High School category, Page 447
Young Kiski Area roster looks for bounce-back season
Kiski Area hoped to fare better last season in its Greater Allegheny Conference debut. The Cavaliers broke into the win column just once — a 50-13 nonconference rout of Fox Chapel — in Week 8 and went winless (0-6) in conference play. But veteran coach Sam Albert said the returning...
Indiana looks to carry momentum from positive offseason
If a winning football team is built in the offseason, Indiana coach Brad Wright saw evidence of his squad’s progress during a recent linemen challenge at Burrell High School. “We finished second in the competition. That wouldn’t have happened last year,” said Wright, whose team posted a 3-7 overall record...
Highlands hunting playoff success
Luke Bombalski had a simple response when asked about goals for the Highlands football team this season. “Win that first playoff game,” he said. There was no mention of rushing yards, a number of touchdowns or how many tackles or interceptions the senior running back/linebacker wants to accumulate. Nothing about...
Hampton determined to extend playoff streak
Something is catching on with Hampton football. The Talbots return a handful of starters on both sides of the ball, led by back-to-back 1,000-yard rusher Brock Borgo, in their bid to reach the WPIAL playoffs for the fourth consecutive season and further distance themselves from the disheartening days of 2016-19,...
Cadin Olsen era over, but Armstrong’s next chapter looks promising
Armstrong has had some standout athletes come through the program since its inception in 2015, including Zane Dudek and Dawson Porter, and the graduation of Cadin Olsen leaves another huge void to fill. For the most part, though, anytime a major contributor has moved on, the River Hawks have found...
Apollo-Ridge lineman Spencer Sells making up for lost time
Spencer Sells didn’t come out for the Apollo-Ridge football team his freshman and sophomore seasons. He said he was 50/50 with football at the time, weighing wanting to play with other factors, including the covid pandemic his freshman year in 2020. “I do have regrets about that looking back, 100...
Westmoreland County high school notebook: Official start of football camp right around corner
After weeks of noncontact workouts and five days of heat acclimatization, WPIAL football teams finally will open training camp Monday. The thought of donning full equipment and going full force against teammates gets players’ interest way up. It’s football season again. “Just the excitement of the team and coaches,” Greensburg...
Quaker Valley Sports Hall of Fame returns from covid hiatus with Class of 2023
It’s back. After a three-year covid-related hiatus, the Quaker Valley Sports Hall of Fame weekend has returned. This year’s festive weekend will take place Oct. 13-14 and the 2023 class will be recognized Oct. 13 at the Quakers’ home football game against West Mifflin. Game time is 7 p.m. A...
Franklin Regional lineman Andrew Devola itching to get season started
Andrew Devola has been champing at the bit to get the football season started. The Franklin Regional junior, a three-year starter at left tackle and defensive tackle, had surgery on his shoulders in the offseason and has been limited in his preparation for the season. That is set to change...
Queens of the ‘Burgh volleyball event shines spotlight on top WPIAL players in fun setting
Avonworth girls volleyball coach John Skarupa believes it is the first of many to come. The inaugural Queens of the ‘Burgh volleyball tournament took place Aug. 4-6 at the All American Field House in Monroeville. The tournament was available to all incoming high school junior and senior girls for the...
Quaker Valley volleyball’s Molly MacDonald lends helping hand
Quaker Valley volleyball player Molly MacDonald certainly is an enterprising sort. MacDonald, 16, started a charity this winter called Brazos de Bienvenida, which when translated means “Welcoming Arms.” She is collecting clothing, household items and food for underserved Hispanic and Brazilian residents who relocate to Pittsburgh. “We work with the...
New Pine-Richland hall of famer Bill Colpo shined on mat, gridiron in late ’60s
Bill Colpo was on a golf course in Idaho when he got a call that he’d be part of the 2023 Pine-Richland Athletic Hall of Fame class. It took a minute for it to sink in. “At first, I was like, ‘Are you kidding me?’” Colpo said. “The first reaction...
West Allegheny hopes to write better ending to 2023 story
For a program that has historically finished as well as any, West Allegheny’s end to the 2022 season is something it hopes to rectify. And fast. The Indians stormed out of the gates last fall, establishing themselves as a potential championship-caliber team with a 7-1 record and narrow, three-point loss...
