High School category, Page 629
New roles at Southmoreland but familiarity remains
Familiarity is a buzz word around Southmoreland camp. The more things change with the Scotties, the more they seem to stay the same. The coaching staff is different — only in titles. Tim Bukowski was elevated from offensive coordinator to head coach, and Dave Keefer went from head coach to...
Mt. Pleasant aims to build on WPIAL playoff experience
Mt. Pleasant’s starting quarterback from 2021 won’t be lining up behind center this season. That’s because Mt. Pleasant coach Jason Fazekas is pleased with the progress that sophomore Cole Chatfield has made in the offseason which allows him to utilize the talent of Tyler Reese in different ways to benefit...
Greensburg Salem puts offense in hands of skilled standout Cody Rubrecht
What do you do with the best athlete on your football team? If you’re Greensburg Salem coach Dave Keefer you make him your quarterback. That’s what Keefer is doing this season with senior Cody Rubrecht. Arguably the top wide receiver returning in the WPIAL, Rubrecht was dangerous every time he...
Belle Vernon roars into Class 3A with Quinton Martin, strong supporting cast
Belle Vernon coach Matt Humbert doesn’t make too much of his team’s drop to Class 3A, though it would be hard to blame him for being excited. As a Class 4A school last season, the Leopards advanced to the WPIAL championship game, where they lost to perennial power Aliquippa. So,...
2022 HSSN football position-by-position breakdown: Scouting the wide receivers
How’s this for a good quarterback-receiver combination? One of the top quarterbacks from last season, Laurel Highlands’ Rodney Gallagher, is becoming a wide receiver. And one of the leading receivers from last season, Greensburg Salem’s Cody Rubrecht, is becoming a quarterback. Rubrecht was one of three WPIAL pass catchers to...
High school scores, summaries and schedules for Aug. 17, 2022
High schools Golf Wednesday’s results Boys Class 2A Section 2 Derry 208, Ligonier Valley 208 Derry won on first playoff hole. Medalists: Hunter Jurica, Ashton Beighley (D) 36, Josh Harbert (LV) 39 Mt. Pleasant 210, Jeannette 332 Medalists: Ryan Karfelt, Colin Hayes (MP) 38, Nate Homan (J) 59 Greensburg Salem...
Veteran linebacking corps lights fuse for Freeport Area defense
The Freeport Area defense created havoc for opposing offenses throughout the 2021 season. Yellowjackets players combined for 47 sacks, one of the largest totals in all of the WPIAL. The two inside linebackers — Jacksen Reiser and Andrew Sullivan — and the pair of outside ’backers — Colton Otterman and...
WPIAL golf preview: Teams and players to watch and dates to circle
Class 3A boys THE FAVORITE Central Catholic The Vikings, who lost to Fox Chapel by one shot in the WPIAL finals, return five of six starters. They also lost in the PIAA championship in a playoff. WATCH OUT FOR Peters Township The Indians return five of six starters, including three...
Penn-Trafford’s Nick Turowski commits to WVU, looks to defend WPIAL championship
Penn-Trafford junior Nick Turowski will be attempting to do something that has only been done eight times in 85 years of the WPIAL Class 3A golf championship: go back to back. In fact, the last time someone won consecutive titles was by Pine-Richland’s Mike Van Sickle in 2003-2004. Other notable...
From soccer goalkeeper to 2-way football player, Jeannette senior does it all in the fall
Making up for lost time he can’t get back, Mitchell Steele III plans to give everything he has to his senior football season at Jeannette. It’s all or nothing for the two-sport athlete who regrets not donning shoulder pads sooner in his high school career. “Man, I wish I had...
Valley alum Dave Heavner wants to bring pride back to Vikings program
When Dave Heavner was a student-athlete at Valley High School, the “Back to the Future” movies were popular. But don’t expect Michael J. Fox and Christopher Lloyd to show up at Valley High Memorial Stadium anytime soon. Instead, Heaver has returned to coach the Vikings and hopes to replicate an...
With co-op in 2nd year, Shady Side Academy ready for bump up to Class 3A
After a one-year hiatus from postseason play, Shady Side Academy qualified for the WPIAL playoffs with the help of some reinforcements. The Bulldogs got a boost from the co-operative with The Neighborhood Academy — and the consolidation went well. After a disappointing 26-25 loss in Week 8 to Ligonier Valley,...
