High School category, Page 852
Gateway baseball determined to join playoff race in second half of season
As the Gateway baseball team continues to find its way in what is turning out to be a competitive Section 1 in Class 5A, coach Mark Wardzinski likes the resolute attitude of his players. They’re determined to keep building on the positives and working to smooth any bumps in the...
South Fayette hockey team takes pride in progress made
The South Fayette hockey team finished at .500 for the season with a record of 8-8-2 and missed the PIHL Class AA playoff by only four points. All in all, that’s pretty good for a team that didn’t win its first contest until the sixth game of the season. “This...
Stocked with height, athleticism, Thomas Jefferson volleyball team has high hopes
With seven starters returning from 2019, the Thomas Jefferson boys volleyball team has high hopes for the 2021 season. “We set our expectations high with a lot of returning veterans,” coach Frank Staffen said. “There are still a lot of unknowns since the season was canceled last year. “The team...
Ex-Baldwin AD enjoys new role in WPIAL office
Former Baldwin athletic director Vince Sortino joined the WPIAL staff July 1, 2020, assuming the full-time position of assistant to the executive director. In his new role, Sortino helps run the day-to-day league operations for District 7 and reports to the board of directors. Sortino, 58, worked 28 years at...
Young Baldwin boys volleyball lineup gaining experience
The 2019 boys volleyball season proved to be a true learning experience for then-rookie coach Milan Yekich at Baldwin. “Taking over for Eric Falcione was not only daunting, but filling huge shoes and years of experience that set the standards high at Baldwin,” Yekich said. “I am still trying to...
Competition hits close to home for Quaker Valley’s Sirianni twins
Stepping onto the tennis court to compete for a WPIAL section title is a goal in itself, but imagine stepping onto the court and seeing your twin on the opposite side. Twin brothers Mike and Will Sirianni, who are juniors at Quaker Valley, found themselves in that situation April 8...
Penn-Trafford wrestler Hohman commits to N.C. State
Penn-Trafford junior Troy Hohman announced on Twitter on Friday that he’s committing to North Carolina State for wrestling. The two-time PIAA qualifier placed fourth in the state in 2021 after compiling 26-6 record. Hohman’s career record is 68-30. Hohman was a Section 1-AAA champion who placed second in the WPIAL...
High school scores, summaries and schedules for April 17, 2021
High schools Baseball Saturday’s results Nonsection Hickory 7, Laurel 6 Indiana 9, Punxsutawney 3 Serra Catholic 4, Avonworth 2 Kiski Area 3, Seneca Valley 3 Mars at North Allegheny, ppd. Hockey PIHL Penguins Cup Playoffs Finals Class AAA Monday’s schedule North Allegheny (15-5-0-2) vs. Mt. Lebanon (11-9-0-2) at RMU, 6:30...
High school roundup for April 17, 2021: Butler athletes star at TSTCA Invite
Led by sprinter Guinness Brown, hurdler Emma Lehman and thrower Sarayne Forbes, Butler athletes put on a show at the TSTCA Invite on Saturday at West Mifflin. Brown was the only runner to crack the 11-second mark in the 100 and took the 200 by more than a second. Lehman...
Three A-K Valley girls capture titles at Keystone State Championships
Ava Golding, Alaina Claassen and Arianna Bernard wrestle for Team Namaste at Battleground Training Center in Vandergrift, and after the Keystone State Championships in early April, they all can call themselves state champions. The wrestlers won state championships in their respective weight classes during the event held at the Monroeville...
George Guido: Alle-Kiski Valley Sports Hall of Fame to honor student-athletes
Despite the absence of a formal induction banquet for the second consecutive year, the Alle-Kiski Valley Sports Hall of Fame will recognize 12 local student-athletes for recent accomplishments. A luncheon will be held May 8 at the New Kensington Quality Inn. Because of the pandemic, the event will be closed...
Trib HSSN Softball Rankings: April 17, 2021
Class 6A Rk., Team, W-L, Last 1. Bethel Park, 7-0, 1 2. Norwin, 6-1, NR 3. North Allegheny, 3-4, 4 4. Mt. Lebanon, 6-3, NR 5. Pine-Richland, 4-3, NR Out: Canon-McMillan (2-4, 2), Hempfield (5-3, 3), Seneca Valley (5-3, 5) Class 5A Rk., Team, W-L, Last 1. Penn-Trafford, 5-3, 2...
