Josh Rizzo stories, Page 7
2025 Trib HSSN Preseason Football All-Star Team: Woodland Hills’ Scoop Smith
Catch Scoop Smith if you can. Many of the football programs that line up against Woodland Hills would rather pursue other endeavors. Smith enjoys playing on the return team but has become mostly a spectator as his career has progressed. “I don’t get them a lot,” Smith said. “A lot...
Former Penn Hills, WVU standout Drew Schifino reflects on life in basketball in new book
Drew Schifino wanted an opportunity to reflect on his time in basketball. He didn’t want to rehash the old stories of his time in European basketball or at West Virginia. The 43-year-old Penn Hills graduate sought an opportunity for self-reflection. Schifino decided to write a book about his time in...
Penn Hills’ Isabella DeCarlo caps high school softball career on high note
Isabella DeCarlo being asked by Team Gold to throw two innings in June during the Western Pennsylvania Softball All-Star game at Plum High School meant the world to her. The Penn Hills graduate ended a difficult senior season with two solid memories. DeCarlo no-hit Woodland Hills on Senior Night to...
Fox Chapel kicker, Georgia commit Harran Zureikat earns spot in Under Armour Next Football All-America game
Harran Zureikat didn’t have to wait for a list to come out to see if he would be part of the Under Armour Next Football All-America game. Zureikat, a Fox Chapel senior, earned his spot during a Kohl’s Scholarship Camp in Gatlinburg, Tenn. Competing with several other top prospects, Zureikat...
Athletes put summer workouts to use in Fox Chapel’s Big Man Challenge
Apollo-Ridge right tackle Connor Bogdanski was tired, but earned the feeling he was looking for July 23 at James M. Burke Athletic Facility. The Vikings had the smallest school enrollment at the Big Man Challenge, but they were able to earn a team victory over host Fox Chapel and Knoch....
Sonny Westerman Old Timers game again a highlight at Freeport International Baseball Invitational
The public address announcer ended his pre-game duties before the Sonny Westerman Old Timers game by sharing a sentiment likely shared by a large majority of the crowd, the players and any on-call medical personnel within shouting distance of Swartz Field in Freeport Borough Thursday night. Don’t get hurt. Despite...
2025 Trib HSSN Preseason Football All-Star Team: Penn Hills’ Carter Bonner
Carter Bonner doesn’t think going on the recruiting trail for football is an easy process. One thing that eases the Penn Hills junior’s mind when it comes to the decision-making process is the impact it has on his dad during the road trips to visit schools. The two made a...
All-state honors pour in for Shaler spring athletes
Adam Hoffman was floating in the pool in South Carolina when he found out that his efforts with the Shaler boys volleyball team had earned him all-state honors. Hoffman was one of many Titan athletes across all spring sports who drew recognition in the postseason. Hoffman was named an honorable...
Fox Chapel native Jack Katsonas excited for opportunity in Tampa Bay organization
Jack Kartsonas prefers to dominate one task at a time. On a recent Wednesday, the former West Virginia University standout and Fox Chapel native was only worried about the quality of the steak he was cooking and not about the challenge of leaping into minor league baseball. Kartsonas, who played...
Fox Chapel Herald notebook: Fox Chapel hockey hosts program for young players
The Fox Chapel hockey club will introduce a new program to spark interest in younger age groups. The Foxes will host a free skate with the varsity team July 27 at the Alpha Ice Complex. The program is available to students in Fox Chapel school district who are entering first...
2025 Trib 25 Preseason Football All-Star Team: Woodland Hills’ Zykir ‘Ziggy’ Moore
Zykir “Ziggy” Moore feels a deep connection to many of the neighborhoods that make up the Woodland Hills community. That feeling gives Moore, who lives in Churchill but is originally from Rankin, a sense of pride when he pulls on the Wolverines’ football uniform. Moore, who recently committed to play...
Playing for Riveters makes impact on Fox Chapel graduate Kate Friday
Kate Friday spent much of the Fourth of July looking around with astonishment. But it wasn’t the fireworks that caught her eye. The 19-year-old Fox Chapel graduate and 5-foot-7 midfielder for the Pittsburgh Riveters was swept up in the community’s response to her team. Nearly 4,200 fans attended the Riveters’...
