High School category, Page 960
Belle Vernon girls get defensive during key section win vs. Mt. Pleasant
The game started an hour earlier than usual, but Belle Vernon’s defenders looked like they would have been ready to go any time of the day. A harassing pressure defense allowed the Leopards to build a double-digit lead by halftime, and the hosts held off a mild comeback by Mt....
A-K Valley boys basketball notebook: Highlands boys send message
After losing their top three scorers from last season some might have counted Highlands out this season, but coach Tyler Stoczynski and the Golden Rams reloaded and have sent a message. Despite the jump in classification, the Golden Rams aren’t going anywhere. Last season, they were dependent on seniors Korry...
Junior Brandon Coury shines as Burrell gets off to best start in 6 years
Through its first five games of the season, the Burrell boys basketball team is off to its best start since the 2014-2015 season, and Brandon Coury is a big reason why. The junior shooting guard has scored an average of 20.6 points per game, including a career-high 38 points this...
Kiski Duals to feature WPIAL wrestling’s heavy hitters
About the only thing Kiski Area athletic director John Peterman hasn’t changed this past month is his last name, and that may change. Peterman has been scheduling, rescheduling and canceling events. “It’s minute by minute,” he said. “Wait a while and things may change again.” And because of the coronavirus,...
Norwin basketball standout Ty Bilinsky back on court after recovering from stroke
Ty Bilinsky took a brief nap Dec. 27 at the home of his mother, Michelle. It was a comfy Sunday. He wore a blue Duke T-shirt and black gym shorts as he crashed on the couch in the living room. Then he woke up to watch some football. Steelers-Colts. “I...
Westmoreland County boys basketball notebook: Ligonier Valley finally getting started
As of Wednesday, nine WPIAL boys basketball teams had yet to play a game this season due to covid-19 shutdowns and scheduling issues. One was Ligonier Valley, which finally will make its District 7 debut Friday night when the Rams host South Allegheny at 7:15. “We are very excited to...
What to watch for in WPIAL sports for Jan. 21, 2021: Battle of unbeatens in Class 5A
Two WPIAL Class 5A girls basketball teams that finished a combined 22-21 a year ago are off to perfect starts this season. It’s a small sample size, but Armstrong and Connellsville are now a combined 5-0 and tied for first place in their respective sections. Both will be tested on...
High school scores, summaries and schedules for Jan. 20, 2021
Basketball WPIAL Boys Wednesday’s results Class A Section 3 Neighborhood Academy 43, Propel Andrew Street 36 Nonconference Belle Vernon 64, Laurel Highlands 56 Trinity 72, Elizabeth Forward 64 Thomas Jefferson 58, Montour 47 Shenango 50, New Brighton 26 Brentwood 69, Chartiers-Houston 58 Central Valley 64, Ellwood City 53 Carmichaels 69,...
High school roundup for Jan. 20, 2021: North Allegheny wrestlers sweep 3 duals
Nicholas Gorman, Adam Rohan, Aidan Buggey and Brady Leczo won by fall to lead North Allegheny to a 63-11 Section 3B-AAA wrestling victory over North Hills. North Allegheny also defeated Shaler and Mars on Wednesday night. Brady Walker (120) and Bradley Stipetich (138) picked up bonus points for the Tigers....
Belle Vernon’s Devin Whitlock steals show with Laurel Highlands’ Rodney Gallagher sidelined
Fans wanting to see a battle between Laurel Highlands standout Rodney Gallagher and Belle Vernon’s Devin Whitlock were likely a little disappointed Wednesday. The Mustangs’ superstar missed the game with an ankle injury, but Whitlock still shined with 26 points as the Leopards knocked off the defending WPIAL Class 5A...
Quick start pushes Hempfield wrestling past Norwin
Hempfield wrestling coach Vince DeAugustine couldn’t have asked for a better starting point on Wednesday in his team’s WPIAL Section 2B-AAA first-place showdown with Norwin. The match began at 120 pounds, and Hempfield used that advantage to race out to a big lead, eventually winning 40-34. Hempfield improves to 3-0...
Burrell dominates WPIAL Class AA subsection meet in typical fashion
In typical Burrell fashion, the Bucs went out and made a statement Wednesday during its WPIAL Class AA section 3A match, defeating South Allegheny, Riverview, Knoch, and Valley in convincing fashion. In four duals, the Bucs lost only three matches and gave up 12 total points. For Burrell coach Josh...
