High School category, Page 782
Penn-Trafford gets back on track with big win over Shaler
Saturday marked the sixth meeting between Penn-Trafford and Shaler on the football field. The Warriors were a perfect 5-0 and had outscored the Titans, 257-15 in those wins. Even the return of Saturday homecoming festivities at Shaler couldn’t alter the one-sidedness of this series. Senior running back Cade Yacamelli scored...
Quarterback Burke helps make Leechburg’s high-scoring offense go
Thomas Burke is in a lead role for one of the higher-octane offenses in the WPIAL. Leechburg leads Class A in points at 46 per game. The Blue Devils hit 41 in a victory over Eastern Conference rival Springdale on Friday. Burke, a senior in his first year at quarterback...
Westmoreland high school football notebook: Norwin, Derry on opposite sides of forfeit/no-contest rule
Call it a WPIAL dichotomy, the concept of forfeits and no-contests in covid-19 times. Two area teams are on separate sides of the issue after they had to cancel games because of covid protocols. Norwin was dealt a loss without playing, and Derry was not penalized for sitting out. Norwin...
Trib HSSN high school football rankings: Sept. 26, 2021
Class 6A Rk, Team, W-L, Last 1. Central Catholic, 4-1, 1 2. Mt. Lebanon, 5-0, 2 3. Seneca Valley, 4-1, 4 4. North Allegheny, 3-2, 3 5. Canon-McMillan, 3-2, 5 Out: none Class 5A 1. Moon, 5-0, 1 2. Peters Township, 4-1, 3 3. South Fayette, 4-1, 4 4. Pine-Richland,...
Devin Whitlock’s thrilling last-second TD ‘most meaningful run he’s ever made’ for Belle Vernon
It needs a nickname, that dazzling touchdown run by Devin Whitlock. That 40-yard mad dash with 4.5 seconds remaining Friday night that lifted No. 2 Belle Vernon past No. 1 Thomas Jefferson, 28-21, at James Weir Stadium. That viral scoring play lit up social media and sent the Jaguars packing....
George Guido: Kiski Area, Leechburg football enjoy best starts since ’80s
One half of the 2021 regular season is in the books, and something is becoming painfully obvious. There is a possibility that one or more of the six WPIAL football champions won’t necessarily be the best team in that class. Instead, it will be the team from the school that...
Norwin tennis team off to strong start behind ‘seasoned’ lineup
With the largest and most experienced team she has since taking over at Norwin in 2018, girls tennis coach Diane Pesarsick has even larger expectations for the Knights this fall. Norwin, which has 23 girls in its program — 11 varsity, six of whom are seniors — is looking to...
Norwin notebook: Knights girls soccer rebounds after early loss
Norwin girls soccer coach Diane Metzger isn’t panicking. After all, it’s only one game. The first-year coach knew Latrobe was talented and could be the team to beat in Section 3-4A when her Knights visited the Wildcats for the section opener. Latrobe scored two first-half goals and held off Norwin...
North Allegheny notebook: Hoffman advances to WPIAL semifinals
North Allegheny freshman golfer Chris Hoffman shot 7-over par 78 to finish in fourth place at the Section 3-AAA boys golf qualifier Sept. 21, at Shannopin Country Club. He bettered the target score of 81 to advance to the WPIAL Class AAA semifinals, set for Sept. 27, at Cedarbrook. North...
North Allegheny girls golfers chasing individual, team success
Many of the golfers on North Allegheny’s girls team already have their own swing instructors, so first-year coach Sarah Morrison tries not to tinker much with their mechanics. Instead, the attorney and former college golfer has turned her attention to their thoughts between shots. “My biggest focus with them this...
Franklin Regional notebook: Panthers golfers advance to semifinals
Three Franklin Regional golfers advanced through the first level of WPIAL boys qualifying on the road to the district championship. Zach Abdallah (71), Nolan Shilling (75) and Jeff Anderchak (76) all achieved the designated target score of 79 in the Section 4-AAA tournament at Murrysville Golf Club to advance to...
Palmer Jackson’s season off to hot start at Notre Dame
The Notre Dame golf team began the fall season with two tournaments and Franklin Regional graduate Palmer Jackson has paced the Fighting Irish in both. The junior finished fourth at the Marquette Intercollegiate by shooting an 11-under par 205 at Erin Hills Golf Course in Hartford, Wisc., on Sept 7....
