Mt. Pleasant

Called the “toughest wrestling tournament in the country,” the USA Wrestling National Championships represent a true test of talent for coaches and competitors. To Kyle Martin, the event represents a grandiose stage that matches the competition level. Martin found so much enjoyment and success in last year’s event, he couldn’t...

As Penn-Trafford’s final deep pass attempt sailed out of the end zone and fell incomplete, players from Latrobe jumped into each other’s arms and bounced around in a sudden swell of excitement. For once, the Wildcats got to celebrate on their home field, which hosted the county 7-on-7 passing tournament...

The North Catholic victory tradition continued to ring loud and clear this past school year. Steady contributions across all three seasons, along with a couple of championship runs, helped the Trojans win a third straight Trib HSSN Cup for Class 3A in 2021-22. “North Catholic has a long standing tradition...

Coming into 2022, Mt. Pleasant’s softball team was without six seniors from the previous season. And in 2021, the Vikings won both a WPIAL and a PIAA championship, so it is a memory no one would soon forget. With the inexperience on the team this year, Mt. Pleasant started 2-6...

The evolution of Mia Smith’s high school softball career began in 2019 when she was a freshman. A closer two seasons ago when Penn-Trafford won a PIAA championship, Smith took over the lead role in the circle this season and shined. She led the Warriors (20-4) to a runner-up finish...

Summer is just starting, but the WPIAL has its new basketball sections in place for the next winter season. The biggest movers in Westmoreland County are Penn-Trafford and Greensburg Salem, which are dropping from Class 6A. Penn-Trafford will be in 5A in boys and girls hoops. The Greensburg Salem boys...

SHIPPENSBURG – On the wall in the lobby of the Hempfield field house are pictures of all the school’s PIAA champions. Hempfield athletic director Brandon Rapp now has to find room for Liz Tapper. The junior became the ninth thrower in school history to win a PIAA title when she...

During the 2021 softball season, the Mt. Pleasant and Avonworth softball teams met twice in the playoffs, with the Vikings knocking off the Antelopes in both the Class 3A WPIAL semifinals and PIAA quarterfinals on their way to WPIAL and state championships. But this year Avonworth, with the help of...

WPIAL softball playoffs Capsule previews Class 5A Quarterfinals 10-Shaler (16-3) vs. 2-Penn-Trafford (16-2) 5 p.m. Thursday at Plum Winner plays: Winner of 11-Chartiers Valley (14-4) vs. 3-Trinity (16-2) on Tuesday in the semifinals (time, site TBD) Players to watch: Mallor Moran, Shaler; Kylee Picconi, Penn-Trafford Extra bases: Shaler was a...

Yough baseball coach Craig Spisak isn’t a fan of seeing his team try to play from behind. But this season, it has happened so often, he knows the Cougars aren’t fazed when facing an early deficit. That was the case on Tuesday as Yough spotted Mt. Pleasant a big lead...

WPIAL softball playoffs Capsule previews Class 5A First round 12-Latrobe (9-4) vs. 5-West Allegheny (12-4) 6 p.m. Tuesday at North Allegheny Winner plays: Winner of 13-Upper St. Clair (6-14) vs. 4-North Hills (14-3) on Thursday in quarterfinals (time, site TBD) Players to watch: Jenna Tallman, Sr., Latrobe; Elly Vicari-Baker, So.,...

WPIAL baseball playoffs Capsule previews Class 5A First round 12-Thomas Jefferson (13-6) vs. 5-Latrobe (12-7) 4:30 p.m. Tuesday at Hempfield Winner plays: Winner of 13-Chartiers Valley (9-11) vs. 4-Mars (14-5) on Thursday in quarterfinals Players to watch: T.J. Bucy, Sr., Thomas Jefferson; Logan Short, Sr., Latrobe Last year’s finish: Thomas...

It can be said that opposites attract. On the tennis court, that’s certainly true for Mt. Pleasant seniors Mark Gallagher and Ryan Borkowski. Gallagher and Borkowski were among the top players in Section 1-2A this season, and they teamed up to finish third in the section doubles tournament and earn...

Basketball season ended months ago, but the Roundball Classic will bring together some of the top talent from the WPIAL this week. The nine senior all-star games will be Thursday through Saturday at Geneva College in Beaver Falls. Area boys selected are Nick Crum and Noah Wright of Penn-Trafford, Michael...

As coaches schedule playoff “tune-up” games, they’re looking to put their team in some situations that they’ll face in the playoffs. Frazier head coach Don Hartman got just that Friday. The Commodores fell behind early but were able to rally for a 3-2 win over visiting Mt. Pleasant in the...

When two second-place section teams received better seeds than his section-winning one, Yough baseball coach Craig Spisak didn’t kick up dust. After winning its second section title in four years, Yough was branded with a No. 5 seed in the first round of the WPIAL Class 3A baseball playoffs, which...

The WPIAL is scheduled to release playoff brackets at 4 p.m. Thursday virtually via the TribLive High School Sports Network. The rundown of local teams in the postseason looks like this: Hempfield (12-2) and Norwin (4-8) in Class 6A; Franklin Regional (13-5), Kiski Area (12-5), Penn-Trafford (13-2) and Latrobe (7-4)...

When Katie Hutter was small, she picked up a softball bat for the first time and immediately squared up like a left-handed hitter. “I was told right away that wasn’t the way to bat,” Hutter said. “But I don’t know, maybe it was meant to be.” Before she became the...

The owner of a 21-strikeout perfect game and three no-hitters this season, Ligonier Valley senior pitcher Maddie Griffin has all the physical tools to dominate in the circle. She has proven that beyond a doubt over the last season-plus of WPIAL and PIAA softball. But the Youngstown State commit, who...

It takes a special person to find a way to mix academics and athletics. Greensburg Central Catholic’s Corinn Brewer and Mt. Pleasant Dayton Pitzer did just that. The seniors not only are outstanding athletes, they are exceptional students. That’s why they were chosen as the Judge John J. Driscoll Excellence...

It took a little while, but the Mt. Pleasant softball team finally appears to be rounding into form. After starting the season at 3-7, the Vikings have rattled off four straight wins, with their most recent triumph being their most impressive. On Monday afternoon, the Vikings got great pitching, some...

Welcome to May, where the regular season continues to wind down, and the postseason is two weeks away. Most WPIAL baseball teams will close out their sectional series schedule this week. In five of those sections, the top two teams are deadlocked for first place and will meet in a...

BELLE VERNON Morgan Einodshofer Sports: Soccer and track and field Parents: Susan and Michael Einodshofer Class rank: 1 of 191 GPA: 4.589 College: Undecided Extracurricular activities and honors: Hugh O’Brian Youth Leadership Award in 2019. … National Honor Society. … Mid Mon Valley All-Sports Hall of Fame Scholar-Athlete. … All-WPIAL...

Ligonier Valley has only been in the WPIAL since 2020, but the softball program’s stay has been, in some ways, perfect. How many programs can say they have thrown six perfect games in two years? How many have six perfect games in their history? Senior Maddie Griffin tossed the fifth...

The best of Westmoreland County will descend on Latrobe’s Memorial Stadium Saturday for the running of the Westmoreland County Coaches’ Association track and field championship. This is the 99th year for the boys and 42nd for the girls. Numerous returning champions are back trying to defend their titles. Heading the...