High School category, Page 1167
Chris Mitchell’s OT goal carries Springdale into WPIAL Class A semifinals
The bond between two brothers was enough to send Springdale’s boys soccer team into the semifinals of the WPIAL Class A playoffs. Senior Michael Mitchell collected the ball in the box about seven minutes into overtime, turned to his left and passed it to freshman Chris Mitchell. “I knew my...
Deer Lakes tops North Catholic in overtime to advance to boys soccer semifinals
The first 85 minutes of the WPIAL Class AA quarterfinal matchup between No. 2 Deer Lakes and No. 7 North Catholic was a stalemate, but something was bound to break sooner or later. Five minutes into the first overtime, Deer Lakes forward Mike Sullivan settled a rebound off a free...
Ligonier Valley gets ready to say goodbye to Appalachian Bowl
Football for Roger Beitel began for real as a player at Penns Manor High School, which is the site of Saturday’s Appalachian Bowl that matches champions of the Heritage and Western Pennsylvania Athletic conferences. Football has come full circle for Beitel, who returns home perhaps for the final time as...
Westmoreland girls soccer playoff capsules: Games of Oct. 24, 2019
Class AAAA 9-Fox Chapel (10-7-1) at 1-Norwin (16-1) 8 p.m. Thursday Winner plays: Winner of 4-Moon (15-2-1) and 5-Seneca Valley (12-3-2) on Monday in semifinals Coaches: Peter Torres, Fox Chapel; Lauren Karcher, Norwin Players to watch: Lucy Ream, Jr., F, Fox Chapel; Katelyn Kauffman, So., MF/F, Norwin Corner kicks: The...
Greensburg CC, Fox Chapel, Sewickley Academy win PIAA team golf titlesVideo
YORK — Is a three-peat in order for the Greensburg Central Catholic girls golf team? If sophomores Meghan and Ella Zambruno and junior Angelika Dewicki have something to say about it, the answer is yes. Greensburg Central Catholic won its second consecutive PIAA Class AA team title on Wednesday at...
Jeannette, Clairton to battle for Eastern Conference title, top seed in WPIAL playoffsVideo
The Gardner Point System used by the WPIAL to settle tiebreakers for playoff berths and positioning makes football fans, players and coaches cringe. No. 1-ranked Jeannette (9-0, 5-0) is hoping to avoid any scenario regarding Gardner Points, but that will mean beating No. 2 Clairton (7-2, 5-0) on Friday at...
Westmoreland County don’t-miss football matchups for Week 9
Class 6A Norwin (2-7, 1-6) at Seneca Valley (3-6, 3-4) 7 p.m. Friday at NexTier Stadium Last week: Mt. Lebanon 45, Norwin 16; Pine-Richland 35, Seneca Valley 21 Coaches: Dave Brozeski, Norwin; Ron Butschle, Seneca Valley Players to watch: Jack Salopek, Norwin (Sr., 6-3, 180, QB); Gabe Lawson, Seneca Valley...
A-K Valley high school football Q&A with Highlands’ Johnny Crise
Over the past few weeks, the Highlands football team has started to hit its stride, especially in the passing game. Senior wide receiver Johnny Crise has been a big part of that. During Highlands’ past two games, he has caught 12 passes for 295 yards and four touchdowns as the...
A-K Valley football players to watch in Week 9
Jake Blumer Leechburg, sr., RB/LB The Blue Devils’ workhorse ball carrier ran wild against Bentworth to the tune of 242 yards and four touchdowns on 19 carries in last Friday’s dominant 46-13 victory. For the season, Blumer has 822 yards and 14 scores on 131 rushing attempts. Jack Dykes Kiski...
Derry provides tough final hurdle for Burrell’s playoff quest
Since their matchup with Deer Lakes on Sept. 27, the Burrell Bucs have been in playoff mode. They knew to secure their first playoff berth since 2012, they would have to get over some big humps, and it started during that matchup against the Lancers. They came away with a...
A-K Valley don’t-miss football matchups for Week 9
Class 5A Northern Armstrong (1-7, 0-6) at Kiski Area (4-5, 3-3) 7 p.m. Friday at Richard J. Dilts Field, Allegheny Township Last week: Fox Chapel 41, Armstrong 14; Kiski Area 10, Mars 7 Coaches: Frank Fabian, Armstrong; Sam Albert, Kiski Area Players to watch: Cole Brown, Armstrong (Jr., 6-1, 170,...
The Birdie is strutting his stuff with A-K Valley picks
Last week: 10-3 (76.9) Overall record: 69-30 (69.6) “That’s what I call a bounce back week!” The Birdie’s jubilant cry was heard from the rafters of the Valley News Dispatch office Monday as he walked in with his 1970s letterman jacket on, some cool aviator shades and a necklace that...
High school football schedule for Week 9
Friday WPIAL Class 6A Butler at Canon-McMillan, 7 p.m. Central Catholic at Mt. Lebanon, 7:30 p.m. North Allegheny at Pine-Richland, 7 p.m. Norwin at Seneca Valley, 7:30 p.m. Class 5A Allegheny 8 Bethel Park at Upper St. Clair, 7 p.m. Moon at West Allegheny, 7 p.m. Peters Township at Baldwin,...
