High School category, Page 940
WPIAL Class A playoff preview: Clairton, Shenango lean on star running backs
No. 5 Shenango (7-1) vs. No. 1 Clairton (7-0) 7 p.m. Friday, Norwin Knights Stadium at Norwin HS On the air: Video at TribHSSN.TribLive.com Coaches: Jimmy Graham, Shenango; Wayne Wade, Clairton Players to watch: Tino Campoli, Shenango (Jr., 5-11, 190, QB); Dontae Sanders, Clairton (Sr., 6-2, 235, RB) Last week:...
WPIAL Class 2A playoff preview: Can Serra Catholic pull off another upset at Sto-Rox?
No. 7 Serra Catholic (5-0) vs. No. 3 Sto-Rox (7-1) 7 p.m. Friday, Memorial Stadium at Sto-Rox HS On the air: Video at TribHSSN.TribLive.com Coaches: Jose Regus, Serra Catholic; LaRoi Johnson, Sto-Rox Players to watch: Max Rocco, Serra Catholic (Jr., 6-0, 170, QB); Austin Jones, Sto-Rox (Jr., 5-11, 165, QB)...
WPIAL Class 3A playoff preview: Can anyone challenge defending champion Central Valley?
No. 4 Keystone Oaks (5-2) vs. No. 1 Central Valley (8-0) 7 p.m. Friday, Sarge Alberts Stadium at Central Valley HS On the air: Video stream at TribHSSN.TribLive.com Coaches: Greg Perry, Keystone Oaks; Mark Lyons, Central Valley Players to watch: Mark Hutchin, Keystone Oaks (Sr., 5-11, 175, WR/QB); Ameer Dudley,...
WPIAL Class 5A playoff preview: Gateway, Peters Township meet in title game rematch
No. 3 Peters Township (7-0) vs. No. 2 Gateway (5-0) 7 p.m. Friday, Pete Antimarino Stadium at Gateway HS On the air: Video stream at TribHSSN.TribLive.com and on WJPA-FM 95.3 Coaches: T.J. Plack, Peters Township; Don Holl, Gateway Players to watch: Luke Petrarca, Peters Township (Jr., 6-4, 230, TE/LB); Derrick...
Birdie maps out route to WPIAL title game for Penn-Trafford, Belle Vernon, Jeannette
Last week: 4-0 (100%) Season: 68-21 (76.4%) With only three local teams left in the WPIAL playoffs, the Birdie is savoring the moment. But he also is saving funds. “It’s incredible to have Penn-Trafford, Belle Vernon and Jeannette in the semifinals,” said the Birdie, who is 13-0 picking games the...
Apollo-Ridge prepared for taste of own medicine from Beaver Falls
For the first time in program history, Apollo-Ridge is in the WPIAL Class 2A semifinals, and a huge challenge awaits. After taking down No. 5 Washington, 42-6, last week, the No. 4 Vikings (6-0) will face No. 1 Beaver Falls (8-0) at 7 p.m. Friday at Geneva College’s Reeves Field....
Birdie ready to hit the road to follow Plum, Apollo-Ridge in WPIAL playoffs
Last week: 4-1 (80%) Overall record: 63-12 (84%) The Birdie was flustered as he was getting ready for Friday night’s semifinal football games. “Honey! Where are my driving gloves?” the Birdie screamed to Mrs. Birdie as he dug through a bin in the basement. After two teams were knocked off...
High school football schedule, broadcasts for Week 9
Friday WPIAL playoffs Class 6A Championship • Central Catholic (5-2) vs. North Allegheny (6-0) at North Hills, 7 p.m. (HSSN, 1020 AM) Class 5A Semifinals • Penn-Trafford (6-1) at Pine-Richland (7-0), 7 p.m. (HSSN*, 107.1 FM) • Peters Township (7-0) at Gateway (5-0), 7 p.m. (HSSN*, 95.3 FM) Class 4A...
No. 1 Pine-Richland will provide stiff test for Penn-Trafford defense
Chase Vecchio plays a hybrid, outside linebacker-cornerback position for Penn-Trafford. But the Warriors senior does not overstep his bounds when the opponent is driving. He covers his assigned area. “Everyone does their job on our defense,” said Vecchio, who has 34 tackles and two interceptions. “Nobody tries to do too...
A-K Valley football players to watch for Week 9
Zach Fields Plum, sr., WR/DB The Mustangs defense turned McKeesport over five times in last week’s WPIAL Class 4A first-round win. Fields produced two of those turnovers with a pair of interceptions, giving him three picks on the season. He added seven tackles, increasing his total to 30. Max Matolcsy...
Westmoreland County football players to watch for Week 9
Cole Weightman Belle Vernon, jr., LB This all-state wrestler is the second-leading tackler for Belle Vernon. He has one interception and five quarterback sacks. The Belle Vernon defense, which has allowed 77 points and recorded four shutouts, will face a tough challenge on the road at Aliquippa. Mason Frye Penn-Trafford,...