Westmoreland notebook: Heide ‘excited’ to be Latrobe athletic director
Latrobe sports will be under the direction of Zac Heide, the newly named athletic director who has served as an assistant in the school’s athletic department since 2017. Heide replaces Mark Mears, who is retiring from the position after 11 years but will remain as the Wildcats’ wrestling coach. A...
Perry twins have Derry girls track rolling
Athletes participating in high school track and field can only compete in four events. When the Derry girls track team is competing, opposing coaches are seeing double and checking the roster. That’s because Leah and Tara Perry, identical twins, can compete in eight events if their coaches prefer. “They haven’t...
Trib HSSN Baseball Rankings: April 17, 2021
Class 6A Rk, Team, W-L, Last 1. Norwin, 6-1, 1 2. North Allegheny, 7-1, 2 3. Seneca Valley, 6-2, 5 4. Hempfield, 5-4, NR 5. Upper St. Clair, 5-3, 3 Out: Pine-Richland (3-5, 4) Class 5A Rk, Team, W-L, Last 1. Franklin Regional, 6-0, 2 2. West Allegheny, 5-2, 1...
Hempfield expected to hire Katie Miller Gee as girls golf coach
The Hempfield School District board is expected to hire Mike Brown as its new football coach Monday, according to the board’s agenda. He isn’t the only coach expected to be hired. Katie Miller Gee, a 2003 Hempfield graduate, was recommended to be the first girls golf coach. Miller Gee was...
Hampton girls track team off to quick start behind versatile senior jumper
Hampton senior Hannah Schepner still is unsure about her best event in track and field. She finished seventh in the high jump in the WPIAL Class AAA championships as a sophomore. Then, the first time she tried long jump this spring, she came within six inches of matching the school’s...
Hot bats leading Sewickley Academy baseball to fast start
The fence at James E. Swartz Memorial Field in Freeport went up three days before St. Joseph and Sewickley Academy faced off April 13 in a Section 3-A matchup, and it didn’t take long for Panthers shortstop Adin Zorn to christen it. Zorn was 5 for 5 at the plate,...
Hampton football players give boost to boys track and field team
If the Hampton boys track and field team can reach the WPIAL Class AAA playoffs for only the second time in a decade, it will have another Hampton team to thank. Roughly half of the athletes on the track squad also played for the Talbots football team, which last fall...
Shady Side Academy baseball focused on winning section title
The Shady Side Academy baseball team has a goal in mind. The Bulldogs want to win a Section 3-2A title and earn a high seed for the playoffs, but they aren’t in any rush to get there. “Our expectation is to compete for the section title for sure,” Shady Side...
Penn Hills sports notebook: Indians’ Allen medals at South Hills Classic
Angelo Allen took advantage of the 17th annual South Hills Classic being hosted closer to home. The Penn Hills thrower finished second in the shot put with a throw of 49 feet, 6 1/2 inches and seventh in the discus with a throw of 118-7. While Baldwin was the event...
Big Red Rugby’s debut a smashing success
Ethan Payne-Hawkins and his teammates had plenty of assistance during the Big Red Rugby club team’s debut match against Central Catholic. There were coaches on both sides to help guide the program through the rigors of a rugby 7s match. The referee also stopped the match several times, with the...
Ace’s secret weapon helps Pine-Richland softball to signature early season win
Gabriella Aughton showed up to Pine-Richland’s game at Hempfield on April 9 with a secret weapon. She debuted a drop ball pitch, and with the new addition to an already strong repertoire, she proved difficult to hit. Aughton struck out 12 batters and the Rams got a two-run homer from...
Riverview, Plum athletes look forward to final high school basketball game
Gideon Deasy’s final high school basketball season didn’t start off as he had hoped as he continued to recover from an ankle injury that had plagued him since the fall. But the Riverview senior point guard eventually made his way back to the court, and he will cap his season...
Plum baseball ‘resilient and tough’ in early-season stretch
When Plum baseball coach Carl Vollmer looked back at the Section 2-5A series against Mars from April 12 and 13, he didn’t see perfection. Far from it, he said. But what he saw was a pair of dramatic, last-inning victories that could go a long way in determining who walks...
