High School category, Page 54
Thousands of youth soccer players geared up for 28th annual Plum Kick-Off Classic
The largest youth soccer tournament in Pennsylvania is set for its 28th edition this weekend. Tournament director Jamie Stewart said Plum Area Youth Soccer and PA West are excited to host the Plum Kick-Off Classic and will welcome teams from neighboring communities and throughout the region. “We are right around...
A-K Valley boys soccer preview: Deer Lakes, Plum, Fox Chapel among teams to watch
Over the last seven years, the Deer Lakes boys soccer program has found a way to insert itself into the WPIAL championship conversation on an annual basis. First, it was the trio of Michael Sullivan, Colton Spence and Devin Murray — who’s now an assistant coach with the program —...
2025 Trib HSSN football position-by-position breakdown: Scouting the coaches
TribLive HSSN will break down the top players at one position per day until Week Zero. Here is a look at the top coaching changes for the 2025 season. 1. Mike Warfield Aliquippa Warfield is back. The Aliquippa grad stepped away as coach before last season saying he was taking...
Valley’s secret weapon is freshman with ‘golden leg’
Before entering seventh grade, Jude Hicinbothem saw his older brother Trent kicking for the Valley varsity football team and wanted to try it. Hicinbothem liked it and thought he was good enough to kick for the middle school team. Hicinbothem was right. He was a reliable field goal and touchback...
Through the Years: 40 years ago, Plum rewarded new coach with season-opening win
Each week throughout the high school football season, the Valley News Dispatch will take a look at the players, coaches and events that shaped our scholastic legacy. In 1985, Plum rewarded new coach Bill Helsley with a 27-12 victory over Highlands at Mustangs Stadium. Quarterback Phil Kinney pulled off a...
New duo gives Yough 1-2 punch on both sides of the ball
There will be a new look in the backfield at Yough this season. Gone are quarterback Raidon Kuroda and running back Aidan Thornton, the team’s leading rushers. Both are at Seton Hill. Enter senior Braiden Snyder and sophomore Johnny Gergely at the running back position and junior Aidan Shaffer at...
Westmoreland County boys high school soccer preview: Mt. Pleasant has savvy to make noise in Class 2A
With nine returning starters, Mt. Pleasant boys soccer has its sights on a sixth straight WPIAL playoff berth. The season opens Friday, and the Vikings are primed to make their mark in Class 2A. They lost only two starters from a team that took second place in Section 4. “We...
Westmoreland County boys soccer notebook: Key players out of Norwin’s lineup
Four players who likely would have had an impact for Norwin are nonfactors — at least for this season. Junior Chase Molinaro, sophomore Turner Raibel, and freshmen Christian Wilson and Mateo Yezovich are playing for the MLS Next, a youth developmental league that does not permit players to dual roster...
With dynamic backfield, McKeesport in position to take championship step forward
Despite enjoying plenty of success over the past few seasons — enough to satisfy the majority of WPIAL football programs — McKeesport has felt bittersweet about its recent results. The Tigers have played well enough to win their conference and advance to the WPIAL championship the last two years, but...
Former Frazier quarterback working to restore program’s luster
Settling in as Frazier’s new coach, Tony Battaglini begins to think more and more that the team has underachieved the past few seasons. Now it’s time to turn the Commodores’ program around. Battaglini has brought a coaching staff full of, not just experience, but championship experience to Perryopolis and has...
With star quarterback returning, Elizabeth Forward sets goals high
Coming off another conference championship and a semifinal loss to Central Valley in the Class 3A playoffs, the Elizabeth Forward Warriors enter the 2025 season with a little bit of a chip on their shoulders. Let’s call it the “overlooked chip.” Gone are stalwarts such as Charlie Nigut, Jace Brown...
With new coach at helm, Charleroi driven to earn respect
Charleroi’s Scooter DeUnger has a daunting task ahead of him as he takes over as football coach at his alma mater. The Cougars have fallen on hard times, with last year’s 1-9 campaign marking their third straight season around the bottom of the conference. They have an overall record of...
