Michael Love stories, Page 98

Here’s a look at some don’t-miss matchups in the A-K Valley for Week 1: Class 5A northeast Fox Chapel at No. 1 Pine-Richland 7 p.m. Friday, Pine-Richland Stadium, Gibsonia The Foxes and Rams meet for the first time since 2015 when both were members of the Northern Eight Conference in...

Dylan Cook Leechburg, sr., QB The veteran quarterback hopes for many opportunities in the Blue Devils’ new “air raid” offense. Cook returns after throwing for 949 yards and eight touchdowns last season as Leechburg went 5-5 overall and 3-3 in the Eastern Conference. Sophomore wideout Braylon Lovelace and senior tight...

The Burrell girls soccer team made program history last year with an undefeated regular season and its first section title since 2005. The Bucs, who bowed out of the WPIAL Class AA playoffs in the quarterfinals, saw a large group of seniors move on, including Valley News Dispatch Player of...

Youth will be served on the Freeport football team as underclassmen will be featured at several key positions. “There is a lot of good competition, including some younger players, freshmen and sophomores who got some good playing time last year,” said veteran coach John Gaillot, who welcomes back just five...

The Western Pennsylvania Interscholastic Softball League kicked off its season over the weekend, and in varsity league play Sunday and Monday, Baldwin, Ellwood City, Seneca Valley and Montour picked up doubleheader sweeps. Baldwin stopped Mt. Pleasant twice, while Ellwood City took its twinbill against Hempfield. The Highlanders and Wolverines averaged...

Tom Loughran has a keen appreciation for the competition in WPIAL Class 5A. “Let me say first that 5A has the best collection of teams where anyone can beat you on any given night. You have to come ready to play,” the veteran Fox Chapel coach said. “Everybody in our...

Noel Roach remembers fondly the run to WPIAL and PIAA Class 5A championship in 2018. He and his Penn Hills teammates hope to renew those feelings this fall. “Every day we just want to go in and work hard to get better,” the senior wide receiver and defensive back said....

Thomas Jefferson began its 2019 season with a dominant victory over Canon-McMillan and ended it in Hershey with a 46-7 rout of Dallas for the PIAA Class 4A title. In between, the Jaguars rolled in and out of conference play and added their eighth WPIAL title since 2004. They outscored...

A new era has begun for Riverview football. Trevor George, a Carlynton grad and most recently an assistant at Blackhawk, takes over the Raiders program. He hopes to bring a wide-open philosophy to the offense and a new explosiveness to the defense. So far, the new start seems to be...

The last shall be first as Springdale prepares for what it expects to be a season unlike any other. When the WPIAL revamped schedules because of the coronavirus pandemic, Riverview, the Dynamos’ chief Class A Eastern Conference rival, was moved from the regular-season finale to Sept. 11, the new season-opening...

With the hope of having a fall high school season and understanding meets most likely would take a form unlike any before, cross country coaches throughout the WPIAL collaborated with each other and others from across the country to develop ideas as well as generate enthusiasm and optimism. Pennsylvania teams...

No matter where Apollo-Ridge coach John Skiba turns on the practice field, he sees a returning starter. Experience abounds for the Vikings, who hope to build on last year’s 7-4 overall record and WPIAL Class 2A playoff appearance. The team also hosted its first postseason game since 2014. “I and...

Serra Catholic battled No. 4 Neshannock in last year’s WPIAL Class 2A first round before falling, 31-17. Eagles fourth-year coach Jose Regus said despite the playoff loss, much was gained by his players throughout the 2019 campaign, which finished with a 6-4 overall record. With increased numbers — from 23...

Shady Side Academy’s football team made headlines last year when low roster numbers and injuries conspired to cause the forfeit of a Week 5 conference game at Apollo-Ridge. But the players regrouped, and the next week, they defeated conference foe Summit Academy to solidify their position in the WPIAL Class...

In accordance with a design developed by the Atlantic Coast Conference, the Pitt women’s volleyball team will play eight matches this fall against four regional conference opponents. The three-time defending ACC champion Panthers released their schedule Friday morning. They will face Syracuse, Boston College, Notre Dame and Louisville. Play begins...

Gateway captured a WPIAL championship last year, its second district football title in three years and seventh in the storied history of the program. The Gators return this season with similar intentions, and they also hope to make another run to Hershey after falling in the state semifinals a season...

Armstrong went to battle with a rather young and inexperienced team last year, and coach Frank Fabian said that, compounded with a rash of injuries to key players, led to a record he and his returning players hope to improve on this fall. “We found out that our depth was...

Dawson Dietz says it’s a perfect fit. After several seasons competing as one of the smallest teams in Class 5A, Hampton dropped down to Class 4A, and it landed among similar programs in terms of both size and geography. “Mars Week 1, that’s going to be the most exciting game...

The Knoch football team has a clear goal in mind this season. The Knights are focused on returning to the WPIAL playoffs for the first time since 2014, and with a core group of starters back along with others ready to make an impact, coach Brandon Mowry is optimistic his...

After several years of play in WPIAL Class 5A, Plum turns its attention to a new venture this season. The Mustangs are one of the several teams to make the move to Class 4A, and coach Matt Morgan said the change, along with a large group of starters back, presents...

Lou Eleuteri doesn’t plan on slowing down any time soon. The 63-year-old competitive powerlifter, with 11 national and five world championships to his credit, has Oct. 18, the date of the Ohio Powerlifting Championships in Youngstown, circled on his calendar. In his gym at his house in Blairsville, Eleuteri, who...

As Molly Goss watched the Gateway Heights synchronized swimmers perform their summer routine at the swim club’s pool earlier this month, she said she was overcome with pride for all that the 18 members accomplished throughout the previous month and a half to two months of work. “All of the...

The Plum Stephans 12U girls fast-pitch softball team dominated the competition this summer to claim the World Series title in its Eastern Girls Fast Pitch Softball League division. In 12 games — nine in the regular-season and three in the playoffs — Plum posted six shutouts and outscored its opponents...

A coaching tenure that stretched to more than two decades came to an end Tuesday as Bill Denniston announced his retirement as coach of the Robert Morris men’s soccer team. Hired in the spring of 1997, Denniston served 23 years at the helm of the Colonials and is one of...

Alexa Psotka is looking forward to putting her feet in the sand on the Atlantic Coast in South Carolina. No, she’s not eyeing up a sunny and warm vacation spot but rather a golden opportunity in volleyball at the Division I level. The Bethel Park senior standout recently gave a...