High School category, Page 557
Boys All-WPIAL soccer teams, players, coaches of year announced
The Western Pennsylvania Soccer Coaches Association announced its All-WPIAL lists for each classification. Here are this year’s selections, along with players and coaches of the year: Class 4A Anthony Bellino, Sr., F, Canon-McMillan Cadan Bennett, Jr., GK, Pine-Richland John Paul Brach, Sr., F, Fox Chapel Will Bruno, Sr., F, Seneca...
5 things to watch in Week 11: Thomas Jefferson’s Bill Cherpak could be 4th WPIAL coach to 300 wins
Twenty-seven years ago, Thomas Jefferson started the 1995 football season with a 15-0 win over Belle Vernon behind a first-year head coach named Bill Cherpak. That was win No. 1. Now, almost three decades later, Cherpak could celebrate a much bigger milestone this week that would put him in elite...
High school scores, summaries and schedules for Nov. 10, 2022
High schools Field hockey PIAA playoffs Class 3A Quarterfinals Saturday’s schedule Downingtown West vs. Wilson (19-2-1) at Methacton, 3:30 p.m.; Honesdale (17-3) vs. Emmaus (24-0) at East Stroudsburg South, 4:30 p.m.; Lower Dauphin (19-3-1) vs. Great Valley (20-3) at Exeter, 11 a.m. ; Conestoga (20-2) vs. Manheim Township (18-5) at...
High school roundup for Nov. 10, 2022: Latrobe hockey lights lamp vs. Mars
Reid West had three goals and two assists and Jacob Hannah scored twice and chipped in three assists to lead Latrobe to an 11-3 victory over Mars in PIHL Class 2A hockey Thursday night. Noah Guidos netted a pair of goals and Peyton Myers added a goal and four assists...
Westinghouse blows by Berlin Brothersvalley to claim region title
SOMERSET – The District 5-8 Class 2A Championship game was moved up a day to avoid the remnants and stormy weather of Hurricane Nicole. But the storm that blew through Somerset County on Thursday was created by the Pittsburgh City League champions Westinghouse. The Bulldogs (11-0) used their speed to...
Veteran trio corrals talented young Mt. Pleasant team
With only two seniors in the starting 11, one might think Mt. Pleasant lacks veteran leadership. That this team is just a bunch of whiz kids running around aimlessly. But that could not be farther from the truth for the Vikings (20-2), who sit two wins away from a trip...
Freeport QB Croney acquitting himself well as starter
Gavin Croney’s only varsity snap as a quarterback last year didn’t quite go as planned With starter Ben Lane out of the lineup for the WPIAL Class 3A first-round game against Ambridge, Croney found himself under center for a play in the first quarter. “It was a handoff, and it...
Greensburg C.C. girls soccer gets rival Springdale at Norwin stadium, where Centurions are 9-0 since 2014
As if playing Springdale for a third time this season wasn’t enough to pique their interest, the site for Saturday’s PIAA Class A girls soccer quarterfinal has Greensburg Central Catholic and coach Kara Batey beaming. The WPIAL section rivals will play at Norwin Knights Stadium in North Huntingdon. “I can’t...
WPIAL football playoff preview capsules for Nov. 11, 2022
With some unneeded help from Mother Nature, 20 WPIAL football teams hope to slip and slide into next weekend with a shot at district gold alive and well. It will be a wet Friday night of playoff football, with a pair of semifinals in Class 6A and 5A and four...
Fralic Award finalists to be announced Monday
Finalists for the fourth Bill Fralic Award will be announced Monday at a special press conference. For the first time, the announcement will come from the Western Pennsylvania Sports Museum at the Heinz History Center, where William P. Fralic Foundation organizers and WPIAL officials will unveil the top candidates for...
Through the Years: In 1962, Verona made last-minute grab at Gardner points
Each week throughout the high school football season, the Valley News Dispatch will take a look at the players, coaches and events that shaped our scholastic legacy. Verona defeated East Huntingdon, 14-7, in a hastily arranged game to get the Panthers enough Gardner Points for a berth in the WPIAL...
Westmoreland County high school football notebook: Sophomore QB sparks Latrobe
When Ron Prady took over the Latrobe football program, he already knew many of the players because he teaches in the district. One was John Wetzel, his sophomore quarterback. “We have a lot of faith in Johnny,” Prady said. “We trust him to run the offense. He can take off,...
Belle Vernon eager to get to work in WPIAL playoffs
It’s been two long weeks, but it’s been a time to get back to basics and time to heal up for the Belle Vernon football team. The top-seeded Leopards are ready to make their postseason debut tonight when they host No. 9 East Allegheny at a soggy “beach” at James...
