Chris Harlan stories, Page 14
Former WPIAL standout Meleek Thomas chosen for McDonald’s All American Game
Former WPIAL basketball player Meleek Thomas, who transferred out of state for his senior year, was chosen Monday for the McDonald’s All American Game. A 6-foot-4 guard committed to Arkansas, Thomas was one of 24 boys chosen for the national all-star game played April 1 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn,...
Belle Vernon hits glass to beat Knoch in matchup of Class 4A contenders
Belle Vernon missed its share of shots after halftime Saturday, but somehow those misses kept finding their way into the basket. The Leopards were focused on the offensive glass and sparked a fourth-quarter run with a string of putback baskets to defeat Knoch, 54-50, in the Pittsburgh Basketball Club Hall...
WPIAL boys basketball rankings: Week ending Jan. 26, 2024
Class 6A Rank, Team, W-L, Last 1. Upper St. Clair, 17-1, 1 2. Seneca Valley, 11-7, 2 3. Central Catholic, 10-6, 4 4. Imani Christian, 9-6, 5 5. Fox Chapel, 13-4, NR Out: New Castle (13-3, 3) Class 5A 1. Montour, 14-1, 1 2. Baldwin, 15-1, 3 3. Chartiers Valley,...
WPIAL girls basketball rankings: Week ending Jan. 26, 2024
Class 6A Rank, Team, W-L, Last 1. Upper St. Clair, 12-4, 1 2. Seneca Valley, 11-5, 2 3. Norwin, 9-5, 3 4. Canon-McMillan, 10-6, 4 5. Mt. Lebanon, 10-7, 5 Out: none Class 5A 1. Peters Township, 14-2, 1 2. South Fayette, 16-1, 2 3. Penn-Trafford, 17-0, 3 4. Thomas...
Zach Pollaro’s buzzer-beater in overtime lifts North Hills over No. 2 Seneca Valley
Zach Pollaro practices bank shots from spots all around North Hills’ gym, so bouncing in a 3-pointer off the glass might feel almost routine at times. But this one surely didn’t. Trailing by two points with 2.9 seconds left, Pollaro banked in a buzzer-beating 3 from the left wing as...
PIAA board expands girls volleyball to 6 classes, votes on competitive-balance rule changes
The PIAA will expand girls volleyball to six classifications starting in 2026. The sport currently has only four classes, but the PIAA board on Wednesday finalized plans to add two more. PIAA executive director Bob Lombardi said the move was needed because girls volleyball now has nearly the same number...
Aliquippa players, coach suspended for in-game altercation ahead of section game vs. Freedom
“A travesty of justice” was how Aliquippa boys basketball coach Nick Lackovich described the situation his short-handed team will face Friday night. As a result of last weekend’s on-court altercation with Imani Christian, Aliquippa must play a section game with only five players and without Lackovich, who was suspended one...
Burrell hires former Highlands coach to lead football program
Burrell’s new football playbook might borrow some ideas from the Kansas City Chiefs. Newly hired football coach Dom Girardi already has cheered on the Chiefs at two Super Bowls and is headed to Arrowhead Stadium for the AFC Championship Game on Sunday. He comes from a football family, and his...
Pitt football starts 2026 recruiting class with commitment from quarterback
Pitt football coaches landed their first commitment for 2026 from quarterback Angelo Renda, a junior at Southlake Carroll High School in Texas. Renda announced his decision Wednesday on social media. The 6-foot, 180-pound passer also held an ACC offer from SMU along with Jacksonville State and UT San Antonio, according...
Straight shooter sparks Montour to section win over Chartiers Valley
Montour’s Colton Straight had a first quarter to remember, yet his buzzer-beater after halftime was the shot Chartiers Valley surely won’t forget. Straight won’t either. His deep 3-pointer with zeros on the third-quarter clock helped spark a winning run Tuesday night as No. 1 Montour pulled away from No. 2...
5 WPIAL quarterbacks named as finalists for Willie Thrower Award
The WPIAL’s leading passer, two district champions and a quarterback with more than 6,000 career yards were among the finalists revealed Tuesday for the Willie Thrower Award. The annual award honors the top high school quarterback in Southwestern Pennsylvania. This year’s finalists are Peters Township’s Nolan DiLucia, North Catholic’s Joey...
Game between reigning state champs Aliquippa, Imani Christian called off after skirmish
A WPIAL boys basketball game between two reigning state champions was cut short Saturday after spectators ran onto the floor during an on-court skirmish. The nonsection contest between Aliquippa and Imani Christian at Allderdice was called off with 4:23 left in the second quarter. Video showed two players fighting for...