Trib HSSN boys basketball state rankings for Jan. 20, 2021
The song remains the same for the most part in this week’s Trib HSSN boys basketball state rankings. There are two more weeks before most teams in District 12 begin their brief regular season. Thus the nine teams in the latest rankings remain unchanged. Those teams that are playing in...
Trib 10: New Castle makes big jump in boys basketball power ratings
There was plenty of shuffling going on in this week’s Trib HSSN boys and girls basketball power rankings. However, only two teams slipped out of the Trib 10. The boys rankings were rocked by a hurricane, a Red Hurricane that is. After crushing previously undefeated Chartiers Valley on the road,...
A-K Valley girls basketball notes: Burrell’s Watts on road to recovery from ACL tear
Olivia Watts is back on the road to recovery after a second ACL tear in her left knee put her on the sidelines for her entire junior season. The Burrell guard, who had surgery last Friday to repair the injury, is looking on the bright side of her situation with...
Westmoreland high school basketball notebook: Penn-Trafford’s Giannikas hits 200 wins
John Giannikas took over the Penn-Trafford girls basketball program prior to the 2006-07 season. The Warriors were a hit-or-miss playoff team in the years leading up to his start date. They even went 0-23 in 2002. But Giannikas steered the team in the right direction and turned it into a...
Knoch girls eager to continue strong section start
It’s been nearly 50 years since a Knoch girls basketball team has won a section championship. This year’s group hopes to change that. So far, so good with a 3-0 start, both overall and in Section 1-4A play. But the Knights aren’t resting on their laurels. “We’re trying to get...
Westmoreland basketball teams adjust to higher classes
Greensburg Salem has a proud boys basketball tradition. Past players like to wax nostalgic and follow the current team, and current players want to learn about the names of the past. The program bumped up to Class 6A this season, a voluntary move the district thought would benefit the team...
Trib HSSN state girls basketball rankings for Jan. 19, 2021
With a lot more girls basketball action across Pennsylvania, there is a lot more movement in the weekly HSSN state rankings. Five teams debuted in the Top 5 this week, meaning five teams lost their spot among the elite 30 in the PIAA, at least for now. Class 5A was...
High school scores, summaries and schedules for Jan. 19, 2021
Basketball Boys Tuesday’s results WPIAL Class 6A Section 1 Pine-Richland 65, Butler 61 North Hills at Seneca Valley, ppd. Section 2 Bethel Park at Baldwin, ppd. Peters Township 54, Canon-McMillan 36 Upper St. Clair at Mt. Lebanon, ppd. Section 3 Fox Chapel 54, Central Catholic 44 Greensburg Salem at Hempfield,...
High school roundup for Jan. 19, 2021: Pine-Richland boys knock off Butler
Luke Shanahan scored 18 points, Andrew Alexander added 15, and Pine-Richland rallied from seven down after the first quarter for a 65-61 Section 1-6A boys basketball win over No. 5 Butler on Tuesday night. Joey Dudkowski had 12 and Joey Petcash 11 for the Rams (2-2, 1-2). Devin Carney led...
Jeannette boys zone out Clairton in bounce-back performance
Jeannette bounced back from a stunning road loss last Friday by knocking off a football rival on Tuesday. The Jayhawks got 15 points from senior Keith Rockmore and 10 from 6-foot-8 senior center Hunter Schmidt, and defeated Clairton, 37-22, in a Section 3-2A battle at home. Jeannette (2-1, 2-1) held...
New Castle backs up No. 1 ranking with victory over No. 2 Chartiers Valley
New Castle joined a larger classification this winter but the results seem much the same. The top-ranked Red Hurricanes cooled down one of the WPIAL’s hottest scorers Tuesday night and ran away with a lopsided win over No. 2 Chartiers Valley, 73-45, solidifying their spot as the top team in...
Fleming feels it from 3-point range as Norwin beats Penn-Trafford
Where’s Waldo? That’s the question Penn-Trafford was asking as Michael Fleming worked his way around the 3-point line, popping out for long-range shots and making the Warriors pay. Fleming, nicknamed “Waldo,” was feeling it from his first touch Tuesday night, so the Norwin junior guard’s teammates kept kicking the ball...
Defensive effort leads Highlands boys to blowout of Plum
When the Highlands Golden Rams took the court for the second time this season Tuesday, they were ready to make another statement after taking down then-No. 1 Mars last Friday on a late 3-pointer. Behind an intense defensive effort, the Golden Rams (2-0, 2-0 Section 4-5A) outscored Plum (1-2, 0-2)...
