High School category, Page 310
A-K Valley athletes of the week: Kiski Area’s Justin Tucker, Knoch’s Giona Lavorini
Giona Lavorini Class: Junior School: Knoch Sport: Swimming Report card: Lavorini won a gold medal in the 100-yard breaststroke at the PIAA Class 2A girls swimming championships March 16 at Bucknell. Lavorini dropped more than a second from her prelim time to win the championship heat in 1 minute, 2.11...
Blackhawk finds redemption in Hershey, wins PIAA girls basketball title with 1st-year coach
HERSHEY — Greg Huston wasn’t on the bench last March when Blackhawk lost in the state finals, but he understood the team’s heartache as well as anybody. He was here a dad watching his daughter from the Giant Center seats. “I felt the pain in the stands,” he said, “because...
Defending state champ leads talented Hampton track team
Hampton track star Dale Hall enters his senior season in the unusual position of being a reigning state champion and an underdog, all at the same time. Hall, who last spring won the PIAA Class 3A 1,600-meter title as the No. 11 seed, has a pair of Notre Dame recruits,...
With every starter back, Pine-Richland softball expects good chemistry, big season
Vibes are high for the Pine-Richland softball team and for good reason. The entire starting lineup returns from last year’s team that made it to the WPIAL Class 6A semifinals. Experience is always nice to have, but what really excites Rams coach Sam Hartzberg is how well everyone on the...
As playoff run ends, Hampton takes pride in special season
One day after Hampton’s boys basketball season came to an end, Joe Lafko contemplated the Talbots’ memorable journey. “We had a fantastic year,” the longtime coach said. “I am so proud of this team.” The Talbots (25-5) put together one of the finest seasons in program history, winning a second...
Fox Chapel notebook: Swimmers come home with state medals
The Fox Chapel boys and girls swimming teams wrapped up their seasons at the PIAA Class 3A swimming and diving championships at Bucknell. Sarah Pasquella ended up being Fox Chapel’s top performer. The Foxes senior standout finished second in the 100 breaststroke with a time of 1 minute, 1.8 seconds....
Season opener gives Fox Chapel baseball taste of what’s to come
The Fox Chapel baseball team hasn’t been immune to having to postpone games due to the cold snap that has plagued mid-March in Western Pennsylvania. But the Foxes were able to keep their season-opening date with defending Class 5A PIAA champion Shaler. Fox Chapel lost its season opener, 5-2, but...
Mason Kernan caps Bethel Park career as WPIAL champion, PIAA bronze-medalist
Mason Kernan ended his four-year reign on the mats at Bethel Park with a 124-18 record. A 133-pound senior and West Virginia recruit, Kernan captured a WPIAL Class 3A championship and placed third in the state this season. “Mason competed hard this season and gave everything he had,” Bethel Park...
Decorated senior class moves on, but Bethel Park baseball expects to contend again
Bethel Park has won two PIAA baseball championships and two WPIAL runner-up trophies over the last three years. The Black Hawks were WPIAL finalists in 2023 but saw their two-year run as PIAA 5A champions end with a 2-1 playoff loss to Bonner-Pendergast out of District 12. “We graduated 14...
Trib Westmoreland 2024 wrestling all-stars: Norwin freshman Landon Sidun as good as advertised
Wrestler of the Year Landon Sidun Norwin, fr., 114 pounds 2023-24 record: 42-2; Overall record: 42-2 Landon Sidun was well known even before he wrestled his first high school match. He was being touted as the next superstar. The freshman didn’t disappoint. Sidun bounced back from a loss in the...
Valley News Dispatch 2024 wrestling all-stars: Burrell’s Cooper Hornack fights through injury to win WPIAL gold
Wrestler of the Year Cooper Hornack Burrell, sr., 139 pounds 2023-24 record: 40-8; Overall record: 156-27. Cooper Hornack knows his senior season could have and should have ended better. Hornack did reach an elite milestone by becoming the WPIAL’s 88th three-time champion, but he came up short of his goal...
State medals cap off successful season for Plum girls wrestlers
The Plum girls wrestling team met a lot of the expectations coach Dave Miller had for the 2024 season. No matter how high those expectations may have seemed. “I expected two girls to at least make it to states and I was hoping for three to get there,” said Miller....
Led by senior shortstop, scrappy Norwin softball team ready for season
When she is finished dealing assists and taking charges on the basketball court — fully healed nose or not — Bailey Snowberger will rejoin the Norwin softball team. That is where you’ll see the senior shortstop in her true element. “Bailey is a very key player for us in so...
