High School category, Page 565
Beaver Falls, Steel Valley to meet in clash of WPIAL Class 2A powerhouses
Last season, Beaver Falls had a WPIAL championship experience to forget. The Tigers turned the ball over nine times — a WPIAL record for a championship game — in a loss to Serra Catholic on the North Shore. That experience has turned into a rallying cry for Beaver Falls, which...
Union aims to prevent Bishop Canevin from defending WPIAL Class A title
A season ago, the Bishop Canevin Crusaders completed a turnaround from 1-9 in 2019 to WPIAL champions in Class A under then second-year coach Richard Johnson. Not only did the Crusaders win the second football championship in school history in 2021, but they brought most of the roster back for...
North Allegheny, Pine-Richland, Westinghouse set for PIAA quarterfinal matchups
North Allegheny and Pine-Richland celebrated WPIAL championships Saturday and will now continue their seasons in the PIAA playoffs. City League champion Westinghouse also remains in contention for a PIAA title and will face its toughest test this Saturday. Here’s a look at the local teams playing in the PIAA quarterfinals...
The Birdie plays up Belle Vernon’s chances in WPIAL championship game
Last week: 1-0 (100%) Season: 105-28 (78.9%) The Birdie wants to set something straight about Belle Vernon on the eve of the WPIAL Class 3A championship. “They’re not playing down,” Westmoreland’s prep football professor said, shaking his head. “You Leopard fans need to realize the opposite is true: The team...
No matter who the Acrisure Pigeons favor, Chick’s Picks has your WPIAL title predictions
By now you have probably become familiar with the new gang in town — the Acrisure Pigeons. The avian group invaded Acrisure Stadium a few weeks ago as the Steelers took on the Saints. When the Steelers pulled off a rare victory that day, the Pigeons were credited with bringing...
High school roundup for Nov. 22, 2022: North Catholic’s Bourque shuts out Avonworth
Dylan Bourque made 28 saves to earn the shutout and lead North Catholic to a 4-0 victory over Avonworth in PIHL Class A hockey Tuesday night. Emilio Laracuente, Carson Paglia, Chaise Caldararo and Sam DiGaetano scored for North Catholic (6-1-1). Ryan Berry had a pair of assists. Danny Mack made...
High school scores, summaries and schedules for Nov. 22, 2022
High schools Football WPIAL playoffs Class 4A Championship Friday’s schedule Aliquippa (11-0) vs. Central Valley (11-1) at Acrisure Stadium, 8 p.m. Class 3A Championship Friday’s schedule Belle Vernon (9-2) vs. Avonworth (11-1) at Acrisure Stadium, 5 p.m. Class 2A Championship Friday’s schedule Steel Valley (11-0) vs. Beaver Falls (11-1) at...
Inaugural WCCA girls volleyball all-star match earns rave reviews
Brett Marabito gazed into the stands and grinned at the site of the assembled crowd inside the Ligonier Valley High School gymnasium for the first Westmoreland County Coaches Association All-Star Volleyball Match. The event Tuesday night showcased some of Westmoreland County’s top high school girls volleyball players and was the...
Trib HSSN High School Football State Rankings for Nov. 22, 2022
There’s a new No. 1 team in Class 2A. Previously undefeated Lakeland of District 2 saw its state title hopes end Friday with a 42-15 loss to District 11 champion Executive Education in a PIAA first-round game. That loss clears the way for City League champion Westinghouse to climb one...
Knoch boys will rely on biggest strength: Depth
There was no need for Knoch boys basketball coach Alan Bauman to apply any extra pressure. What the Knights needed were honest expectations for the season ahead. Not returning many starters from last season’s team will mean a lot of fresh faces in new roles. “We’ve been talking a lot...
Knoch girls basketball raring to go after WPIAL success
Making a run to the Petersen Events Center didn’t necessarily impact the passion surrounding the Knoch girls basketball program. For the Knights players who made school history by winning 22 games and reaching the WPIAL final and winning a PIAA playoff game for the first time, that passion was always...
Ligonier Valley girls basketball looks to take a step forward
When Emily Daugherty was hired as the Ligonier Valley girls basketball coach, she inherited a program that was a mess. It barely had enough players to field a team, and the district thought it would be good to play in Class 4A instead of Class 2A. The Rams went 0-24...
Ligonier Valley boys to lean on Sierocky and Pleskovich
It could be an interesting season for the Ligonier Valley boys basketball program. The Rams were hit hard by graduation and return only two starters from a team that finished 8-4 in Section 3-3A and 12-11 overall. The Rams lost to Avonworth in the first round of the playoffs. But...
