High School category, Page 1070
Sewickley Academy baseball team looks to build on experience
Sewickley Academy’s baseball team continues to grow. After several underclassmen were thrust into key roles last year, the Panthers struggled to a 4-9 finish. However, they’re eager to build on that experience this season. “Things have been going great. The turnout has been very good so far. I think we...
PIAA finalizes Class AAA swimming and diving team standings, second-day champions and medalists
The PIAA has finalized the Class AAA swimming and diving team standings reflecting the results from Thursday’s second-day swims. Amid all of the safety measures being taken in response to the coronavirus that causes covid-19, the PIAA cancelled the Class AAA swimming consolation and championship finals scheduled for Thursday evening....
Westmoreland notebook: European trip on hold for Penn-Trafford soccer standout Schlessinger
Nathan Schlessinger’s soccer career is beginning to take off. The sophomore from Penn-Trafford was selected to play for the 2004 Olympic Development Program National Team, a prestigious honor for a player his age. The ODP team was scheduled to travel next month to Barcelona, Spain, to compete in the Mediterranean...
Ligonier Valley softball team eyes longer postseason run
Another successful softball season at Ligonier Valley in 2019 abruptly ended with an early exit from the postseason. For the Rams, who last qualified for the PIAA playoffs in 2017, it is time to get back to the business of trying to win a few more of those games. But...
Ligonier Valley baseball has holes to fill in lineup if it wants to chase Heritage title
In its final tuneup before joining the WPIAL next season, the Ligonier Valley baseball team will attempt to exit District 6 this spring with a second consecutive Heritage Conference championship and fifth overall. Coach Brett Marabito remembers well the first time the Rams earned the conference title. “It was my...
Class AA swimmers in limbo as coronavirus concerns put state finals on hiatus
Braden Zukowski and his Knoch swimming and diving teammates were eating breakfast about 10 minutes away from Bucknell on Thursday when they got the news the PIAA had postponed Friday and Saturday’s Class AA championship for two weeks because of the ongoing safety response to the coronavirus pandemic. “We finished...
Postpone, don’t cancel spring sports: Frazier softball player starts online petition to PIAA
A Frazier senior softball player has started an online petition to influence the PIAA’s upcoming decision on what to do with the spring sports season in the state. Emi Curcio, a key player for the defending PIAA Class 2A champion Commodores, hopes the movement she began Friday will sway the...
Shaler junior high wrestlers make states, provide glimpse into program’s future
Zach Hartung isn’t what you would call an experienced wrestler. Before the past two years, the Shaler Area freshman’s experience primarily consisted of unsanctioned matches with his brother. Hartung, who competes at 252 pounds, has shown considerable progress during his two-year career. He recently placed eighth at the Pennsylvania junior...
Signal Item softball preview: Teams hoping to improve on last season’s performance
As softball season nears, the three Carnegie-area teams are focused on making the playoffs. Bishop Canevin returns nearly all of its starting lineup from a team that qualified in Class A last season. Carlynton also has a veteran lineup returning, and Chartiers Valley will be under the direction of a...
Franklin Regional bowlers win regional title in dramatic fashion
Tears formed at the corners of Alex Smith’s eyes. A typically stoic bowler, he was overcome with emotion as he readied himself for one of the biggest throws in his career. “Honestly, there’s usually nothing going through my mind in those moments other than I know what I need to...
Memory of playoff loss motivates Gateway baseball
Gateway’s baseball team is not letting the taste of bitter defeat leave its memory. After a 13-6 regular season, the Gators made a quick first-round decampment for the fourth consecutive season in the WPIAL playoffs after falling victim to eventual Class 5A champion Shaler Area, 2-1, last May at Fox...
Gateway’s Livingston caps decorated career with pair of PIAA medals
It is often said all good things must come to an end. Olivia Livingston hoped that wasn’t the case with the 50-yard freestyle at last week’s PIAA Class AAA swimming championships at Bucknell. The Gateway senior attempted to win her fourth state title in the event, but a trio of...
Shaler Area girls bowling happy for 1st state championship berth
Shawn Pilyih had an inkling the Shaler Area girls bowling team clinched its first appearance at the state championships. The Titans coach came to the sudden realization when the results were delivered to him. “I was the tournament director,” Pilyih said. “I didn’t know until they handed me the sheet...
