Josh Rizzo stories, Page 42
Shaler boys learn to shake off rust during stop-and-start season
Developing chemistry after a long layoff won’t be such a foreign concept for Shaler junior guard Dylan Schlagel. In preseason, the Titans’ boys basketball team would have benefited from having name tags on their jerseys with the number of freshmen vying for varsity playing time. Seven freshmen have played for...
Shaler Area’s Keenan balances basketball, indoor track
Jack Keenan didn’t seek an opportunity to follow in his dad’s footsteps. When the Shaler Area junior hurdler landed on the hurdles as his primary event in middle school track and field, the idea was to try and exceed his dad’s accomplishments. “I started in middle school because my dad...
‘Happy, cheerful and ready to go,’ Pilyih leads Shaler Area bowling
Lexi Pilyih doesn’t dwell on what could have been. The Shaler Area sophomore was a major cog of a Titans’ girls bowling team that made school history by qualifying for the state bowling championships as a team. Days before states were scheduled to commence, the Titans saw their first trip...
Shaler senior swimmer finds surprising success in sprints
Lydia Nebiolo always did a little bit of everything when competing in Allegheny Mountain Swimming meets. Since starting high school meets, the Shaler senior has primarily specialized in distance events. But with the schedule setting up differently, the Titans have been moving Nebiolo around. She’s adapted well, hitting secondary WPIAL...
Shaler girls basketball focused on limiting turnovers
Shaler girls basketball coach Cornelious Nesbit believes for the Titans to be successful, they need to value the ball and limit their opponents’ possessions. Thus far, Shaler still is searching for a way to take care of the basketball. Before the Titans’ squared off with North Hills last Thursday, Shaler...
Shaler boys basketball working to overcome personnel shuffles
Stopping and starting the basketball season hasn’t made for an easy personnel situation for Shaler coach Rob Niederberger. Since the Titans’ resumed play Jan. 8, they have had four games postponed and had seven players miss time with various injuries. Having so many people coming in and out of the...
Strong showing has Shaler sprinter eager to compete again, make states
Eloise Facher lined up at the starting line, peering down at a black shirt and shorts before the start of her 60-meter sprint at Youngstown State University. Competing as an unattached runner meant Facher couldn’t be fitted in her typical blue-and-red Shaler Area track attire. “It was definitely weird,” Facher...
Busier schedule suits Shaler bowlers
Ryan Callahan enjoys the Shaler bowling team having two matches a week. The pandemic-forced, compact section schedule keeps the Titans sophomore on his toes. In a normal year, Shaler would have one match a week. So far, the boys are off to a 1-3 start. Shaler’s girls team is 3-1....
Shaler swimming gets creative to navigate unusual season
There was no perfect way for the Shaler swim team to restart its season following the state-mandated three-week layoff for covid-19 precautions. But having a meet on the road against Chartiers Valley on Jan. 13 gave Titans coach Abi May a good way to ease back into competition. The Colts’...
Freshman goalie playing key role for Shaler hockey team
Shane Ciganik never planned on seeing so much time on the varsity team. The Shaler freshman netminder expected to ease into the high school level. But Ciganik has seen more than his share of minutes for the school’s hockey team. He’s appeared in eight games and was named the starting...
Wrestling season during pandemic presents serious challenges for Shaler
Shaler Area junior wrestler Brad Yeager isn’t deterred by the road ahead. Even with low numbers and the pandemic restrictions, the 106-pound grappler is excited to have another season on the mat. Yeager, whose club closed once the pandemic started, has had his opportunities limited. “We’ve been working hard and...
Shaler indoor track working hard, hoping for chance to compete
Shawn Ryan sees the challenges ahead of him for the Shaler indoor track team. Keeping a positive attitude will be difficult. The Titans are training hard, but their ability to compete will be largely left to the whims of the number of coronavirus cases. All high school sports in Pennsylvania...
Shaler notebook: Pair of volleyball standouts named all-state
Marching into the WPIAL Class 4A volleyball championship game allowed the Shaler girls volleyball team to turn some heads. Along with compiling a 14-3 record before falling in four sets in the district final to four-time defending state champion North Allegheny, the Titans had two players named to the all-state...