The Birdie making trick-or-tweet plans in Westmoreland County
Last week: 14-0 (1.000) Season: 99-18 (84.6) A pile of candy wrappers on the Birdie’s desk grows each day. It looks like a mound of leaves, especially with all of the orange peanut butter cup papers. No, the great one did not overeat to celebrate his perfect 14-0 week of...
5 things to watch at the 2019 WPIAL cross country championships
For the second straight year, hundreds of high school runners will gather at the Roadman Park Course at Cal (Pa.) on Thursday to compete in the WPIAL cross country championships. The Class A girls race kicks everything off at 12:45 p.m., followed by the Class AA girls (1:30 p.m.), Class...
A-K Valley WPIAL girls soccer capsules: Games of Oct. 24, 2019
Girls soccer Quarterfinals Class AAAA 9-Fox Chapel (10-7-1) at 1-Norwin (16-1) 8 p.m. Thursday Winner plays: Winner of 4-Moon (15-2-1) and 5-Seneca Valley (12-3-2) on Monday in the semifinals Coaches: Peter Torres, Fox Chapel; Lauren Karcher, Norwin Players to watch: Lucy Ream, Jr., F, Fox Chapel; (Katelyn Kauffman, So., MF/F,...
Norwin’s Jack Salopek chasing 6,000 yards
Norwin senior quarterback Jack Salopek is looking to cap his career by reaching the 6,000-yard mark. Salopek, a Western Michigan commit, needs 133 yards to get to the milestone. Norwin (2-7) visits Seneca Valley (3-6) Friday night and has not qualified for the playoffs. Salopek could finish inside the top...
Rick Nese steps down as Penn-Trafford soccer coach
Rick Nese did not rule out a return to soccer, even in the near future, but for now he needs a break. Nese resigned as boys soccer coach at Penn-Trafford after five seasons. Nese, who wants to spend more time with his family, had a record of 55-30-4 with three...
Westmoreland County football players to watch for Week 9
Pete Billey Mt. Pleasant, jr., RB Billey (6-foot-2, 225 pounds) has become the third Mt. Pleasant running back to have a big impact. He has rushed for 439 yards and three touchdowns. He also plays defensive tackle. Ethan Carr Penn-Trafford, jr., WR Carr (6-3, 165) began the 2018 season as...
Volleyball openers, girls soccer quarters and PIAA team golf on tap Wednesday
In this day and age where players, coaches and fans love playing the disrespect card in every sport, it has become comical the lengths some go to in an effort to explain how they were snubbed. Perhaps one district girls volleyball team has a legitimate gripe though. Wednesday opens up...
High school scores, summaries and schedules for Oct. 22, 2019
Field hockey WPIAL playoffs Class AAA Semifinals Wednesday’s schedule North Allegheny at Pine-Richland, 7:30 p.m.; Peters Township vs. Mt. Lebanon at Pine-Richland, 6 p.m. Class AA Semifinals Tuesday’s results Latrobe 1, Oakland Catholic 0 Bye: Penn-Trafford Championship Oct. 29 schedule Penn-Trafford vs. Latrobe at Fox Chapel, 7:30 p.m. Class A...
High school roundup for Oct. 22, 2019: Burrell opens WPIAL girls volleyball playoffs with win
Sara Novak had 17 kills and 19 digs to help Burrell (7-6) earn a 3-1 WPIAL girls volleyball Class AA preliminary round win over Southmoreland (10-6) at Norwin on Tuesday night. The Bucs won 25-20, 25-16, 21-25, 25-18 and earned a first-round meeting with top-seeded North Catholic at 7:30 p.m....
Westmoreland boys soccer playoff capsules
WPIAL boys soccer playoffs Quarterfinals Class AAAA 6-Norwin (16-2-1) at 3-Seneca Valley (13-3-1) 8 p.m. Wednesday at NexTier Stadium Winner plays: Winner of 2-Mt. Lebanon (13-4-1)/7-Butler (13-5-1) Saturday in semifinals Coaches: Scott Schuchert, Norwin; George Williams, Seneca Valley Players to watch: Ian Brown, Jr., D, Norwin; Luke Rupert, Sr., F,...
Riverside’s Skyler Fox wins 1st PIAA golf titleVideo
YORK — Riverside senior Skyler Fox always has played well in the PIAA Class AA golf championship, but he always came up short. He had three top-five finishes in the state tournament at Heritage Hills Golf Resort, but Tuesday, Fox finally finished the deal. During a year when he came...
George Guido: Burrell, Deer Lakes QBs airing it out
Deer Lakes quarterback Aris Hasley is now the Alle-Kiski Valley’s all-time leading passer. His 232-yard performance against Derry last Friday put him comfortably in the top spot with 4,482 yards. That surpasses Seth Cohen of Highlands, who finished with 4,083 yards. Cohen is now playing defensive back at Clarion. Hasley...
