High School category, Page 683
Westmoreland County senior spotlight: Southmoreland’s Kory Ansell
Last fall, Southmoreland hosted the first football playoff game in school history, and although the Scottie did not win, it was still a great moment for the organization. That run could not have been made possible without offensive line coach Ron Frederick, who unexpectedly died in February after learning he...
A-K Valley senior spotlight: Highlands’ Carter Leri
All basketball teams need leaders, someone to motivate and encourage as well as to provide a steady calmness when things get intense. Carter Leri was a sophomore reserve when Highlands won the 2020 WPIAL Class 4A boys basketball title. He watched and learned from others before him and became a...
Volleyball coaches association releases first WPIAL boys regular-season rankings
Five dual matches Friday and a trio of tournaments Saturday kicked off the 2022 WPIAL boys volleyball season. In advance of seven nonsection matches Monday evening and the start of section play Tuesday, the Western PA Volleyball Coaches Association released its Week 1 WPIAL top-10 polls Monday morning. North Allegheny...
Public school criticism of state basketball playoffs ‘sour grapes,’ says PIAA director
Traditional public schools won only two of the 12 state basketball titles celebrated this weekend in Hershey, the fewest since the PIAA expanded the sport to six classifications in 2016. The 10 others were won by private and charter schools, leading some public school coaches to question the fairness of...
High school scores, schedules for March 27, 2022
High schools Baseball WPIAL Monday’s schedule Class 5A Section 2 Mars at Fox Chapel, 4 p.m. Plum at Armstrong, 3:45 p.m. Woodland Hills at Hampton, 4 p.m. Class 4A Section 2 Central Valley at Ambridge, 4 p.m. New Castle at Beaver, 4 p.m. Section 3 Elizabeth Forward at Greensburg Salem,...
What to watch in high school sports on March 28, 2022: Baseball revs up
Most WPIAL baseball teams will get a week of nonsection play in this week before starting their “section series” schedule next week. However, there are five sections that have a bloated seven teams. For those sections, there is no warm-up. Section play for those teams begins this week. The sections...
Trib HSSN Girls Basketball Player of the Week: March 27, 2022
Last season, Neshannnock celebrated a second WPIAL girls basketball championship in three years after beating Serra Catholic in the Class 2A finals. But it wasn’t that win that sparked the young Lancers in 2022. Neshannock reached the PIAA Class 2A finals a year ago and lost 54-43 to Mount Carmel....
This week on Trib HSSN: March 28-April 2, 2022
With the winter sports season in the rearview mirror, the road straight ahead is filled with spring sports here on the TribLive High School Sports Network. We have the diamond debuts of WPIAL baseball and softball along with coverage of WPIAL boys volleyball and WPIAL boys and girls lacrosse. Plus,...
Recruiting hype doesn’t seem to affect Belle Vernon’s Quinton Martin
Even at a young age, Quinton Martin is existing nicely with the recruiting process. The sophomore standout from Belle Vernon said the big-time college attention hasn’t changed him a bit. It could have, but it hasn’t. And he doesn’t think it will. The most sought-after recruit to come out of...
Former Cager Classic MVP Corey Smith now coaching in all-star basketball game
Kiski Area coach Corey Smith has come full circle with the Cager Classic. He was the East MVP in 2002, an assistant under Greg Hutcherson and now the head coach for the East as the Cager Classic returns after a two-year hiatus brought on by the coronavirus pandemic. The event...
Altavilla leaves legacy in Baldwin girls basketball program
Athleticism is deeply rooted in her family. It’s in the genes. Senior hoopster Morgan Altavilla, 17, carried on the athletic tradition established in recent years at Baldwin by her older brothers, Doug and Nick. Baldwin’s second-year basketball coach Jamal Woodson labeled Altavilla as one of the top female players in...
Quaker Valley swimmers, divers produce medal-winning performances
Quaker Valley swimmer Emily Connors ended her superb sophomore season as a triple medalist at the PIAA Class 2A girls championships held at Bucknell. Connors placed sixth in the 100-yard freestyle in 52.22 seconds and eighth in the 100-yard butterfly in 57.16. She finished third in both events at the...
Quaker Valley’s Gardinier garners career-high 36 in PIAA second round
One of the most impressive performances of the year was turned in by Jack Gardinier in the PIAA Class 4A second round. A 6-foot senior guard and the Quakers’ third-leading scoring threat this season, Gardinier scored a career-high 36 points to spark QV past Belle Vernon, 86-75. “Everyone on the...
