Chris Harlan stories, Page 18
WPIAL high school football rankings: Week ending Oct. 20, 2024
Class 6A Rank, Team, W-L, Last 1. Central Catholic, 7-2, 1 2. North Allegheny, 8-1, 2 3. Seneca Valley, 3-5, 3 4. Canon-McMillan, 3-6, 5 5. Mt. Lebanon, 2-7, NR Out: Hempfield (3-6, 4) Class 5A 1. Upper St. Clair, 9-0, 2 2. Pine-Richland, 7-1, 1 3. Peters Township, 8-1,...
2-point gamble pays off as No. 2 Montour tops No. 1 Aliquippa, earns Parkway Conference title
Montour wasn’t playing for overtime. When running back Caden Halajcio scored with 31 seconds left Friday night to put the Spartans within one point of Aliquippa, there was no debate about what to do next. “Coach Lou huddled us up and said, ‘I put all of my trust in you,’”...
Montour wants to disrupt Aliquippa’s 5-year dominance in Parkway Conference
The Parkway has a reputation as one of the WPIAL’s tougher conferences, but Aliquippa seems to have tamed it. Since joining Class 4A in 2020, the Quips have won 27 consecutive conference games and four straight Parkway titles. They’ll try for their fifth in a row Friday when No. 1...
5 things to watch in Week 8: WPIAL playoffs seem to have started for some teams
There are two weeks left in the regular season, but Mt. Lebanon coach Greg Perry told his team that their playoffs start Friday. Many other WPIAL teams can surely relate. The Blue Devils see a narrow path to the playoffs despite a 1-7 record, but they’re among a group of...
Imani Christian says ‘unique quirk’ in enrollment process may have violated PIAA transfer rules
A “unique quirk” in the enrollment process for Imani Christian students may have led to a violation of PIAA transfer rules, said the school, which is the subject of a WPIAL investigation. The WPIAL board on Monday voted to launch an investigation into “possible recruiting violations and administrative and institutional...
Westinghouse, USO football players face suspensions for City League semifinals
The Westinghouse and USO football teams must play shorthanded in the City League semifinals because of their game-ending altercation last Friday. At least half of Westinghouse’s roster is likely ineligible and USO could be missing around 10 players, a Pittsburgh Public School spokesperson said Tuesday. Their regular season finale was...
Ringgold completes investigation, allows football team to resume season
An investigation into alleged misconduct by Ringgold football players was completed and the team can resume its season, the school district announced Monday. In a letter addressed to the Ringgold community, superintendent Randall Skrinjorich said Ringgold School District Police and the Washington County District Attorney’s Office “conducted a thorough investigation...
WPIAL launches investigations into Baldwin, Imani Christian over ‘possible recruiting violations’
The WPIAL has launched separate investigations into the Baldwin and Imani Christian athletic departments over potential recruiting violations. The board voted Monday to empower WPIAL executive director Scott Seltzer to conduct the investigations. He said the allegations stemmed from information gained in previous eligibility hearings involving Baldwin football and Imani...
Teams can compete in additional regular season contests under WPIAL policy change
WPIAL wrestlers can compete in more matches than usual starting this winter, and teams in other sports might see their regular season schedules increase as well. The WPIAL board on Monday voted to make some in-season “conference championships” exempt from the contest limits set by the PIAA for regular season...
Wrestling standout Dylan Pitzer remains ineligible following WPIAL hearing
Wrestling standout Dylan Pitzer, a WPIAL runner-up last winter, remains ineligible for his junior season after a hearing Monday at the league office in Scott. The WPIAL board found that Pitzer’s transfer from Mt. Pleasant to Derry was athletically motivated, said WPIAL executive director Scott Seltzer. As a result, Pitzer...
5 things we learned in high school football Week 7: Class 2A has new look
In some WPIAL football classifications, the names near the top of the conference standings don’t change too much from year to year. But take a look at Class 2A. With two weeks left in the regular season, the three conference leaders are Ellwood City (7-0), Seton LaSalle (7-0) and South...
WPIAL football rankings: Week ending Oct. 13, 2024
Class 6A Rank, Team, W-L, Last 1. Central Catholic, 6-2, 1 2. North Allegheny, 7-1, 2 3. Seneca Valley, 3-4, 4 4. Hempfield, 3-5, 3 5. Canon-McMillan, 2-6, 5 Out: none Class 5A 1. Pine-Richland, 7-0, 1 2. Upper St. Clair, 8-0, 2 3. Peters Township, 7-1, 4 4. Bethel...
