High School category, Page 367
Fisher’s Files: Quaker Valley volleyball players earn all-state honors
Two Quaker Valley girls — Annica Kagle and Vanessa Pickett — were chosen to the Pennsylvania Volleyball Coaches Association all-state team in the Class 2A division. Kagle is a senior right-side hitter and a two-time all-state selection. Pickett is a junior setter. “I was honored to be chosen again,” Kagle...
Penn-Trafford swimmers off to strong start
Penn-Trafford’s swimming teams are off to a good start to the 2023-24 season. The Water Warriors own wins against Gateway and Greensburg Salem, and coach Dave Babik has been impressed in the early going. “Our win over Gateway is indicative of the strides we have made with our returning swimmers...
Older, wiser Penn Hills grad Corey Thomas Jr. transfers to Virginia for final college season
Football didn’t always go the way Penn Hills graduate Corey Thomas Jr. hoped it would during his time at Akron. The Zips didn’t win a lot of games. Thomas was also asked to cycle between defensive line, linebacker and safety. But when Thomas hit the transfer portal in the offseason,...
Defending WPIAL champ leads way for Pine-Richland swim teams
Pine-Richland swimming coach Pete Barry can see the fire inside Sarah Anne Shaffer. Shaffer won the WPIAL Class 3A gold in 100 breaststroke last year but isn’t resting on her laurels. She also made the A final at states and finished seventh. A title defense at WPIALs and an improved...
Trib HSSN 2023 Head of the Class: Football player of the year in all 6 classes
Back in the day, when a student did well in the classroom, they were moved to the front of the class. While there is no more dangling carrot for students like getting to leave your final class to pound the chalk out of the erasers, the tradition continues as Trib...
High school scores, summaries and schedules for Dec. 16, 2023
High schools Basketball Boys Saturday’s results Capitol City Classic Lincoln Park at Lake Oswego (OR), (n) Cleveland Play-By-Play Classic Imani Christian 76, St. Edward (OH) 60 Harry Jenkins Classic At La Roche Allderdice 79, Avonworth 69 South Allegheny 59, Grove City 48 Shaler 68, North Hills 47 Upper St. Clair...
High school roundup for Dec. 16, 2023: Mt. Lebanon drops Aliquippa
Riley Farabaugh scored 19 points to lead Mt. Lebanon to a 55-44 boys basketball victory over Aliquippa at the Clash at North Allegheny on Saturday. Liam Sheely and Nate Girod each hit four 3-pointers and finished with 16 points for the Blue Devils (5-0), who jumped out to an 18-6...
WPIAL boys basketball rankings: Week ending Dec. 17, 2023
Class 6A Rank, Team, W-L, Last 1. Mt. Lebanon, 4-0, 3 2. Butler, 3-1, 1 3. Upper St. Clair, 3-2, 2 4. Baldwin, 4-1, 4 5. Central Catholic, 1-2, 5 Out: none Class 5A 1. Gateway, 5-1, NR 2. Shaler, 6-0, NR 3. Penn Hills, 2-1, 5 4. Moon, 3-2,...
WPIAL girls basketball rankings: Week ending Dec. 17, 2023
Class 6A Rank, Team, W-L, Last 1. North Allegheny, 5-0, 1 2. Norwin, 5-1, 2 3. Peters Township, 5-0, 4 4. Upper St. Clair, 4-2, 3 5. Canon-McMillan, 5-1, NR Out: Mt. Lebanon (2-3, 5) Class 5A 1. McKeesport, 4-0, 2 2. Oakland Catholic, 4-0, 5 3. Lincoln Park, 4-0,...
A-K Valley all-time leading passer Derek Burk of Deer Lakes wins Valley News Dispatch offensive player of the year honors
Offensive player of the year Derek Burk Deer Lakes, QB, sr. When Derek Burk stepped on the field against rival Freeport in the Allegheny 6 Conference finale, he had his sights set on doing what he could to help Deer Lakes clinch a spot in the playoffs for the second...
Hard-nosed linebacker Luke Bombalski of Highlands named Valley News Dispatch defensive player of the year
Defensive player of the year Luke Bombalski Highlands, RB/LB, sr. Before Highlands’ 2023 season started, Luke Bombalski was asked what his goals were for the season. The senior two-way standout didn’t point to any type of personal success. It was team accomplishments he was focused on. A playoff win was...
2023 Valley News Dispatch high school football all-stars
Parker Anderson Knoch, OL/DL, Sr. The 6-foot-1, 260-pounder was a difference maker in the trenches for the playoff-qualifying Knights in Class 3A. He helped Knoch gain more than 3,000 total yards and collect eight victories in 11 games. Coaches in the Allegheny 6 Conference recognized him as the most valuable...
