High School category, Page 351
Recruiting rankings, ratings accurate but imperfect in projecting eventual NFL talent
When former Pitt defensive lineman Calijah Kancey heard his name called as the 19th overall pick in the NFL Draft last spring, he was one of eight former three-star recruits, as ranked by 247Sports, to be selected in the first round. Kenny Pickett, chosen by the Steelers at No. 20...
A-K Valley athletes of the week: Leechburg’s Adalyn Zanotto, Deer Lakes’ Billy Schaeffer
Adalyn Zanotto Class: Sophomore School: Leechburg Sport: Basketball Report card: Zanotto, who also plays volleyball and softball, helped lead Leechburg’s girls basketball team to a pair of one-point victories last week. The sophomore shooting guard had 19 points as the Blue Devils (4-1) edged Geibel, 37-36, in overtime Monday. She...
Led by super sophomore, Hampton girls swimmers set for special season
Hampton’s Lainey Sheets was the only freshman in the state who finished top five at last season’s PIAA Class 2A Swimming championships. And she did it twice. Sheets, who placed third in the 100 backstroke and fourth in the 200 IM, is back for her sophomore season having already established...
Norwin graduate Gianni Rizzo has breakout season on Duquesne’s defense
Gianni Rizzo has been playing college football since 2019 and still has a year to go. But the Duquesne junior linebacker out of Norwin will be hard pressed to top this season. Saving his best for late in the year when the Dukes made a push into the NCAA FCS...
Norwin notebook: Dylan McCullough sparks Knights
Dylan McCullough sank a career-high five 3-pointers for a personal-best 19 points as the Norwin boys basketball team evened its record at 2-2 with a 63-58 win over Latrobe at the Westmoreland County Coaches Association Showcase on Dec. 9 at Jeannette. The Knights blew a 12-point lead but managed to...
Roster numbers down but excitement remains high for Hampton boys swim season
Hampton swimming coach Morgan Zweygardt can count on two hands the number of boys on her roster this season. Two years removed from winning back-to-back WPIAL Class 2A titles, the Talbots are in rebuilding mode with just nine swimmers. It is the leanest roster in Zweygardt’s eight seasons, and it...
New Western Pa. lacrosse league showcases fast-paced, high-scoring version of sport
Alexander Young wanted to do whatever it took to get the Sixes Prize League off the ground. The Shady Side Academy graduate has a small team, himself included, that wears many hats. On Dec. 11, the league hosted its first night of lacrosse matches at the All-American Field House Monroeville....
In early season, Fox Chapel swimmers work to put successful process in place
Fox Chapel swimming coach Matthew Mauclair wanted to embrace setting up a success process for all athletes in the program to follow. What is most important to Mauclair is what the Foxes can accomplish when no one is watching. “That’s what breeds results and champions,” Mauclair said. “If you want...
Westmoreland athletes of the week: Derry’s Nate Papuga, Greensburg Salem’s Kaitlyn Mankins
Nate Papuga School: Derry Class: Senior Sport: Basketball Claim to Fame: The 6-foot-1 senior guard is averaging 30 points in helping Derry to a 5-1 start. He has scored 30 or more points in four games. Why is Derry off to a hot start? We’re playing together. We’re jelling as...
Westmoreland County high school notebook: Rival QBs earn conference honors
A pair of Westmoreland County senior quarterbacks were honored by the coaches of the WPIAL Class A Eastern Conference, one for his play on defense. Greensburg Central Catholic’s Tyree Turner was voted the conference’s offensive player of the year, while Jeannette’s Payton Molter received top honors as the best defensive...
North Allegheny notebook: Tigers girls wrestling team wins at Butler
Behind victories by Audrey Morrison (142 pounds) and Kaylee Dean (235), North Allegheny took home the team title at the Butler girls wrestling tournament Dec. 9. Both had pins in their championship bouts. Morrison was 4-0 on the day, while Dean was 2-0. Sophia Folks (148) and Leyna Rumpler (155)...
Franklin Regional swimming team has new coach, youthful squad
Franklin Regional has a new swimming coach, and he’s inherited a young team. Dan Taylor, who recently coached at Fox Chapel, takes over for Vic Santoro, who resigned after the 2022-23 season. Taylor is a teacher in the Franklin Regional School District at the middle school. He once served as...
High school scores, summaries and schedules for Dec. 15, 2023
High schools Basketball Boys Friday’s results Class 4A Section 2 Blackhawk 66, Hopewell 38 North Catholic 88, Ambridge 45 Class 3A Section 1 Neshannock 64, Freedom 21 Ellwood City 75, New Brighton 33 Beaver Falls 56, Riverside 52 Section 2 Our Lady of the Sacred Heart 55, Brentwood 54 Seton...
