Jerin Steele stories, Page 7

When reading through the local boys basketball results last weekend, seeing Freeport 61, Knoch 55 might have been a surprise to some. For the Yellowjackets, the upset win over their neighboring rival was a product of hard work and determination that’s led to improvement. It also was a boost as...

The Donald McGhee Fieldhouse was rocking late as the Springdale boys basketball team was attempting a dramatic comeback from down double digits in the fourth quarter. But Isiah Petty went to the free throw line and made sure all the work Serra Catholic had done in the second half wouldn’t...

For Dom Ferraro, the Allegheny County wrestling tournament was about getting over the hump. Vaughn Spencer was there to defend. Both Pine-Richland juniors achieved their goals. Ferraro won the 139-pound title to become a county champ for the first time, while Spencer successfully navigated the 172-pound bracket to win his...

As a junior, James Cardinali was a 210-pound lineman on the Pine-Richland junior varsity football team who seemed like a longshot to play in college. That was before he went to work to make a massive transformation to his body and that has led to an equally big development for...

Highlands gave Hampton its best shot, but it was Peter Kramer who landed the final blow. Kramer drove the lane and hit a bucket with 4 seconds remaining in overtime to propel the Talbots to a 61-59 victory Friday night at Highlands. After Cam Reigard hit a tough runner in...

Bradyn Foster has heard some trash talk on the court this season, but he welcomes it. “A lot of people have told me I’m not good enough to be where I’m going. That’s one of the biggest things,” Foster said in reference to being a Division I recruit. “I like...

It wasn’t exactly the way Deer Lakes boys basketball coach Albie Fletcher drew it up, but down a pair of players from the starting lineup, he’ll certainly take it. Wayne Love scored 11 of his 14 points in the fourth quarter, helping Deer Lakes erase a six-point deficit and fend...

Aidan Petroff said the Burrell hockey team came out buzzing when the Bucs faced Deer Lakes on Jan. 11. That word is a good descriptor for how the Bucs have played recently. Burrell went on to defeat the Lancers, 7-3, in part because of a hat trick by Petroff, and...

All Saturday afternoon the intensity was palpable between the Shady Side Academy and Burrell boys basketball teams, and it nearly boiled over after the buzzer. With both teams seemingly playing out the final seconds uncontested, Shady Side senior Eli Teslovich dribbled in and dunked the ball as time expired in...

There are five siblings in the Rupert family, and each one shares a connection that goes beyond growing up in the same household. All five are swimmers, which has helped develop their bond as brothers and sisters. Three Rupert siblings — Reece, Gavin and Brooke — currently swim together for...

Madison Zavasky joined elite company Jan. 8, becoming just the fourth player in Pine-Richland girls basketball history to reach 1,000 points. She joined Rams all-time leading scorer Amanda Kalin, Carrie Walker Kelly and Kristen Wisse. Zavasky is the first girls basketball player to hit the 1,000-point plateau since 2017 when...

Nathaniel Moore found out Tuesday night he’d be in the starting lineup for the first time this season. He responded by scoring 16 points and, along with Wayne Love, dominated the glass to help Deer Lakes end the first half of Section 3-3A play undefeated with a 62-47 win Wednesday...

Zarian Finucan sat on the bench and watched his younger brother, Teegan, hit shot after shot Tuesday night. “I was talking to myself and saying, ‘I used to do this to him in the driveway growing up and beating him,’ ” Zarian said. “He’s great and he’s just going to...

It was another successful trip to the WPIAL meet for the Pine-Richland competitive spirit team. The Rams fell a little short of winning the Class 3A small squad division title Jan. 6 at Chartiers Valley, but they scored well enough to secure yet another bid to states. Pine-Richland has qualified...

Zach Howard often picks up Cullen Campbell and drives him to Pine-Richland hockey practices and games. Now they can take a trip together to the PIHL All-Star game. Howard and Cullen, along with teammates Douglas Van Meter and Logan Kozak, were named to the PIHL Class 3A All-Star game, which...

The majority of Highlands girls basketball’s opponents have focused their attention defensively on Kate Myers. That’s understandable because Myers is a 1,000-point scorer. In fact, there was a ceremony to commemorate her achievement before Thursday’s game with Greensburg Salem. What the Golden Rams have proven lately is they have plenty...

Alan Bauman and his coaching staff at Knoch knew they had the talent. Starting four sophomores and a junior, it was a matter of proving to themselves that they can turn talent into wins. With a 10-2 record and victories over Quaker Valley, Mars, South Fayette and Deer Lakes, the...

Ryan Cory officially signed his letter of intent with Wisconsin on Dec. 20, becoming the latest NCAA Division I offensive line prospect to come out of Pine-Richland. Cory joins Jalen Klemm (Kansas State/Washington), Mike Katic (Indiana), Andrew Kristofic (Notre Dame) and Harrison Hayes (Liberty) as former Rams linemen who have...

In 1998, Jodi Chmielewski was one of only a few women in Western Pennsylvania coaching high school soccer and over two decades later, she’s still making history. Chmielewski amassed over 300 wins, two WPIAL championships and a state title coaching Pine-Richland girls soccer. Now she’ll be the first female coach...

All week, Deer Lakes boys basketball coach Albie Fletcher used the phrase “up tempo” when preparing his players for their matchup with Burrell. Usually that term is designated for offense, but the Lancers love speed on defense, and they used it to frustrate the Bucs and get them in extreme...

Shady Side Academy girls basketball coach Jonna Burke said her team is at its best when it plays good defense and turns that into offense. With a stout press, that’s exactly what the Bulldogs did Thursday night against a young, up-and-coming Burrell team. The Bulldogs caused nearly a dozen turnovers...

Burrell and Deer Lakes are separated by 12 miles. They are even closer in the Trib HSSN boys basketball rankings. The Lancers are ranked first in Class 3A, and the Bucs are second, so an already-intense rivalry has an extra ingredient this year. Each team will have a chance to...

With two wins this weekend at the Aquinas Academy holiday tournament, the Springdale boys basketball team can equal its win total from last season at nine before ringing in the new year. It’s been a great start for a senior-heavy Dynamos team with a 7-1 record, with all those wins...

Corey Smith always has believed in making the nonsection schedule as difficult as possible, and that’s what he has done at Kiski Area. He wants his team to be battle-tested before section play. This year, his team has proven it belongs in the discussion among the best. The Cavaliers have...

For Tommy Campanella and Ellisyn Mularski, watching the Pine-Richland girls wrestling team make their debut at the Butler tournament Dec. 9 invoked some emotion and pride. The duo has teamed up to coach the Rams in their inaugural season and have seen an impressive turnout. So much so, they have...