Chris Harlan stories, Page 123
WPIAL champion Neshannock advances in PIAA playoffs with 4-point victory over Tyrone
Neleh Nogay scored 14 points and Bella Burrelli added 10 as WPIAL champion Neshannock defeated Tyrone, 42-38, Friday night in a PIAA Class 3A first-round victory at North Allegheny. The Lancers led by only one point after the first quarter and four points at halftime. But their lead peaked at...
WPIAL champion New Castle holds off Titusville in PIAA 1st-round victory
This was the sixth time New Castle entered the state playoffs as WPIAL champion under coach Ralph Blundo, so he understands the so-called “WPIAL hangover” better than most. As the theory goes, WPIAL champions start the PIAA playoffs unfocused and sluggish after their title celebration. But sometimes, when wins aren’t...
5 things to watch in the PIAA boys basketball playoffs
Coach Dan DeRose and his Penn Hills boys basketball players are leaving at 10 a.m. Friday for a four-hour bus ride to Hershey, the site picked for their state playoff opener. Franklin Regional and Pine-Richland will take the same trip this weekend. Without question, WPIAL boys basketball teams will travel...
WPIAL passing leader Tyler Bradley commits to Seton HillVideo
Our Lady of the Sacred Heart quarterback Tyler Bradley, the WPIAL’s top passer last season, committed Tuesday to Seton Hill. He announced his commitment on Twitter. Bradley threw for 3,364 yards as a senior and guided OLSH to the WPIAL Class A title, earning a spot on the Trib 25...
Texas A&M joins schools recruiting Gateway sophomore Derrick DavisVideo
Gateway’s Derrick Davis has another major college football team interested in him. Davis (6-0, 180) announced Tuesday a scholarship offer from Texas A&M, making Aggies coach Jimbo Fisher the latest to recruit the Gators’ star sophomore. He’s quickly become one of the state’s top recruits for 2021. Before Texas A&M,...
Chartiers Valley freshman Aislin Malcolm draws basketball offer from Pitt
Chartiers Valley freshman Aislin Malcolm scored 18 points Saturday at Petersen Events Center when her Colts won the WPIAL Class 5A girls basketball title. Three days later, Pitt offered to make “The Pete” her future home court. The 5-foot-10 guard announced a scholarship offer Tuesday from Pitt, the latest Division...
PCN will re-air Quaker Valley vs. Annville-Cleonas PIAA basketball final from 1999
The Quaker Valley boys basketball team and coach Mike Mastroianni experienced a heartbreaking state championship loss to Annville-Cleonas 20 years ago this winter. If they’re ready, they can rewatch it March 9 at 7 p.m. PCN announced Tuesday that it will re-air some of the great PIAA basketball championship games...
North Hills AD Amy Scheuneman joining WPIAL administration
North Hills athletic director Amy Scheuneman will resign this summer and accept an administrative position with the WPIAL. Scheuneman will become associate executive director, the WPIAL announced Monday, a newly created position in the administration just below executive director Tim O’Malley. The position puts Scheuneman in line to potentially succeed...
Pine-Richland junior Luke Meckler adds 1st FBS offer
Pine-Richland junior Luke Meckler, a two-way standout for the WPIAL champion Rams, added his first FBS offer. Meckler announced an offer from Kent State on Thursday. The 5-foot-10, 175-pound running back and safety already had an Ivy League offer from Dartmouth. Meckler rushed for 1,492 yards and scored 21 touchdowns...
Aliquippa linebacker Zuriah Fisher adds Big 10 offer
Aliquippa junior Zuriah Fisher, a standout linebacker on a state championship defense, added his first Big 10 college offer. Fisher announced a Minnesota offer Friday. The Gophers joined a scholarship list that already included Syracuse, Ball State, Bowling Green, Kent State, Toledo, Temple, UMass and Youngstown State. Rivals ranks Fisher...
Pitt, WVU recruits among Maryland picks for Big 33 Football Classic
Pitt recruit A.J. Woods, a cornerback from Germantown, Md., was among the 38 high school football players chosen to represent Maryland in the Big 33 Football Classic. West Virginia recruits Leighton Bechdel and Osita Smith were also on the all-star game roster announced Saturday. The game is May 27 at...
Mt. Lebanon shows patience in WPIAL championship win over ButlerVideo
Mt. Lebanon wanted to keep the ball out of Ethan Morton’s hands, so the Blue Devils just held onto it themselves. With a two-point lead and 6 minutes left, Mt. Lebanon slowed the pace, ate the clock and used a couple of long possessions to defeat Butler, 62-57, in the...
WPIAL Class 6A boys basketball preview: Butler vs. Mt. Lebanon
Class 6A boys Mt. Lebanon (21-3) vs. Butler (20-4) 9 p.m. Saturday, Petersen Events Center Starting lineups No. 3 Mt. Lebanon (21-3) Coach: Joe David No. Player, Pos., Ht., Yr. 4 Hayden Mitchell, G, 6-2, Sr. 10 Blaine Gartley, G, 5-9, Jr. 20 Mike Palmer, G, 5-10, Sr. 22 Sean...
