High School category, Page 752
Birdie predicts state playoff ‘exet’ for last Westmoreland County team standing
Last week: 1-1 (50%) Season: 98-38 (72.1%) After a wild weekend at Heinz Field that saw the Birdie get splashed with Gatorade, get buried under a Penn-Trafford dog pile and get escorted out by security for trying to make a snow angel on the lightly coated sod, the Westmoreland pigskin...
Leechburg girls working toward improvement this season
The West Leechburg steel mill is long gone, but fourth-year girls basketball coach Andre Carter has his team clocking in and clocking out. Carter has each girl sign in when she arrives at practice and sign out when she leaves. “When you talk about doing things outside of basketball, we...
After nearly reaching WPIAL finals, Leechburg boys again have high expectations
Just 31 seconds. That’s all that stood between the Leechburg boys basketball team and a trip to the WPIAL finals last season. The Blue Devils were down by one to Rochester and inbounded beneath their hoop. Ultimately, the Rams stole a loose ball and held on for a 58-55 victory....
Big Eight: Belle Vernon’s Devin Whitlock, McKeesport’s Bobbie Boyd lead all-conference team
Thomas Jefferson was dethroned from its familiar spot atop the Big Eight this season, and two of the players most responsible received individual honors in all-conference voting. Belle Vernon senior Devin Whitlock was named offensive player of the year, and McKeesport junior Bobbie Boyd was named as the conference’s top...
Greater Allegheny: Hampton rewarded for conference title with 9 spots on 1st team
Hampton celebrated its first conference title since 2014, an achievement recognized in all-conference voting. The Talbots had nine players earn first-team honors, including leading rusher Christian Liberto, a senior who scored 17 times and topped 1,100 rushing yards. Liberto was joined by teammates Benny Haselrig, Mike Witherup, Logan Rutledge, John...
Parkway: Aliquippa leads all-conference voting with 14 players on 1st team
Aliquippa outscored Parkway opponents 237-40 this fall, a regular-season dominance that was reflected in voting for the all-conference team. Fourteen Aliquippa players earned first-team honors in the Class 4A conference, including lineman Jason McBride, who was recognized on both sides of the ball. McBride was joined by teammates Jon Tracy,...
High school scores, summaries and schedules for Nov. 30, 2021
High schools Football PIAA playoffs Semifinals Class 6A Saturday’s schedule Garnet Valley (14-0) vs. St. Joseph’s Prep (10-2) at Ridley, 7 p.m.; State College (8-5) vs. Mt. Lebanon (13-0) at Altoona’s Mansion Park, 1 p.m. Class 5A Friday’s schedule Imhotep Charter (10-1) vs. Strath Haven (13-1) at Ridley, 7 p.m.;...
After going winless, Ligonier Valley girls basketball showing improvement as season approaches
After a winless 2020-21 season, the only direction the Ligonier Valley girls basketball team can go is up. Second-year coach Emily Daugherty and her team were hindered by covid-19 and the decision to play up in class. Daugherty was hired late after Tim Gustin was named the boys coach in...
Ligonier Valley boys basketball hopes for smoother sailing in 2nd season back in WPIAL
Ligonier Valley’s return to the WPIAL saw a lot of ups and downs during the boys basketball season. Because coronavirus shut down the school until mid-January, the athletic teams had little time to prepare for the season. “We had 20 practices all season last year,” Ligonier Valley coach Tim Gustin...
Trib HSSN state football rankings for Nov. 30, 2021
The 2021 football season has reached the final four in the PIAA. Now, only the remaining teams plus one “honorable mention” get to sit on the throne that is the Trib HSSN weekly state rankings. In all but Class 5A, there were few surprise results as the elite across the...
PIAA is subject to state open records laws, court rules
The Commonwealth Court on Tuesday said that Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association is subject to the state’s Right to Know Law. In a 28-page opinion, the appellate court said it is “undisputed” that the PIAA, which governs high school athletics, is a state-affiliated entity and therefore subject to providing information pursuant...
Knoch girls basketball team motivated by unfinished business
Madilyn Boyer wants to help put a “2022” on a girls basketball section-championship banner in the gym at Knoch High School. The senior guard was part of a frustrating conclusion to an undefeated section slate. The team went 7-0 in section play, but because the section standings reached an uneven...