Penn-Trafford wrestler Hohman goes out on a high note
Penn-Trafford’s Troy Hohman didn’t reach his goal of being a PIAA Class 3A champion, but the senior did end his high school career on a high note. In winning the seventh-place match at the PIAA championship March 13 at Giant Center in Hershey, Hohman earned his 100th career victory. He...
Penn Hills track and field looks to benefit from larger roster
The Penn Hills indoor track team had a strong winter. With some reinforcements in tow, Indians coach Lee Zelkowitz believes the spring squad may be able to have even more success. Penn Hills will have about 30 more athletes out for the team compared to last spring, with the numbers...
Penn Hills softball teams confident of better season in 2022
There were things for Kiera Mack to be happy with despite a loss to Our Lady of the Sacred Heart in a scrimmage last Wednesday. While Penn Hills’ softball team fell behind early, the Indians didn’t fold. They were able to make a comeback before losing. “I think that will...
Chris Rotelli takes over Pine-Richland boys volleyball program
Chris Rotelli has been coaching for 25 years and in previous spots he’s had to build a program from the ground up. That’s exactly what he intends to do with Pine-Richland boys volleyball. It’s not going to happen overnight, but with the principles he’s putting in place both on and...
Pine-Richland notebook: Fourth grade girls basketball team wins state title
The fourth-grade Pine-Richland girls basketball team is a state champion. The Rams topped Whitpain Recreational Association, 16-12, in the state final March 20 in State College. Pine-Richland went 4-0 at the tournament. They defeated Whitpain in the first round, Chartiers Valley in the quarterfinals and Thomas Jefferson in the semifinals...
Norwin notebook: Girls bowling team reaches playoff round at states
The Norwin girls bowling team reached the playoff round of the state championships March 19 in Lancaster. The Knights were tripped up by Neshaminy in the quarterfinals, 2-0. Neshaminy went on to defeat Shikellamy in the finals. Norwin was third after the qualifying round. Kali Siegel (533), Kari Siegel (487),...
North Hills basketball pleased with breakout season
Buzz Gabos is happy with the year his North Hills boys basketball team had in 2021-22. But the finish stings. The Indians went 26-2, winning the Section 1-6A title and going unbeaten in the regular season. North Hills secured the top seed in the Class 6A postseason but lost to...
North Allegheny notebook: Ayden Owens claims national indoor title
North Allegheny graduate Ayden Owens won the NCAA Division I indoor heptathlon title on March 12. The Arkansas track and field athlete produced 6,211 points, the third-best winning score in NCAA history. He won the final event, the 1,000 meters, with a time of 2:31.55, vaulting himself from fourth place...
With PIAA title, Thomas Jefferson’s Finnerty finishes 44-1
Thomas Jefferson’s wrestling team didn’t have a great season, but it was a good year for the Jaguars. TJ’s Brian Finnerty didn’t have a good senior season; it was great. In fact, Finnerty ended his brilliant career as the best of the best in the TJ wrestling program. A Kent...
Thomas Jefferson’s Lekse looks to past for inspiration
Joe Lekse, this year’s Breisinger Award winner, had his eye on the prize throughout his entire varsity career. He explained. “In my four years playing football at Thomas Jefferson, I aspired to be like each winner of the Breisinger Award,” said Leske, a senior quarterback/defensive back. “My freshman year, Gabe...
High school scores, summaries, schedules for March 26, 2022
High schools Baseball Saturday’s results Ripken Experience, Myrtle Beach, S.C. Chagrin Falls (OH) 14, Waynesburg Central 4 Highlands 9, Chagrin Falls (OH) 5 Highlands 11, West Greene 0 Chardon (OH) 15, Deer Lakes 1 Pickerington North (OH) 7, Baldwin 5 Upper Arlington (OH) 10, Latrobe 9 Penn Hills 10, Deer...
High school roundup for March 26, 2022: Peters Township claims state hockey championship
William Tomko scored what proved to be the game-winning goal with 3 minutes, 11 seconds remaining in the second period and Peters Township knocked off defending Class 3A state champ Malvern Prep, 5-4, in the state final Saturday at Ice Line Arena in West Chester. It is the Indians’ sixth...
