High School category, Page 1089
Brentwood seniors proud of playoff run
Brentwood wrapped up a banner football season, making a semifinals appearance in the WPIAL Class 2A playoffs. The Spartans dropped a tough 20-14 decision to Washington in the semifinals to finish with a 10-3 record. “I thought we played really tough against (Washington),” John Milcic, Brentwood senior quarterback/defensive back said....
Pine-Richland girls eager to climb section ladder
The Pine-Richland girls basketball team is in the midst of a rebuilding phase and sports a roster that has youth and inexperience aplenty. The reality of this rebuilding phase and what it entails isn’t lost on the Rams or their foes in Section 1-6A. What may be lost on their...
Franklin Regional hockey winning with defense
Shoring up the defense was one of the Franklin Regional hockey team’s goals early in the season. So far, so good for the Panthers. They’ve been able to rank among the PIHL Class AA’s stingiest defenses through their first seven games. “We’re really pushing defense now. That’s the name of...
Pine-Richland boys reloaded, ready to run
Last season, a high-scoring, guard-heavy offensive attack powered the Pine-Richland boys basketball team to a WPIAL Class 6A semifinal appearance and a PIAA playoff bid. Some aspects of this season’s team will be different, as prominent contributors Dan Petcash, Greg Shulkosky and Colin Luellen were lost to graduation. However, some...
High school scores, summaries and schedules for Nov. 29, 2019
Football PIAA playoffs Class 6A Semifinals Friday’s result Central Dauphin 65, Downingtown West 44 Saturday’s schedule St. Joseph’s Prep (10-2) vs. Central Catholic (12-1) at Altoona’s Mansion Park Stadium, 1 p.m. Championship Dec. 7 schedule Central Dauphin (12-2) vs. St. Joseph’s Prep/Central Catholic-winner at Hersheypark Stadium, 6 p.m. Class 5A...
Central Valley dominates Bald Eagle Area to earn trip to Hershey
One thing in particular that stands out from the many things that Central Valley coach Mark Lyons loves about his football team is that they enjoy playing together and not one player believes he is above another. On Friday, the Warriors took that mentality onto the field and earned a...
Turnovers doom Clairton in PIAA semifinal loss to Farrell
It was a night of missed opportunities for WPIAL champion Clairton in the PIAA Class A semifinals against Farrell on Friday. The Bears committed five turnovers, four inside the Farrell 10, and turned the ball over on downs three more times in Steelers territory as Farrell held on for a...
Avonworth punches ticket to Hershey for first time in program history with win over WilmingtonVideo
The Avonworth Antelopes will play for a state championship for the first time in program history. The fact that they accomplished something so significant was special, but how they went about their 33-21 PIAA Class 2A semifinal victory over District 10 champion Wilmington made the Hershey’s chocolate during their postgame...
Gateway knocked out by Archbishop Wood on last-minute field goal
ALTOONA — Gateway’s wait for its first PIAA football championship continues. Chamor Price’s dazzling run with a screen pass for a 30-yard touchdown near the end of the third quarter tied the game and put the WPIAL Class 5A champion Gators in position to play for the state title next...
Playoff near-misses motivate Riverview girlsVideo
The Riverview girls basketball team suffered heartbreak two seasons ago with a buzzer-beating, one-point loss to Serra Catholic in the first round of the WPIAL Class A playoffs. The Raiders were the No. 12 seed that day, but they came within an eyelash of pulling off the upset. Last season,...
With struggles behind them, Riverview boys again thinking playoffsVideo
The Riverview boys basketball team last earned a trip to the WPIAL playoffs in 2015. The Raiders have experienced their share of hard times since then. But the team made strides in the win column last year, and with several players with starting experience back, the optimistic expectation that Riverview...
Penn-Trafford girls expect late-season momentum to carry over
Penn-Trafford’s girls basketball team ended last year by going 7-2 down the season’s home stretch. The Warriors advanced to the WPIAL playoffs as a third-place team in Section 3-5A, marking the 11th time in 12 seasons that P-T was a postseason participant. There were two juniors, six sophomores and two...