Belle Vernon’s Quinton Martin caps brilliant career with state title, TribLive Westmoreland player of the year honors
Player of the year Quinton Martin Sr., RB/DB, Belle Vernon As running back Quinton Martin bounced outside and ripped into the secondary for what would end up his final touchdown for Belle Vernon — a 92-yard run in the PIAA championship at Cumberland Valley — the star-studded senior began to...
2023 TribLive Westmoreland County high school football all-stars
First team Da’sjon Craggette Southmoreland, RB, Sr. The senior turned in a brilliant season. He rushed for 1,462 yards and scored 19 touchdowns. He also caught five passes for 122 yards. Samir Crosby Greensburg Central Catholic, WR/QB/DB, So. This super sophomore caught 31 passes for 623 yards, rushed for 634...
Recruiting rankings, ratings accurate but imperfect in projecting eventual NFL talent
When former Pitt defensive lineman Calijah Kancey heard his name called as the 19th overall pick in the NFL Draft last spring, he was one of eight former three-star recruits, as ranked by 247Sports, to be selected in the first round. Kenny Pickett, chosen by the Steelers at No. 20...
A-K Valley athletes of the week: Leechburg’s Adalyn Zanotto, Deer Lakes’ Billy Schaeffer
Adalyn Zanotto Class: Sophomore School: Leechburg Sport: Basketball Report card: Zanotto, who also plays volleyball and softball, helped lead Leechburg’s girls basketball team to a pair of one-point victories last week. The sophomore shooting guard had 19 points as the Blue Devils (4-1) edged Geibel, 37-36, in overtime Monday. She...
Led by super sophomore, Hampton girls swimmers set for special season
Hampton’s Lainey Sheets was the only freshman in the state who finished top five at last season’s PIAA Class 2A Swimming championships. And she did it twice. Sheets, who placed third in the 100 backstroke and fourth in the 200 IM, is back for her sophomore season having already established...
Norwin graduate Gianni Rizzo has breakout season on Duquesne’s defense
Gianni Rizzo has been playing college football since 2019 and still has a year to go. But the Duquesne junior linebacker out of Norwin will be hard pressed to top this season. Saving his best for late in the year when the Dukes made a push into the NCAA FCS...
Norwin notebook: Dylan McCullough sparks Knights
Dylan McCullough sank a career-high five 3-pointers for a personal-best 19 points as the Norwin boys basketball team evened its record at 2-2 with a 63-58 win over Latrobe at the Westmoreland County Coaches Association Showcase on Dec. 9 at Jeannette. The Knights blew a 12-point lead but managed to...
Roster numbers down but excitement remains high for Hampton boys swim season
Hampton swimming coach Morgan Zweygardt can count on two hands the number of boys on her roster this season. Two years removed from winning back-to-back WPIAL Class 2A titles, the Talbots are in rebuilding mode with just nine swimmers. It is the leanest roster in Zweygardt’s eight seasons, and it...
New Western Pa. lacrosse league showcases fast-paced, high-scoring version of sport
Alexander Young wanted to do whatever it took to get the Sixes Prize League off the ground. The Shady Side Academy graduate has a small team, himself included, that wears many hats. On Dec. 11, the league hosted its first night of lacrosse matches at the All-American Field House Monroeville....
In early season, Fox Chapel swimmers work to put successful process in place
Fox Chapel swimming coach Matthew Mauclair wanted to embrace setting up a success process for all athletes in the program to follow. What is most important to Mauclair is what the Foxes can accomplish when no one is watching. “That’s what breeds results and champions,” Mauclair said. “If you want...
Westmoreland athletes of the week: Derry’s Nate Papuga, Greensburg Salem’s Kaitlyn Mankins
Nate Papuga School: Derry Class: Senior Sport: Basketball Claim to Fame: The 6-foot-1 senior guard is averaging 30 points in helping Derry to a 5-1 start. He has scored 30 or more points in four games. Why is Derry off to a hot start? We’re playing together. We’re jelling as...
Westmoreland County high school notebook: Rival QBs earn conference honors
A pair of Westmoreland County senior quarterbacks were honored by the coaches of the WPIAL Class A Eastern Conference, one for his play on defense. Greensburg Central Catholic’s Tyree Turner was voted the conference’s offensive player of the year, while Jeannette’s Payton Molter received top honors as the best defensive...
North Allegheny notebook: Tigers girls wrestling team wins at Butler
Behind victories by Audrey Morrison (142 pounds) and Kaylee Dean (235), North Allegheny took home the team title at the Butler girls wrestling tournament Dec. 9. Both had pins in their championship bouts. Morrison was 4-0 on the day, while Dean was 2-0. Sophia Folks (148) and Leyna Rumpler (155)...
