High School category, Page 317
A-K Valley’s top seniors set for 27th annual Cager Classic basketball all-star games
Some of the top senior boys and girls basketball players from the A-K Valley and beyond will take part in the 27th annual Cager Classic, set for April 6, at Highlands High School. There will be a girls game at 5:30 p.m., followed by a boys all-star contest at 8....
WPIAL swimmers off to fast start at PIAA meet
WPIAL swimmers fared well in Day 1 preliminary swims at the PIAA Class 3A championships Wednesday morning at Bucknell University’s Kinney Natatorium. Several qualified for this evening’s championship heats involving the top-eight finishers from the prelim heats. Boys The North Allegheny boys 200-yard medley relay of William Gao, Gus Miller,...
A-K Valley high school PIHL playoff preview capsules for March 14, 2024
PIHL playoffs Division 2 Semifinals Burrell (17-3) vs. Deer Lakes (12-6-1) 8:45 p.m. Thursday at Robert Morris University Island Sports Center, Moon Winner plays: Winner of Bishop Canevin (18-1)/Neshannock (15-3-1) in Division 2 championship game at 8:45 p.m. Monday at UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex, Cranberry Players to watch: Tyler Danko,...
2024 WPIAL Class 3A softball preseason breakdown
Avonworth won a second consecutive WPIAL Class 3A title and a third in four years last spring, and the Lopes again have the look of a team worthy of hoisting a championship trophy. Four all-state players return along with a Division I-bound shortstop, as Avonworth chases a three-peat. But several...
2024 WPIAL Class 3A baseball preseason breakdown
It is easy to run out of superlatives to describe the 2023 Riverside baseball season. The Panthers not only went 25-0, they dominated the competition on their way to a Section 1 title, a WPIAL championship and a PIAA crown. In their 25 wins, they registered eight shutouts, including, fittingly,...
After injury to leading scorer, Shaler pulls together for PIAA win over Mechanicsburg
ALTOONA — Shaler leading scorer Keegan Smetanka was down on the court with a first-quarter ankle injury, so his teammates huddled quickly to discuss what to do next. They agreed to make the best of a bad situation. “I think it brought us together a little bit,” senior Kaden Orga...
High school scores, summaries and schedules for March 12, 2024
High schools Basketball Boys Class 6A Second round Wednesday’s schedule Lower Merion (26-1) vs. Archbishop Wood (17-8) at Bensalem, 7:30 p.m.; Springfield Delco (14-14) vs. Spring-Ford (21-6) at Norristown, 7:30 p.m.; Parkland (22-5) vs. Chambersburg (20-6) at Central Dauphin East, 7:30 p.m.; WC Henderson (25-5) vs. Roman Catholic (26-2) at...
What to watch for in WPIAL sports on March 13, 2024: Upper St. Clair makes WPIAL’s last stand in Class 6A
The second round on the Road to Hershey concludes Wednesday with the spotlight shining on boys Class 6A, 3A and 2A games as well as girls 5A, 4A and A PIAA basketball contests. And then there was one. District 7 champion Upper St. Clair is one of the Sweet 16...
Lincoln Park digs out of deep hole to beat Uniontown in PIAA 4A 2nd round
The Lincoln Park Leopards showed why they have a heart of a champion. After being smacked in the mouth early by a hungry Uniontown team, the defending PIAA Class 4A champions did not blink. Instead, they climbed back in and took the lead for good in the fourth quarter to...
High school roundup for March 12, 2024: Max Hurray hits for 37 to send North Catholic to 4A quarterfinals
Max Hurray led all scorers with 37 points to power North Catholic, the fifth seed out of the WPIAL, to a 75-60 victory over Avonworth in a PIAA Class 4A boys basketball second-round game Tuesday night. Owen Maddalon added 13 points for the Trojans (18-9), who will face WPIAL champion...
Underdog Penn-Trafford uses 4-goal flurry to set up Penguins Cup 2A final matchup with Thomas Jefferson
Penn-Trafford’s hockey team didn’t end the regular season on a high note. But they sure picked the right time to get hot. The underdog Warriors advanced to the 2024 Penguins Cup finals by stunning rival Norwin, the fourth seed, 6-3, Tuesday in a semifinal-round game at Robert Morris University’s Island...
Colin Masten gets to rim, helps Franklin Regional to PIAA 5A quarterfinals
ALTOONA — Colin Masten wears jersey No. 1, which was fitting Tuesday night because of how many times he made folks say, “And one!” The senior scored a game-high 21 points including a trio of three-point plays as Franklin Regional defeated District 4 champion Selinsgrove, 56-45, in a PIAA Class...
Bethel Park rallies in 2nd half to defeat Fox Chapel, reach PIAA 5A quarterfinals
After a half in which his team made five shots and scored 13 points, Bethel Park coach Dante Calabria said he kept his message brief. He just asked his players to bring more energy and leave it all out there in the final 16 minutes. The Black Hawks responded accordingly....
