High School category, Page 502
Mt. Lebanon holds off Butler, reaches WPIAL semifinals for 5th time in 6 years
Three times in the fourth quarter, Mt. Lebanon’s Riley Farabaugh was sent to the foul line for a crucial one-and-one. In his mind, he was the right guy for the job. “I call myself a good free throw shooter, but you’ve got to have that confidence in yourself no matter...
Rodney Gallagher, Keondre DeShields come alive to push Laurel Highlands past Belle Vernon in OT
They say it’s difficult to defeat a team three times in a single season, and it sure was for Laurel Highlands on Thursday night. The Mustangs overcame a 13-point deficit entering the fourth quarter to beat Belle Vernon, 75-71, in an overtime thriller at Peters Township High School. Entering the...
High school roundup for Feb. 23, 2023: Makhai Valentine beats buzzer to send Steel Valley past Seton LaSalle
Makhai Valentine won an epic scoring duel with Connor Spratt in the most dramatic of fashions, hitting the game-winning 3-pointer at the buzzer to lead top-seeded Steel Valley to a 56-54 victory over No. 9 Seton LaSalle in the WPIAL Class 3A quarterfinals Thursday night. Spratt, who scored 33 points...
No. 1 Lincoln Park survives WPIAL quarterfinal test from South Allegheny
Lincoln Park was held 25 points below its season average and didn’t make a 3-pointer all game, yet the WPIAL favorite in Class 4A is still alive. Sophomore star Meleek Thomas scored a game-high 23 points and top-seeded Lincoln Park played strong defense down the stretch to hold off No....
Neshannock keeps Yough stars in check in Class 3A quarterfinal win
Normally, a coach will be critical of his team’s offensive performance. Yough basketball coach Jim Nesser’s assessment of his team was the opposite. He was disappointed with the defensive effort. Neshannock knocked Yough into the consolation round Thursday by defeating the Cougars, 53-49, in a WPIAL Class 3A quarterfinal at...
St. Joseph advances past Monessen in WPIAL Class A quarterfinals
Third time was the charm for the St. Joseph girls basketball team against Monessen on Thursday night. The previous two times the squads met in the quarterfinals, the Greyhounds came up with lopsided wins in 2011 and 2004. The visiting Spartans had other plans and won the second half Thursday...
Highlands boys make good on third shot at Hampton, advance to semifinals
The third time was the charm for the Highlands boys basketball team. After a pair of losses to rival Hampton in section play, the Golden Rams had payback on their plate Thursday in a WPIAL Class 4A quarterfinal game at a packed North Allegheny High School. Three Highlands players led...
‘Locked-in’ Deer Lakes boys top Mohawk in Class 3A quarterfinals
Players and coaches for No. 5 seed Deer Lakes huddled in a locker room Thursday night at Moon High School in the moments after a dominating 59-45 victory over No. 4 Mohawk in a WPIAL Class 3A quarterfinal-round boys basketball game. The message was clear: Two down, two to go....
Norwin girls show no signs of rust in dominant quarterfinal win over Baldwin
After a 13-day layoff from game competition, Norwin hoped to be back in rhythm in its WPIAL girls basketball playoff opener. No issues, there. The Knights came out and played like a fine-tuned guitar. And shredded Baldwin. Sophomore guard Kendall Berger scored 21 points in her first career playoff start,...
Freeport’s Julia Cummings steps up in finals to win WPIBL girls singles bowling title
Freeport senior Julia Cummings bowled perfectly well in qualifying at the WPIBL girls singles championships Thursday at AMF Mt. Lebanon Lanes. She rolled a 584 series with a high game of 214 – nothing to sneeze at and good enough for fourth place. Once the single-elimination, step-ladder finals started, though,...
A-K Valley basketball playoff capsules: Games for Feb. 24, 2023
WPIAL Girls Basketball Playoffs Class 4A Quarterfinals 6-Highlands (15-7) vs. 3-Elizabeth Forward (17-5) 6 p.m. Friday at Gateway High School, Monroeville Winner plays: Winner of 7-Beaver Area (14-8) at 2-North Catholic (19-3) on Tuesday in semifinals (site/time TBD) Players to Watch: Kalleigh Nerone, Highlands; Julia Resnik, Elizabeth Forward Layup lines:...
Westmoreland WPIAL basketball playoff capsules: Games for Friday, Feb. 24, 2023
WPIAL basketball playoffs Boys Class 6A Quarterfinals 8-Norwin (14-8) at 1-New Castle (20-2) 7 p.m. Friday, New Castle High School, New Castle Winner plays: Winner of 5-Butler (14-7)/4-Mt. Lebanon(15-7) Tuesday in semifinals (time, site TBD) Players to watch: Adam Bilinsky, Norwin; Isaiah Boice, New Castle Layup lines: Norwin returns to...
