High School category, Page 4
Central Catholic boys sweep Hempfield in convincing fashion
It’s late, and the Central Catholic boys basketball team is growing impatient. The WPIAL’s third-ranked team in Class 6A wants more respect. The Vikings certainly earned it Friday night at Hempfield, blasting the fifth-ranked Spartans for a second time this season and keeping pace with Section 2 co-leader Upper St....
Gateway boys smother Franklin Regional, pull 2 games ahead in standings
From robes and fleece pants to slippers and onesies, Gateway’s student section wore pajamas to Friday night’s boys basketball game. On the court, the Gators lulled Franklin Regional to sleep. Behind a strong start triggered by senior Mykel Bruce-McCrommon and tight defense, the Gators ran to their fifth straight victory,...
New winners emerge at WCCA diving championships
With seniors taking the top two spots on the podium in both the boys and girls competitions at the Westmoreland County Coaches Association diving championships last year, the door was open for new winners to emerge this season. That’s what Latrobe’s Giada Angelicchio and Mt. Pleasant’s Noah Lahm did Friday...
Deer Lakes boys start fast, earn revenge against cold-shooting Burrell
When Burrell and Deer Lakes squared off in December, the Bucs hit six 3s in the first half, didn’t turn the ball over and held the Lancers’ top scorers in check en route to victory. But in Friday’s rematch on a frigid night, Burrell came out cold to start the...
Stanley Rajkovich’s buzzer beater lifts Derry boys over Belle Vernon in OT
Derry junior Stanley Rajkovich was honored before Friday’s game for recently reaching the 1,000-point milestone. Then Rajkovich delivered it in the clutch. He hit a 3-pointer to send the game into overtime and then drained a twisting jumper to give the Trojans a heart-thumping 48-46 victory against Belle Vernon (11-8,...
Springdale boys beat Bentworth in key matchup in section playoff race
The Springdale boys basketball team pulled away for a 43-31 win over Bentworth, holding the Bearcats to just four points in the fourth quarter of their Section 1-2A battle Friday night. “It means a lot to the kids,” Dynamos coach Scott Ruppert said. “There was a lot of buildup and...
What to watch for in WPIAL sports on Jan. 24, 2026: Basketball showcases before the snow falls
The final Pittsburgh Basketball Club event this season is set for Saturday. The PBC Hall of Fame Classic will take place at two sites with a total of nine district boys basketball games. Here is the lineup at North Hills: • Ellwood City against Carlynton at 11 a.m. • Hopewell...
Injuries, illness force shorthanded Highlands girls basketball team to forfeit remaining games
The Highlands girls basketball team faced low roster numbers throughout the first month of this season. With just five players available for a majority of the games, thoughts turned to how the remainder of the schedule might play out. Last weekend, in agreement between athletic director Katie Jo Stobert and...
What to watch for in WPIAL sports on Jan. 23, 2026: Stakes getting higher in boys basketball
As the third-to-last week of the WPIAL boys basketball regular season concludes, there are three matchups with at least a share of first place at stake. In all three sections, there will be a leader with a two-game advantage or a tie for the top spot by this weekend. One...
High school scores, summaries and schedules for Jan. 22, 2026
High schools Basketball Boys Thursday’s results Class 6A Section 2 Imani Christian 65, Connellsville 34 Class 2A Section 2 Sewickley Academy 68, Winchester Thurston 23 Class A Section 1 Aquinas Academy 84, Summit Academy 73 Nonsection Blackhawk 66, Beaver County Christian 31 Jefferson-Morgan 61, Waynesburg 44 Propel Montour 67, Redeemer...
High school roundup for Jan. 22, 2026: With Mimi Thiero on bench at finish, Quaker Valley beats OLSH in thriller
Mimi Thiero scored 29 points to lead Quaker Valley to a 37-36 victory over Our Lady of the Sacred Heart in a spirited battle for second place in Section 1-3A girls basketball Thursday night. Thiero scored with just under four minutes left to give the Quakers (11-6, 8-2) the lead...
In win over South Park, Belle Vernon girls show their future is now
The Belle Vernon girls basketball team is built for the future with five underclassmen starting, including a couple of outstanding freshmen. But while the future is bright for the Leopards, is this a team that can win in the here and now? “I will say yes after (Thursday),” Belle Vernon...
Riverview girls persevere to defeat section foe Jeannette
With its star player on crutches, Riverview had to dig deep to earn its latest Section 4-2A girls basketball victory. It took a little extra to earn a split with Jeannette and stay in second place. “We have to play for Isabel,” Raiders freshman guard Mia Murphy said of senior...
