High School category, Page 612
Division I talent could help Steel Valley write happier ending to 2022 season
It’s hard to imagine a more satisfying regular season than the one Steel Valley had last year. The Ironmen rolled through four nonconference opponents and five Allegheny Conference foes to the tune of a 9-0 record with an aggregate score of 333-50. Star tailback Nijhay Burt led the WPIAL with...
Ligonier Valley aims to stay healthy, put offensive weapons to good use
Roger Beitel begins his 19th year as head football coach at Ligonier Valley, and he hopes the 2022 season isn’t as bizarre as 2021. The fact that Ligonier Valley finished 8-3 and made the WPIAL Class 2A playoffs for the first time is amazing with the amount of injuries the...
Imani Christian to pick up pace with coach LaRoi Johnson back
Producing a winning football program at Imani Christian isn’t an impossible dream. Coach LaRoi Johnson knows it because he was there in 2017. The Saints finished a point away from grabbing the WPIAL Class A crown from eventual state champion Jeannette. Things have changed since Johnson, who was the offensive...
Interest level high at Derry following 2 subpar seasons
With a new coach on board, Derry has been repositioned in Class 2A, drastically altering recent schedules. No disrespect to the current opponents, but dropping down just might suit the Trojans better after several fruitless seasons in Class 3A. Among last year’s opponents, only Burrell, Class 4A Latrobe and Class...
Burrell ready to take on new challenges in Class 2A
After several years in Class 3A, Burrell made the move down a classification in the new two-year cycle. Coach Shawn Liotta said his team is getting ramped up for the season and is excited for its potential in its new conference. “There are a lot of new challenges for us...
Apollo-Ridge looks to stay healthy, bounce back
When coach John Skiba reviewed video of Apollo-Ridge games last season, he rarely saw his prospective starting lineup on the field. That’s because the Vikings were plagued by a variety of injuries and illnesses that led to a 1-4 record in Allegheny Conference play, 2-7 overall. In fact, in the...
High school scores, summaries and schedules for Aug. 18, 2022
High schools Golf Thursday’s results Boys Class 3A Section 1 Norwin 203, Latrobe 211 Medalists: Alex Graham (N) 38, PJ Germano (L) 40 Penn-Trafford 196, Armstrong 211 Medalist: Nick Turowski (PT) 37 Indiana 199, Hempfield 206 Section 2 Trinity 198, Ringgold 241 Medalists: Brock Carrigan, Logan Daniels (T) 39, Clayton...
2022 HSSN football position-by-position breakdown: Scouting the tight ends
The storied history of WPIAL football often focuses on its legendary quarterbacks and, more recently, a string of standout defensive backs. But don’t forget about the tight end tradition. Consider, the first pure tight end inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame was from the WPIAL. That was Aliquippa...
Highlands quarterback goes from freaked-out freshman to record-breaking senior
A career that literally began by accident will end up rewriting the record book at Highlands. Senior quarterback Chandler Thimons was a wet-behind-the-ears freshman when out of nowhere he got the starting nod to be the Golden Rams signal caller. “I can still remember that day,” Thimons said. “It was...
Two-way lineman a blue ribbon prospect for Latrobe football team
He will show lionhead rabbits and work a bottle-rocket contest at the Westmoreland Fair later in the summer. But this week, Danny Calabrese is honing his skills as a two-way lineman for Latrobe as the Wildcats make their way into Class 4A football under first-year coach Ron Prady and his...
New coach likes South Allegheny’s chances: ‘The talent level is outstanding’
He earned his chops in “The First State,” but Darwin Manges says he’s back where he belongs. “I cut my teeth in Delaware. I’m not ashamed of that,” he said. But Manges insists his foundation in football lies in Western Pennsylvania. “It’s always going to be here,” said the product...
New roles at Southmoreland but familiarity remains
Familiarity is a buzz word around Southmoreland camp. The more things change with the Scotties, the more they seem to stay the same. The coaching staff is different — only in titles. Tim Bukowski was elevated from offensive coordinator to head coach, and Dave Keefer went from head coach to...
Mt. Pleasant aims to build on WPIAL playoff experience
Mt. Pleasant’s starting quarterback from 2021 won’t be lining up behind center this season. That’s because Mt. Pleasant coach Jason Fazekas is pleased with the progress that sophomore Cole Chatfield has made in the offseason which allows him to utilize the talent of Tyler Reese in different ways to benefit...
