High School category, Page 1093
Chartiers Valley senior Maclain Zajicek makes quick rise as rower
That Maclain Zajicek chose to pursue athletics came as no surprise. As the youngest of six siblings, she watched her brothers and sister excel at Chartiers Valley: • Madison played soccer; • Mitchell played football and wrestled; • Noah played soccer and lacrosse; • Caleb played soccer, basketball and lacrosse;...
Penn Hills defense piles up postseason awards
Even though their season ended earlier than they expected, Penn Hills football players were well represented when it came to postseason honors. The Indians (10-2, 7-0) saw their season end with a 35-20 loss to McKeesport in a WPIAL Class 5A quarterfinal Nov. 8. However, 20 Penn Hills players and...
North Allegheny swimmers make NCAA Division I commitments
North Allegheny senior Rick Mihm has signed a letter of intent to compete for the nationally ranked Stanford men’s swimming team next season. Mihm, 18, of Marshall, is a three-time PIAA and four-time WPIAL Class AAA champion in the boys 200-yard individual medley and 500 freestyle. He holds the WPIAL...
Hampton’s Resch sees opportunity with Seton Hill soccer
Not long ago Hampton senior soccer standout Ali Resch was thinking about hanging up the cleats after high school. But two camp experiences at Seton Hill over the summer revitalized her love for the game. So it only was natural when the Division II school offered her a scholarship, she...
New Shaler wrestling coach ready to take on challenge
Ethan Swope knows his first head coaching opportunity will be more about development than team success. Swope, Shaler Area’s first-year wrestling coach, will take over a Titans roster with 10 wrestlers. Having low numbers will make it difficult to compete in dual meets, which feature matches in 14 weight classes....
Talented veteran Shaler indoor track team sets sights high
Shawn Ryan wants everything to be on the right course for the Shaler Area indoor track team. The Titans have a number of returning state qualifiers pursuing school records and state medals. Shaler will have about 30 athletes competing during the winter season, including a travel roster of about 20....
High school roundup for Nov. 21, 2019: Franklin Regional stages third-period rally
Trent Lunden and Kevin Cakanac each had three goals and an assist to lead Franklin Regional to a 7-4 victory over Armstrong in PIHL hockey Thursday night. Franklin Regional (5-1-0) rallied from a one-goal deficit with four goals in the last nine minutes of the game. Ethan Prugh scored twice...
High school scores, summaries and schedules for Nov. 21, 2019
Football WPIAL championships Saturday’s schedule Class 5A Peters Township (12-1) vs. Gateway (11-2) at Norwin, 6 p.m. Class 2A Washington (13-0) vs. Avonworth (13-0) at Norwin, noon PIAA playoffs Quarterfinals Class 6A Friday’s schedule Coatesville (10-2) at Downingtown West (12-1), 7 p.m.; Nazareth (12-1) vs. St. Jospeh’s Prep (9-2) at...
Latrobe wrestler Gabe Willochell signs with Edinboro
Latrobe senior Gabe Willochell was one of six wrestlers to sign letters of intent to attend Edinboro. Willochell is a two-time PIAA Class AAA placewinner, finishing fourth at 132 pounds in 2019 and sixth at 126 in 2018. He is ranked No. 3 in the PIAA Class AAA preseason rankings...
Avonworth stands in the way of 8th WPIAL title for Washington
After winning the 700th game in school history earlier this season, Washington will try for another milestone Saturday — an eighth WPIAL football title. The Prexies (13-0) will take on Avonworth (13-0) at noon at Norwin. A victory would also mean a 48th win for the senior class, the most...
Former GCC standout Carolyn Appleby joins coaching staff
Carolyn Appleby couldn’t help herself. During a water break this week at a Greensburg Central Catholic girls basketball practice, she took a few pull-up jump shots and banked in a scoop-shot layup as players looked on. Make that, as her players looked on. Appleby, just 22 years old and barely...
GCC girls get infusion of youth in bid for 20th straight playoff berth
Sam Salih relied on his seniors so much last year and got so comfortable with a short rotation that he didn’t leave the bench much while coaching the Greensburg Central Catholic girls. “I had that imaginary popcorn,” Salih said. “They were fun to watch.” Salih saw nine freshmen when he...
New GCC boys coach, 24, looks to carry on winning tradition at his alma materVideo
At 24, Christian Hyland will be one of the youngest head basketball coaches in the state — in the country, for that matter. But taking the reins at Greensburg Central Catholic — his alma mater — gives him a charge and gets his competitive juices flowing again. It’s all he...
