High School category, Page 284
Experienced Quaker Valley boys tennis team ready for prime time
The 2023 season was viewed as a dress rehearsal for 2024 for the Quaker Valley boys tennis team. “If last year was a rehearsal, then this year is show time,” coach Christi Hays said. QV won the Section 5-2A championship with a 10-0 record in 2023, then defeated Burrell, 5-0,...
4 Quaker Valley girls hockey players compete in national championships
Four Quaker Valley girls advanced with their teams to the 2024 USA Hockey national championships in various cities across the country. QV senior Sydney Hewitt, junior Emily Reiner, freshman Isabel King and seventh-grader Grace Keisel recently competed with their Steel City Selects girls hockey team as MidAm champions in their...
Penn-Trafford notebook: Football hall of fame class announced
The 2024 Penn-Trafford Warrior Football Hall of Fame Class was announced and it features five former players, a coach, team and contributor. Being honored are players Devin Austin (2015), Luke Graham (2010), Jerry Lavelle (1983), Kirk Rogers (2001) and Mike Simpson (2000). The coach being inducted is Dan Tarabrella. The...
After program’s 1st playoff berth last year, Penn-Trafford girls lacrosse keeps growing
The Penn-Trafford girls lacrosse team qualified for the WPIAL playoffs for the first time in 2023. Now the squad, which graduated four seniors, has set a bigger goal. “They want to hang up a banner in the gymnasium,” Penn-Trafford second-year coach Rich Vislocky said. “The girls are excited to get...
Penn Hills athletic director lauded for volleyball career by Juniata College hall of fame
Steph Strauss’ time at Juniata College had a large impact on her post-college life. But someone had to convince the 2007 Penn Hills graduate to head out east. Current Eagles volleyball coach Heather Pavlik, who was an assistant to Larry Brock at the time, felt like they needed more after...
Penn Hills junior not your average 3-sport athlete
Practicing for the Penn Hills physical fitness team is the easiest for Amaree’ Freeman. He can work out anytime with a pull-up bar and some weights in his basement. Attempting to practice his other two sports indoors would be reckless at best. The Penn Hills junior is a three-sport athlete,...
Signature win shows progress being made by Pine-Richland boys volleyball
Going into the season, first-year Pine-Richland boys volleyball coach Tyler Trimbath was confident his team was going to surprise some people after going winless in section play in 2023. Well, just two games in, the Rams certainly pulled off a shocker. Pine-Richland scored a 3-2 win over Seneca Valley, the...
Westmoreland high school notebook: Penn-Trafford football to honor newest hall of fame class
Penn-Trafford football announced its 2024 hall of fame class, which will be honored in the fall. The newest inductees are Devin Austin (2015), Luke Graham (2010), Jerry Lavelle (1983), Kirk Rogers (2001) and Mike Simpson (2000). Dan Tarabrella will be inducted as a coach, and the 1961 Penn Joint Indians...
High school scores, summaries and schedules for April 13, 2024
High schools Baseball Saturday’s results Class 6A Section 1 North Allegheny 6, Butler 1 Section 2 Hempfield 13, Baldwin 1 Mt. Lebanon 2, Central Catholic 1 Norwin 9, Canon-McMillan 5 Class 4A Section 1 Montour 12, Ambridge 4 Montour 4, Ambridge 0 Hopewell 5, Blackhawk 0 Section 4 Indiana 10,...
High school roundup for April 13, 2024: Mt. Lebanon baseball rallies past Central Catholic
Sawyer Klasnick doubled home two runs in the top of the seventh inning to propel Mt. Lebanon to a 2-1 victory over Central Catholic in Section 2-6A baseball Saturday. Weston Airey picked up the win in relief for the Blue Devils (7-3, 4-2), striking out seven over four innings, and...
Westmoreland athletes of the week: Hempfield’s Grace Iwig, Belle Vernon’s Colton Lee
Grace Iwig School: Hempfield Class: Senior Sport: Track & field Claim to fame: Iwig, who competes in a pair of events that involve clearing a bar (pole vault and high jump), brought home first- and second-place finishes at the South Hills Classic. She won the high jump with a mark...
Penn-Trafford’s Lett, Hempfield’s Prola get unexpected wins at Lady Spartan/Wildcat Invitational
It was a strange start to the Lady Spartan/Wildcat Invitational on Saturday at Latrobe’s Memorial Stadium. The first two winners — Penn-Trafford’s Ekoulus Lett and Hempfield’s Caleb Prola — didn’t even know they won their races. That’s because they were both in the slow heat in the finals. Lett won...