Greensburg Salem puts offense in hands of skilled standout Cody Rubrecht
What do you do with the best athlete on your football team? If you’re Greensburg Salem coach Dave Keefer you make him your quarterback. That’s what Keefer is doing this season with senior Cody Rubrecht. Arguably the top wide receiver returning in the WPIAL, Rubrecht was dangerous every time he...
Belle Vernon roars into Class 3A with Quinton Martin, strong supporting cast
Belle Vernon coach Matt Humbert doesn’t make too much of his team’s drop to Class 3A, though it would be hard to blame him for being excited. As a Class 4A school last season, the Leopards advanced to the WPIAL championship game, where they lost to perennial power Aliquippa. So,...
2022 HSSN football position-by-position breakdown: Scouting the wide receivers
How’s this for a good quarterback-receiver combination? One of the top quarterbacks from last season, Laurel Highlands’ Rodney Gallagher, is becoming a wide receiver. And one of the leading receivers from last season, Greensburg Salem’s Cody Rubrecht, is becoming a quarterback. Rubrecht was one of three WPIAL pass catchers to...
High school scores, summaries and schedules for Aug. 17, 2022
High schools Golf Wednesday’s results Boys Class 2A Section 2 Derry 208, Ligonier Valley 208 Derry won on first playoff hole. Medalists: Hunter Jurica, Ashton Beighley (D) 36, Josh Harbert (LV) 39 Mt. Pleasant 210, Jeannette 332 Medalists: Ryan Karfelt, Colin Hayes (MP) 38, Nate Homan (J) 59 Greensburg Salem...
Veteran linebacking corps lights fuse for Freeport Area defense
The Freeport Area defense created havoc for opposing offenses throughout the 2021 season. Yellowjackets players combined for 47 sacks, one of the largest totals in all of the WPIAL. The two inside linebackers — Jacksen Reiser and Andrew Sullivan — and the pair of outside ’backers — Colton Otterman and...
WPIAL golf preview: Teams and players to watch and dates to circle
Class 3A boys THE FAVORITE Central Catholic The Vikings, who lost to Fox Chapel by one shot in the WPIAL finals, return five of six starters. They also lost in the PIAA championship in a playoff. WATCH OUT FOR Peters Township The Indians return five of six starters, including three...
Penn-Trafford’s Nick Turowski commits to WVU, looks to defend WPIAL championship
Penn-Trafford junior Nick Turowski will be attempting to do something that has only been done eight times in 85 years of the WPIAL Class 3A golf championship: go back to back. In fact, the last time someone won consecutive titles was by Pine-Richland’s Mike Van Sickle in 2003-2004. Other notable...
From soccer goalkeeper to 2-way football player, Jeannette senior does it all in the fall
Making up for lost time he can’t get back, Mitchell Steele III plans to give everything he has to his senior football season at Jeannette. It’s all or nothing for the two-sport athlete who regrets not donning shoulder pads sooner in his high school career. “Man, I wish I had...
Valley alum Dave Heavner wants to bring pride back to Vikings program
When Dave Heavner was a student-athlete at Valley High School, the “Back to the Future” movies were popular. But don’t expect Michael J. Fox and Christopher Lloyd to show up at Valley High Memorial Stadium anytime soon. Instead, Heaver has returned to coach the Vikings and hopes to replicate an...
With co-op in 2nd year, Shady Side Academy ready for bump up to Class 3A
After a one-year hiatus from postseason play, Shady Side Academy qualified for the WPIAL playoffs with the help of some reinforcements. The Bulldogs got a boost from the co-operative with The Neighborhood Academy — and the consolidation went well. After a disappointing 26-25 loss in Week 8 to Ligonier Valley,...
Knoch prepares to tackle all-road schedule
At times, the term “road warriors” is overused in sports. But the 2022 Knoch Knights will actually be road warriors. Knoch will play all its games this season on the road while Knoch Knights Stadium is undergoing extensive renovations — including artificial turf installation. It’s not exactly what new coach...
Freeport could have plenty to celebrate in program’s 100th season
The Freeport football program celebrates its 100th anniversary in 2022, and this year’s coaches and players hope to make it one for the record books. With several starters and all-star performers returning on both sides of the ball, optimism is high that Freeport can make a run to the WPIAL...
