Jerin Steele stories, Page 10

Dom Pecora said when you turn on the film to watch his East Allegheny football team, it won’t be the prettiest footage, but it will show toughness. The Wildcats defense certainly had grit when it mattered Friday night. Deer Lakes got inside East Allegheny territory four times in the second...

At Knoch boys soccer’s senior night Tuesday, a popular choice for most memorable moment was the most recent one. It was a 3-2 double-overtime win over Shady Side Academy just a few days earlier. “I think one of our seniors actually said it, but they all were thinking it,” Knoch...

Coach Jordan Yoklic enters his team in the St. Margaret’s tournament every year because it gives Pine-Richland an opportunity to play some good competition in the preseason. It can also provide a confidence boost, and that’s exactly what happened this year. The Rams won the annual preseason event and will...

Walking to the 18th tee box, Will Hilton knew he was in position to qualify for the state tournament and some nerves started to set in. Then he hit his tee shot into the rough. But Hilton describes his scrambling ability as the strongest part of his game, and he...

Michael Cahill threw high-arching spirals, and Brennen Rutledge was there to make over-the-shoulder catches. They were quite the dynamic duo who helped East Allegheny secure an important Allegheny 6 Conference win. Cahill threw for 266 yards and three touchdowns, and Rutledge had 173 yards receiving and three scores in a...

With a new coaching staff this year, Gabe Norris knew he would have to prove himself all over again. He wound up playing the same defensive midfield position he had the previous two years at Robert Morris, but a tactical change has helped unlock the goal-scoring ability he had when...

Before Jon LeDonne became a two-time state champion high school football coach, he had quite a playing career at Robert Morris. Now he’s going to be enshrined in his alma mater’s hall of fame. LeDonne, who currently coaches Pine-Richland, was announced as a member of 2023 RMU Athletic Hall of...

When asked what traits a tennis player needs, Caroline Prisk gave a detailed answer and never mentioned anything about hitting a ball. That’s not to discount the physical mechanics needed to thrive on a court, but she’s more focused on the psychological part of the sport. “You have to be...

Sometimes when things are working, there isn’t a need to change anything. That’s the philosophy Knoch coach Tim Burchett put to use Friday night for Knoch’s offense. And that led to five straight possessions with a touchdown and a 41-21 victory over Deer Lakes in the Class 3A Allegheny 6...

Aldi Flowers’ story is a case study in a phrase that has been told to young athletes over and over again. Always be at your best because you never know who’s watching. For Flowers, it was a scout from FC Cincinnati who was watching, and he had no idea until...

When the Commonwealth Clash A-Main rolled to green Tuesday night at Lernerville Speedway, it looked as if brothers-in-law and co-owners of the High Limit Sprint Car series, Brad Sweet and Kyle Larson, were going to have a duel for the win. But David Gravel and a treacherous cushion in turn...

With a large group of people around him, hoping for a picture or an autograph, Dale Earnhardt Jr. walked along the front of the grandstands at Lernerville Speedway. It was a major moment in the long, storied history of the Buffalo Township racetrack, and it brought out a standing-­room-only crowd....

Kenardo Forbes always looks for a signal from his center backs before he lines up to take corner kicks. “Joe (Farrell) and Arturo (Ordonez) will tell where they want me to put it, and I try to get it there as accurate as possible,” Forbes said. Forbes was certainly on...

In the last couple weeks, the Pine-Richland boys soccer team put itself back into the conversation for a playoff spot with three consecutive shutouts. It was a much-needed stretch for the defending WPIAL Class 4A champion Rams after an 0-4 start to Section 1 play. The four teams ahead of...

Ethan Pillar is a lifelong Cleveland Browns fan, which he knows isn’t a normal occurrence for someone living in the Pittsburgh area. “I hope the people in Pittsburgh don’t hold that against me too much,” Pillar said with a laugh. If he continues to run the ball like he has...

It was a play that came from utter desperation and ended in jubilation. Golden Rams quarterback Menage Lucas was hemmed up well behind the line of scrimmage on a third-and-long in the fourth quarter when he decided to pitch the ball back to Darius Cherry. Cherry then navigated his way...

Andrew Kariotis has the smallest roster in his time coaching Burrell boys soccer, but his group is proving they have quality over quantity. The Bucs have established themselves as contenders for the WPIAL Class A championship and are tied atop the Section 3-A standings with Springdale with a big first-place...

The Pine-Richland girls tennis team is in position for a 22nd consecutive playoff berth, and there’s a freshman that’s leading the charge. Caroline Prisk has been the Rams’ top singles player and is showing plenty of potential in her first varsity season. She’s helped Pine-Richland start 7-1 on the season...

Most athletes love the sport they play, but Khushi Saini’s connection with field hockey is special. It became her outlet to flourish after moving to the Pine-Richland school district from India in seventh grade. Last year, though, that outlet was temporarily taken away. Saini suffered a torn ACL in her...

Anyone who followed Deer Lakes’ run to the WPIAL Class 2A boys soccer championship last season knew the future of the program was bright. A pair of freshmen, Peyton Kushon and Jacob Orseno, combined to score the game-winning goal in the 1-0 victory over Beaver in the final. There was...

Phil Jurkovec took the headlines earlier this month by coming back to his hometown and making his debut as the Pitt quarterback, but there were plenty of other former Pine-Richland football players who suited up around the country. Jeremiah Hasley (Duke), Mike Katic (Indiana), Andrew Kristofic (Notre Dame), Jalen Klemm...

The Pittsburgh Riverhounds got the result, winning 3-1 over a struggling Loudoun United team Saturday night at Highmark Stadium, but coach Bob Lilley was less than pleased with the way they achieved it. He called it a poor performance, and though his group is the current league leader in points,...

Burrell’s Devin Beattie wasn’t going to miss his final chance to play Valley. The senior running back was injured last week against Deer Lakes but rehabbed all week to be ready. And he made a huge impact in another win over their biggest rival and a major milestone in the...

The biggest unknown for the Springdale boys soccer team coming into the season was how quickly a fairly inexperienced midfield and forward group would jell. Outside of senior striker Billy Lawrence, there weren’t too many players with extensive varsity playing time. It hasn’t taken long for an answer. Early returns...

Pine-Richland girls volleyball coach Angela Seman told the Rams they should be happy and proud of themselves for winning the WPIAL championship last year, but now they need to move forward. It’s a new year and a new team, and the defending champions are champing at the bit to prove...