Norwin baseball in good position despite having ‘big shoes to fill’
Second-year Norwin baseball coach Craig Spisak admits there are still new things that he is learning while coaching a much larger program at the Class 6A level. But overall, he feels his “system” is taking root and the players are collectively on board. Norwin finished 8-12 last season and tied...
North Hills softball dealing with key injury, young roster
North Hills’ softball team entered the 2023 WPIAL playoffs with a veteran group that appeared to be on the verge of a deep run. But reality, as they say, comes at you quickly. And now Indians coach Libby Gasior is using the lessons of last year to fuel a much...
North Hills baseball driven to take next step
Before Jon Pedrosky truly dove into preparations for the 2024 WPIAL baseball season, he first made a trip to his printer. Once there, the third-year North Hills baseball coach printed off photos of the scoreboard from the Indians’ final game of the 2023 season. That scoreboard read: Upper St. Clair...
Franklin Regional softball sluggers back for more in ’24
Get your warning tracks ready. Franklin Regional is back for more. The Panthers softball team blasted 32 home runs last season and there is no reason to believe the can’t hit that many — or more — in 2024. Franklin Regional could be one of the top offensive teams in...
Ellwood City multi-sport star Joseph Roth makes college choice
Joesph Roth, one of the most unique multi-sport athletes in WPIAL history, has made his college choice. Roth, an Ellwood City senior, announced Friday that he will continue his swimming career at Ohio State. Announcement Time!Joseph Roth officially announces where he will be attending for college!Congrats to the Roth family...
High school scores, summaries and schedules for March 22, 2024
High schools Baseball Friday’s results Nonsection Armstrong 9, Freeport 8 Avella 3, Western Beaver 0 Belle Vernon 10, Connellsville 3 Burgettstown 1, North Hills 1 Burrell 20, Penn Hills 19 Chartiers Valley 8, Keystone Oaks 0 Deer Lakes 9, Highlands 6 East Allegheny 13, Greensburg Central Catholic 4 Elizabeth Forward...
High school roundup for March 22, 2024: North Allegheny gets past Upper St. Clair
J.D. Costanzo struck out eight and did not allow a run in four innings to lead North Allegheny to a 3-2 victory over Upper St. Clair in nonsection abseball Friday. Owen Schall had a two-run double for the Tigers (1-0). Eli Rankin hit an RBI triple for the Panthers (1-2)....
Imhotep Charter finally puts away pesky Franklin Regional to win 10th PIAA basketball title
HERSHEY — Franklin Regional and Imhotep Charter are 300 miles apart, on opposite ends of the state. They are also distant in PIAA championship history and when it comes to producing high-end college talent. But the teams were a lot closer on the scoreboard than many expected Friday night at...
Springdale hires Chad Walsh as football coach hoping he can change team’s fortunes
Chad Walsh has experience turning around struggling football programs. He did so at Valley a dozen years ago, and now he will look to do the same at Springdale. Walsh officially was hired as coach of the Dynamos on Tuesday at the Allegheny Valley School Board meeting. “I live in...
After winning state football title last fall, Aliquippa adds PIAA boys basketball championship
HERSHEY – Aliquippa finished off a rare PIAA double-double Friday by winning state football and basketball titles in the same school year. But on a roster full of two-sport athletes, this latest celebration was thanks in large part to a sophomore who has focused on only one. Josh Pratt scored...
PIAA Class 4A girls basketball championship preview: Blackhawk vs. Scranton Prep
PIAA Class 4A girls basketball championship Blackhawk vs. Scranton Prep Noon Saturday at Giant Center, Hershey PIAA titles: Blackhawk 4 (1999, 2000, ’14, ’15), Scranton Prep 0 Blackhawk (26-3) Coach: Greg Huston Probable starting lineup No., Player, Ht., Yr., Pos. 5, Andrea Kinger, 5-6, jr., G 11, Alena Fusetti, 5-10,...
High school scores, summaries and schedules for March 21, 2024
High schools Baseball Thursday’s results Nonsection Beth-Center 11, Mapletown 1 Brentwood 6, Clairton 4 Central Catholic 11, Germantown Friends 1 Jones College Prep 10, Chartiers-Houston 1 Leechburg 12, Apollo-Ridge 2 Thomas Jefferson 8, Peters Township 3 Putnam Science 10, South Park 0 Quaker Valley 10, Our Lady of the Sacred...