Dedicated senior receiver helps pieces fit into place for Fox Chapel football
Fox Chapel senior Max Melocchi enjoys the pressure that comes with playing quarterback. However, Melocchi is happy to be preparing to play wide receiver and power back for the Foxes in the upcoming season. During a 7-on-7 workout July 9 at Fox Chapel, Melocchi was happy to haul in passes...
A-K Valley football teams reap benefits of 7-on-7 practice at Fox Chapel
The Knoch football players had an acronym printed vertically on the back of their uniforms for the Fox Chapel 7-on-7 football practice Wednesday night. Reach your full potential (RYFP) has become the slogan for the Knights, led by veteran first-year coach T.J. Wiley. Wiley said the early response he has...
Woodland Hills’ Scoop Smith commits to Miami (Ohio) during football camp he hosted at Wolvarena
Woodland Hills senior wide receiver Scoop Smith wanted to make his college commitment something that stood out. He didn’t want to be behind a table picking from baseball hats. Instead, Smith hosted a football camp Sunday at the Wolvarena, announcing his commitment to Miami (Ohio) with a video on the...
Short-handed Riveters defeated in inaugural playoff game
Piper Coffield would have loved to have six of her teammates alongside her during the Pittsburgh Riveters USL W Central Conference semifinal playoff game Friday at Highmark Stadium. But the Mars graduate knows how things work in the summer at the pre-professional level. As the summer gets later, players have...
Fox Chapel girls basketball makes most of summer league
Marty Matvey didn’t need to work his contact list to help fill out the Fox Chapel girls basketball summer league. By the end of February, Matvey already had a full list of teams who wanted to get extra work in. The only team Matvey had to find a way to...
Fox Chapel football enjoying productive offseason
The Fox Chapel football team has stayed busy this summer. With all of the other typical summertime commitments — between vacations, other sports leagues and other activities — the Foxes have regularly had more than 50 players for workouts. When the practices for the season begin, coach Dave Leasure anticipates...
Fox Chapel Herald notebook: Shady Side Academy’s Javon Johnston impresses at nationals
Shady Side Academy’s Javon Johnston impressed at the New Balance Outdoor Nationals at Franklin Field in Philadelphia. Johnston finished in first place in the triple jump in the freshman division, winning the event with a leap of 45 feet, 11.5 inches. Johnston also finished third in the long jump with...
Baseball standout Jeremy Haigh caps Fox Chapel career with all-star game, all-state selection
Jeremy Haigh was caught off guard when he received an email from Fox Chapel baseball coach Jim Hastings. The recent Foxes graduate didn’t realize he had been nominated for the Pennsylvania State Baseball Coaches Association All-State team. Haigh, who was chosen by the organization as first team all-state as a...
State champ Cam Ponko of Penn-Trafford adds another highlight in 2nd annual all-star game
Cam Ponko wasn’t against having one more opportunity to wear her green-and-gold Penn-Trafford softball uniform after seeing her senior season culminate with a PIAA Class 5A title. She may have a harder time pulling on her crimson-and-black threads at IUP this fall after creating so many strong memories this spring....
Ronald Porter’s WPIAL gold highlights school year in Penn Hills sports
Ronald Porter III’s willingness to try something new as a junior and his quick progress from there allowed him to do something during his senior season that was the highlight of the athletics programs at Penn Hills during the 2024-25 school year. Porter initially came out for track wanting to...
Penn Hills grad Dontae Pollard glad to be out of transfer portal, eager to play for Temple
Dontae Pollard didn’t feel good either time he entered the transfer portal to find a new home to play college football. Both times, the quick reaction he drew from schools helped provide him comfort. Pollard recently announced he would use his final season of eligibility at Temple following two years...
Memorable girls basketball season leads list of Shady Side Academy 2024-25 highlights
The Shady Side Academy girls basketball team took a crushing loss in the WPIAL Class 3A championship game. The Bulldogs also lost their 6-foot-2 forward Cassie Sauer for their run through the state playoffs. But Shady Side Academy was able to pull itself together and move on to the PIAA...
Wrestler’s resilience highlights winter, spring seasons in Fox Chapel sports
Michael Worsen shouldn’t have even been at the Class 3A Western Regional. But the Fox Chapel senior made the most of his opportunity, entering the tournament as a late scratch and earning a spot at the PIAA tournament at 121 pounds. Worsen, who also crossed the 100-win mark for his...
