High School category, Page 1235
North Allegheny seniors bow out in 2nd round of states
Shots didn’t fall for North Allegheny girls basketball in the second round of the PIAA Class 6A playoffs. While the lack of offense led to a 41-32 defeat against defending state champion Upper Dublin last Tuesday at Chambersburg, it didn’t change much for the Tigers. North Allegheny, which led its...
Franklin Regional celebrates 3 finalists at PIAA wrestling tournament
Franklin Regional sophomore Carter Dibert capped his second PIAA wrestling championship by standing on the top of the podium March 9 at the Giant Center in Hershey. Dibert used a five-point move early and defeated Seneca Valley sophomore Dylan Chappell, 7-2, to win the 106-pound title. While Dibert celebrated titles,...
Hampton wrestling has many positives to pull from season
Last year, the Hampton wrestling team burst on the scene with a 20-win season. But this year’s “sophomore slump” wasn’t the result of less talent. Better yet, coach Chris Hart feels it built character. The team lost six starters to injury, with a handful of others missing late-season action. Still,...
Hampton hockey season remembered for big moments
If the Hampton hockey team experienced a range of emotions after its 4-1 playoff defeat at the hands of Latrobe, it probably is because the season featured a full range of highs and lows. Emotional overtime wins against undefeated teams. Heartbreaking one-goal losses. Two three-game winning streaks. Two three-game losing...
Monessen softball team takes aim at return trip to WPIAL final
To say the Monessen softball team still hasn’t moved on from last season’s heartbreaking loss to rival West Greene in the WPIAL Class A championship game is a gross understatement. The wounds from that game have turned into scars, but the fire in the bellies of the Greyhounds continues to...
Monessen baseball motivated by postseason defeats
Tough losses can do one of two things, divide a team or bring a team together. After suffering consecutive postseason losses to the same team to end the last two seasons, Monessen baseball coach Bill Matush feels like the 2019 Greyhounds are galvanized and have finally bonded as a team....
Cedar Crest bowlers sweep state singles titles
Western Region champion Shannon Small of Plum reached the stepladder playoffs at the state singles bowling tournament Friday at 222 Dutch Lanes in Ephrata. But her stay was short after falling in the opening round, 201-198, to Governor Mifflin’s Alyssa Breidegam. Cedar Crest’s Paige Boyd went on to claim the...
5 things to watch in the PIAA girls basketball quarterfinals
Last week, 35 girls basketball teams from the WPIAL began their quest for state gold. Through two rounds of the 2019 PIAA postseason, the field has been sliced and diced to only 10 remaining teams from the district headed into the state quarterfinals. That number is guaranteed to be cut...
Penn-Trafford’s Kalik takes 9th at PIAA Class AAA diving championships
WPIAL diving champion Paige Kalik, a senior from Penn-Trafford, led the WPIAL contingent with a ninth-place finish at Friday’s PIAA Class AAA competition. Kalik was 17th after the first round of five dives before moving up to 10th heading into the final round. She ended the event with 401.10 points,...
WPIAL AAA swimmers set for Day 1 championship finals
The championship heats are set for Friday’s boys and girls events at the PIAA Class AAA swim meet at Bucknell University. Several from the WPIAL are seeded in the top eight and are in contention for state gold. Top girls seeds include the Mt. Lebanon 200-yard medley relay (Hannah Morelli,...
WPIAL claims 4 state titles on final day of PIAA AA swimming championships
LEWISBURG – The WPIAL produced four more state champions Thursday at the PIAA Class AA swim meet at Bucknell University. Robert Spekis, a senior from Belle Vernon in his final high school race, brought home gold in the 100-yard breaststroke with a time of 56.63. “It was such a great...
Parreaguirre nets double-OT winner as North Allegheny edges Bethel Park in PIHL semifinals
When North Allegheny and Bethel Park meet in the PIHL Penguins Cup playoffs, at least over the last five meetings, the result has been a one-goal game. Entering Thursday’s Class AAA semifinal, the two had played three overtime games in their last four playoff meetings. The only other meeting resulted...
High school scores, schedules for March 14, 2019
High Schools Basketball Boys PIAA playoffs Quarterfinals Class 6A Saturday’s schedule Pennridge (24-4) vs. Methacton (22-7) at Plymouth Whitemarsh, 1 p.m.; La Salle College (25-3) vs. Roman Catholic (24-4) at Archbishop Ryan, 2 p.m.; Chester (22-6) vs. Coatesville (28-2) at Spring-Ford, 1 p.m.; Kennedy Catholic (24-3) vs. Mt. Lebanon (24-3)...