Quaker Valley girls look forward to playoff test against Knoch
There’s no knocking Quaker Valley’s quarterfinal-round playoff opponent. QV’s girls basketball team, which received the No. 4 seed and a first-round bye, will clash with No. 5 Knoch at home Feb. 24 in the WPIAL Class 4A tournament. The Knights (15-8) scooted past No. 12 Hopewell, 53-21, Feb. 21 in...
WPIAL reveals sites, times for Friday’s basketball consolations, Saturday’s semifinals
While the WPIAL prepares to finish the quarterfinals of the 2023 basketball playoffs Thursday and Friday, the matchups are set for the start of the district semifinals Saturday. The WPIAL released the sites and times for the Final Four contests involving boys 5A and A, along with girls 3A and...
High school scores, summaries and schedules for Feb. 22, 2023
High schools WPIAL playoffs Boys Class 6A Quarterfinals Friday’s schedule Norwin (14-8) at New Castle (20-2), 7 p.m.; Butler (14-7) at Mt. Lebanon (15-7), 7 p.m.; Seneca Valley (9-12) at Upper St. Clair (14-8), 7 p.m.; Baldwin (12-10) vs. Central Catholic (13-9) at Gateway, 7 p.m. Class 5A Quarterfinals Wednesday’s...
What to watch for in WPIAL sports on Feb. 23, 2023: Girls 6A top seed begins title quest
The WPIAL basketball quarterfinals continue Thursday. Fifty years ago, the Upper St. Clair girls basketball team won its first championship, beating North Allegheny in the 1973 Class 3A finals, 41-40. Thirty years ago, USC edged Oakland Catholic, 51-47, to win the 1993 WPIAL 4A title. It was the first of...
Trib 10: Power rankings stay calm before WPIAL playoff storm intensifies
For the first time this season, there were zero changes in the Trib 10 from last week. The elite teams in the district either enjoyed a first-round bye or took care of business in the opening round. However, that will change from now until the end of the PIAA playoffs...
Gateway fights off 4th-quarter rally to stop McKeesport
Because the teams split a pair of section meetings this season, the Gateway boys basketball team knew No. 12 McKeesport was for real way before the Tigers upset No. 5 Moon in the first round of the WPIAL Class 5A playoffs last week. If the Gators needed another reminder, it...
High school roundup for Feb. 22, 2023: No. 11 Aliquippa girls knock off No. 3 Serra Catholic
Aunesty Johnson scored a game-high 23 points and Angel Henry had 20 points, including the game-tying 3-pointer at the end of regulation, to lead No. 11 Aliquippa to a 60-56 overtime win over No. 3 Serra Catholic in the WPIAL Class 2A girls basketball quarterfinals Wednesday. The Quips (12-9) will...
Penn Hills too much for Mars in Class 5A quarterfinals
Throughout the 2022-23 season, the Penn Hills Indians have flexed their muscles, athleticism and length to have a lot of success, in search of a WPIAL title, which would be the sixth in program history. The story was no different Wednesday in the WPIAL Class 5A quarterfinals, as the Indians...
High-scoring duo sends Geibel past Neighborhood Academy in Class A thriller
Before Wednesday’s WPIAL Class A quarterfinal showdown between fourth-seeded Geibel and fifth-seeded Neighborhood Academy, Geibel coach Don Porter instinctively pointed out that the game would be decided in the final four minutes. Actually, it came down to the final seconds. After trailing for more than three quarters, the Gators put...
Top-seeded Peters Township passes another test, tops South Fayette
Not everybody agreed with Peters Township getting the No. 1 seed in the WPIAL Class 5A boys basketball playoffs, but the Indians have passed two exams and are now halfway toward earning their spot at the top of the championship mountain. Peters Township had four players in double-digit scoring as...
Freshman Eric James scores 20 in 4th to help rally North Hills past Fox Chapel
North Hills freshman Eric James put on a show in the fourth quarter of Wednesday’s WPIAL Class 5A quarterfinal game against Fox Chapel. Maybe he was trying to impress Pitt coach Jeff Capel, who was sitting at the press table watching the game. James scored 20 of his team-high 30...
Carlynton boys take care of business against Monessen in quarters
In a battle of the top two defenses in Class A, No. 3 Carlynton was able to find its offense in the middle quarters and put constant pressure on No. 6 Monessen as the visiting Greyhounds fell in the WPIAL quarterfinals 62-39 on Wednesday night. Monessen only scored in the...
Deep 3 helps Burgettstown girls defeat GCC in Class 2A quarterfinals
With Greensburg Central Catholic advancing on her team in the fourth quarter and momentum slipping away from Burgettstown, Jillian Frazier decided to take the stress out of the situation. In a game that had 15 3-pointers, none were more important — or impressive — than the one Frazier launched from...