Fast start leads Thomas Jefferson to PIAA semifinal victory over Lampeter-Strasburg
HOLLIDAYSBURG — After an 11-year wait, Thomas Jefferson is finally headed back to Hershey, but there wasn’t much suspense in the victory that made it happen. Thomas Jefferson scored on its first three possessions and later added three more touchdowns in the third quarter to rout Lampeter-Strasburg, 44-2, Friday afternoon...
Penn Hills girls expect to ride defense this season
Last season, the Penn Hills girls basketball team was on the doorstep of the WPIAL Class 5A championship game with a senior-led team. This season, the Indians will look to reach the WPIAL title game with a junior-heavy team. Penn Hills, which finished 20-5 overall and 12-0 in Section 1-5A...
After taking lumps last season, Hampton girls ready to get back on track
There’s no better teacher than time. The Hampton girls basketball team is hoping that could be the difference to spring the program back into playoff contention. The freshmen and sophomores pressed into action for a perennial WPIAL championship contender took their lumps last year, going 4-18 — more losses than...
Central Catholic ‘not awestruck’ by nationally ranked St. Joseph’s Prep
National rankings list St. Joseph’s Prep as one of the best high school football teams not only in Pennsylvania but in the entire country. The team’s roster features Marvin Harrison Jr. and Jeremiah Trotter Jr., sons of former NFL stars. Its schedule started with games against powerhouse programs in Florida,...
Shaler boys ready to take next logical step
Once all the pieces are in place, Shaler Area boys basketball coach Rob Niederberger has set clear goals for his team. He believes the Titans are good enough to win the section and Class 5A WPIAL titles. For a team that made a return to the state playoffs for the...
Inexperienced North Hills boys roster turns to speed, tenacity to compete
The North Hills boys basketball team will lean on its up-tempo style of play to overcome a lack of size and experience. The Indians, who went 6-16 overall and 1-9 in Section 1-6A last season, will feature two seniors and four sophomores in their starting lineup this season. Senior Logan...
PIAA football: semifinals factoids
What better way to follow up Thanksgiving than to digest some high school football state playoff factoids. • This is the 31st year of the PIAA football playoffs. • The most District 7 teams qualifying for the PIAA finals is four. That has happened 10 times with the most recent...
Playoff losses motivate deep, talented Norwin girls teamVideo
Jayla Wehner still can see the ball going through the rim — in slow motion, to haunt her dreams even more. “I see it when I go to bed at night,” said Wehner, a senior guard at Norwin who is referring to a layup by North Allegheny’s Katerina Balouris in...
With new coach, Norwin boys plan to ramp up excitement level
When Buddy Valinsky coached at Allderdice, he became accustomed to a certain style of play, a product of many talented and athletic players who helped him win six straight City League titles. “We played above the rim,” said Valinsky, who takes over the Norwin boys program this season. “Here, they...
With three top starters returning, Plum girls planning banner season
In his opening remarks at the first practice of the season, Plum girls basketball coach Steve Elsier challenged his team. “One of the first things out of my mouth was that the goal for us is to put up a section championship banner in this gym,” he said. The Mustangs...
Unusual Plum boys roster packed with senior leadership but lacking experience
With plenty of seniors on the roster, it might look like the Plum boys basketball team has a lot of experience. In reality, almost everyone will be new to varsity this winter. The Mustangs graduated seven seniors who got the bulk of the playing time last season and have only...
Penn Hills boys should be hard to guard
Penn Hills coach Dan DeRose believes he has his best offensive team since taking over as head coach in 2015. If the Indians want to win another WPIAL title under DeRose, like they did in 2018, Penn Hills will need to figure it out on the defensive end of the...
Hampton boys have weapons to contend in tough section
Hampton boys basketball had the look of a team on the upswing after a playoff appearance last year. An experienced group of seniors, however, still has a lot to prove. Of course, making the playoffs is a garden-variety outcome for Joe Lafko, who enters his 30th season coaching and 23rd...
