High School category, Page 557
Jimmy Giannetta, St. Joseph dominate 4th quarter to defeat Springdale
For nearly three quarters, St. Joseph standout Jimmy Giannetta was rather quiet. But the senior guard exploded for 12 points in a span of nearly four minutes in the second half to spur the host Spartans to a 56-44 victory over Springdale in the first night of the St. Joseph...
Westinghouse’s hopes of state championship dashed by Southern Columbia in Class 2A final
MECHANICSBURG — Westinghouse fairy-tale ending was spoiled by a team that’s very familiar with being cast as the villain in the state football championships. Southern Columbia broke open a 1-point game with three fourth-quarter touchdowns, including a well-timed 61-yard pass Friday afternoon to win its sixth consecutive state championship, this...
Westinghouse welcomes underdog role in PIAA finals against 12-time champion Southern Columbia
Westinghouse coach Donta Green gathers his football players after each practice and every game for a session he calls highs and shout-outs. One by one, the players identify an area of team success or praise a teammate, coach or position group that made a difference that day. That’s followed by...
High school scores, summaries and schedules for Dec. 8, 2022
High Schools WPIAL Basketball Boys Thursday’s results Class 3A Section 4 McGuffey 47, Mt. Pleasant 26 Nonsection Albert Gallatin 80, Ringgold 38 Frazier 44, West Greene 37 Hopewell 50, Freedom 35 Highlands 93, Kiski Area 77 Jefferson-Morgan at Waynesburg, (n) Montour 57, Upper St. Clair 56 Rochester at New Brighton,...
High school roundup for Dec. 8, 2022: Freedom girls get past Beaver
Jules Mohrbacher scored 16 points to lead Freedom to a 41-37 victory over Beaver in nonsection girls basketball Thursday night. Shaye Bailey and Cassidy Harris each added 10 points for the Bulldogs (4-0). Chloe List led the Bobcats (3-1) with 16 points and Zoe Ringer had 12. Baldwin 61, Shady...
Bishop McDevitt punishes Aliquippa for mistakes in PIAA Class 4A title game
MECHANICSBURG — In the state football championships, against a quarterback with major-college talent and an opponent seeking redemption, there’s very little room for error. Aliquippa can attest. The Quips lost two fumbles, threw two interceptions and watched Bishop McDevitt quarterback Stone Saunders convert their mistakes into touchdowns Thursday night as...
Inaugural We Serve First all-star event is ‘celebration of volleyball’
You can’t fault Sydney Joyce if she gets a little emotional or is overcome with nostalgia when she takes the court Friday and Saturday as part of the inaugural We Serve First All-Star Classic girls volleyball event at Kiski Area High School. “This is very exciting, especially since it is...
Union playoff run ends with loss to Steelton-Highspire in PIAA Class A football final
MECHANICSBURG – Union could see the end zone all afternoon, but didn’t get there enough. The offense created four red-zone chances Thursday and crossed the goal line only once in a 22-8 loss to Steelton-Highspire that ended the Scotties’ Cinderella story in the PIAA Class A final at Cumberland Valley’s...
Southmoreland basketball coach earns assist for Belle Vernon football’s state playoff run
Give Frank Muccino a pass for missing Southmoreland’s basketball game Saturday. He has a state championship to win. Muccino, the Scotties’ head boys basketball coach, also is an assistant with the Belle Vernon football team, which will take on Neumann-Goretti on Saturday at Cumberland Valley for the PIAA Class 3A...
Unsung heroes help Belle Vernon to state championship game
Alonzo Wade always has three words in the back of his mind, whether he is lining up wide for a pass route or posturing to make a play at outside linebacker. “Always be ready,” the Belle Vernon sophomore football player said. That mantra has rung true across the roster this...
Norwin boys sharpen game against wide variety of opponents
Lance Maha wanted to diversify the Norwin boys basketball schedule when he took over the program last year. The coach’s end game always was to sharpen his team’s teeth on the defensive end of the floor to boost offensive opportunities on the other. “We want to be a good half-court...
Westmoreland County boys high school basketball notebook: WCCA showcase Saturday
The Westmoreland County Coaches Association will welcome 16 boys basketball teams for its annual showcase Saturday at Hempfield and Jeannette. There will be four games at each site, with corresponding times. The schedule for Hempfield: Derry vs. Southmoreland, noon; Burrell vs. Monessen, 1:30 p.m.; Ligonier Valley vs. Hempfield, 3; Kiski...
