High School category, Page 976
Pine-Richland’s Miguel Jackson named 2020 Bill Fralic Memorial Award winner
Pine-Richland teammates gave Miguel Jackson the nickname, “Smoke,” when he was a sophomore because they often caught him saying, “They don’t want no smoke.” It became his catchphrase, a warning of sorts that meant opponents would do better not to mess with him on the football field. They used to...
Hampton athletes earn postseason honors after historic fall season
The most challenging, unusual sports season in WPIAL history included something else that has never been seen before. This fall marked the first time that Hampton’s football, boys soccer, girls soccer and girls volleyball teams all reached the WPIAL playoffs in the same season. “With everything that went on (with...
Pine-Richland hockey has unfinished business after shortened playoff run
If Pine-Richland could rewrite history, it would be competing for a three-peat this season for the Penguins Cup and state championship. The Rams, led by 14 seniors, instead feel an emptiness they can’t quite shake. Captain Dominic Desjardins and alternates Sam Perry and Griffin Roth are still upset about last...
Shady Side Academy girls basketball returns full roster from last season
Not many WPIAL teams can boast about returning their entire roster. The Shady Side Academy girls basketball team can, and coach Caroline Fitzgerald is excited to see what they can do this season. With a young lineup last season, the girls took their bumps and bruises and limped to a...
Norwin notebook: Recruitment heating back up for Knights lineman
Anthony Giansante isn’t ready to give up on playing Division I college football. In fact, he may be more enthusiastic now than before he started getting scholarship offers. Giansante, a 6-foot-3, 300-pound lineman from Norwin, is back on the recruiting trail, proactively reaching out to schools that had already recruited...
North Allegheny looking to again contend for PIHL Penguins Cup title
The PIHL shut down its playoffs before reaching the finals last season, so North Allegheny coach Mike Bagnato told his players to consider themselves the reigning champions. Why not? They were the most recent team to win the Class AAA title. “I started off the season saying, ‘Hey, look, we’re...
Led by state qualifiers, Hampton wrestling looks strong in upper weights
If Hampton senior Justin Hart ever says “uncle” in the wrestling room, it will have nothing to do with giving up. Hart, the nephew of Talbots wrestling coach Chris Hart, is one of the top 189-pounders in the WPIAL Class 3A and joins fellow state qualifier Dawson Dietz in another...
Behind mixture of youth, experience, Shady Side Academy boys ready to compete
The Shady Side Academy boys basketball team lost eight seniors to graduation, but coach David Vadnais is excited about what his young players bring to the program. “For everybody, it’s going to be a weird year, but it’s going to be an interesting year for us because those seniors that...
Penn-Trafford girls basketball ready for challenge in move to Class 6A
There will be a new set of challenges for the Penn-Trafford girls basketball team this season, and it has nothing to do with the coronavirus. Penn-Trafford has jumped from Class 5A to Class 6A, and veteran coach John Giannikas knows the competition will be a lot tougher. The Warriors are...
Familiar face leads Penn-Trafford boys basketball into season
When Penn-Trafford district officials went searching for a new boys basketball coach after Jim Rocco resigned following five seasons, they were looking for someone familiar with the program. Doug Kelly, who was the P-T boys junior varsity coach in 2018-19, was hired in June. He was a P-T girls basketball...
Girls basketball preview: Gateway has firepower to contend in loaded section
The Gateway girls basketball team opened its season with a practice Nov. 20, the first day winter sports teams were permitted to do so in the WPIAL and throughout Pennsylvania. Then things came to a halt as Gateway suspended all athletic activities for two weeks — through Friday — as...
Riverview boys basketball expects to contend when team gets to full strength
The Riverview boys basketball team missed the WPIAL Class 2A playoffs last season, but it was within a few points of forging a different outcome. The Raiders finished section play with a 4-10 record, but three games were decided by two points or less. Learning from those experiences, veteran head...
Ongoing pandemic means changes to high school wrestling season in WPIAL, state
There could be massive changes to high school wrestling this season because of the ongoing pandemic. Some early season tournaments have been canceled, moved or are on hold. The WPIAL and PIAA tournaments also could see a drastic change if things involving the coronavirus don’t improve. If the effects of...