WPIAL Class 4A boys basketball preview: New Castle vs. Quaker Valley
Class 4A boys New Castle (20-4) vs. Quaker Valley (20-3) 1 p.m. Saturday, Petersen Events Center Starting lineups No. 1 New Castle (20-4) Coach: Ralph Blundo No. Player, Pos., Ht., Yr. 3 Michael Wells, G, 5-9, Fr. 5 Payne Prowell, G, 5-11, Sr. 10 Donte Burnett, G, 6-0, Sr. 11...
Recchia’s late 3-pointer helps Mars defend WPIAL Class 5A championship
Andrew Recchia was the only person at Petersen Events Center who already knew how this WPIAL championship would end. “I dreamt about it last night, actually,” he said. The Mars senior saw the ball in his hands, the clock running down and him making the winning shot. “Call me a...
WPIAL Class 5A boys basketball preview: Mars vs. Moon
Class 5A boys Mars (23-1) vs. Moon (23-1) 9 p.m. Friday, Petersen Events Center Starting lineups No. 1 Mars (23-1) Coach: Rob Carmody No. Player, Pos., Ht., Yr. 2 Khori Fusco, F, 6-3, Sr. 3 Michael Carmody, F, 6-6, Jr. 13 Andrew Recchia, G, 5-11, Sr. 21 Joseph Craska, G,...
WPIAL Class 2A boys basketball preview: OLSH vs. Serra Catholic
Class 2A boys Our Lady of the Sacred Heart (21-2) vs. Serra Catholic (20-3) 5 p.m. Friday, Petersen Events Center Starting lineups No. 1 OLSH (21-2) Coach: Mike Rodriguez No. Player, Pos., Ht., Yr. 1 Ricco Tate, F, 6-3, Sr. 11 Dante Spadafora, G, 5-11, So. 13 Daren DiMichele, G,...
Butler boys advance to WPIAL finals after emotional win over rival Pine-Richland
The final minute was so emotional, so unbelievable, that it seemed like an eternity to Ethan Morton and his Butler teammates. “It felt like forever,” he said. “I couldn’t even look.” With 60 seconds left Wednesday night, Butler held a 14-point lead over Pine-Richland in a sold-out semifinal at Fox...
WPIAL Class 3A boys basketball finals preview: Lincoln Park vs. North Catholic
Class 3A boys Lincoln Park (21-4) vs. North Catholic (21-4) 9 p.m. Thursday, Petersen Events Center Starting lineups No. 1 Lincoln Park (21-4) Coach: Mike Bariski No. Player, Pos., Ht., Yr. 2 Johnnie Bryant, G, 6-0, Jr. 5 Isaiah Smith, G, 6-0, Jr. 10 Andre Wilder, F, 6-3, Jr. 11...
Johnson’s double-double guides No. 3 Moon past Penn Hills in Class 5A semifinals
Two years ago, a star basketball player transferred home to Moon, reunited with his childhood friends and led the Tigers’ run to the WPIAL finals. Now comes the sequel. Seven months after switching schools, Donovan Johnson is following the same script. The 6-foot-6 junior scored 20 points and grabbed 14...
Longtime coach Chuck Crummie ‘hurt’ after Central Catholic fires him
Chuck Crummie will no longer coach on Chuck Crummie Court. The longtime Central Catholic boys basketball coach said he was fired on Monday, an unexpected exit for one of the WPIAL’s winningest coaches after more than four decades at the school. Last February, Central Catholic named its basketball court after...
Five things to watch in the WPIAL boys basketball semifinals
As the old saying goes, it’s hard to beat a team three times in one season. But is that true in WPIAL boys basketball? Ambridge, Pine-Richland, Mt. Lebanon and Our Lady of the Sacred Heart certainly hope not. Those four boys basketball teams have WPIAL semifinal matchups against section rivals...
Peters Township’s Casilli adds Ivy League football offer from Penn
Penn calls the other side of the state home, but the Quakers football coaches know their way around Western Pennsylvania. Peters Township junior Josh Casilli is the latest WPIAL standout to draw an Ivy League offer from Penn. The 6-foot, 180-pound wide receiver announced his offer Sunday after attending the...
Central Catholic’s Beatty adds 8 offers including Pitt in busy recruiting week
Recruiting-wise, this was a busy week for Central Catholic junior A.J. Beatty. The 6-foot-5, 255-pound defensive end announced eight more Division 1 offers this week including his first from Power 5 schools. Beatty started his week with Pitt, added Purdue on Wednesday and finished with Rutgers and Boston College on...
North Allegheny’s Kinne, Hempfield’s Orie celebrate state indoor track titles
North Allegheny’s Zach Kinne and Hempfield’s Mackenna Orie celebrated state track titles Sunday at the PTFCA indoor championship at Penn State. Kinne and North Allegheny teammate Dan McGoey placed first and second in the boys 3,000-meter run. A Duke recruit, Kinne won in 8:33.83, a time that ranks fourth-best nationally...