Girls basketball preview: Shaler to lean on tenacious defense, team speed
Sophomore center Mackenzie Barr expects the Shaler girls basketball team to dig in and defend on every possession. The Titans can count on tough defense entering this season but will be searching for ways to score. Shaler graduated two players, Emily Cavacini and Megan Lacy, who were a big part...
Boys basketball preview: Revamped Shaler roster works to get up to speed
Logan Bernesser’s role on the back of the press for the Shaler boys basketball team is to survey the court. The 6-foot-6 junior forward is in the best spot to protect the rim and help direct his teammates on defense. When he peers out at the Titans this season, he...
Senior captain sets tone for Shaler hockey turnaround
Tre Junker was surprised when Shaler hockey coach Cory Sakolsky handed him a playbook. Junker, a senior forward for the Titans, has been playing hockey since he was 5. Before Shaler started its new era, Junker had questions. “I wasn’t trusting it at first,” Junker said. “It was new to...
Shaler swimmers to revamp training for unique season
Planning improvements for the Shaler Area swimming program will need to be a dynamic plan for first-year coach Abi May. WPIAL officials still have many decisions to make on where the championships will be held, how many athletes will qualify and what the qualifying times need to be. All of...
Clarion Area puts end to Bishop Canevin’s volleyball playoff run
Bishop Canevin senior outside hitter Gillian Golupski didn’t love how the season ended. The Lady Crusaders fell to District 9 champion Clarion Area, 25-14, 25-15, 25-14, Tuesday night in the PIAA Class A semifinals at home. But Golupski, who finished with a team-high nine kills, was happy Bishop Canevin had...
Despite hard-luck finish, Shaler cross country team pleased with season
Tyler Paszkowski positioned himself perfectly during the WPIAL Class AAA championship race Oct. 29 at White Oak Park. The Shaler junior was in the lead pack, positioned around 10th place, alongside a runner from Butler. Everything was going as Paszkowski hoped. “Right off the start, I felt super strong and...
Shaler volleyball shows mettle in WPIAL finals loss to North Allegheny
Mia Schubert’s furious third set showed the Shaler girls volleyball team wasn’t ready to melt. The Titans junior outside hitter put away seven of her team-high 16 kills during the third set, ensuring the WPIAL Class 4A championship at Chartiers Valley High School would last a little longer. While undefeated...
Commitment to defense carries Shaler volleyball to strong season
Bumps, scrapes and bruises are part of the nightly routine for Shaler Area junior libero Addie Kania. Sliding across the gym is a nonnegotiable part of the job description. Coming up with creative ways to make sure the other team doesn’t score is another vital aspect. Kania alleviates the pressure...
Shaler football learns on the fly during trying season
Jim Ryan held meetings via Zoom and gave members of the Shaler Area football team workouts to do at home. But the Titans football coach knew it would be difficult helping a young team improve without being around each other in person. The Titans also lost time at training camp...
North Allegheny beats Shaler for 7th WPIAL girls volleyball title
Paige Miller volleyed one ball straight through Shaler Area’s block. The North Allegheny senior outside hitter also made sure to take her time and search for softer shots into open spaces on the court. Age and experience guided the Tigers Saturday at Chartiers Valley High School when North Allegheny captured...
Franklin Regional tops Montour for 1st WPIAL girls volleyball championship
Aly Kindelberger hammered the volleyball onto the court Saturday at Chartiers Valley High School before being overwhelmed by a swarm of her teammates. The 6-foot-1 Franklin Regional senior didn’t mind the slide across the floor as the Panthers’ celebrated the biggest win in program history with a dogpile. By topping...
No. 1 Central Valley lands knockout punch on Keystone Oaks
Stephon Hall came bursting through the wedge and was optimistic about what he saw in front of him. All that loomed between the 6-foot-2 Central Valley senior wide receiver and the end zone was Keystone Oaks kicker Greg Wagner. Hall raced around Wagner and found the end zone, providing one...
