quarterfinals;...
Behind Tyler Maddix, Bishop Canevin tops Eden Christian to repeat as WPIAL Class A champs
The beginning of the WPIAL Class A baseball championship game was a little rough for Bishop Canevin senior Tyler Maddix, but the middle and finish proved to be golden. Following a slow start, Maddix got the job done on the mound and at the plate as the Crusaders repeated as...
2024 WPIAL Class 6A softball championship preview: Norwin vs. Seneca Valley
2024 WPIAL Class 6A softball championship No. 5 Norwin (10-10) vs. No. 2 Seneca Valley (20-1) 1 p.m. Friday at Lilley Field, Cal (Pa.) How they got here: Norwin defeated Pine-Richland, 3-1, in the quarterfinals; and No. 1 Hempfield, 5-2, in the semifinals. Seneca Valley beat No. 6 Canon-McMillan, 7-1,...
Top 20 in 20 years: Memorable WPIAL baseball finals have been staged at Wild Things Park
Whether it was called Falconi Field, Consol Energy Park or now Wild Things Park, the home for the Washington Wild Things independent baseball team for more than two decades has now hosted 20 years of WPIAL baseball championship games. There have been some incredible moments packed in those many title...
What to watch for in WPIAL sports for May 28, 2024: PIAA tournament bids up for grabs
In sports, the term consolation is described as a round or contest for tournament entrants who have been eliminated before the finals, often to determine third and fourth place.There are 20 WPIAL baseball and softball teams that will get a second chance coming up Tuesday and Wednesday with the district...
Recovered after tough WPIAL playoff loss, Burrell baseball team refocused for PIAAs
Burrell baseball players were given the day off last Wednesday, one day after a tough 2-1 loss to Avonworth in the WPIAL Class 3A semifinals at North Allegheny. The brief respite from the rigors of the postseason gave them a chance to recharge and refocus. The immediate focus for the...
WPIAL third-place game playoff capsules: Games for Tuesday, May 28, 2024
WPIAL softball playoffs Class 5A Third-place game Penn-Trafford (14-6) vs. Latrobe (11-11) 3 p.m. Tuesday at Gateway Winner: Takes third place in the WPIAL for the PIAA playoffs. The loser is fourth. Players to watch: Bella Rubbe, Penn-Trafford; Macie McHugh, Latrobe Extra bases: Penn-Trafford is looking for a repeat of...
Penn-Trafford out to capture elusive WPIAL baseball title as Bethel Park stands in the way
When Lou Cortazzo inherited the Penn-Trafford baseball team in 2023, he walked into a program that was ready to become dominant. All the Warriors have done is learn how to win big games. In Cortazzo’s first season, the Warriors reached the WPIAL Class 5A semifinals and won their first PIAA...
Seniors on Norwin softball team vow not to back down from Seneca Valley in WPIAL final
Norwin has only three seniors, but they weren’t ready to turn in their softball uniforms before they donned their caps and gowns. The girls graduated Friday, but their allegiance to the Lady Knights program will carry on for at least another week or so. And a diploma could be accompanied...
2024 WPIAL Class 5A baseball championship preview: Penn-Trafford vs. Bethel Park
2024 WPIAL Class 5A baseball championship No. 7 Penn-Trafford (18-3) vs. No. 4 Bethel Park (15-6) 7 p.m. Tuesday at Wild Things Park, Washington On the air: Trib HSSN How they got here: Penn-Trafford defeated Moon, 8-2, in the first round; Fox Chapel, 2-0, in the quarterfinals; and Franklin Regional,...
Results, top scorers, MVPs from the Roundball Classic
Results and top scorers from the 20th Roundball Classic all-star basketball games held over the weekend at North Allegheny: Girls Class 3A/A 105, Class 2A/District 10 70 3A: *Avina Norman (Beaver Falls) 23, Julie Spinelli (St. Joseph) 17, Claire Noble (Ellwood City) 16 2A: *Mya Morgan (Greensburg Central Catholic) 15,...
Talented underclassmen provide promising future for Knoch baseball
While the start of the season did not go the way the Knoch baseball team envisioned, the Knights still had some life near the end of April. Sitting at 2-6 in Section 1-4A, Knoch had a two-game must-win series with Hampton as its playoff hopes hung in the balance. “Our...
A-K Valley Senior Spotlight: Freeport’s Abby DeJidas
Freeport senior shortstop Abby DeJidas was not pleased with her performance in the WPIAL Class 3A playoffs. “I felt I could have had more hits,” DeJidas said. “I had two strikeouts. I was upset about those because it’s rare for me to strike out.” Perhaps DeJidas is her own worst...
Rain Athletics’ Aqua cheer team captures 2nd straight world championship
In 2013, Caleigh Epolito, Jacob Parker and Jordan Thomas needed a name for a competitive cheer gym they were opening in McKeesport. They came up with Rain Athletics and based the name off an inside joke. “We realized anytime something good was happening in life, we always made the joke...
Westmoreland County Senior Spotlight: Southmoreland’s Gwen Basinger
Southmoreland’s softball team was one of the WPIAL’s best during the regular season, going 14-2, finishing behind only Ligonier Valley in Section 3-3A. “Eventually, we just focused on having fun, having a good time, laying it all out on the field,” senior designated hitter Gwen Basinger said. “I think that...
Trib HSSN baseball team of the week for May 27, 2024Video
Trib HSSN baseball team of the week: Indiana Little Indians Coaches: Dan Petroff (first season) Records: Indiana finished in second place with a record of 7-3 in Section 4-4A, and is 13-9 overall #Earned: Prior to last week, Indiana survived the dreaded No. 8 vs. No. 9 seed game in...
Trib HSSN baseball player of the week for May 27, 2024Video
Trib HSSN baseball player of the week: David Shields School: Mt. Lebanon Class: Senior Position: Pitcher, center field #Earned: Once again this past week, David Shields earned his keep with his arm and his bat. In Monday’s playoff debut for top-seeded and defending WPIAL Class 6A champion Mt. Lebanon, Shields...
2024 WPIAL Class A baseball championship preview: Bishop Canevin vs. Eden Christian
2024 WPIAL Class A baseball championship No. 4 Bishop Canevin (14-4) vs. No. 2 Eden Christian (16-4) 1 p.m. Tuesday at Wild Things Park, Washington On the air: Trib HSSN How they got here: Bishop Canevin had a first-round bye then defeated No. 5 Western Beaver, 10-0, in the quarterfinals...