New-look New Castle strives for a much-improved season
New Castle is coming off a down year, as the Red Hurricanes went just 1-9, but second-year coach Stacy Robinson is determined to turn the ship around. The Canes had quite a few seniors, but by the end of the season, the underclassmen made up most of the lineup on...
Montour expects to drive far in Class 4A Parkway Conference
In high school football, having a three-year starter at quarterback usually gives a team the upper hand. In 2023, it will be advantage Montour. Jake Wolfe returns for his third year as starting QB for the Spartans. “To have a three-year starter at quarterback is great for us and a...
Chartiers Valley looking to improve, compete in tough Parkway Conference
Led by Penn State recruit Lamont Payne Jr. and several other returning seniors, there was hope for Chartiers Valley in the first year of the Aaron Fitzpatrick era. However, 2022 became a painful season for the Colts, as they finished in sixth place in the eight-team Class 4A Parkway Conference...
Following coach’s surprising resignation, Blackhawk hopes to keep building
Pat Feeley was thrown into an uncomfortable position just days before training camps opened throughout the WPIAL. But he’s used something comfortable in order to cope: history. “I’m a history teacher,” said Feeley, who took over as Blackhawk’s football coach when Zack Hayward surprisingly stepped down to take the Chartiers...
With interest growing, Ambridge hopes to make noise in Parkway Conference
Sherm McBride can see signs of progress with the Ambridge football program, but he’s far from content. The Bridgers finished the 2022 season 2-8, winning one game in Class 4A’s uber-competitive Parkway Conference. “We had a few guys coming back, but had a lot of freshman and sophomores,” said Sherman,...
Skill returns, but Aliquippa has holes to fill in quest for WPIAL 3-peat
In a tradition-rich football town with 19 WPIAL titles, change doesn’t come easily for everyone. Aliquippa has a beautiful new stadium, modern lights and top-notch artificial turf. But to build it, the school first had to tear down its crumbling stadium that had stood for almost a century. If the...
High school scores, summaries and schedules for Aug. 11, 2023
High schools Golf Friday’s results Boys TRICADA Championship Team scores Class 3A: 1. Peters Township Red 373. T2. Canon-MacMillan 398. T2. South Fayette 398. 4. Trinity 404. 5. Peters Township White 411. 6. Laurel Highlands 428 Class 2A: 1. Carmichaels 397. 2. Uniontown 410. 3. Waynesburg 413. 4. McGuffey 420....
Leechburg hires Angela Franke as new athletic director
Angela Franke said the past couple of days have been a whirlwind since the Leechburg School Board voted to officially hire her as athletic director Wednesday evening. “I am really excited to have this great opportunity at Leechburg,” said Franke, who served the past two academic years as the athletic...
Derry quarterback is 1 of 11 on football field, 1 of 10 at home
He comes from a big family — we’re talking jumbo package, here — so Mason Beeman is used to being in close quarters with a lot of people. He also is used to earning his keep in a household where he is one of Michael and Trina Beeman’s 10 children....
Following title game loss, Central Valley motivated to finish
By almost all standards, Central Valley had a very successful 2022 season. But the standards in Monaca are a bit different. The Warriors finished 11-2, falling in the Class 4A championship game to rival Aliquippa at Acrisure Stadium. The 34-7 loss — their second to the Quips last fall —...
McGuffey counting on experience, depth to advance to next level
Coach Ed Dalton was pleased with McGuffey’s 2022 season. His Highlanders went 8-4 and finished third in the Century Conference, but he felt his team could have accomplished more. The Highlanders left two regular season victories on the table: a 6-0 loss to Sto-Rox, where McGuffey fumbled twice, once in...
Waynesburg hoping to stay healthy, hungry for wins in 2023
The 2022 season was one coach Aaron Giorgi would like to put far into the rearview mirror. Waynesburg went into the season with high expectations but came away without a win and finished last in the Century Conference. “Last year was very trying,” Giorgi said. “We suffered numerous injuries early...