WPIAL girls basketball rankings: Week ending Jan. 19, 2025
Class 6A Rank, Team, W-L, Last 1. Upper St. Clair, 12-2, 1 2. Seneca Valley, 10-4, 2 3. Norwin, 8-5, 3 4. Canon-McMillan, 8-6, NR 5. Mt. Lebanon, 8-7, 4 Out: Butler (8-6, 5) Class 5A 1. Peters Township, 13-2, 1 2. South Fayette, 13-1, 2 3. Penn-Trafford, 15-0, 3...
WPIAL boys basketball rankings: Week ending Jan. 19, 2024
Class 6A Rank, Team, W-L, Last 1. Upper St. Clair, 15-1, 1 2. Seneca Valley, 10-6, 5 3. New Castle, 12-2, 2 4. Central Catholic, 9-5, 3 5. Imani Christian, 8-5, 4 Out: none Class 5A 1. Montour, 11-1, 1 2. Chartiers Valley, 13-1, 2 3. Baldwin, 13-1, 4 4....
‘Little’ brother Ryan Robbins sparks top-ranked Upper St. Clair’s win over Central Catholic
Ryan Robbins may be known around Upper St. Clair as Tyler’s little brother, but there was nothing small about the 6-foot-7 sophomore’s game on Friday night. Upper St. Clair was off to a slow start until Robbins scored a season-high 22 points off the bench. With him and his 6-10...
WPIAL puts Imani Christian basketball on probation, finds no recruiting violation
The WPIAL has put the Imani Christian boys basketball program on probation for one year for “lack of institutional oversight,” the result of a three-month investigation by the league. The school’s athletic administration and boys basketball coach Khayree Wilson also were censured — meaning a public admonishment from the WPIAL...
Peters Township boys golf coach David Kuhn receives NFHS Coach of the Year award
Peters Township boys golf coach David Kuhn, a six-time WPIAL champion in his 25 seasons, has received a national coach of the year award for the 2023-24 school year. The National Federation of State High School Associations honored 24 coaches nationally, one apiece from a variety of boys and girls...
NFL greats Russ Grimm, Ty Law, Olympian Spencer Lee headline 2025 WPIAL Hall of Fame class
It’s no surprise that Southmoreland’s Russ Grimm was a good high school football player, but the position he played might astound some. Enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame as one of the NFL’s greatest offensive linemen, Grimm played running back as a junior and was the quarterback his...
Montour takes Moon’s best shot in OT thriller
As a top-ranked team with lofty expectations, the stretch run this winter will be anything but dull, Montour coach Bill Minear told his players. Expect some trials along the way. “There are 27 days left in the regular season,” Minear said. “You’re No. 1 now. Can you take everybody’s best...
Chartiers Valley hires college assistant as football coach
Chartiers Valley hired a college assistant as its next football coach. Steve Spence, an assistant coach at Washington & Jefferson, was the recommended candidate to be hired Tuesday, according to the Chartiers Valley school board agenda. Spence had served on the W&J coaching staff since 2010. The school district in...
WPIAL holds hearing on possible Imani Christian recruiting violations
The WPIAL has wrapped up an investigation into possible recruiting violations by the Imani Christian basketball program with a decision pending. The WPIAL, which launched the inquiry in October, held a closed-door hearing Monday at the league office in Scott. WPIAL executive director Scott Seltzer said the board’s decision would...
WPIAL girls basketball rankings: Week ending Jan. 12, 2025
Class 6A Rank, Team, W-L, Last 1. Upper St. Clair, 9-2, 1 2. Seneca Valley, 9-4, 3 3. Norwin, 6-5, 4 4. Mt. Lebanon, 7-5, 2 5. Butler, 8-5, NR Out: Canon-McMillan (7-6, 5) Class 5A 1. Peters Township, 12-1, 1 2. South Fayette, 13-1, 2 3. Penn-Trafford, 12-0, 3...
WPIAL boys basketball rankings: Week ending Jan. 12, 2024
Class 6A Rank, Team, W-L, Last 1. Upper St. Clair, 13-1, 2 2. New Castle, 10-1, 3 3. Central Catholic, 8-4, 4 4. Imani Christian, 7-4, 1 5. Seneca Valley, 8-6, NR Out: Fox Chapel (10-3, 5) Class 5A 1. Montour, 9-1, 1 2. Chartiers Valley, 11-1, 2 3. Moon,...
New Castle boys dominate 2nd half, hand Fox Chapel 1st section loss of season
The scoreboard had a tied score at half, yet the game ended under the mercy rule. That disparity showed just how well New Castle played after halftime Friday night. Freshman Kai Cox scored 13 of his game-high 19 points after the break, and the Red Hurricanes used a dominant third...
Steelers nominate Avonworth football coach Duke Johncour for 2024 Don Shula Award
The Pittsburgh Steelers have nominated Avonworth football coach Duke Johncour to represent Western Pennsylvania as one of 32 candidates for the 2024 Don Shula High School Coach of the Year Award. The NFL announced the candidates Tuesday. Johncour led Avonworth from a No. 5 seed to a WPIAL Class 3A...