For 2nd straight December, The Birdie labors over a Westmoreland County state final pick
Last week: 0-1 Season: 106-29 (78.5%) This is the last Birdie column of the season, and the gridiron guru is getting emotional. Or are those crocodile tears? “Look, I admit I’m glad another season is coming to an end so I can take some vacation time. … I need it,”...
Defending state champion Aliquippa draws PIAA finals rematch with Bishop McDevitt
Aliquippa started a sophomore at quarterback and a freshman at running back in the state finals last season while opponent Bishop McDevitt had a freshman behind center that day. So, no, this rematch isn’t a surprise. Defending champion Aliquippa (13-0) faces runner-up Bishop McDevitt (12-1) in the PIAA Class 4A...
Trib HSSN high school football state rankings for Dec. 7, 2022
The PIAA football playoffs are down to 12 teams as the season approaches the final weekend. The six state championship games, no longer held at Hersheypark Stadium, will be played Thursday-Saturday at Cumberland Valley in Mechanicsburg. Aliquippa in Class 4A and Southern Columbia in 2A are the only defending champions...
High school scores, summaries and schedules for Dec. 7, 2022
High Schools WPIAL Basketball Boys Wednesday’s results Nonsection Ambridge 45, Riverside 44 Avonworth 85, Carrick 35 Butler 75, Eden Christian 66 Carmichaels 52, McGuffey 46 Jeannette 54, East Allegheny 51 Latrobe at Geibel, (n) North Catholic 54, Seneca Valley 53 Seton LaSalle 76, Serra Catholic 59 Shaler 79, Perry Traditional...
High school roundup for Dec. 7, 2022: Mt. Pleasant wrestling wins opener
No. 4 Mt. Pleasant rallied from an early deficit to defeat Albert Gallatin, 48-27, in a Section 2-2A wrestling match Wednesday night. The Vikings (1-0, 1-0) got pins from Greg Shaulis (139 pounds), Jamison Poklembo (145), Kolton Turek (152), Ty Hornick (160) and freshman heavyweight Dylan Pitzer along with three...
Freeport sophomore headlines swim season in A-K Valley
Freeport’s Kira Schrecongost didn’t let the bright lights and pressurized atmosphere of the WPIAL Class 2A swimming championships get to her last year as swam to gold in the 100-yard butterfly and second in the 200 individual medley as a freshman at Pitt’s Trees Pool. She followed that up with...
Plans to expand, strengthen PIAA competitive-balance rule rejected by board
MECHANICSBURG — Plans to revamp the competitive-balance formula were rejected Wednesday by the PIAA board, meaning only football and basketball teams are still impacted by the rule — and only those that add too many transfers. The PIAA board voted 18-10 against a proposal that expanded the rule to include...
After PIAA approves NIL policy, Laurel Highlands’ Rodney Gallagher quickly adds 1st deal
MECHANICSBURG — The vote was only a couple of hours old when Laurel Highlands senior Rodney Gallagher announced the first NIL deal for a PIAA athlete. Pennsylvania high school students can maintain their amateur status and accept money for use of their name, image and likeness under a groundbreaking policy...
Pine-Richland seniors aim to cap careers as state champions
The seniors on the Pine-Richland football team have an opportunity to complete their story arc in grand style. They were sophomores when the Rams won the 2020 state title. Since then they’ve gone through coaching changes in back-to-back offseasons, but under the direction of Jon LeDonne they’ve found their footing....
Union vies for 1st PIAA championship against veteran Steelton-Highspire
The list of firsts for the Union Area football program continues to grow. The Scotties won their first outright WPIAL championship, were the first double-digit seed to play in or win a Class A football title. On the way, Union defeated a county foe in the playoffs (the first time...
Westmoreland County girls basketball notebook: Mt. Pleasant’s Zelmore hits 1,000 the hard way
Tiffany Zelmore reached 1,000 career points, and the Mt. Pleasant senior did so in fewer games than most who achieve the milestone. Mt. Pleasant only played 20 games during Zelmore’s freshman and sophomore seasons and has only made the playoffs once during her career. So she has scored over 1,000...
Hempfield girls get off to quick start with hustle, composure
Two games is a small sample size. But to Hempfield, it can reveal a lot. With hiked-up expectations this season based on success in the offseason, Hempfield won its first two games for a sweep at the Fayette County Tournament at Connellsville. “We played with a lot of energy throughout...
Landon Urcho scores 1,000th point in Bentworth win over Jefferson-Morgan
Bentworth’s Landon Urcho needed just four points Tuesday night to reach the 1,000-career point milestone. That was the easy part. The hard part … the senior guard had to battle foul trouble, playing with four fouls most of the second half, and lead the Bearcats to a 51-45 victory over...