Chick’s Picks: Like everything else, making predictions isn’t easy in 2020
As we know by now, 2020 looks a little different. This year’s version of different includes the WPIAL football playoffs, as not all classifications are on the same postseason schedule. Chick’s Picks was attempting to set her crystal ball’s parameters for this week’s predictions, which included one championship game and...
Plum focused on current Thomas Jefferson team, not Jaguars’ past success
The Plum football team Friday will play its first WPIAL semifinal game since 1996. On the other sideline will be Thomas Jefferson, the defending WPIAL and PIAA Class 4A champion that owns eight WPIAL and four PIAA crowns since 2004. The Jaguars have made at least the WPIAL semifinals every...
Old school meets new school when Rochester, Jeannette collide
Two traditional Class A powers square off Friday in the WPIAL football semifinals, each using different philosophies on offense. No. 2 Rochester (7-1) uses the old-school approach — smash-mouth football. Against Springdale, the Rams ran 69 plays and 68 were on the ground. No. 3 Jeannette (7-1) uses the new-school...
Trib HSSN football players to watch in Week 9
Here are four WPIAL football players to watch for during Week 9: Terrell Booth Serra Catholic, jr., WR/OLB Booth (5-11, 175) caught seven passes for 141 yards and two touchdowns to help No. 7 Serra Catholic upset No. 2 McGuffey, 21-14, in the WPIAL Class 2A opening round last week....
High school scores, summaries and schedules for Nov. 4, 2020
Field hockey WPIAL playoffs Class 3A Championship Wednesday’s result Pine-Richland 3, Peters Township 0 Football WPIAL playoffs Class 6A Championship Friday’s schedule Central Catholic (5-2) vs. North Allegheny (6-0) at North Hills, 7 p.m. Class 5A Semifinals Friday’s schedule Penn-Trafford (6-1) at Pine-Richland (7-0), 7 p.m.; Peters Township (7-0) at...
High school roundup for Nov. 4, 2020: Freshman scores OT winner for North Catholic girls soccer
Freshman Lily Karsman scored the winning goal in overtime, leading No. 3 North Catholic (12-2-1) to a 2-1 victory over No. 2 Shady Side Academy (12-1) in a WPIAL Class 2A girls soccer semifinal match Thursday night. Senior Grace Billmann scored in the first half for North Catholic, the defending...
Peters Township boys soccer team wins in 2OT — again
Andrew Massucci might have a little magic in his shoe as for the second game in a row he scored the winning goal in the final seconds of the second overtime, this time to propel Peters Township to the WPIAL Class 4A championship. Massucci scored twice to lift No. 1...
Pine-Richland field hockey claims back-to-back WPIAL championships
Pine-Richland’s field hockey team can call itself a dynasty. The Rams won their second consecutive WPIAL Class 3A championship and third title in four years. “This feels amazing,” senior captain Elaina Camino said as she held on to the championship trophy. “Coming in as a freshman three years ago, I...
Avonworth surges late to defeat Yough in WPIAL semifinals
For nearly 38 minutes, Yough was on its heels but holding its own at Avonworth. However, two late first-half goals propelled the No. 5 Antelopes into the WPIAL Class 2A girls soccer finals with a 3-0 victory Wednesday night at Lenzner Field. Avonworth (14-1-1) will face North Catholic, which was...
GCC headed to volleyball finals after beating Beaver County ChristianVideo
The Greensburg Central Catholic girls volleyball team is headed back to the WPIAL Class A championship for the first time since 2016. That happened to be the first season Courtney Stynchula became the school’s coach. The Centurions won their third WPIAL title that season and went on to become PIAA...
Montour knocks off undefeated Plum in WPIAL Class 3A volleyball semifinals
Going into the WPIAL Class 3A girls volleyball semifinals against unbeaten Plum, Montour knew it would have to lean on its diverse offense. The Spartans did, serving well, scoring in a multitude of ways and going on big runs en route to a 3-1 victory to reach their second title...
Firing on all cylinders, Seneca Valley drills Norwin to reach Class 4A title game
It is always a coach’s dream to see his team playing its best heading into the biggest game of the year. It’s another thing to put the ball in the net five times in a semifinal match. Second-seeded Seneca Valley scored five unanswered goals to defeat previously unbeaten Norwin, 5-1,...
Plum girls soccer reaches Class 3A finals with another 1-0 win over West Allegheny
It was déjà vu for the Plum girls soccer team. For the second year in a row, the Mustangs topped West Allegheny, 1-0, in a WPIAL Class 3A semifinal. With Wednesday’s home victory, they now will get another crack at winning the program’s first WPIAL championship. “There’s literally no better...
For second straight year, GCC downs short-handed Springdale in Class A semifinalsVideo
Springdale coach Cesareo Sanchez said he wanted his team to “be careful on defense” heading into Wednesday night’s WPIAL Class A semifinal boys soccer game against top-seeded Greensburg Central Catholic at Norwin. Sanchez knows how fragile opportunities can be this deep in the playoffs, and how things like ill-advised fouls...