California enters season with focus on a single goal: a Tri-County South title
Since veteran coach Ed Woods took over the head coaching duties at California years ago, he always tells his teams in training camp that they have one primary goal — win the conference crown. In 2024, the Trojans were one missed two-point conversion run away — in Week 9 against...
Westmoreland County football notebook: Ligonier Valley hopes to shine in ‘Friday Night Lights’ contest
Ligonier Valley is the latest Westmoreland County school to enter the school spirit-driven T-Mobile 5G Friday Night Lights competition. Latrobe and Derry took part in the season-long contest, which recognizes small towns and their fondness for high school football. Top schools are awarded each week, starting with $5,000 in the...
South Side focused on process over results with experienced group
From 2021-23, it seemed like South Side football was on track to capture its first WPIAL title in 25 years. During that span, the Rams went from the WPIAL quarterfinals to the championship in three consecutive seasons. However, with no WPIAL title to show for it, the team was eager...
Shenango looks to build in positive direction after challenging season
Aug. 27 will mark one year since the tragic passing of DJ Graham, son of Shenango football coach Jimmy Graham. Understandably, the 2024 season brought emotional challenges that impacted the team’s on-field performance. “It was difficult to get into a rhythm last season,” Graham said. “The team and community had...
Veteran coach Don Phillips ready to lead Rochester’s resurgence
It had been over 40 years since Don Phillips was calling plays from the sidelines for the Rochester Rams. But after championship head coach Gene Matsook retired in December, Phillips was chosen to lead the Rams once again, and hopefully back to their championship ways. “We want to succeed,” Phillips...
New coach hopes to help Northgate end playoff drought
When Mark Fratangelo first joined the Northgate football staff in 2022, the school struggled to field a team with enough players. Now, with two consecutive seasons of having 30-plus players, Fratangelo, entering his first year as head coach, and his staff have their eyes set on the WPIAL postseason. “When...
Neshannock sets lofty goal for season: Rings rather than T-shirts
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 Friday. Coach Michael Bongivengo may only be in his second year at the helm at Neshannock, but he is well aware of the championship standard that is yet...
Laurel in position for big bounce-back after injury-riddled season
Often, injuries are setbacks for teams with high expectations. For Laurel football, though, the 2024 season became a year of growth that could pay dividends in 2025. “Going into last season, we had a lot of high expectations, and we had a lot of skill kids back that we were...
Architect of dominant Serra Catholic defenses returns to give Eagles a boost as head coach
From 2017-2022, the Serra Catholic defense was coached by defensive coordinator Akeeme Robinson, known by most as “Coach Keem.” His passion and devotion to player development shined as the Eagles broke a WPIAL record by forcing nine turnovers in the 2021 WPIAL Class 2A championship game, resulting in a lopsided...
After ending long losing streak, Ringgold ready to take next step forward
Last fall, Ringgold broke a 27-game losing streak and earned its first conference win since 2021. While those victories in 2024 were only baby steps, second-year coach Robert “Bean” Heller believes they marked the beginning of a much larger turnaround. “First and foremost, we had to get rid of that...
High school scores, summaries and schedules for Aug. 20, 2025
High schools Golf Wednesday’s results Boys Class 3A Section 1 Kiski Area 202, Hempfield 214 Medalist: Max Mottura (KA) 35 Section 3 Mars 181, Knoch 217 Medalists: Jackson Geiger (M) 32; Aaron Voltz (K) 39 Section 5 Canon-McMillan 191, Chartiers Valley 194 Medalists: Chase Werthman (CM) 36; Gavin Waldron (CV)...
Trib 10: Check out this year’s rankings, now with twice as much power
A new high school football season brings a change to the traditional Trib 10 power rankings. In the past, we presented our weekly power rankings for teams in all six district classifications. However, unlike basketball, baseball and softball where it is easier for teams at small schools to climb the...
2025 Trib HSSN football position-by-position breakdown: Scouting the specialists
TribLive HSSN will break down the top players at one position per day until Week Zero. Here is a look at the top kickers and punters for the 2025 season. 1. Harran Zureikat Fox Chapel Senior, 6-2, 185 Zureikat is the top kicker in the country and a Georgia commit....
