Josh Rizzo stories, Page 8

The Penn Hills Middle School football team got a good opportunity for some postseason experience Oct. 17 when it played Armstrong in the semifinals of the WAADA Football League. But Indians coach Mark Banner said that he is most proud of the program’s progress with having players be eligible to...

Penn Hills football coach Charles Morris told Naytel Mitchell during exit meetings last year that he expected a lot from the senior linebacker/running back. When the Indians have needed Mitchell down the stretch, all of that hard work has seemingly paid off. Mitchell piled up 187 yards on the ground...

Springdale senior Colton Gent’s job, whether he is on the track or soccer field, is usually pretty simple. Gent is told to run fast. When the Dynamos boys soccer team needed to win a race Saturday at Franklin Regional High School, Gent pulled away to extend the Dynamos season. Gent...

Fox Chapel girls soccer coach Carlo Prati has been consistent all season. He has continuously reminded people around the program that defending the WPIAL championship wasn’t going to be easy, even as the Foxes went down in classification. Fox Chapel, which was seeded No. 1 in the girls 3A tournament,...

The Fox Chapel boys golf team will likely be in the running for the WPIAL Class 3A team championship again next season. Foxes coach Joe Farrell hopes his team will be able to get back over the hump and qualify for the PIAA championship. For the second straight year, the...

Any available space was the perfect amount of room for West Mifflin sophomore running back Armand Hill to make something happen. Hill’s frequent long dashes tormented Knoch’s defense Friday night during a 48-21 Greater Allegheny Conference victory at Titans Stadium. Hill finished with 334 yards and four touchdowns to give...

Penn Hills graduate Adia Brisker recently signed to play professional basketball in Ireland. The news was shared on X by the Penn Hills Lady Indians basketball account. Brisker recently wrapped up her collegiate career at Queens (N.C.) University. Brisker’s best year in college was during the 2022-23 season. She finished...

The Penn Hills boys soccer team didn’t have the benefit of a deep bench when the season started. As the Indians have gone through the rigors of Section 1-4A play, they have been battling against their opponents and a war with attrition. Penn Hills is on a five-match losing streak...

Prince Govan saw a celebration on TikTok he liked and planned to employ it when he scored. The Riverview junior defensive back had his opportunity Saturday afternoon at Riverside Park against Frazier. Teammate Dom Williams reminded Govan, and the pair ran across the field holding one arm above their shoulder,...

There had to be some creeping doubt from Fox Chapel sophomore Carson Kittsley about his chances of reaching the PIAA Class 3A boys golf championships. But you couldn’t see it in his face or body language. Kittsley simply kept playing his style of golf. After opening the WPIAL Class 3A...

Fox Chapel coach Dave Leasure equated the Foxes’ football schedule to being like a mountain. There were a few games for Fox Chapel to prepare for the climb, followed by an arduous journey to the top while playing against some of the best teams in Class 5A. The Foxes hope...

Deer Lakes did what it could to stall Imani Christian sophomore running back Gabriel Jenkins. But when the Lancers’ early success at playing keep-away didn’t result in points, the Saints quickly put the hammer down in an Allegheny 7 Conference showdown Friday night at Graham Field. Imani, the top Class...

Saint Vincent sophomore Lucy Brayton was chosen as the PAC women’s golfer of the week at the end of last month. At the Grove City Invitational, Brayton, a 2022 Penn Hills graduate, finished second out of 70 competitors. She shot a 4-over par 76 at Grove City Country Club. Three...

Every year provides third-year Penn Hills football coach Charles Morris with the opportunity to make tweaks to benefit the program. This year, the Indians have been focused on helping young players on the offensive line make steady improvements. Morris said Penn Hills’ approach has changed and the focus is on...

Ethan Vaughan had a scare early this season with his ankle. But other than one mystery ailment following a meet, everything has been on the right path for the Fox Chapel season. Vaughan suffered a stress fracture last season that prevented him from competing at WPIALs or earning a spot...

The Fox Chapel boys soccer program will face plenty of obstacles, but coach Erik Ingram believes this year’s team is equipped to handle them. Fox Chapel suffered a difficult loss in Section 3-4A play Oct. 1, losing 5-1 to Seneca Valley. “We’ll be fine,” Ingram said. “We scored first (against...

The Beaver football team has been hardened by the challenges that come from playing a difficult schedule. The Bobcats, ranked fifth in the WPIAL Class 3A Trib HSSN rankings, showed the benefits of that type of experience Friday night at Deer Lakes High School. Beaver bullied No. 2 Deer Lakes...

Penn Hills quarterback Jay’Mere Ellis never planned on shying away from his responsibilities. The Indians football program gives him plenty of challenges. “I knew what I was signing up for by playing on both sides of the ball,” Ellis said. “I came in with a different mindset. I wanted to...

Penn Hills girls soccer goalie Atheena Burnett put in a hard day’s work in the Indians’ 3-0 loss to Gateway on Sept. 23. Burnett made 40 stops to help keep her team in the game. Penn Hills is in the middle of a rough stretch of play. The Indians haven’t...

Clairton junior defensive back Donte Wright is watching all of his teammates in practice. Just like everyone is watching him. The Bears defense has set a standard it doesn’t want to let slip. Clairton stretched its streak of not allowing an offensive touchdown to six games when it bullied Jeannette,...

Carson Kittsley wanted to start his high school golf career with a bang. The Fox Chapel sophomore was left a little disappointed at the end of his freshman season. He fell one step short of qualifying for the PIAA Class 3A tournament after losing in a playoff at the WPIAL...

The Fox Chapel girls soccer team is figuring out the puzzle pieces to compete in a section filled with unfamiliar opponents. The Foxes were tasked with replacing their top defensive player, Anna Troutman, and assembling a roster that would be battle-tested by the time the postseason rolled around. Fox Chapel...

Freeport junior running back Amos Glenn was doing pushups on the sideline. He got advice from his dad. When Glenn returned to the game, he ran harder as requested. “My shoulder popped out of place,” Glenn said. “It was dislocated. I thought my season was over. The trainer came over...

Zoey Cieslak didn’t have to spend extra time bonding with two of her teammates on the backline of the Shaler girls soccer team. Zoey, a junior, has the benefit of playing with her sophomore twin sisters, Ava and Allie. “It’s fun, sometimes,” Zoey said. “I can talk to them. They...

The Shaler boys golf team couldn’t follow up the first section title in school history with a title defense, but the Titans still figure to feature in the WPIAL team and individual playoff pictures. Shaler beat Highlands on Sept. 17 in a dual match to improve to 7-2 in Section...