Football newcomer develops into one of WPIAL’s finest linemen at Belle Vernon
First, there was curiosity. Then came eagerness. Before long, though, bewilderment set in. Did this experiment backfire? “There’s no way,” Belle Vernon football coach Matt Humbert said as he watched then-sophomore Steve Macheska pull up lame two years ago on the first day of training camp. “That’s just my luck....
Despite playoff exit, Highlands enjoys ‘successful season’ under 1st-year coach
Despite an overtime loss in an opening round playoff game, it was an outstanding season for Highlands. The Golden Rams finished at 9-2, garnered second place in the Greater Allegheny Conference at 5-1 and outscored the opposition 356-182. In six conference games, Highlands gave up 99 points, 56 of those...
Westmoreland County Senior Spotlight: Norwin’s Sean Hanley
Norwin’s hockey team won the school’s first PIHL championship last year, a moment that created new memories for everyone on that roster. One of those players was Sean Hanley, who finished with seven points, all assists, in 20 games last season. Hanley described the feeling of being a part of...
A-K Valley Senior Spotlight: Kiski Area’s Maxine Crosby
It’s around the time of year when athletes are signing their national letters of intent, and when it came time for Kiski Area senior Maxine Crosby to put pen to paper, she signed to play soccer at Edinboro. “I looked at schools that weren’t far from home and Division II,”...
High school scores, summaries and schedules for Nov. 21, 2022
High schools Football WPIAL playoffs Class 4A Championship Friday’s schedule Aliquippa (11-0) vs. Central Valley (11-1) at Acrisure Stadium, 8 p.m. Class 3A Championship Friday’s schedule Belle Vernon (9-2) vs. Avonworth (11-1) at Acrisure Stadium, 5 p.m. Class 2A Championship Friday’s schedule Steel Valley (11-0) vs. Beaver Falls (11-1) at...
High school roundup for Nov. 21, 2022: North Hills rallies for OT win
Owen Sroka scored 56 seconds into overtime to complete a comeback as North Hills defeated Blackhawk, 5-4, in PIHL Class A hockey Monday night. North Hills (6-0-1) trailed 4-2 in the third period, but goals by Tony Kiger and Johnathan Troskey forced overtime. Kiger had a hat trick. Jacob Hofer...
New Kiski Area girls coach foresees ‘formidable team’
There have been some lean years during the past decade in girls basketball at Kiski Area, but a 9-13 record a year ago represents the most victories since the team went 16-7 during the 2011-12 season, the most recent time the Cavaliers reached the WPIAL playoffs. Armed with four starters...
Latrobe boys basketball wants to reap benefits of adversity
To experience the pleasure of the WPIAL postseason again, Latrobe had to endure a little pain. A few lean years — extra lean by the Wildcats’ standards — kept the boys basketball team out of the postseason in 2019-20 and 2021-22. Latrobe won just six games last year (6-15) and...
Latrobe girls basketball team maintains work ethic
Despite a two-year run of success that has produced a a pair of section titles, a run to the WPIAL semifinals and its first PIAA playoff berth since 1999, the Latrobe girls basketball team is not expecting any handouts. Even with four starters back, the Wildcats know they have to...
Kiski Area boys coach Smith confident entering 2nd season
Every time he’s in the gym at Kiski Area High School, Corey Smith looks up at banners representing the Cavaliers’ WPIAL section championships in boys basketball and feels the pride of being a member of those title teams in 2000 and ’02. For Smith, there’s just something about being a...
Westmoreland high school notebook: Franklin Regional well represented on all-star team
The Big 5/6 Conference, which acknowledges the accomplishments of teams and athletes in the WPIAL’s two largest classifications, announced its all-section teams for football, soccer and volleyball. The Class 5A Big East Conference first team was loaded with Franklin Regional players, and Lance Getsy was named the section coach of...
High school sports schedules for Nov. 21, 2022
High schools Football WPIAL playoffs Class 4A Championship Friday’s schedule Aliquippa (11-0) vs. Central Valley (11-1) at Acrisure Stadium, 8 p.m. Class 3A Championship Friday’s schedule Belle Vernon (9-2) vs. Avonworth (11-1) at Acrisure Stadium, 5 p.m. Class 2A Championship Friday’s schedule Steel Valley (11-0) vs. Beaver Falls (11-1) at...