Central Catholic keeps focus on State College with possible St. Joseph’s matchup looming
Central Catholic could have a showdown with defending state champion St. Joseph’s Prep on the horizon, an East vs. West clash with the nationally ranked Philadelphia power. But if so, that’s still two weeks away. Nobody in Central Catholic’s locker room should be thinking that far ahead, coach Terry Totten...
Schlegel leads Plum hockey team back to playoff contentionVideo
The Plum hockey team edged Hampton in a PIHL Class AA contest Nov. 11 for its fourth win in its opening six games. The Mustangs won three games last season. Senior co-captain Logan Schlegel scored twice against the Talbots. A power-play tally early in the third period broke a 2-2...
WPIAL championship Saturday football facts and figures, Class 5A/2A edition
Four WPIAL football championships are in the books from last week with two more set for Saturday at Norwin HS. This marks the first year since 1985 that a high school venue will host multiple WPIAL football championship games. That year, the Class AAAA and AAA championship games were played...
Chick’s Picks pays tribute to biggest fan as WPIAL football season draws to close
As the final week of the WPIAL football season is upon us, and Thanksgiving is right around the corner, Chick’s Picks took some time to reflect on all that she has been thankful for this season. Each year, Chick’s Picks is amazed by all of those that contribute to making...
Opportunity knocks for underclassmen on Deer Lakes girls rosterVideo
Reese Hasley is confident and focused forward. On the cusp of a new season for the Deer Lakes girls basketball team, the sophomore guard said she sees a group of players who can contend for a WPIAL playoff spot despite losing four multiyear starters to graduation. “We’re a young team,...
After a season to remember, Deer Lakes boys trying to plan an encoreVideo
The Deer Lakes boys basketball team made history last year during its school-record run to and through the postseason. The Lancers captured an outright section championship for the first time since 1992. They also won a WPIAL playoff game and qualified for the PIAA playoffs for the first time since...
Ineligible Avonworth football player drops lawsuit against WPIAL, PIAA
Attorneys for ineligible Avonworth football player Kyros Thorpe withdrew his lawsuit against the WPIAL and PIAA on Thursday, ending his legal battle to play in the WPIAL football championship. Thorpe and his mother Anna Hollis had asked the Allegheny County Common Pleas Court to issue a preliminary injunction that would’ve...
Wyatt Henson returns to Waynesburg after winning Missouri state wrestling title
Missouri state wrestling champion Wyatt Henson has transferred back to Waynesburg, but the junior isn’t eligible for the WPIAL or PIAA postseason tournaments this winter. Henson was among nearly two dozen transfers that the WPIAL reviewed Monday. The WPIAL board ruled Henson eligible for the regular season but ineligible for...
High school schedule for Nov. 21, 2019
Football WPIAL Championships Saturday’s schedule Class 5A Peters Township (12-1) vs. Gateway (11-2) at Norwin, 6 p.m. Class 2A Washington (13-0) vs. Avonworth (13-0) at Norwin, noon PIAA playoffs Quarterfinals Class 6A Friday’s schedule Coatesville (10-2) at Downingtown West (12-1), 7 p.m.; Nazareth (12-1) vs. St. Jospeh’s Prep (9-2) at...
Belle Vernon’s Cameron Guess commits to Pitt
Belle Vernon’s Cam Guess made it all the way to No. 1 in the Kohl’s Kicking Camps national punter rankings last year for the Class of 2020. Pitt made it to No. 1 on the senior’s list of college choices. The strong-legged Guess announced Wednesday night his commitment to Pitt....
Rebuilding plan has Cheswick Christian boys ready to contend again
When 6-foot-10 Ben Pollock finished his Cheswick Christian Academy boys basketball career in 2016-17 after rewriting much of the school’s record book, longtime Chargers coach Todd Rosio had a three-year plan to build the team back up to contending status. The Chargers have arrived at Year 3 of that plan....
Thomas Jefferson runs into nemesis Cathedral Prep again
Round 4. Thomas Jefferson has won WPIAL Class 4A titles at Heinz Field in 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2019. Each postseason, the Jaguars were knocked out of the PIAA playoffs by Cathedral Prep in the first round. TJ (13-0) and the District 10 champion Ramblers (11-2) again will clash in...