Despite Erica Gribble’s off night, Greensburg C.C. girls roll on in PIAA playoffs
On a playoff night when Greensburg Central Catholic’s leading scorer was held to two points, coach Chris Skatell turned to Erica Gribble’s teammates for an answer. They came through. Mya Morgan scored 15 points, Jayla Peterson added 14 and Avery Davis finished with 12 as WPIAL champion GCC jumped to...
Norwin takes punch from Chartiers Valley, rallies to reach PIAA 6A quarterfinals
Trailing by double figures for the first time all season could have sent Norwin into a downward spiral and shut down its hopes of winning a state championship. Instead, it charged up the Lady Knights and made their grand escape that much more impressive. WPIAL champion Norwin rallied from 11...
Franklin Regional, Mt. Pleasant swimmers among high seeds for PIAA championship meet
Holden Thomas made his PIAA debut three years ago at Cumberland Valley High School in Mechanicsburg, 70 miles from Bucknell, the traditional site of the state swimming and diving championships. As a freshman in 2021, Thomas was the lead backstroke leg of Franklin Regional’s boys 200-yard medley relay that finished...
After celebrating WPIAL title, Kiski Area swimmers turn attention to PIAA meet
For Abby King, it was like mother, like daughter at the WPIAL Class 2A championships March 1 at Pitt’s Trees Pool. King’s mother, Daina (Cleveland) King, helped the 1991 Apollo-Ridge girls basketball team win the WPIAL Class 2A title and advance to states. Daina was on hand at Trees Pool...
Westmoreland County baskeball notebook: Rivals Jeannette, GCC ready for another rematch
After Jeannette played at Greensburg Central Catholic late in the boys basketball regular season, Jayhawks coach Adrian Batts leaned in to the handshake line for a respectful exchange with GCC senior forward Franco Alvarez. “He said, ‘I’m not going to get to play you anymore,’ ” Batts said. “I told...
2024 WPIAL Class 4A baseball preseason breakdown
Hopewell won its second WPIAL championship in three years last season for the program’s fifth district crown. However, this title run was like no other. Moving up from Class 3A, the Vikings played below .500 baseball and finished the regular season tied for third place in Section 1-4A, five games...
2024 WPIAL Class 4A softball preseason breakdown
Competition was spirited in Class 4A softball last season, and several contenders again look to have rosters ready to battle for WPIAL and PIAA glory. Parity was on display throughout the postseason a year ago, as Belle Vernon edged Montour for the WPIAL title but lost to WPIAL No. 1...
Westmoreland County high school basketball playoff preview capsule for March 13, 2024
PIAA basketball playoffs Boys Class 2A Second round Jeannette (18-9) vs. Greensburg Central Catholic (24-3) 7 p.m. Wednesday at Norwin District seeds: Jeannette 7-6; GCC 7-2 Winner plays: Winner of 7-3 Fort Cherry (21-6)/7-7 Serra Catholic (18-9) Saturday in quarterfinals (time, site TBD) Players to watch: Jace Powell, Jeannette; Liam...
A-K Valley high school basketball playoff preview capsules for March 13, 2024
PIAA basketball playoffs Boys Class 3A Second round Deer Lakes (22-4) vs. Forest Hills (21-4) 5:30 p.m. Wednesday at Armstrong District seeds: Deer Lakes 7-1; Forest Hills 6-2 Winner plays: Winner of 10-2 Franklin (21-5)/5-1 Chestnut Ridge (23-4) Saturday in quarterfinals (time, site TBD) Players to watch: Wayne Love, Deer...
When WPIAL makes realignment decisions aiming for competitive balance, critics emerge
WPIAL athletic directors received a survey from one of their colleagues Monday, seeking feedback about how the league makes its sections and schedules. The online survey by McGuffey athletic director Ed Dalton, a critic of the WPIAL’s recent fall realignment, asked whether schools favored sections based on geography, competitive balance...
Pine-Richland knocks off Peters Township to reach Penguins Cup finals showdown with North Allegheny
After beating the top-seeded Pine-Richland Rams twice in the regular season, No. 4 seed Peters Township was feeling great after scoring two goals in 19 seconds in the first three minutes of Monday’s Penguins Cup Class 3A semifinal between the teams. However, unlike the first two meetings, Pine-Richland was able...
High school scores, summaries and schedules for March 11, 2024
High schools Basketball Boys Class 6A Second round Wednesday’s schedule Lower Merion (26-1) vs. Archbishop Wood (17-8) at Bensalem, 7:30 p.m.; Springfield Delco (14-14) vs. Spring-Ford (21-6) at Norristown, 7:30 p.m.; Parkland (22-5) vs. Chambersburg (20-6) at Central Dauphin East, 7:30 p.m.; WC Henderson (25-5) vs. Roman Catholic (26-2) at...