High school roundup for Dec. 15, 2023: Bethel Park knocks off Upper St. Clair
Jack Bruckner scored 16 points to lead four players in double figures for Bethel Park in a nonsection boys basketball victory over rival Upper St. Clair. Nick Brown added 13 points and Shawn Davis and Tanner Pfeuffer each had 10 for the Black Hawks (2-3). Christian Ito led Upper St....
Braylon Littlejohn leads Butler to road win at raucous Franklin Regional
These are the moments Braylon Littlejohn dreams of. “Always put the blinders on and just walk in on the game,” said the senior star, who scored 24 points Friday night to lead visiting Butler past Franklin Regional, 63-60, in a WPIAL boys basketball game that lived up to its hype....
Brown leads Jeannette boys to win against Serra Catholic
Kymone Brown didn’t score in the first quarter Friday night, so coach Adrian Batts pulled the Jeannette sophomore guard aside. “I wasn’t playing how I can play,” Brown said. “Coach had a talk with me. Everything he said made sense. He said, ‘Go get yours.’ ” Brown got his, and...
Burrell boys clamp down on Shady Side, win section opener
The beginning of Section 3-3A play was a tough, low-scoring affair between Shady Side Academy and host Burrell. The Bucs came into the game allowing only 39.7 points a game and were faced with a challenge in shutting down a Bulldogs offense led by Eli Teslovich. “We preach defense. Our...
What to watch for in WPIAL sports on Dec. 16, 2023: Showcase to honor late coaching great
District basketball lost a true great earlier this year with the passing of coach Harry Jenkins in May at the age of 75. Jenkins was a successful head coach for 25 years at Fox Chapel. After stepping down in 2005, he was an assistant coach at CMU for three years...
Just like Revis, state champion Aliquippa football players try to transition quickly to hoops
Aliquippa basketball coach Nick Lackovich, with a laugh, pointed out that sophomore Qalil Goode was doing his best Darrelle Revis impression. In Aliquippa, at this time of year, that means winning a state football title and days later starring on the basketball court. The future NFL star did that for...
Mt. Pleasant basketball games to benefit Dom Giallonardo scholarships
Mt. Pleasant is hosting a basketball tripleheader Friday night to raise money for a scholarship in the name of late Vikings’ baseball and basketball player Dom Giallonardo. The Vikings will host Southmoreland. The junior varsity boys will play at 5 p.m., followed by the varsity teams — girls at 6:30...
Recruiting heating up for Latrobe junior John Wetzel
College coaches are turning up the volume to hear the cracking of pads on junior John Wetzel’s highlight film. “It’s similar to what you see with (Alex) Tatsch,” Latrobe coach Ron Prady said. “It’s violent. They hit, and guys go backwards.” Tatsch and Wetzel have been pillars in the Wildcats’...
High school scores, summaries and schedules for Dec. 14, 2023
High schools Basketball Boys Thursday’s results Nonsection Aliquippa 49, Obama Academy 48 Central Valley 62, Western Beaver 37 Frazier 55, Jefferson-Morgan 41 Homewood (Ala.) 52, North Allegheny 42 Propel Braddock Hills at Summit Academy, (n) Quaker Valley 67, Union 56 Sewickley Academy 65, Carrick 60 South Park 55, Clairton 45...
High school roundup for Dec. 14, 2023: Rylee Kalocay hits 1,000-point mark for Upper St. Clair
Junior Rylee Kalocay scored 27 points to reach the 1,000-point mark for her career and lead Upper St. Clair (4-2, 1-0) to a 49-42 Section 2-6A girls basketball win over Baldwin on Thursday night. Lynsey Bernotas scored 12 and Laci Bernotas had 11 for the Highlanders (2-2, 0-1). Beth-Center 57,...
Defensive-minded Greensburg Salem dominates Derry in section opener
Greensburg Salem continued to show how much defense is wired into its grid by smothering another opponent in the Section 1-4A girls basketball opener. With full-court defensive pressure as the catalyst, the long-armed Golden Lions won going away 64-29 on Thursday night at Derry. Greensburg Salem (4-1, 1-0) came in...
What to watch for in WPIAL sports on Dec. 15, 2023: Boys hit the hardwood for section openers
Ten days before Christmas and all through the house, many boys basketball players were stirring because it’s opening night of WPIAL section play. Eight district boys basketball sections open up play Friday, including Section 2 in Class 4A, all four sections in 3A and Section 3 and 4 in 2A....
