Jerin Steele stories, Page 25

At the elementary and middle school levels, the current group of Cheswick Christian basketball players experienced success, which has given them some confidence coming into the season. Now they hope they can translate those winning ways to the high school level. “They’re eager to break back through at the high...

After a covid-shortened 2020-21 season in which the Cheswick Christian girls basketball team played only nine games, signs are pointing towards a return to a more normal slate this winter. That’s a welcomed proposition for Chargers coach Jacque Willis and her team. Cheswick Christian returns three starters from last year’s...

A few nights after Pine-Richland field hockey’s season came to an end, Rams coach Donna Stephenson said it felt weird sitting at home because she felt like she should be out at practice with her team. Stephenson’s feelings went beyond the everyday routine teams get into during a season before...

There have been times Bishop Canevin coach Rich Johnson has gone with his gut when deciding his quarterback. On Friday night, he made a change to freshman Kole Olszewski early in the second quarter hoping for a spark. Olszewski provided more than just one spark. He came out on fire....

The Kiski Area hockey team lost several key players, including Michael Rayburg and Jonathan Ayres, from a team that made back-to-back PIHL Class A semifinals appearances. If they needed any evidence that they can still play with the top teams in the league, last Thursday’s game against Fox Chapel was...

When Zach Panza’s attempt hit the crossbar and put Hampton on the brink of elimination in round four of penalty kicks, Talbots goalkeeper Thomas Bradfield admitted he thought his high school career was over. It was an understandable thought because the odds of making consecutive saves in penalty kicks aren’t...

Ava Weleski Class: Sophomore School: Plum Sport: Soccer Report card: Weleski scored the winning goal for Plum in a 2-1 victory over Mechanicsburg in the PIAA Class 3A quarterfinals Saturday. She also has three multi-goal games in the postseason and a total of seven goals. This season is the first...

Joe Scolaro Class: Senior School: Highlands/Burrell Sport: Hockey Report card: Scolaro scored twice and had an assist to help Burrell’s hockey team top Wilmington, 7-1, last Monday. It was his second two-goal game of the season. He had a team-leading six goals and 11 points entering Monday’s game against Ringgold....

The final hurdle between Freeport girls volleyball and returning to a state championship game is a very familiar foe. In a rare occurrence, Freeport and Hampton will meet for the fourth time this season. This time it’s in the PIAA Class 3A semifinals 6 p.m. Tuesday at Fox Chapel. The...

On Nov. 10, Meredith Price signed a letter of intent for track and cross country at Utah State, so this coming fall she’ll be running in the Rocky Mountains. The last few years she’s proven she’s had no problem navigating the hills of Pennsylvania. Price placed 17th in the PIAA...

Jeremiah Hasley ran gassers every day he could during the summer and even worked with a personal trainer to get into the best shape possible, because he wanted to be on the field for every snap of Pine-Richland football this season. Hasley, a Duke recruit, had already made his mark...

The Franklin Regional boys soccer team suffered the same fate Saturday as every team Hampton has faced thus far in the postseason. The Panthers were shut out. It wasn’t for lack of effort or chances, as the Panthers probed and prodded Hampton for the majority of the match, but they...

With less than a minute remaining and facing third-and-goal, Penn Hills quarterback Julian Dugger was sent off the field for a play because of an equipment issue, so the Indians had to dial up something they hadn’t done all season. They went to the wildcat with Amir Key. “I just...

For two years, the Pittsburgh Riverhounds were able to avoid a covid-19 outbreak within the team, but that changed last week and it forced them to forfeit their first-round playoff game Sunday at Birmingham Legion FC. It was a bitter ending to the season for the Riverhounds, who qualified for...

Erica Lampus Class: Senior School: Freeport Sport: Volleyball Report card: Lampus is the lone senior starter on the Freeport volleyball team, which won it sixth WPIAL volleyball title Saturday with a 3-1 victory over section rival Hampton. Lampus had the clinching kill in a 25-22 win in the second set....

Freeport girls volleyball coach Tom Phillips has always worried about the potential for a “hangover” from winning a WPIAL championship going into the first round of the state tournament. The emotional high of winning a district crown can be tough to replicate just a couple days later, but the Yellowjackets...

Marcus Trask Class: Senior School: Freeport Sport: Hockey Report card: Trask had a pair of goals and a pair of assists to help Freeport earn its first win of the season and top previously unbeaten Moon, 5-4, last Monday. Through the first three games, Trask, who is the captain, leads...

The Pine-Richland girls volleyball team certainly did not go down without a fight. In their WPIAL Class 4A quarterfinal game with Moon, the Rams found themselves down 2-1 in the match after dropping two consecutive sets, but rallied to win the fourth set and pushed the Tigers to the limit...

It’s not often that a player scores the game-winning goal and makes a huge save in the same game, but Zach Panza managed to pull off both accomplishments Saturday. And it was enough to propel Hampton boys soccer to its first WPIAL championship in a decade. Panza, a center back,...

UPDATE: This game was canceled because of covid-cases within the Riverhounds organization. When the Pittsburgh Riverhounds step onto PNC Field they’ll see some familiar faces. The Riverhounds open the USL Playoffs at 5 p.m. Sunday against Birmingham, which features three former Hounds players: Neco Brett, Ryan James and Thomas Vancaeyezeele....

The Moon girls soccer team got off to a quick start and didn’t slow down. Elizabeth Hoff scored in the third minute and the second-seeded Tigers added two more goals in the first half en route to a 4-0 victory over No. 4 Seneca Valley in the WPIAL Class 4A...

Keller Chamovitz has some bragging rights in his household. In 1996, his father Sam scored twice in a WPIAL championship game for Quaker Valley. The younger Chamovitz doubled his total Thursday night. Chamovitz scored four times, helping Quaker Valley earn its 10th WPIAL championship in a 5-0 victory over section...

Camryn Rogers Class: Junior School: Plum Sport: Soccer Report card: Rogers had a hat trick in Plum’s 7-1 win over Laurel Highlands in the first round of the playoffs Monday. She had a dozen goals in the regular season. The Mustangs played South Fayette on Tuesday in the semifinals and...

Carson McCoy Class: Senior School: Deer Lakes Sport: Cross country Report card: McCoy placed fourth at the WPIAL cross country championships Thursday with a time of 17 minutes, 39.7 seconds, earning a trip to the PIAA meet. It is the second sport in which McCoy has qualified for states. He...

WPIAL soccer preview capsules Boys Class 3A Semifinals 4-Plum (16-2-1) vs. 1-West Allegheny (19-0) 8 p.m. Monday at Newman Stadium, North Allegheny High School, Wexford Winner plays: Winner of 2-Hampton (16-1)/3-Franklin Regional (14-3), 3:30 p.m. Saturday at Highmark Stadium Notes: The Mustangs are in the semifinals for the second time...