Run-heavy Upper St. Clair takes to air for winning points in showdown with Bethel Park
The goldfish maybe isn’t the most intimidating of animals, but that’s the one Upper St. Clair’s Charlie Bywalski was thinking about Friday night. Not a shark. Not a whale. A goldfish. “It’s always about ‘Be a goldfish,’ ” said Bywalski, a senior wide receiver and defensive back. “Coach Junko says,...
5 things to watch in Week 7: Undefeated conference foes battle in 7 key WPIAL matchups
Call them the “Super 7” of Week 7. The WPIAL schedule includes seven matchups Friday night between teams with undefeated conference records. With only three weeks left in the regular season, these are games that can catapult or crush a team’s conference title hopes. The list includes: • Upper St....
High-scoring Bethel Park offense brings balance into Allegheny Six clash with Upper St. Clair
The WPIAL’s highest-scoring offense has gone all season without arguably its best player, but that’ll change Friday. Bethel Park wide receiver Ryan Petras has recovered from shoulder surgery and is expected to make his season debut against rival Upper St. Clair, yet the Black Hawks seem like they’ve hardly missed...
Ringgold calls off football game vs. Thomas Jefferson, investigates ‘alleged incidents of misconduct’
Ringgold has called off Friday’s football game while investigating unspecified allegations “that involve members of the football team.” The Rams were scheduled to host Thomas Jefferson in a Big Six Conference game. Ringgold superintendent Randall Skrinjorich confirmed the district’s decision, saying in an email: “Currently the game is postponed.” In...
6 WPIAL coaches earn statewide honor from PIAA for 2023-24 seasons
Six WPIAL coaches earned statewide recognition Wednesday when the PIAA announced its coaches of the year for the 2023-24 school year. The list included two Peters Township golf coaches — David Kuhn (boys) and Michael Lacey (girls) — along with North Allegheny’s Russ Hoburg (girls volleyball), Shaler’s Paul Stadelman (boys...
Rochester football player Carter Mason recovering in hospital after in-game head injury, brain bleed
Terri Mason was home watching a livestream of the Rochester football game when she realized something was wrong. “No. 8 didn’t come back on that field,” said Mason, who was looking for her son, Carter, a senior running back. “Next thing you know, they said a Rochester player went down....
5 things we learned in high school football Week 6: North Allegheny’s Walker hits 250 wins
Art Walker as a kid witnessed plenty of wins at Mt. Lebanon’s stadium, a place where his father coached for years. On Friday, Walker celebrated a milestone of his own there. North Allegheny’s victory over Mt. Lebanon was win No. 250 for Walker, who is approaching the top 10 on...
‘Why change it?’: No. 2 Upper St. Clair rides running game to take down No. 4 South Fayette
There wasn’t much mystery around Upper St. Clair’s offense Friday night. The Panthers ran the football 43 times, which is pretty much what they did last week, too. And, again, it worked. Upper St. Clair rushed for 342 yards and senior Julian Dahlem scored twice as the second-ranked Panthers defeated...
WPIAL football rankings: Week ending Oct. 6, 2024
Class 6A Rank, Team, W-L, Last 1. Central Catholic, 5-2, 1 2. North Allegheny, 6-1, 2 3. Hempfield, 3-4, 3 4. Seneca Valley, 2-4, NR 5. Canon-McMillan, 2-5, 4 Out: Mt. Lebanon (1-6, 5) Class 5A 1. Pine-Richland, 6-0, 1 2. Upper St. Clair, 7-0, 2 3. Bethel Park, 7-0,...
Upper St. Clair faces yet another undefeated Allegheny Six foe, this time South Fayette
With the regular season already half over, Upper St. Clair will likely face three undefeated teams in a row. The Panthers handed defending WPIAL champion Peters Township its first loss last week, and their reward was a clash this week with undefeated South Fayette (6-0, 1-0). And waiting for USC...
5 things to watch in Week 6: Move over quarterbacks, is the WPIAL now the cradle of kickers?
Which decades-old kicking record might be broken this week? This season has already been a memorable year for WPIAL kickers, with record-tying performances celebrated on each of the past two Friday nights. In Week 5, Hopewell’s Rocco Marcantonio made a 55-yard field goal that tied the longest in WPIAL history....
Beaver boys soccer must forfeit section win under new PIAA rule
The Beaver boys soccer team must forfeit a section win because of a new rule that school administrators say should be reconsidered. The Bobcats defeated Keystone Oaks, 2-1, on Saturday, but that win was later overturned by a PIAA regulation that punishes a team if an ejected coach does not...
WPIAL erases section games vs. Allderdice, Obama Academy from soccer standings
The WPIAL has erased some section wins and losses in boys and girls soccer. Games against Allderdice and Obama Academy are no longer considered section matches and count only as exhibitions, WPIAL administrator Vince Sortino said Thursday. He said the two schools were included in soccer sections at the City...
