Andrew John stories

Freeport’s Sean Selinger named 2024 Valley News Dispatch defensive player of the year

Defensive player of the year Sean Selinger Freeport, TE/LB, sr. Before the season, Sean Selinger was focused on the team’s success as he hoped Freeport would return to the WPIAL Class 3A playoffs. The Yellowjackets rebounded from a 3-7 season in 2023 to finish 8-4 and clinch a WPIAL playoff...
Deer Lakes routs Freeport at home in section opener

The last time Deer Lakes took the court, the Lancers barely defeated Mohawk in a double-overtime win Tuesday. You might expect the Lancers to come out in their matchup against Freeport a little sluggish as they regained their legs. However, the Lancers didn’t use the extra time on the court...
Plum wrestling ready for next wave of WPIAL qualifiers to emerge

Last year, the Plum wrestling program had a handful of wrestlers qualify for the WPIAL tournament. Even though most of those were seniors, the Mustangs are hopeful to have another handful reach the tournament this season. Plum will look to replace Antonino Walker (152) and Rylen Campbell (127) who each...
New coach expects Plum swimmers to maintain level of success

The Plum swimming program is aiming for more consistency as Shane Ging takes over as head coach. Ging, who replaces Shawn Haupt, is familiar with the Plum swim program since he has been an assistant coach with the team the past four years. “I’ve been here a while with these...
Fox Chapel boys team picks up steam in win vs. Plum

After a shaky first half, Fox Chapel immediately came out of the halftime locker room and set the tone for the second half as the Foxes defeated Plum, 52-37, in the Chartiers Valley Tournament on Friday night. The Foxes (2-0) were led by senior Caden Kaiser, who scored the first...
Gateway bowlers have sights set on returning to state championships

After falling short in the state championship a season ago, the Gateway boys bowling team has some unfinished business with the majority of the team returning. The Gators finished fourth at the Pennsylvania state championship in March at Leisure Lanes in Lancaster. Gateway was swept in their best-of-three quarterfinal matchup...
Springdale girls look to keep building program after showing signs of progress

The Springdale girls basketball program looks to continue to build a new culture in its second year under coach Mike Dudjak. Last year, the Dynamos finished 7-15 overall with a 3-9 record in Section 3-2A. The seven wins were the most wins for the program in the past 11 years....
1st-time head coach eager to jump right in with Springdale boys

Scott Ruppert might be in his first head coaching job, but coaching has been in his blood since a young age, even if he didn’t realize it at the time. Ruppert was named Springdale’s boys basketball coach in late October after Kobe Phillippi was hired to coach at Mars on...
After championship season, Norwin girls looking for ‘best 5’ to make another run

Last year, Norwin found itself on top of the WPIAL Class 6A girls basketball mountain. However, with the departure of key seniors from the championship team, the Knights will need to do it with a new group as they put last year’s success behind them. Norwin, which finished 23-4 overall...
New coach hopes to make talent stand out for Norwin boys

The Norwin boys basketball program looks to have culture change in store as the Knights begin a new era with a familiar face in charge. Cam Auld, a 2016 Norwin graduate, takes over as coach after spending the last two seasons at Greensburg Salem. Auld, 26, went 9-34 overall and...
Hempfield boys plan to pick up pace, close out more wins

Even though the record might not show it, Hempfield’s boys basketball program found itself leading a majority of its losses at halftime last season. The Spartans just couldn’t put together a full game to pull out wins. This season, coach Bill Swan hopes a change in pace as well as...
With new mix of players, Hempfield girls up for challenge in tough 6A section

In the first season under Bob Madison, the Hempfield girls basketball program started 7-2 but only won one game the rest of the season. The Spartans look to improve in Madison’s second season in a tough Section 2-6A. Hempfield (8-14, 1-9) returns five players who started at various points last...
Westinghouse fires on all cylinders in PIAA win over Windber

Westinghouse forced Windber to punt on the opening drive Friday night, but the Bulldogs muffed the punt and the Ramblers recovered in Westinghouse territory.A few plays later, Windber scored a touchdown. The rest of the game belonged to Westinghouse. The Bulldogs (9-1) put on a dominant performance, defeating Windber, 61-6,...
North Allegheny faces adversity, rallies past North Catholic to repeat as WPIAL 4A volleyball champs

After dropping the opening set, North Allegheny found itself on the verge of losing the second set to North Catholic in the WPIAL Class 4A girls volleyball championship match Saturday at Peters Township. However, the Tigers scratched and clawed through multiple set points to take the set and won in...
Fox Chapel finds winning goal in 70th minute to get past Plum, win 1st WPIAL title since ’95

It has been close to three decades since the last time the Fox Chapel boys soccer program could call itself the WPIAL champion. From the opening minute of the WPIAL Class 4A championship game Friday night at Highmark Stadium, the Foxes put pressure on Plum’s defense but couldn’t find the...
Leechburg starts strong in high-scoring win over Brentwood

After suffering its first loss of the season last week against Clairton, Leechburg didn’t seem to be fazed by it, as the Blue Devils came out hot offensively and didn’t look back in a 57-34 win over Brentwood in Class A Eastern Conference action at Brentwood Park on Friday night....

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