Shenango, Rochester top all-conference selections for Big 7 football team
Shenango and Rochester tied atop the Big Seven standings and had five players apiece earn first-team all-conference honors in the WPIAL Class A conference. Shenango’s Reis Watkins was named the top offensive player and Rochester’s Sal Laure received the defensive award in a vote of conference coaches. Union’s Aaron Gunn...
Riverview girls basketball team hopes to build off memorable season
Last season was one to remember for the Riverview girls basketball team. With a group of six seniors leading the way, the Raiders compiled a 15-10 overall record with several key section victories down the stretch in the regular season. A high-pressure, emotional win over Burgettstown followed in the first...
California leads Tri-County South with 9 all-conference football players
California running back Jaeden Zuzak, the WPIAL’s third-leading rusher this season, was among 45 players named all-conference in the Class A Tri-County South. The Trojans led with nine all-conference players. Zuzak rushed for 1,571 yards and 28 touchdowns for California (6-1, 6-0), which went undefeated in the conference. Trojans’ coach...
Head of the Class: Trib HSSN Football Player, Coach of the Year for each classification
Back in the day, when a student did well in the classroom, they were sometimes moved to the front of the class. Well this is the Trib HSSN version of that. Yes, consider this a virtual classroom. There were plenty of players and coaches who stood out for their performances...
10 Apollo-Ridge players earn 1st-team honors in Allegheny Conference
Apollo-Ridge running back Logan Harmon and lineman Greg Klingensmith were among 10 Vikings who earned first-team all-conference honors in the Class 2A Allegheny. Harmon, Klay Fitzroy and Keighton Reese were recognized on both sides of the ball, giving Apollo-Ridge a conference-leading 13 spots on the first team. Harmon also was...
Norwin girls basketball again set to contend for Section 1 title
Just as Norwin girls basketball was getting started this season, the Knights had to stop. When a team member tested positive for covid-19, the girls had to shut down for a week and could interact only via Zoom meetings. Coach Brian Brozeski did his best to keep the team engaged...
Tall, experienced group returns as Norwin boys seek trip to postseason
Everybody is back. They’re all seniors. And they’ve had more than a full season to get accustomed to their coach’s system. It all adds up to four words. Watch out for Norwin. “We’re leaps ahead of where we were at this time last year,” said second-year coach Buddy Valinsky, whose...
Beaver Falls’ Josh Hough, Laurel’s Mitch Miles earn top conference honors in MAC
WPIAL champion Beaver Falls earned seven first-team spots on the Midwestern all-conference team led by senior Josh Hough, who was named offensive player of the year. Hough, Beaver Falls’ Shileak Livingston and Laurel teammates Mitch Miles and Luke McCoy were named first-team all-conference for both offense and defense. Beaver Falls...
McGuffey quarterback, lineman, coach earn all-conference awards in Century
McGuffey quarterback Rocco Falosk and lineman Aiden Brookman each earned individual conference honors after leading the Highlanders to the Century title. They were among eight McGuffey players to earn all-conference honors. Falosk was named the conference’s offensive player of the year and Brookman was named the top lineman. The team...
High school sports scores for Dec. 3, 2020
High schools Hockey Thursday’s results Class AAA Canon-McMillan 3, Cathedral Prep 1 Class AA Hampton at Armstrong (n) Hempfield 6, Shaler 2 Mars 6, Latrobe 3 Thomas Jefferson at Mars, ppd. Class A Blackhawk 3, Beaver 1 Greensburg Salem 5, Fox Chapel 2 Class B Carrick 6, Neshannock 3 Connellsville...
High school roundup for Dec. 3, 2020: Hempfield hockey tops Shaler
Aiden Dunlap and Nicholas Bruno each had two goals and two assists to lead Hempfield to a 6-2 victory over Shaler in a PIHL Class AA game Thursday night at Kirk Nevin Arena. Gino Antimarino and Jacob Holtzman also scored for the Spartans, who improved to 4-0 and are in...
Sto-Rox, Western Beaver lead Three Rivers all-conference football team
Sto-Rox and Western Beaver, which tied atop the Class 2A Three Rivers standings, led the all-conference voting with six first-team players. Diontae Givens of Sto-Rox and Western Beaver’s Daquan Bradford shared the defensive MVP award in a vote of conference coaches. Sto-Rox’s Josh Jenkins and Brentwood’s Aiden Wardzinski shared the...