Alexa, show me Chick’s Picks’ predictions for the 2nd week of the WPIAL football playoffs
We have reached the time of year when a bit of confusion begins to set in for Chick’s Picks. Between daylight savings time ending and the Highway to Heinz getting a new corporate sponsor and also running through Norwin, Chick’s Picks finds these days utterly challenging. Over the last few...
Alle-Kiski Valley athletes join in national signing day
Levi Hansen hopes to swim like a king in the Queen City. The Kiski Area senior turned a verbal commitment to the Cincinnati men’s swim team into a signed, sealed and delivered promise Wednesday morning during the first day of the National Letter of Intent signing period for every Division...
Latrobe lineman Calabrace wins ‘NFL Way to Play Award’ for excellent technique
Latrobe senior lineman Daniel Calabrace was the NFL Way to Play Award recipient for Week 8. Calabrace’s defensive technique, particularly one play where he rips through a double-team and wraps up a running back near the line of scrimmage against Trinity, was lauded by Playfootball.nfl.com. NFL analyst Brian “Baldy” Baldinger...
Trib 10: Power rankings set for shakeup after 2nd week of playoffs
Besides one cat exchange, the district power structure remained unchanged through opening night of the WPIAL football playoffs. Expect things to be different after night two of the postseason. There is only one head-to-head matchup as McKeesport visits Armstrong in a Class 4A quarterfinal clash of styles; however, there are...
Freeport rested, ready for WPIAL quarterfinal matchup with dangerous West Mifflin team
It’s rare that high school football teams are healthy at this time of year, but Freeport will have a full roster ready to go Friday night. The Yellowjackets (9-1) take on West Mifflin (6-5) in a WPIAL Class 3A quarterfinal at Freeport Area Stadium. Freeport received a first-round bye last...
Latrobe aims for different outcome in rematch with Thomas Jefferson
A lot has changed since Latrobe and Thomas Jefferson played Sept. 16. The Jaguars prevailed 31-21 in a game Latrobe coach Ron Prady said he felt his team could have won. “It was back-and-forth before they pulled away with a late score,” Prady said. “We played well and were in...
2022 Western Pa. high school football schedule, broadcasts for Week 11
WPIAL playoffs Thursday PIAA Class 2A District 5-8 subregional Berlin-Brothersvalley (11-0) vs. Westinghouse (10-0) at Somerset, 7 p.m. Friday Class 6A Semifinals Canon-McMillan (5-5) at North Allegheny (9-1), 7 p.m. (HSSN, 95.3 FM) Central Catholic (6-4) at Mt. Lebanon (5-5), 7 p.m. (HSSN*) Class 5A Semifinals Bethel Park (10-1) vs....
After making statement with playoff win, Ligonier Valley runs into powerful Beaver Falls
Ligonier Valley celebrated its first WPIAL playoff win last Friday night — on the bus ride home. It was loud. It was a good time. The bus was rocking as it pulled out of the parking lot at Offutt Field in Greensburg and made its way eastbound on Route 30....
Birdie feels pain of Westmoreland County teams in WPIAL football playoffs
Last week: 5-4 (56%) Season: 101-28 (78%) An ice pack on his peanut-sized head, the Birdie limped into work Monday morning like a defensive back who had just been beaten on a go route. “Ugh,” the high school football expert said as he took a sip of pickle juice. “I...
WPIAL keeps football games on Friday despite rain; Westinghouse now Thursday
Don’t forget to bring an umbrella or two. The WPIAL plans to keep its playoff football games on Friday night as scheduled despite a weather forecast that predicts heavy rains across Pennsylvania from the remnants of Tropical Storm Nicole. Another PIAA district moved games to Thursday, but the WPIAL is...
High school scores, summaries and schedules for Nov. 8, 2022
High schools Field hockey PIAA playoffs Class 3A First round Tuesday’s results Downingtown West 1, Souderton 0 Wilson 4, Cardinal O’Hara 0 Honesdale 5, Spring-Ford 4 Emmaus 4, Methacton 1 Lower Dauphin 3, Central Bucks West 1 Great Valley 2, Easton 0 Conestoga 3, Penn Manor 1 Manheim Township 2,...
High school roundup for Nov. 8, 2022: WPIAL champion Moon pulls off comeback win
Aedan Costa’s second goal of the game provided the winning margin as WPIAL champion Moon rallied from a two-goal deficit to earn a 3-2 win over Palmyra in a PIAA Class 3A first-round boys soccer playoff game Tuesday. Palmyra (18-4-1) jumped out to an early 2-0 lead after the first...