Strong start in section, tournament play helps Hampton volleyball vault to No. 1 ranking
Hampton opened its section schedule in girls volleyball with a pair of impressive victories, blanking Highlands and Knoch by 3-0 scores in early September. The Talbots also participated in two tournaments, placing second to Pine-Richland at Mt. Lebanon and dropping a 25-23 decision to South Fayette in the semifinal round...
Smothering defense helps Hampton start season strong
Hampton senior Thomas Bradfield is one of the top goalkeepers in WPIAL Class 3A soccer. But he rarely gets to prove it. The Talbots are playing smothering defense this season, and Bradfield, a third-year starter, often goes long stretches without ever being tested by an opponent’s shot. “We want to...
Fox Chapel cross country teams in position to add to championship tradition
Fox Chapel is off to another good start in cross country as the Foxes plan to continue their outstanding success from years gone by. The boys and girls performed well at the recent Gateway Invitational and at the Red, White and Blue Invitational at White Oak on Sept. 11. The...
Emergence of senior receiver adds another weapon to Chartiers Valley’s offense
Coming into this season, all eyes were on Chartiers Valley junior wide receiver Lamont Payne, and for good reason. Payne recently committed to play at Penn State. He was named to the Trib 25 Preseason All-Star Team. However, Payne isn’t the only weapon causing pain for opposing defenses. After a...
Bethel Park honors Athletic Hall of Fame inductees
Five decades covering a span of 41 years were represented at this year’s Bethel Park Athletic Hall of Fame induction ceremony. The 2020 Hall of Fame class was announced Sept. 17 before the Gateway-Bethel Park nonconference football game at Black Hawk Stadium. The inductees consist of Alan Smith (1969), Doug...
Trio of returning letter winners among Bethel Park golfers gaining experience
Adam Triscila, coach of the Bethel Park girls golf program, offered an open invitation. “Our team needs golfers,” he said. “If any young ladies have an interest in golf and would consider playing for us next fall, please contact me (Triscila).” Meanwhile, this season, Triscila welcomed three letter winners back...
High school scores, summaries and schedules for Sept. 24, 2021
High schools Field hockey Saturday’s schedule Class 3A Pine-Richland at Peters Township, 12 p.m. Nonsection Norwin at Latrobe, 2:30 p.m. Mt. Lebanon at Upper St. Clair, 12:30 p.m. Attached and below. High schools Friday’s results WPIAL Class 6A Canon-McMillan 61, Baldwin 7 Central Catholic 24, North Allegheny 7 Mt. Lebanon...
2021 WPIAL statistical leaders for rushing, passing, receiving in Week 4
Top performers for Week 4 of high school football in Western Pennsylvania. Passing 328 - Thomas Burke, Leechburg (11 of 16) 290 - Neimiah Azeem, OLSH (17 of 25) 274 - Mac Schnur, Butler (8 of 16) 270 - Brad Birch, Gateway (21 of 35) 267 - Hayden Teska, Greensburg...
Week 4 high school football roundup for Sept. 24, 2021: North Catholic takes down East Allegheny
Joey Prentice rushed for 114 yards and scored on a pair of 1-yard runs to lead No. 2 North Catholic to a 31-14 victory against East Allegheny (2-3, 1-1) in the Class 3A Allegheny Conference on Friday night. Kyle Tipinski added two rushing touchdowns for North Catholic (5-0, 2-0). Michael...
Early challenges help Plum boys soccer maintain high expectations
The Plum boys soccer team is off to a strong start as it has plans to contend for the Section 4-3A championship and make some noise in the WPIAL playoffs. Through eight games, the Mustangs stood at 6-2 overall and 5-1 in section play. “Every game, we are looking to...
Dugger brothers lead Penn Hills to win at Upper St. Clair
After starting the season with two straight losses, Penn Hills traveled to Upper St. Clair in hopes of its second consecutive nonconference victory. The Indians scored on three straight possessions at the end of the first half and the beginning of the second half and then held on to defeat...
Monessen beats Jefferson-Morgan, runs win streak to 3
Patience is a virtue. And for the Monessen football program, first-year coach Wade Brown has preached patience since Day 1. After dropping their first two games of the season to Washington and Imani Christian, the Greyhounds have pushed through adversity and are now on a three-game winning streak after a...
Gallagher leads Laurel Highlands over West Mifflin, sets up showdown with Belle Vernon next week
Laurel Highlands boys basketball coach Rick Hauger has said that the moment is never too big for Rodney Gallagher. Mustangs football coach Rich Kolesar easily could use Hauger’s quote when it comes to the football field. Laurel Highlands’ star quarterback was up to the challenge Friday night in a 27-7...