Deer Lakes’ Morrison takes 3rd in 500 freestyle at PIAA championships
LEWISBURG — Deer Lakes junior Adam Morrison was right next to a pair of history making swims in the boys 500-yard freestyle at the PIAA Class AA swimming championships Thursday at Bucknell University. Marian Catholic senior Danny Berlitz edged Clearfield junior Luke Mikesell for the state title by 45 one-hundredths...
Peters Township tops Mt. Lebanon in double overtime to reach PIHL Class AAA Penguins Cup finalVideo
Special teams are always important in a hockey game, especially in the playoffs … and most especially in overtime of the PIHL Penguins Cup semifinals. Mark Lehman’s power play goal at 10:33 of the second overtime gave Peters Township a 3-2 win over Mt. Lebanon and put the top-seeded Indians...
Belle Vernon’s Shahan, Spekis claim PIAA swimming gold
LEWISBURG — Ian Shahan enjoyed the feeling of winning his first PIAA Class AA championship so much he went out and picked up another. On Wednesday, the Belle Vernon sophomore secured the state title in the 100-yard butterfly. He returned Thursday in the 100 freestyle, set the pace in the...
Mt. Pleasant’s Alincic changes college commitment
On the eve of her senior season, Mt. Pleasant softball player Carolyn Alincic is changing her college plans. The fast-throwing strikeout pitcher announced Thursday she is decommitting from Division II Dominican (N.Y.) and instead will play at Division I Morehead State (Ky.). Alincic said “many obstacles have presented themselves along...
Clutch performances fuel Deer Lakes’ run to PIAA Class 3A quarterfinals
The fourth quarter began poorly for Jared Colton in Deer Lakes’ PIAA Class 3A playoff game Wednesday against Forest Hills. Two quick turnovers, followed by two out-of-rhythm missed shots, spurred a quick meeting between the Lancers’ senior guard and coach Terence Parham. Parham delivered a short message: Keep shooting. And...
Latrobe baseball looking for complete commitment in move to Class 6A
The Latrobe baseball team is just two years removed from claiming WPIAL and PIAA Class 5A championships in a season that will go down as one of the greatest in school history. But, the Wildcats were then decimated by graduation, losing 10 seniors, and the 2018 season quickly became a...
Kiski Area softball reaps benefits of building foundation
Maggie Nicholas jokes that her win-loss record as Kiski Area’s softball coach doesn’t look impressive on paper. But in a “What have you done for me lately?” world, the Cavaliers’ recent track record jumps off the page. Kiski Area, a program that struggled mightily just a few years ago, hit...
Monessen boys ready for test against WPIAL champion Nazareth Prep in PIAA quarterfinals
Dan Bosnic won’t hide the fact his Greyhounds have been more successful than many predicted this postseason. After a thrilling win over Bishop Carroll in the waning seconds Tuesday, the Greyhounds face WPIAL champion Nazareth Prep in a PIAA quarterfinal game Friday at Keystone Oaks. Tip-off is set for 6...
Latrobe softball team to rely on several underclassmen in quest for elusive title
For the past two seasons, the Latrobe softball team has been on the brink of winning a WPIAL championship. In 2017, the Wildcats fell to Hempfield, 13-2, in the Class 6A final. The two teams matched up in the title game again last season. This time around the Wildcats took...
New coach, new goals for playoff-minded Kiski Area baseball
Kiski Area’s baseball players got a bit of a history lesson in one of their winter workouts with first-year coach Aaron Albert. A former Knoch baseball player, Albert pointed out a banner for the Cavaliers’ 2002 section title, which they won after beating Albert’s team by one game in the...
North Catholic’s Maziarz wins 2nd straight Class AA state diving title
LEWISBURG — North Catholic junior Kyle Maziarz has repeated as PIAA Class AA boys diving champion. He edged club teammate and WPIAL champion Andrew Cestra from Beaver by less than three points (447.55 to 444.85). Maziarz, the WPIAL champion last year as a sophomore and the runner-up to Cestra at...
PIAA girls basketball quarterfinals sites, times: 4 WPIAL teams staying close to home
Four WPIAL teams won’t have to go far for their state quarterfinals game Saturday afternoon, while two district squads will have to hit the road for their third round girls basketball game. Chartiers Valley will face Oakland Catholic at Peters Township, while Hempfield is the site of a pair of...