Knoch boys basketball excited about improved depth alongside top scorer Ryan Lang
When asked what the biggest takeaway was from his team’s offseason of work, second-year Knoch boys basketball coach Alan Bauman pointed to the development of strong depth in the varsity rotation. “Last year, we didn’t have that (depth) as much,” he said. “We just had seven in the rotation. We...
Mt. Pleasant looking to take next step after playoff win
Mt. Pleasant achieved a lot of its goals in the 2021 football season. Make the playoffs. Check. Host a playoff game. Check. Win that home playoff game. Check. But that success leads coach Jason Fazekas to believe a new to-do list could be in order. “We always talk about trying...
Deer Lakes football team begins drastic turnaround by nearly reaching playoffs
It’s quite a contrast to go from 0-7 to waiting around minutes after your final game to see if you made the playoffs. That best describes the Deer Lakes football situation after the Lancers went winless in 2020 and were in the 2021 playoff running until other Allegheny 7 Conference...
After tough year, Apollo-Ridge focused on leadership, brotherhood
The deck was stacked against Apollo-Ridge quite a bit in 2021. A young team to start, the Vikings battled through a gauntlet of a conference schedule while injuries and illnesses took players off of the field. “We dealt with a lot of covid issues that made us even younger,” coach...
Yough girls soccer coach steps down after outstanding 10-year run
Dann Appolonia has four daughters. “But it feels like I have 100,” he said. “What a blessing it has been.” Reflecting back on a decade of memories and the dozens of players he has coached, Appolonia closed the book on a career atop Cougar Mountain. He is stepping down as...
Big East: Penn-Trafford lands 12 players, coach on all-conference football team
A dozen Penn-Trafford football players earned first-team all-conference honors from a Warriors team that went unbeaten in the Big East and won a WPIAL title Saturday. Their coach, John Ruane, was name the conference’s top coach. The first-team all-conference list included Penn-Trafford running back Cade Yacamelli, who starred in the...
Northeast: Dugger brothers among 7 Penn Hills players named all-conference
Penn Hills brothers Julian and Jaden Dugger, a dynamic quarterback-receiver combination for the Indians, each earned first-team all-conference honors in the Class 5A Northeast. They were among seven Penn Hills players who earned first-team honors in a vote of conference coaches. Kiski Area also had seven first-team selections, Pine-Richland had...
Allegheny Six: Moon’s senior class well represented on all-conference team
Moon’s deep and talented senior class, which led the Tigers to the WPIAL finals for the first time since 1998, was well represented on the Allegheny 6 all-conference team. Eight Moon players — all seniors — earned first-team honors, and Ryan Linn was named the conference’s top coach after the...
Class 6A: Mt. Lebanon leads WPIAL all-conference honors with 9 players, coach
Mt. Lebanon won its first WPIAL title in 21 years, and the undefeated Blue Devils were recognized for their season-long success with nine first-team spots on the all-conference team for Class 6A. Their coach, Bob Palko, also was honored. The all-conference list included Mt. Lebanon quarterback Joey Daniels, running back...
High school roundup for Nov. 29, 2021: Baldwin blanks Central Catholic
Trevor Belak and Dom Trimbur had a goal and two assists apiece to lead Baldwin to a 5-0 victory over Central Catholic (5-5) in PIHL Class 3A hockey Monday night. Eddie Nowicki had a 21-save shutout and Carson Kress added a goal and an assist for Baldwin. Tanner Plinta and...
High school scores, summaries and schedules for Nov. 29, 2021
High schools Football PIAA playoffs Semifinals Class 6A Saturday’s schedule Garnet Valley (14-0) vs. St. Joseph’s Prep (10-2) at Ridley, 7 p.m.; State College (8-5) vs. Mt. Lebanon (13-0) at Altoona’s Mansion Park, 1 p.m. Class 5A Friday’s schedule Imhotep Charter (10-1) vs. Strath Haven (13-1) at Ridley, 7 p.m.;...
Trib HSSN broadcast schedule: Week of Nov. 29, 2021
The cruise down the Highway to Heinz is over for 2021. Now the drive on the Road to Hershey kicks into full gear this week here on the TribLive High School Sports Network. The PIAA football playoffs hit the state semifinals and HSSN has audio coverage of the 5A and...
Trib HSSN Football Team of the Week for Nov. 29, 2021
From 2012-2016, the Serra Catholic football team was a combined 10-38 in five seasons with one playoff appearance. After Jose Regus was hired before the 2017 campaign, the Eagles have gone 38-17, have reached the district playoffs all five years with a postseason record of 6-4 and are now WPIAL...
