High School category, Page 801
2021 HSSN football position-by-position breakdown: Scouting the new coaches
TribLive HSSN will break down the top players at one position per day until Week Zero. Here’s a look at the biggest coaching moves for the 2021 season. 1. Steve Campos Pine-Richland Campos’ hire certainly drew the most attention this summer. That’s largely because of the controversy that arose when...
2021 HSSN football position-by-position breakdown: Scouting the kickers
TribLive HSSN will break down the top players at one position per day until Week Zero. Here’s a look at the top kickers and punters for the 2021 season. 1. Andrew Massucci Peters Township Senior, 5-9, 160 Massucci is one of the WPIAL’s top soccer players but also doubles as...
High school scores, summaries and schedules for Aug. 26, 2021
WPIAL Football Friday’s schedule Western PA vs. Everyone Showcase At Wolvarena Bishop Sycamore (Ohio) vs. Sto-Rox, 5 p.m. Imhotep vs. Central Catholic, 8 p.m. Nonconference Albert Gallatin at Yough, 7 p.m. Allderdice at North Allegheny, 7:30 p.m. Ambridge at Wheeling Central Catholic (W.Va.), 7 p.m. Armstrong at Freeport, 7 p.m....
Trib HSSN 2021 high school football preview hub
From Union to Waynesburg, Avella to Ligonier Valley, Trib HSSN has previewed the 2021 WPIAL football season from top to bottom and left to right. Here’s a hub for all of those stories, including previews of 118 teams, a breakdown of the championship races in all six classes and a...
First-year coach Wade Brown tackles Monessen rebuild
When Monessen got together for preseason workouts, first-year coach Wade Brown typically had 15 or 16 players attend. The key being they weren’t always the same 15 or 16 players. Injuries, academic issues and apathy infiltrated Monessen’s once-proud program last season and derailed it after four games. Because of low...
Breakout players back to power West Greene
For West Greene, the 2020 season was a mission to forge an identity after the Ben Jackson and Kolin Walker era of running through opponents. The Pioneers lost three of their first four games but won three straight to close the season, and with 11 starters returning on offense and...
Motivated Mapletown hunting for playoff berth
Mapletown football coach George Messich believes this year’s team is the most motivated group he’s had during his time at the school. The Maples, who finished 2-5 last season, return nine starters on offense and defense leading into its season-opener against Avella at home. “Our goal every year is to...
New coach stresses preparation at Jefferson-Morgan
Brent Baker won’t necessarily have to build from the ground up as he takes over the Jefferson-Morgan football program. The first-year head coach spent the past three years as an assistant coach and worked at all levels of the program. Baker has been an assistant coach at three programs —...
Carmichaels seeks playoff return after hard-luck miss
Carmichaels won its first five games last year before dropping two in a row to end the season. Most years, the Mikes, who tied for second place in the Tri-County South Conference with a 5-2 record, would have been heading to the WPIAL Class A playoffs. But with spots limited...
Avella looks to keep ball rolling after breakthrough season
For Avella coach Ryan Cecchini, last year’s run to the playoffs showed that even if his program doesn’t always have the biggest roster, it can compete in the WPIAL. The Eagles surprised a lot of people by finishing second in the Tri-County South and earning their first playoff berth since...
5 things to watch in WPIAL football Week Zero: On opening night, teams have options
“Week Zero” is back. The optional week on the football calendar was eliminated from last year’s pandemic-shortened schedule but returns this fall in full force. In so-called “Week Zero,” teams can replace their second preseason scrimmage with a regular-season contest. A five-game showcase at the Wolvarena highlights this weekend’s slate,...
Westmoreland County high school football notes: Franklin Regional to rotate QBs
The quarterback competition at Franklin Regional will remain just that as it stretches into the regular season. New coach Lance Getsy plans to rotate a pair of quarterbacks in Friday night’s season opener against visiting Plum as he looks for a firm starter. Junior Roman Sarnic and senior Connor Donnelly...
