High School category, Page 1035
Norwin honored for unified sports programs
Unified sports allow students with and without disabilities to compete in an inclusive environment. Norwin has one of the top unified programs in the state with its track and field and indoor bocce teams, and the district has been recognized for its efforts. Add Special Olympics Unified Champion Banner School...
After WPIAL title game appearance, Sto-Rox enters new class with new quarterback
In LaRoi Johnson’s first year as head coach at Sto-Rox in 2018, the Vikings improved from the previous year to finish 6-4 but missed out on the Class A playoffs. The next step in the program’s growth under Johnson last year was more like a giant leap. Sto-Rox ended up...
Brentwood breaking in new starters after breakthrough season
Brentwood was close to having a golden season in 2019. The Spartans finished 10-3 overall with all three losses coming down to the wire. Brentwood lost its season opener to Keystone Oaks, 26-21, fell to Burgettstown for the Three Rivers Conference crown, 16-13, in Week 8 and then was eliminated...
Carlynton looks to end playoff drought behind experienced line
The Carlynton football team won its season opener for a second straight year in 2019 and was actually sitting in first place at 2-0 after outscoring Bishop Canevin and Fort Cherry by a combined score of 77-20. Then a seven-game losing streak derailed its playoff hopes … again. With Southmoreland...
Seton LaSalle looks to keep building in Zmijanac’s 2nd season
It wouldn’t have been surprising if coach Mike Zmijanac said he made changes to his coaching style when he arrived at Seton LaSalle. After all, Seton LaSalle is a Catholic school with a small roster. Aliquippa is a big-roster public school in a football-mad town where he won six WPIAL...
Putting pressure on defenses, South Side in position for another playoff season
At this time of year, most high school football coaches will profess a desire to get the ball into the hands of a variety of players. South Side’s Luke Travelpiece actually means it. Last season, the Rams had four players with at least 650 yards from scrimmage, but no one...
Western Beaver boasts experienced roster, championship coach
The last time Western Beaver athletic director and assistant principal Ryan Matsook found himself on the sidelines as a high school football coach was in 2016. He was dressed in black and orange and he was at the helm of a Beaver Falls team that only lost one game all...
High school roundup for Sept. 1, 2020: Pine-Richland golfers grab win
Mark Terchick was medalist with a 35 and Sam Perry carded a 39 to lead Pine-Richland to a 196-215 Section 3-AAA boys golf win at Butler CC on Tuesday. Colin Patterson and Ryan Porch shot 41 for Butler. Steel Valley 259, East Allegheny 290 – Jordan Fisher shot a 46...
Terrelle Pryor, Rodney Gallagher sit down and chat on YouTube show
Picture this. WPIAL generational talent Terrelle Pryor and young Rodney Gallagher, a fast-rising athlete of growing reputation, eye-to-eye in a barber shop setting, discussing the nuances of being dual-sport athletes, the pressures of staying at their hometown schools, what it’s like to lose a parent and how to maintain focus...
Almost every member school will play fall sports, WPIAL survey says
The results of the WPIAL survey are clear: Almost everyone is playing fall sports. Only two schools told the WPIAL they are shutting down fall sports entirely: Summit Academy and Neighborhood Academy, according to WPIAL executive director Amy Scheuneman. Summit Academy sponsors football and boys golf. Neighborhood Academy has only...
Kiski Area forced to postpone football opener after covid-19 exposure
Kiski Area has joined the list of WPIAL football programs postponing their first game of the season. The Cavaliers postponed their Sept. 11 game against Penn Hills on Tuesday afternoon after reporting they identified a coronavirus exposure and suspended football activities until Sept. 10. Kiski Area also canceled its preseason...
PIAA rejects Thursday kickoff request for WPIAL football season
High school football season won’t start on a Thursday night. The WPIAL had hoped to let some teams kickoff one day early — on Sept. 10 — but the PIAA denied that request, WPIAL executive director Amy Scheuneman said Tuesday. The first date football teams can play a regular-season game...