WCCA swimming championships should have different look this year
There will be numerous new champions at the Westmoreland County Coaches’ Association swimming championships this weekend. That is because the amazing group of Mt. Pleasant swimmers are now competing in college. Only Southmoreland junior Allison Stinnett returns as champ. She won the 200-yard IM and 100 breaststroke last year. This...
Westmoreland County coaches see pros, cons with elimination of overtime for WPIAL soccer games
WPIAL soccer is fit to be tied. The PIAA last week made a major rule change by eliminating overtime in regular-season games, meaning teams will settle on a draw if they are tied after 80 minutes of regulation. A unanimous decision by the PIAA soccer committee led to the game-changing...
Highlands grad, star college linebacker promoted to head coach at Kiski Area at age 27
Brayden Thimons is preparing for his third season with Kiski Area football. But this season, he is the man in charge. After serving as linebackers coach in 2024 and defensive coordinator this past fall, the 27-year-old Thimons is now the Cavaliers’ head coach. The former standout linebacker at Highlands and...
Westmoreland boys basketball notebook: Mt. Pleasant raining 3s
Some teams settle for 3-pointers. Mt. Pleasant uses them as its primary weapon. The Vikings’ offense is thick with them. Through 15 games, they made 121 of 469 3s. That is an average of 31.2 attempts. The message is simple to the players: When ball comes to you, be ready...
A-K Valley boys basketball notebook: Teams battle for playoff positioning in Section 1-4A
It’s been quite a battle this winter among area boys basketball rivals in Section 1-4A. The Alle-Kiski Valley-centered section has been a slugfest the past month and a half as teams contend for playoff berths and positioning. Knoch (14-2, 8-0), the No. 1 team in the TribLive HSSN Class 4A...
Upper St. Clair’s Jacobo Echeverria Lozano commits to Purdue
Jacobo Echeverria Lozano, the big-legged kicker from Upper St. Clair, has found a college destination. Echeverria Lozano is Big Ten-bound after making a verbal commitment to Purdue, which made him a scholarship offer about two weeks ago. Spencer Porath, Purdue’s kicker this season, transferred to Notre Dame. A two-time all-conference...
Franklin Regional, Burrell receive top seeds for 2026 WPIAL wrestling tournament
A pair of returning champions from Westmoreland County earned the top seeds when the WPIAL wrestling committee seeded the Class 3A and Class 2A tournaments. The preliminary and first-round pairings were released Thursday, and 2025 champions Franklin Regional in Class 3A and Burrell in Class 2A were tabbed as favorites....
High school scores, summaries and schedules for Jan. 21, 2026
High schools Basketball Boys Wednesday’s results Class 4A Section 1 North Catholic 71, Burrell 45 Class 3A Section 1 Beaver Falls 72, Freedom 62 Class 2A Section 2 Northgate 66, Leechburg 52 Sewickley Academy 92, Brentwood 30 Nonsection Apollo-Ridge at Springdale, ppd. Avella 67, Mapletown 23 Baldwin at Uniontown, ppd....
What to watch for in WPIAL sports on Jan. 22, 2026: Shaler, Plum rematch with 1st place on line
When Plum visited Shaler earlier this season, first place in Section 1-5A girls basketball was up for grabs. Not much has changed in the last month. On Thursday, the Mustangs host the Titans and at least a share of the section top spot is at stake. Shaer is in second...
Trib HSSN Pennsylvania girls high school basketball rankings for Jan. 22, 2026
There were some changes in the Trib HSSN girls basketball state rankings from week in the two top classifications, but little movement in the bottom four classes. Following a second loss this season to rival Downingtown East, Downingtown West fell from the top spot all the way out of the...
Trib HSSN Pennsylvania boys high school basketball rankings for Jan. 22, 2026
Like towns and cities across the state preparing for a big storm, the elite boys basketball teams in the PIAA are preparing for the postseason by stacking victories. While there were a couple of teams ranked in the Trib HSSN boys basketball state rankings last week that lost this past...
High school wrestling roundup for Jan. 21, 2026: Moon tops West Allegheny in section title showdown
Tristan Esken (107), Maximus Gould (160), Michael Olszewski (189) and Khalil Razipour (215) recorded pins as Moon defeated West Allegheny, 42-25, to win the Section 1-3A boys wrestling title Wednesday. Zachary Regotti (145) won by tech fall, Hayden Seynour (121) by major decision and Cael Yanek (133) by decision for...