WPIAL softball rankings: Week ending April 14, 2024
Class 6A Rank, Team, W-L, Last 1. Seneca Valley, 8-0, 2 2. Hempfield, 4-1, 1 3. North Allegheny, 2-1, 5 4. Pine-Richland, 3-4, 3 5. Canon-McMillan, 3-1, NR Out: Norwin (3-4, 4) Class 5A Rank, Team, W-L, Last 1. Shaler, 6-0, 1 2. West Allegheny, 7-1, 2 3. Penn-Trafford, 5-2,...
WPIAL baseball rankings: Week ending April 14, 2024
Class 6A Rank, Team, W-L, Last 1. North Allegheny, 5-0, 1 2. Hempfield, 9-0, 2 3. Mt. Lebanon, 6-3, 3 4. Seneca Valley, 5-1, 4 5. Pine-Richland, 7-2, 5 Out: none Class 5A Rank, Team, W-L, Last 1. Shaler, 8-1, 1 2. West Allegheny, 5-1, 2 3. Fox Chapel, 6-2,...
A-K Valley athletes of the week: Fox Chapel’s Jillian Haigh, Valley’s Alex Vagnier
Jillian Haigh School: Fox Chapel Class: Freshman Sport: Softball Report card: Fox Chapel freshman Jillian Haigh helped the Foxes (3-3, 2-1) to a pair of wins this week. She threw a one-hitter with nine strikeouts and went 3 for 3 with two doubles in Wednesday’s 11-1 victory over Oakland Catholic...
After taste of success, Norwin volleyball wants more
After reaching the WPIAL Class 3A quarterfinals last spring, the Norwin boys volleyball team has a taste of playoff success. Now, the Knights are looking to push farther right on the bracket. Five starters are back to help make that happen in senior libero Lucas Churchfield, senior outside hitter Jackson...
Lacrosse a family affair for coaching staffs at Franklin Regional
Anna Stephens Lauer is in her first season as head coach of the Franklin Regional girls lacrosse team. She doesn’t have to look too far for coaching advice. Her brother, Luke Stephens, is the Franklin Regional boys lacrosse coach, while another brother, Ben, is a boys’ assistant and her dad,...
Franklin Regional notebook: Kegerreis brothers find college baseball landing spots
Franklin Regional’s Kegerreis brothers made a lasting impression when they played for the Panthers. When the team needed an extra-base hit, maybe a home run, they often came through. While both went off to play college baseball, they redirected their path at the next level. Freshman Louie Kegerreis, who hit...
Ex-MLB pitcher David Phelps helps launch Aquinas Academy baseball team
Aquinas Academy baseball coach David Phelps knows all about pressure. Phelps pitched in the major leagues for 10 years, striking out sluggers such as Aaron Judge, Shohei Ohtani, Andrew McCutchen and Hall of Famer David Ortiz along the way. But this spring has brought a whole new level of tension....
Faced with choice between football, lacrosse at Mount Union, Hampton senior picks both
One thing is certain about Hampton two-sport standout Gabe Gannelli and his upcoming college days. He’s not going to have much free time on his hands. Gannelli, a senior, committed to Mount Union to play football and lacrosse, continuing the sports at which he excelled with the Talbots. “For me,...
Fox Chapel notebook: Senior wins section tennis title
Will Siegel didn’t have a hard time protecting his seed at the WPIAL Section 3-3A boys tennis singles championship. The top-seeded Fox Chapel senior won the section title by beating Shady Side Academy’s Sai Chaudhry, 6-3, 6-1. On the way to the finals, Siegel beat Shaler’s Liam Creagh and Shady...
Led by senior midfielder, Fox Chapel boys lacrosse counts on explosive offense
Ryan Napolitan doesn’t have a shortage of responsibilities running the Fox Chapel boys lacrosse team’s offense. The senior midfielder isn’t responsible for only knowing where he’s supposed to be. Napolitan also will try to direct traffic for his teammates. What the Foxes, who are off to a 3-2 start to...
Inspired by math teacher, Kiski Area grad runs into A-K Valley Sports Hall of Fame
Chances are Melissa Baustert Schaeffer wouldn’t be headed to the Alle-Kiski Valley Sports Hall of Fame without an early nudge from then-Kiski Area track and field coach Bill Halli. Halli is credited with starting the boys and girls track programs during a long career as a Kiski Area teacher, coach...
Returning athletes bolster Riverview track and field teams
The Riverview boys and girls track and field teams are fueled by a nucleus of returning, experienced talent, some of whom powered their way to last year’s WPIAL Class 2A championships at Slippery Rock. Veteran coach Dave Illnicki said a mix of those athletes, along with newcomers who are setting...
Plum players learning, improving during inaugural flag football season
Anna Zanchi didn’t know much about American football before coming to Plum as an exchange student from Italy. But she has immersed herself in the game and now is a key member of Plum’s first girls flag football team. “This was all new to me,” said Zanchi, who began her...
