Steel Valley

Behind 3 WPIAL champions, North Catholic lifts 3rd straight Trib Cup in Class 3A

The North Catholic victory tradition continued to ring loud and clear this past school year. Steady contributions across all three seasons, along with a couple of championship runs, helped the Trojans win a third straight Trib HSSN Cup for Class 3A in 2021-22. “North Catholic has a long standing tradition...
2022 Trib HSSN Preseason Football All-Star Team: Steel Valley’s Cruce Brookins

Editor’s note: The Tribune-Review and the TribLive High School Sports Network are profiling each member of the 25-player Trib HSSN Preseason Football All-Star team. The players will be recognized July 15 during HSSN Media Day at Kennywood Park. During the 2022 Steel Valley football season, running back Nijhay Burt garnered...
Steel Valley’s Makhai Valentine among 4 all-state selections from WPIAL Class 3A

Steel Valley junior Makhai Valentine, who ranked among the WPIAL’s top scorers this winter, earned first-team all-state honors Thursday when the Class 3A awards were announced. The 30-point scorer was one of four WPIAL players recognized in a statewide vote of sportswriters. Earning third-team honors were South Allegheny’s Bryce Epps,...
2022 Trib HSSN Head of the Class: WPIAL boys basketball’s best in each classification

There were a lot of players and coaches who put in plenty of time on the basketball court this season to be the best they could be. While we salute all of those who participated in a memorable 2022 high school boys basketball campaign, we have a special seat in...
2022 WPIAL Class 2A softball preseason breakdown

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...
11 WPIAL, City League football players picked for 2022 Small School East-West Game

The WPIAL’s leading rusher was among 11 WPIAL and City League players chosen Thursday for the Small School East-West Game this spring. Central Valley’s Landon Alexander, who topped 2,000 rushing yards last season for the WPIAL and PIAA Class 3A champion Warriors, was one of the running backs selected for...
Steel Valley knocks out No. 4 Seton LaSalle with 1-2 punch in WPIAL playoff upset

Steel Valley’s Makhai Valentine wears No. 1 and teammate Cruce Brookins is No. 2, fitting for a combination that delivered a knockout punch Monday night. Fourth-seeded Seton LaSalle was the heavyweight that fell. Brookins scored 30 points, Valentine had 23 and No. 13 seed Steel Valley pulled off a first-round...
WPIAL disciplines South Side, Steel Valley football after hearing on racial allegations

The South Side and Steel Valley football teams must complete educational training organized by the WPIAL to “further develop cultural competency” after their playoff game in November ended with accusations of unsportsmanlike conduct and racial slurs. If not completed, the WPIAL board can impose a variety of additional disciplinary options,...
2021 Trib 25 Football Team: WPIAL, state champions highlight HSSN all-stars

This was a historic football season for the WPIAL, which had four teams celebrate state titles in Hershey. The WPIAL never before had won more than three in a year, but Mt. Lebanon, Penn-Trafford, Aliquippa and Central Valley all made history this fall. Each team had a unique story. The...
Trib HSSN Head of the Class: Player of the year in each of WPIAL football’s 6 classes

Back in the day, when students did well in the classroom, they were moved to the front of the class. With the return to school from virtual classrooms the year before, Trib HSSN is once again moving those prized students to the head of the class. There were plenty of...
Serra Catholic’s Jose Regus honored as Class 2A Coach of the Year in all-state football voting

A rare neurological disorder confined Serra Catholic coach Jose Regus to a wheelchair at times this season, yet Regus remained on the sideline and led the Eagles to a WPIAL football title and a state runner-up finish. His determination was recognized Tuesday when Regus was named the state’s Coach of...
Allegheny: Steel Valley’s Nijhay Burt leads all-conference team as 2-way standout

Steel Valley’s Nijhay Burt rushed for more than 2,000 yards and scored 35 touchdowns, but Allegheny Conference coaches recognized the senior wasn’t only an offensive star. Burt earned both offensive and defensive player of the year honors in the WPIAL Class 2A conference along with first-team all-conference honors on both...
WPIAL schedules hearing to address racial allegations against South Side football team

The WPIAL has scheduled a hearing Dec. 21 to address racial allegations stemming from a football playoff game last month between South Side and Steel Valley. The WPIAL board voted to bring in school administrators and football coaches along with athletes and other individuals identified in written reports submitted by...
Trib HSSN WPIAL girls soccer all-stars: Steel Valley’s Salopek takes game to next level

TribHSSN Fab 15 Player of the Year Kelsey Salopek Sr., F, Steel Valley As a Kent State commit, Kelsey Salopek already was on the WPIAL radar, but she took her individual talents a step farther as she led Steel Valley to its first WPIAL championship in its first try. The...
Franklin Regional’s Anthony DiFalco earns 3rd All-America honor; 10 from WPIAL make all-region

Franklin Regional senior Anthony DiFalco was hoping to cap his brilliant high school soccer career with another WPIAL championship and a PIAA title. While he fell short of his expectations, he was lauded just the same with his third All-American nod. DiFalco was named a United States Soccer Coaches Region...
25 WPIAL soccer players make all-state teams

With the district and state playoffs complete, the Pennsylvania Soccer Coaches Association announced its boys and girls all-state teams. The WPIAL had a number of representatives with 14 boys selections and 10 players picked for the girls list. The girls are Penn-Trafford senior forward Malia Kearns, Plum junior forward Kaitlyn...