Brentwood

After finishing second in the HSSN Trib Cup standings a year ago, Neshannock used a perfect season to claim the top spot. It was another strong school year athletically for the seven Lawrence County schools inside the WPIAL, but none compared to the overall resume put forth by Neshannock in...

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...

Last spring was a celebration as district athletes returned to the diamonds after the 2020 season was canceled because of the covid-19 shutdowns. Softball was a success throughout as the WPIAL crowned four new champions while Laurel and West Greene remained on top in 2A and A. District softball squads...

Here is a rundown on the 2021-22 regular season for boys basketball teams in the South Hills: Baldwin Baldwin junior James Wesling had a record-setting performance that was heard loud and clear around the WPIAL. Opposing players and coaches immediately took notice. A 6-foot-1 guard, Wesling connected for 48 points...

The Baldwin boys basketball team registered one of its biggest wins in recent memory, socking host Bethel Park, 86-66, on Jan. 18 in a pivotal Section 2-6A game. James Wesling, a 6-foot-1 sharp-shooting junior guard, was sensational for the Highlanders, pouring in a career-high 48 points. The Highlanders’ 20-point victory...

Sto-Rox outscored Three Rivers opponents 201-12 this season, a dominance that saw quarterback Josh Jenkins and running back Jaymar Pearson named Offensive co-MVPs in the Class 2A conference. In all, the Vikings had nine players earn first-team all-conference honors, and LaRoi Johnson was named as the conference’s top coach after...

To say the players on the Thomas Jefferson girls volleyball team have clicked would be more than accurate. The TJ girls cruised to the Section 3-3A title with an 11-0 record with one match remaining on their 2021 schedule. “My early thoughts this season were that we were going to...

Luke McCoy ran for 174 yards and three touchdowns and became the school’s all-time leading rusher with 3,711 career yards in leading No. 4 Laurel to a 54-13 win over Ellwood City (0-7, 0-6) in the WPIAL Class 2A Midwestern Conference on Friday night. Kobe DeRossa tacked on 132 rushing...

After a two-week hiatus from the top spot, Thomas Jefferson again was the No. 1 team in Class 3A when the Western Pennsylvania Volleyball Coaches Association’s Week 7 WPIAL girls rankings were released Monday morning. The Jaguars lead Section 3 with a 10-0 record after a 3-0 nonsection win over...

Jordan Irson ran for 91 yards and two touchdowns as Chartiers-Houston earned a 13-7 victory over McGuffey (4-4, 3-1) in a WPIAL Class 2A Century Conference matchup Friday night. Irson scored on a 5-yard run in the second quarter and a 1-yard run for the game-winner in the third quarter...

Max Rocco threw for 311 yards and three touchdowns to lead No. 2 Serra Catholic to a 39-7 victory over Shady Side Academy (3-3, 0-1) in the Class 2A Allegheny Conference on Friday night. Amire Spencer caught seven passes for 131 yards while teammate Terrell Booth caught four passes for...

Brentwood has strung together three straight WPIAL playoff appearances in boys soccer, advancing to the quarterfinals each season. A fourth postseason berth in a row appears to be within reach. “My expectations are high. We have six returning starters,” coach Ron DiNardo said. “All together, we are hoping for a...

Leechburg picked the right way to break in the new artificial turf at Veterans Memorial Stadium — with an emphasis on “pick.” An 82-yard interception return touchdown by Thomas Burke and a 100-yard pick-six by Braylan Lovelace bookended another high-scoring night for the Blue Devils in a 50-20 nonconference win...

The rumors are false. This isn’t the first time Leechburg has been featured as the Valley News Dispatch Game of the Week since David Leech was minding his mills and factories in the 1850s. But it’s been a while. The Blue Devils are 2-0 and excitement is building in the...

Last week: 9-1 (90%) Season: 16-4 (81.8%) The Birdie spent an afternoon this week scouring the internet for a No. 88 Steelers jersey in women’s avian sizes. He really wanted to get Mrs. Birdie a Pat Freiermuth jersey. “Can’t find one,” the exasperated Birdie huffed. “Guy catches two touchdown passes...

The 2021 high school football season kicks off this weekend with Week Zero games. All of the contests are nonconference. Here is a look at some of the top matchups in each class. Final records from 2020 are in parenthesis. Class 6A vs 5A Class 6A No. 2 Mt. Lebanon...

Notebook items from around the South Hills: Thomas Jefferson • TJ is 60-5 overall and 41-2 in regular-season play over the past five football seasons, including one 10-0 and two 9-0 records. The Jaguars have won 19 of 22 playoff games, along with four WPIAL and two PIAA titles, and...

There’s a significant number of new faces in the Brentwood lineup this season. But first, returning starters include seniors Jase Keib (QB/DB), Lamarr Williams (WR/LB), Mitchell Fox (WR/DB), Jack Wisenauer (OL/LB), Alec Troy (OL/LB), Tate Jones (RB/NG) and junior Jason Redlinger (FB/DL). “As always, we expect to make the the...

Taylor Lee and Steve Evans were co-race directors of the 38th annual Brentwood Firecracker 5K Run. It was their first year at the helm. “Considering all the unknowns during the planning process and not having enough time to do the traditional big race and celebration, I’m so happy with the...

Riley Brendel was not just an outstanding dual-sport athlete at Brentwood. The recent graduate also hit the books with passion. Brendel earned the Senior Scholar Athlete Award at Brentwood for the 2020-21 school year, thanks mainly to his commendable GPA of 3.97. Brendel was the male recipient. Bailey Wertz was...

Nine seniors, four juniors, three sophomores and one freshman landed individual or team honors in 2020-21 at Brentwood. A video presentation of the annual all-sports banquet sponsored by the Brentwood High Athletic Boosters was created and made available for viewing, at which time the Brentwood award winners were announced. Steven...

Brentwood’s softball team hit the reset button and was able to end the season with an impressive six-game winning streak. The Spartans captured their season opener against Northgate, 15-0, but lost eight of their next nine before going on the late-season tear. Brentwood finished 8-8 overall and 5-7 in Section...

Cesia Garcia has hurdled her way to a rewarding career in the Brentwood track and field program. She has been competing in track since the seventh grade and is a top hurdler for the Spartans. “In middle school, we encourage the kids to try every event,” Brentwood coach Mike Cramer...

Baldwin’s baseball team has been stung hard by the injury bug this season. Two top starting pitchers, junior Jon Rauch and sophomore Carson Chapel, both lefties, suffered season-ending injuries in April. “The first half has been really challenging. Rauch and Chapel are done for the season,” coach Steve Bucci said....

The Brentwood track and field athletes, guided by veteran coach Mike Cramer, are a goal-oriented group. “We have been focusing on the positives and the situations that we can control this year,” Cramer said. “The kids have worked their tails off and have made huge strides (pun intended). “All the...