Josh Rizzo stories, Page 31

Years of rebuilding the middle school cross country program started to show progress at the varsity level for Shaler Area last season. After a five-year absence, the Titans had two runners — Samantha Hennen and Dalton Kalbaugh — reach the PIAA Class AAA championships. While neither earned a medald, Hennen,...

Julia Ehrenberger’s tennis career wasn’t born out of passion from watching the game growing up. Far from it. The Shaler Area sophomore grew to like the sport two years ago after attending a summer camp at the behest of her mother. “I didn’t want to. My mom forced me to...

North Allegheny girls soccer won’t be lacking for firepower when it begins its quest for a third straight WPIAL Class AAAA playoff berth. The Tigers, who opened the season last Friday against perennial power Mars at Newman Stadium, bring back plenty from a team that advanced to the WPIAL quarterfinals...

Losing players to graduation is something North Allegheny boys soccer coach Bobby Vosmaer has to deal with annually. What makes things easier is the depth the program consistently produces. While North Allegheny lost starting goalkeeper Devon Angermeier from last season, the Tigers have three potential replacements Vosmaer believe can help...

Craig Wilkins doesn’t want to see the Shaler Area girls soccer team dragged into high-scoring affairs. Trying to match the scoring output of the stalwarts of Section 1-4A would leave the Titans in deep waters. What the second-year Shaler coach would like to see is a team more focused on...

Shaler Area boys soccer coach Adam Hunter is hopeful the Titans are better prepared for the degree of difficulty in Section 1-AAA than at this time last year. When the WPIAL realigned conferences, three talented, competitive programs were added, and the result was a tough season for Shaler (2-15, 1-13)....

Playing quarterback for Avonworth will provide Park Penrod plenty of opportunities to shine. Penrod saw that while backing up Derek Johncour, who passed for 2,694 yards and 24 touchdowns last season. “I know the offense like the back of my hand,” Penrod said. “I know how it’s run. I didn’t...

Starting as an underclassmen provided invaluable experience for junior midfielder Nicholas Kariotis. Having several members of the Burrell boys soccer team in similar situations allowed them to grow together. Unfortunately for the Buccaneers, they were, at times, outmuscled last season. “With us getting older, we have become more mature,” Kariotis...

Frank Nesko does not want to put too many expectations on the Burrell girls soccer team. As the Buccaneers’ first-year coach, Nesko wants to continue building on the program’s solid foundation. During the past two seasons, Burrell lost in the WPIAL Class AA quarterfinals. The Buccaneers, who finished last season...

A lot of different factors influence where athletes line up for the Fort Cherry football team. Unfortunately for Rangers coach Jim Shiel, attrition is one of the largest influences on his team over the past two seasons. Long before Fort Cherry steps on the field for its opener Aug. 30...

Ending a long playoff drought last season allowed the Shaler Area football team to shed its label as perennial also-rans. But the Titans also are focused on making sure their surprise run to the Class 5A playoffs isn’t a case of being one-year wonders. How Shaler can make the transition...

Brian Junker’s spring was one he won’t easily forget. The 1995 Shaler Area graduate got the call for the school district’s athletic hall of fame in May. “No doubt, it’s an honor,” Junker said. “Just to be thought of like this where you were born and raise, it’s nice.” Meanwhile,...

North Allegheny has been knocking on the door for three years for a return to the WPIAL championship at Heinz Field since the state expanded to six football classes. Each time, the Tigers were turned away by a conference rival. Senior offensive lineman Ben Grafton is eager to get back...

Shaler Area boys golf coach John Brough isn’t sure where some of his players heard the team was predicted to finish last in Section 3-AAA. But the perceived slight lit a fire under the Titans, who didn’t have any golfers qualify for WPIALs last season. “They’ve been motivated, and I’ve...

Growing the game is a major focus for the lacrosse community. Fostering relationships and building the sport in Western Pennsylvania has led the Shaler Area lacrosse boosters to be creative. The Titans held a camp in conjunction with Pitt’s club team coach, Zach Wilfong. Pitt does not field a varsity...

Emilee Miller needed to shore up the mental aspect of her golf game. The Shaler Area junior knew the perfect antagonist was within the same house. After a season when Miller qualified for the Class AAA WPIAL championships, she played a lot of rounds with her younger brother, Joey. “My...

Facing the rigors of Class 6A basketball was a major challenge for the Shaler Area girls program last season. While more experience won’t make a section featuring perennial stalwarts Norwin and North Allegheny less daunting, the Titans believe everything is moving in the right direction. In July, Shaler won the...

Darrelle Revis doesn’t have to draw on the experience of others for helping lead the fight for kids to be active. The Aliquippa native has to nudge his 10-year-old son to stop playing video games and go outside. That’s why Revis, 34, hosted the second Hunger & Health Fun Fest...

Choosing to play football at John Carroll provided Brennan Fugh with many opportunities for building on strong family ties. Fugh’s cousin, Alex Kline, finished his college career with more than 1,000 yards receiving at the school. In addition, when the 2019 Shaler Area graduate heads to school, a member of...

Oyinda Agbale wasn’t one of the students who thought health class was funny. While some students snickered at the topics typically discussed, Agbale became interested and found a career path. Agbale, a 2019 Shaler Area graduate, will have a busy freshman year at Shippensburg. Adjusting to playing volleyball at the...

Paige and Abby Miller had visions of what they were looking for in a college. They believe they found the right fit with their recent commitments to Division I volleyball programs. The North Allegheny sisters will be 816 miles apart, but each found what they were seeking. Abby, a rising...

Kelsey Cordera had an opportunity to do some different things during her senior year at Shaler Area. Instead of taking her usual position in center field, Cordera was asked to play first base. It was the first time in three or four years she had played the position regularly. “I...

Patrick Gumto wasn’t consistently sharp with his curveball command entering his freshman year at Cal (Pa.). Getting Division II batters out with off-speed pitches required the Shaler Area graduate to dig in his memory. Gumto, with the guidance of Vulcans pitching coach Joey Noro, worked on improving his slider, a...

James Ryan didn’t want to see any momentum the Shaler Area football team gained fade. The third-year Titans football coach was able to see tangible progress at the school’s annual football camp. Recently, the school saw 109 kids participate in a summer camp at the high school aimed at getting...

Finding a way atop the medal stand in the WPIAL Class AAA triple jump wasn’t the end of the story for Shaler Area’s Cam Mbalo. A junior season full of strong performances earned Mbalo a full schedule for the summer. When Mbalo went to North Carolina A&T on June 15,...