Freeport Area School District to play fall sports
Freeport Area School Board unanimously voted to approve fall sports with covid-19 guidelines in place. The school board opened its Tuesday meeting with several messages from parents who said their children needed sports for their mental and physical health, college recruitment opportunities and socialization. “Kids are not as resilient as...
Despite young roster, bump up in class, Aliquippa still thinking WPIAL title
It took a pandemic to end one of the most impressive streaks in WPIAL football history. Every year since 2008, Aliquippa has played for a WPIAL football championship at Heinz Field. The Quips’ 12 straight trips to the North Shore are more than every NFL team outside of the AFC...
Beaver motivated to move past rare losing season
For a 10-year span, there were few football programs in the WPIAL consistently better than Beaver. From 2010-18, the Bobcats were a combined 70-27. Although they never made it to a WPIAL championship game, they never won fewer than seven games in that nine-year stretch. Then the dam of success...
Blackhawk reloads, sets sights on joining Class 4A elite
Blackhawk coach Zach Hayward has a motto that his players hear most every time they step on the practice field or in the weight room. “We want Heinz Field effort,” Hayward said. “That’s been the motto since Day 1, that I want Heinz Field effort. If we don’t make it...
Drop to Class 4A has enthusiasm on the rise at Chartiers Valley
In 2009, Chartiers Valley closed out the first decade of the century with one of its most successful football seasons. The Colts lost only once in the regular season and finished with an 8-2 record. The last 10 years have been a struggle on the gridiron for Chartiers Valley, with...
With QB Persinger healthy, Montour ready to compete in new Parkway Conference
In back-to-back years, the Montour football program became quite familiar with the ups and downs of high school football. The 2017 season was close to the best of times and the follow up in 2018 was the worst of times. Three years ago, the Spartans finished 9-3 and reached the...
With disruptive defense, New Castle looks to extend playoff streak
Edge rushers Jaylan Cox and Allen Bradley make coach Joe Cowart optimistic about how disruptive New Castle’s defense could be this season. They also make the 1999 New Castle graduate feel old. “I keep talking about all the Steelers outside linebackers those guys could be like, and they’re like, ‘Who?’”...
High school scores and summaries for Aug. 31, 2020
WPIAL Boys golf Section 1-AAA Penn-Trafford 204, Hempfield 224 Medalist: Alex Turowski (PT) 38. Indiana 196, Norwin 201 Medalists: Danny Williams, Harrison Martineau (I) 37; Noah Montanez (N) 37. Section 3-AAA Butler 198, Mars 201 Medalists: Colin Patterson (B) 38; Blake Bertolo (M) 35. Seneca Valley 185, Shaler 239, North...
High school sports roundup for Aug. 31, 2020: Silvetti leads Central Catholic at Latrobe CC
Rocco Silvetti shot a 71 and Carter Pitcairn carded a 74 to lead Central Catholic to a three-stroke victory over Franklin Regional at the Garry Garrison Invitational on Monday at Latrobe County Club. The Vikings (397) were the only team to break 400. Michael Wareham led Franklin Regional (400) with...
Westmoreland County high school notebook: Ligonier Valley adds 2 new opponents to football schedule
When Ligonier Valley joined the WPIAL, it was eager to play new opponents. What it didn’t expect was an open date on the schedule, which was created when the WPIAL decided to shorten the season because of coronavirus concerns. That grew to two open dates when Summit Academy decided not...
Dan Boring takes over as Southmoreland’s athletic director
Dan Boring knew Charlie Swink had been hinting about stepping down as athletic director at Southmoreland for some time. As the Scotties wrestling coach, Boring had many conversations with Swink around the athletic department water cooler. He even inquired about what Swink’s position entailed — the schedule-making, the meetings, the...
Franklin Regional’s Zach Lorenz added to national all-star watchlist
Add midfielder Zach Lorenz of Franklin Regional to the watchlist for the 10th High School All-American soccer games. He was a late addition to the list, which came out last week. That makes 16 WPIAL players in line to make the country’s premier soccer all-star games. Eleven of the 30...
Bethel Park’s Psotka taking Division I volleyball talents to the beach
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...