Pine-Richland baseball program has no plans to lower bar
The defending WPIAL Class 6A champion Pine-Richland baseball team is entering the season fully aware of how others may perceive them. After enjoying two titles in the last three years, the program graduated 11 seniors from last year, including four Division I players. While replacing a host of pedigreed players...
Kocak, Wright end Hampton wrestling careers in memorable fashion
Tyler Kocak and Zach Wright faced their share of adversity in their high school wrestling careers. So it was fitting to see both make a run at the podium at the PIAA Class AAA championships at Hershey’s Giant Center. Kocak (38-7) finished eighth at 170 pounds in what coach Chris...
Championship coach returns for 2nd stint with Latrobe softball
Bob Kovalcin resigned as Latrobe softball coach in 2012 to watch his daughter play college softball. Now that his daughter’s college career is over, Kovalcin returned to Latrobe, and he is back coaching the Wildcats after Rick Kozusko retired at the end of the 2019 season. Kovalcin coached Latrobe to...
Latrobe looking to rebound with young squad
It’s been three years since the Latrobe Wildcats were baseball champions in the WPIAL and PIAA in 2017. The past two seasons haven’t gone as well, but Latrobe coach Matt Basciano said he expects the team should be in the thick of the Section 2-6A race. He expects Penn-Trafford and...
Future of spring sports season will be considered Monday by WPIAL board
The PIAA already postponed the end of winter sports season, but now spring sports might also be in danger. Gov. Tom Wolf on Friday ordered all schools closed for two weeks in response to the coronavirus outbreak, meaning baseball, softball, lacrosse, volleyball, tennis and track athletes won’t practice next week...
Caught in limbo, WPIAL basketball teams wonder if delay turns into cancellation
Along with coaching basketball, Spencer Stefko teaches world cultures at North Allegheny, a job that has him studying the effects of a viral pandemic. “Coronavirus is all that we’ve talked for the last four days because my kids are fascinated by it,” Stefko said. “They’re asking great questions and it’s...
PA State Bowling Championships postponed because of coronavirus
In a joint statement, Pennsylvania regional and state bowling tournament directors Dana W. Brown and Shawn Pilyih have announced the PA State Bowling Championships, set for Friday and Saturday at North Versailles Bowl, have been postponed indefinitely as part of the safety response to the coronavirus outbreak. “It’s impossible to...
High school scores, summaries and schedule for March 12, 2020
LOCAL High schools (All games postponed until further notice) Basketball Boys PIAA playoffs Class 6A Second round Wilson (28-1) vs. Lower Merion (20-7); Cheltenham (24-3) vs. Mt. Lebanon (20-7) Quarterfinals Methacton (26-2) vs. Roman Catholic (18-10); Reading (20-8) vs. Chester (23-4); McDowell (23-3) vs. Butler (22-4) Class 5A Quarterfinals West...
Pennsylvania Junior Wrestling state tournament postponed
The Pennsylvania Junior Wrestling State Championship, which was to be held at the University of Pittsburgh’s Petersen Events Center this weekend, has been postponed because of coronavirus concerns. Organizers are working with Pitt officials to reschedule the event at a later date. The youth tournament features boys and girls wrestlers...
North Allegheny duo earns medals at PIAA Class AAA girls diving championships
North Allegheny junior Maya Ennis placed 19th two years ago in her first trip to the PIAA Class AAA diving championship at Bucknell. She improved six spots last year and qualified for the finals. On Thursday, Ennis, the WPIAL runner-up to Tigers teammate Christina Shi, made another big jump in...
PIHL suspends Penguins Cup playoffs
Just like the PIAA, the PIHL is suspending its postseason for at least two weeks because of concerns over the coronavirus. While high school hockey does not fall under the PIAA jurisdiction, the PIHL serves as the sport’s governing body for a majority of Western Pennsylvania programs. “Even though we’re...
WPIAL swimmers leave shortened PIAA Class AAA championships with mixed emotions
A range of emotions, from sadness to frustration, enveloped the faces of Class AAA swimmers and coaches, as well as family members and other spectators, when the PIAA announced Thursday that consolation and championship finals would not take place due to coronavirus concerns. “I made the decision after speaking to...