After close call, Frazier motivated to claim playoff spot
As the 2020 football season unfolded, the Frazier Commodores found themselves wondering what each week would hold. The coronavirus restrictions that limited offseason workouts and forced game cancellations across the state had a profound negative impact on many teams trying to plow their way through a disjointed season. The Commodores...
2021 City League preview: Westinghouse chasing 3-peat but elite talent is everywhere
Some of the top football prospects in Western Pa. will display their talents on the Cupples Stadium turf this season, and plenty of eyes will be on the City League. Perry’s Tyreese Fearbry and Brashear’s Ta’Mere Robinson are highly regarded four-star prospects, but many other elite players are set to...
Trib HSSN don’t-miss high school football matchups for Week Zero 2021
The 2021 high school football season kicks off this weekend with Week Zero games. All of the contests are nonconference. Here is a look at some of the top matchups in each class. Final records from 2020 are in parenthesis. Class 6A vs 5A Class 6A No. 2 Mt. Lebanon...
This week on Trib HSSN: Week of Aug. 26, 2021
Let the games begin! We kick off another season with August high school football for the first time in two years this weekend on the TribLive High School Sports Network. Trib HSSN has video and audio coverage of Week Zero of the new scholastic gridiron season with 33 WPIAL and...
Loaded Serra Catholic has big goals: ’16-0 or bust’
The expectations shared by those in the football locker room at Serra Catholic are the same this season: Win a conference title, claim a WPIAL championship and capture a state title. “We want to go all the way, 16-0 or bust,” Serra Catholic coach Jose Regus said. “We want to...
Ringgold looking to surprise in Big Eight Conference
For third-year Ringgold head coach Darwin Manges, the formula for his program is starting to become clear and he’s hoping this is the season it all comes together. The Rams return nine starters on offense and eight defensively, and Manges thinks his team is ready to make some noise in...
Talented California lineup in position to defend conference title
As California enters the 2021 season, the Trojans and veteran coach Ed Woods face a lot of juicy storylines. Can the Trojans win back-to-back titles in the Tri-County South? Can they get over the hump and win in the playoffs after losing their last two postseason games by a combined...
After making statement last season, McKeesport back for more in Class 4A
McKeesport coach Matt Miller believes his team sent a message in its return to Class 4A last season. Battling in the ultra-competitive Big Eight Conference with the likes of Belle Vernon and Thomas Jefferson, the Tigers posted a 6-2 overall mark, including a 5-1 record in conference action. McKeesport began...
After title game appearance, Elizabeth Forward hungry for more
Elizabeth Forward rode its fast and physical style all the way to the WPIAL Class 3A championship game last season, where it ran into the Beaver County buzzsaw in Central Valley. As much as coach Mike Collodi preaches a one-game-at-a-time approach, he knows his team is laser-focused on doing everything...
After lessons learned last season, Charleroi ready to roll
After a tough 2-5 season in 2020, Charleroi is looking forward to better things in 2021. Second-year coach Brady Barbero welcomes a large senior class that includes numerous players who started a year ago. Among the returning starters are quarterback Brendan Harps, running back Nikko Pellegrini and wide receivers Terrance...
With young roster, Bentworth ‘will have to grow up fast’
A year after the covid pandemic wreaked havoc with most high school football schedules, Bentworth coach J.J. Knabb feels his team received a break this season. And he intends to make the most of it. “Our schedule has two scrimmages and then the first two games are nonconference,” Knabb said....
Amidst political candidacy, Valley’s Muzzy Colosimo could be entering final season on sideline
In his 50th year of coaching, could this be the final roundup for Valley’s Muzzy Colosimo? The venerable Vikings coach, now 71, has guided youngsters at many levels, including the high school ranks as a head coach at Valley for eight seasons and at Greensburg Central Catholic for 17 seasons....
Yough’s Tristan Waldier looking to shine at wide receiver
Yough’s Tristan Waldier said he doesn’t like to brag, but he’s expecting a big season if he stays healthy. All the 6-foot-2, 200-pound senior wants is an injury-free season and a chance to show people how good of a wide receiver he can be. Waldier is switching back to wide...
