Josh Rizzo stories, Page 32

Anthony Tucci’s arm was in midseason form when Clarion University wrapped up its pandemic-shortened baseball season. The Penn Hills native, a junior pitcher for the Golden Eagles, found a spot where he could keep throwing when his coach at CCAC Boyce, Bill Spina, reached out and asked if he would...

Penn Hills Eagles track and field coach Chuck Carter didn’t get a typical buildup to the Three Rivers Association track championships this spring. With pandemic restrictions, the club program wasn’t able to have any meets. The first competition Penn Hills joined was the Three Rivers Association Championships last weekend at...

Lauren Sipple didn’t anticipate having many nerves about if she would see the field for the Penn Hills softball team as a freshman. The Indians had vacancies at several positions going into the season. “I wasn’t nervous because I knew there weren’t a lot of people at Penn Hills who...

Alain Tamo-Noche saw a unique opportunity available by committing to play men’s volleyball at Central State University in Wilberforce, Ohio. The 6-foot-1 Penn Hills senior outside hitter will be on the ground floor of a brand new program. The Marauders will be part of the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference’s first...

Eddie Daniels wanted to be in a place where everyone would have the same mindset as him. When the Penn Hills senior basketball standout didn’t field an offer he liked to play college at the next level, he sought an environment that would keep him competitive. Daniels decided to bet...

Claude Vangelus wasn’t a refined offensive lineman when he started with the Penn Hills High School football program. Relying primarily on his size, Vangelus entered high school with learning to do. All of his progression over four years led to Vangelus being selected to participate in the recent Pennsylvania Scholastic...

The National Christian School Athletic Association track and field meet May 22 at Geneva College provided good perspective for Redeemer Lutheran junior runner Christian Loewe. Competing against schools from multiple states, athletes from the Rams’ young track program got an idea of what kind of progress they’ve made. Loewe, who...

Penn Hills only had one athlete qualify for the PIAA Class AAA track and field championships last week, but Indians coach Lee Zelkowitz was pleased with contributions from younger runners as well. The Indians’ young 1,600-meter relay team reached the medal stand. Freshmen Caroline McDevitt and Maliah Powell teamed up...

Angelo Allen knew something wasn’t right with his approach in the weeks leading up to the WPIAL Class AAA track and field championships. The Penn Hills junior shot putter responded by consulting his team of advisers, including his coaches and dad. “It’s definitely a hand-in-hand process,” said Allen, who qualified...

Angelo Allen delivered on his promise at the WPIAL Class AAA Track and Field Championships last Wednesday at Slippery Rock University. The Penn Hills senior thrower hit a PIAA qualifying standard in the shot put with a best throw of 53 feet, 5.5 inches, placing him fourth in the district....

Anthony Scuilli thought the season finale was a good representation of this year’s Penn Hills baseball team. The Indians showed plenty of glimpses of their offensive potential during a wild 10-8 nonsection win over Knoch on May 13 at home. Penn Hills also had several lapses — on defense and...

Low numbers was never something Penn Hills track and field coach Lee Zelkowitz wanted to experience. But for this season, having fewer kids on the roster actually has been a help in terms of bringing an inexperienced group up to speed. Competing at the West Mifflin Last Chance meet gave...

Penn Hills baseball got the offensive jolt it needed during its final Section 2-5A series of the season. Facing rival Woodland Hills, the Indians plated 20 runs in two games to close the section schedule on a positive note with 14-4 and 6-3 victories. The 14 runs in the first...

Alain Tamo-Noche picked up volleyball as a sophomore looking to build skills for basketball season. The 6-foot-1 Penn Hills senior outside hitter is now considering playing in college. Learning the sport has been a fun process for Tamo-Noche, who learned from veteran players when he started and is now part...

Every match the Big Red Rugby club team plays is a learning experience. After opening against a few clubs that were newer programs like Penn Hills’ squad, the Big Red took one on the chin against West Allegheny. At an event hosted by Moon, the Big Red Rugby club fell...

Stephanie Sipple’s boyfriend would be on dry land holding bungee cords, while she would take 20 butterfly strokes in Edinboro Lake. The Edinboro junior swimmer and Penn Hills graduate didn’t want to fall behind. With the school enforcing tight covid-19 restrictions, Sipple wanted to stay in shape. With few organized...

Jordan Sullivan Jr. didn’t sit around and pout when the pandemic forced the Penn Hills baseball team to have last season canceled. Tommy John surgery would have kept him sidelined either way. The junior catcher for the Indians felt when he returned, he didn’t feel any ill effects. “I feel...

Angelo Allen laid the groundwork for what could be an outstanding spring with a strong winter track and field season. Everything the Penn Hills junior has done far has shown the winter was a preview of what is to come. Allen won the shot put with a throw of 50...

Kiern Mack sent a pitch left hanging over the plate solidly over the fence April 19 at Milltown Field in Penn Hills. The home run was a first in varsity competition for the junior outfielder. Mack’s grand slam helped propel the Indians to a 13-1 win over St. Joseph, snapping...

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...

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...

Shaler Area track and field coach Shawn Ryan had a nice return to competition for the Titans’ girls track team. Shaler beat North Hills, 87-60, in its first dual meet, collecting its first victory since Ryan took over the program in 2019. In a season where many athletes will be...

Shaler Area senior Cameron Szazynski wanted to keep punishing the second serve of Fox Chapel’s Cooper Friday last Wednesday. Szazynski saw an opening during their Section 3-AAA quarterfinal match and worked to exploit it. The seventh-seeded Szazynski kept scoring points with strong returns and broke second-seeded Friday twice in the...

Ian Weber stepped on the court last Thursday against North Allegheny in an unfamiliar spot. The Shaler Area junior middle blocker is the only returning starter from the Titans’ 2019 boys volleyball season. That season marked a landmark one. The Titans finished third in the WPIAL and won their first...

Missing a season due to the pandemic hurt the Shaler girls lacrosse program in a number of ways. Seniors didn’t have the opportunity to close their careers, and those who return for this year’s team missed out on time to develop. Titans coach Ali Nicholas believes that development this season...