Knoch prepares to tackle all-road schedule
At times, the term “road warriors” is overused in sports. But the 2022 Knoch Knights will actually be road warriors. Knoch will play all its games this season on the road while Knoch Knights Stadium is undergoing extensive renovations — including artificial turf installation. It’s not exactly what new coach...
Freeport could have plenty to celebrate in program’s 100th season
The Freeport football program celebrates its 100th anniversary in 2022, and this year’s coaches and players hope to make it one for the record books. With several starters and all-star performers returning on both sides of the ball, optimism is high that Freeport can make a run to the WPIAL...
East Allegheny hoping to deliver 7th straight playoff berth
Want a pizza? Dom can make it for you. How about a winning football team? Well, you’ve come to the right place. More times than not, East Allegheny has come away a winner since coach Dominic Pecora’s arrival in 2013. Pecora and his Wildcats are angling for the WPIAL playoffs...
Deer Lakes in position to return to playoffs
Deer Lakes came as close as a team can to making the WPIAL Class 3A playoffs last year. The Lancers, who finished 4-6 overall and 3-3 in the Allegheny Seven Conference, lost out to East Allegheny and Burrell on a three-way tiebreaker for the third and fourth playoff spots from...
With deep roster, California sets sights on playoff run
The California football team intends to use strength in numbers to climb the ranks in the Tri-County South Conference. Class A teams are usually lucky to have 30 players on the roster. Cal will enter this season with a roster size of 46. “We love our numbers,” veteran coach Ed...
2022 HSSN football position-by-position breakdown: Scouting the running backs
Take a look at the WPIAL rushing leaders from last season and you’ll notice four state champions. Along with earning a spot among the league’s top five rushers, Central Valley’s Landon Alexander, Mt. Lebanon’s Alex Tecza, Penn-Trafford’s Cade Yacamelli and Aliquippa’s Tiqwai Hayes also led their teams to PIAA titles...
High school scores, summaries and schedules for Aug. 16, 2022
High schools Golf Tuesday’s results Boys Class 3A Section 8 Shaler 202, Highlands 274 Medalists: Joey Miller, Jacob Crissman (S) 37 Class 2A Section 2 Derry 203*, Greensburg Central Catholic 203 Medalists: Hunter Jurica (D) 36, Wade Boyle (GCC) 37 *Won on first playoff hole Section 3 McGuffey 215, Bentworth...
Ben DeMotte aims to join decorated group of Fox Chapel quarterbacks
Fox Chapel has a list of superb quarterbacks over the school’s six decades. Start with 1977 first-team all-stater Frank Rocco Jr. and continue to Rick Strom, who played for the Steelers and was a two-year starter at Georgia Tech. Now, Ben DeMotte wants to add his name to the Foxes’...
Gino Caesar, fellow running backs ready to guide Hempfield to success
Gino Caesar still has the game ball from the night nobody could stop him. “My mom is going to get some stats engraved on it,” the Hempfield senior running back said. “My confidence really went up after that game.” Hempfield fans were yelling, “Hail, Caesar,” when he carried 39 times...
2022 WPIAL high school football preview
High school football season is fast approaching, and Tribune-Review writers and photographers are traveling around Western Pa. to preview the 2022 campaign. Check out the Trib’s preview features for every team in the WPIAL and City League, as well as several independent programs. We also will have classification breakdowns with...
Big, strong offensive line makes West Mifflin a team to watch in Class 3A
West Mifflin has been a fixture in WPIAL Class 4A football, but due to realignment, the Titans are competing in 3A for the next two seasons. They are looking forward to and are reinvigorated to meet the unknown challenges that lie ahead. “We have a team that grew up and...
South Park looks to regain winning ways after tough season
South Park enters the new season in rebound mode. After splitting their first four games in 2021, the Eagles lost their final five contests by a combined score of 171-27, keeping them out of the WPIAL postseason for the first time since 2018. “I commend our kids for doing the...
After graduations, transfers, coaching change, Seton LaSalle moving in all new direction
Tim Storino appears to be in the right place at the right time. Storino was hired in March as Seton LaSalle’s coach following a tumultuous 2021 season, as the Rebels lost six of their first seven games before finishing with a 3-7 record in Class 2A. Storino was hired in...
