Paul Schofield stories, Page 13

Latrobe junior Lili Maxwell didn’t start wrestling until two years ago. A torn labrum while swimming convinced her to try the sport. Now the 17-year-old is preparing to compete in her first WPIAL individual wrestling championship. It’s a first for all 185 girls set to compete in the inaugural tournament...

As Burrell wrestling coach Josh Shields was addressing his team in the locker room at the PIAA team championship at Giant Center on Feb. 8 in Hershey, he talked about how one chapter of the season was closing and a new one was beginning. Almost all coaches like the team...

WEEK 9 Class 3A Top 10 Team (This year’s record) Last week’s rankings 1. Connellsville (16-4) 1 2. Trinity (13-3) 2 3. Franklin Regional (22-3) 3 4. Bethel Park (18-3) 4 5. Latrobe (13-5) 5 6. North Allegheny (17-4) 6 7. Fox Chapel (15-2) 7 8. Peters Township (15-6) 8...

When the Penn-Trafford boys basketball team entered the final two weeks of the regular season, its WPIAL playoff hopes were on thin ice. But wins against McKeesport and Latrobe in crunch time clinched a postseason berth for the Warriors. Penn-Trafford (5-4, 11-10) was in position to finish as high as...

When the Franklin Regional wrestling team opened the season by winning the Hampton Dawg Duals, Panthers coach Matt Lebe wasn’t surprised. “I knew we had a chance at being pretty good,” Lebe said. “We did well in a scrimmage against Trinity before the duals. We were right with them. “We...

HERSHEY – Trinity rebounded from a tough loss to Bethlehem Catholic in the PIAA Class 3A quarterfinals at the team championship by trouncing District 12 champion La Salle College, 45-23. The Hillers (13-2) won the first seven bouts and built a 35-0 lead at the Giant Center. Bodie Morgan at...

HERSHEY — For the second consecutive day at the Giant Center, Burgettstown allowed too many pins and was eliminated from the PIAA Class 2A team tournament Friday. Montoursville, the District 4 runner-up, defeated WPIAL runner-up Burgettstown, 42-24, in a consolation-round bout. The Blue Devils won six bouts, but gave up...

HERSHEY — There must be something about the Giant Center for the Franklin Regional wrestling team. This is the fourth time the Panthers have wrestled in Hershey, and they keep finding ways to win and are having fun doing so. The 2013 team placed third in the state, and the...

HERSHEY – Connellsville continued its comeback at the PIAA Class 3A team championship by knocking out District 1 champion and No. 1-ranked Council Rock South on Friday in Round 2 of consolations at the Giant Center. The Falcons got big wins from their top wrestlers, picked up bonus points and...

HERSHEY — It wasn’t the end to the dual-meet season the Burrell wrestling team was looking for Friday at the PIAA Class 2A team championship. After reaching the quarterfinals with a win Thursday, the Bucs were beaten by District 6 champion Bishop McCort, 51-15, and then fell to District 10...

HERSHEY — Three close losses proved to be the difference in Franklin Regional’s first-round loss to No. 1 Council Rock South at the PIAA Class 3A wrestling team championships Thursday at Giant Center. The Hawks won close matches at 133 pounds, 145 and 172 and defeated the Panthers, 37-24. Franklin...

HERSHEY — WPIAL Class 3A runner-up Trinity won 10 of 13 matches and had eight pins in an easy 54-14 first-round win against District 4 champion Selisngrove at the PIAA team championships Thursday at the Giant Center. The Hillers (12-1) raced out to a 21-0 lead thanks to pins by...

HERSHEY — WPIAL champion Connellsville came up short during the first round of the PIAA Class 3A team championship Thusday at the Giant Center. Wilson, the third-place team from District 3, won seven of the 13 matches and got pins from Matteo Garcia at 152 and Blaise Eidle at 172...

HERSHEY — District 9 champion Clearfield (16-1) used six pins and a forfeit to defeat WPIAL runner-up Burgettstown, 42-27, during the first round of the PIAA Class 2A team championship Thurday at the Giant Center. Burgettstown (15-2) got pins from heavyweight Joey Baronick and Darius Simmons (107). It also got...

HERSHEY — Burrell wrestling coach Josh Shields couldn’t have been happier with his team’s performance during the first round of the PIAA Class 2A team championships Thursday. The Bucs came out strong at Giant Center, won the first nine bouts and rolled to a 55-8 victory against District 2 champion...

The Penn-Trafford boys basketball team clinched a spot in the upcoming WPIAL playoffs Tuesday by holding off Latrobe, 71-61, in a key Section 3-5A battle at home. The Warriors (5-4, 11-10) used a big second quarter to take the lead and got clutch 3-pointers from Tyler Anthony and Tyler Freas...

The Franklin Regional wrestling team advanced to Thursday’s second round of the PIAA Class 3A tournament by rolling over City League champion Obama Academy, 69-6. Now the Panthers (20-1) face the team that is favored to win the state tournament, District 1 champion Council Rock South (14-1). Veteran coach Matt...

WEEK 8 2023-24 Class 3A Top 10 Team (This year’s record) Last week’s rankings 1. Connellsville (13-2) 2 2. Trinity (11-1) 1 3. Franklin Regional (20-1) 3 4. Bethel Park (11-3) 6 5. Latrobe (8-4) 4 6. North Allegheny (17-4) 5 7. Fox Chapel (14-2) 8 8. Peters Township (15-6)...

The Highlands and Greensburg Salem girls basketball teams had the same agenda Monday in their Section 1-4A showdown. Since both had already clinched spots in the upcoming WPIAL playoffs, the teams were looking for a win to better their seeding for the tournament. Second-place Highlands (14-6, 9-2) built an early...

Three WPIAL teams and one City League program will begin the PIAA wrestling tournament with preliminary-round matches Monday. Trips to Hershey later this week will be on the line. Franklin Regional, which placed third in the WPIAL Class 3A tournament, travels to Carrick High School at 7 p.m. to face...

It’s crunch time for the Penn-Trafford girls and boys basketball teams. The regular season comes to an end Feb. 10 and both teams are in the running for WPIAL playoff spots with strong finishes. As of Feb. 1, the Penn-Trafford girls (13-5, 6-3) were in third place behind Oakland Catholic...

Penn-Trafford senior swimmer Patton Graziano turned in another top performance at the Westmoreland County Coaches’ Association meet Jan. 27. He was among 10 Water Warriors to earn medals at the annual meet at Derry. Graziano won the boys 100-yard freestyle and 100 backstroke. He also was on the 200 medley...

Class 3A At AHN Arena, Peters Township Championship Connellsville 33, Trinity 32 127: Zane Garner (T) p. Chase Sparks, 5:16 133: Kai Vielma (C) p. Devin Junko, 1:26 139: Blake Reihner (T) m.d. Julian Ruggieri, 15-5 145: Evan Petrovich (C) p. Luke Poland, 2:32 152: Thomas Allison (T) p. Kolten...

It’s been 15 years since the Connellsville wrestling program celebrated a WPIAL Class 3A title. The long wait ended Saturday. The Falcons claimed their eighth WPIAL title by rallying to defeat top seed Trinity, 33-32, at Peters Township’s AHN Arena. The win capped off four exciting matches in the semifinals...

The drought is over. The WPIAL Class 2A wrestling title is headed back to Burrell after a two-year absence. Burrell claimed its 18th team title Saturday at Peters Township’s AHN Arena by defeating 2023 champion Burgettstown, 41-20, in the finals. The Bucs decked Quaker Valley, 44-17, in the semifinals. Burrell...