Chris Harlan stories, Page 19
WPIAL sets brackets for 2024 team golf championships
Thirty-four boys teams and 13 girls teams will compete next week for WPIAL golf titles. The WPIAL on Wednesday announced brackets for the league’s team playoffs. The girls tournament is one round while the boys have two. The championships are Oct. 10 at Cedarbrook Golf Course in Belle Vernon. The...
Imani Christian basketball player among 3 transfers ruled ineligible by WPIAL
Imani Christian basketball player Kieshaun Demus, a sophomore who transferred from North Hills, was ruled ineligible for his sophomore season by the WPIAL. WPIAL executive director Scott Seltzer said the board found Demus’ transfer was motivated at least partially by athletics following an eligibility hearing Monday. One concern for the...
5 things we learned in high school football Week 5: Hopewell kicker ties record with 55-yard boot
Hopewell hasn’t had many moments to celebrate in recent years, but kicker Rocco Marcantonio gave the team one Friday night. Marcantonio made a 55-yard field goal that tied for the longest in WPIAL history. With the help of holder Zander Muzy and long snapper Dominick Gaughan, Marcantonio converted a fourth-quarter...
Behind crew of 1st-time starters, North Allegheny cross country teams leading the pack
If North Allegheny defends its boys and girls WPIAL country titles this fall, the celebration will surely include a number of first-time champions. Since sweeping the league titles last season, the Tigers graduated seven of the 14 runner who competed that day at White Oak Park. WPIAL runners-up Jack Bertram...
Pick-6 propels Central Catholic past rival North Allegheny in WPIAL finals rematch
Against an offense with a sophomore at quarterback and a banged-up running game, Central Catholic didn’t allow them any stress relief in Friday’s second half. The Vikings picked off a pair of passes about two minutes apart, one returned by linebacker Colsen Gatten for a touchdown that propelled Central Catholic...
WPIAL football rankings: Week ending Sept. 29, 2024
Class 6A Rank, Team, W-L, Last 1. Central Catholic, 4-2, 2 2. North Allegheny, 5-1, 1 3. Hempfield, 2-4, NR 4. Canon-McMillan, 2-4, 3 5. Mt. Lebanon, 1-5, NR Out: Seneca Valley (1-4, 4), Norwin (2-4, 5) Class 5A 1. Pine-Richland, 5-0, 2 2. Upper St. Clair, 6-0, 3 3....
Familiar championship foes North Allegheny, Central Catholic won’t look beyond Friday
Central Catholic and North Allegheny seem likely to meet twice this season, maybe with a rematch in the WPIAL finals. They’ve met there the past two years. So, does that potential rematch shape game plans for their regular-season game, leading teams to hide their best for later? Both coaches say...
5 things to watch in Week 5: Little room for error in WPIAL 4A with 8-team playoff ahead
Eight maybe isn’t enough when counting WPIAL playoff berths. That’s how many — or how few — playoff spots are available for the 18 teams in Class 4A, which starts conference play Friday night. That’s down from 12 spots last year. The smaller bracket leaves less room for error and...
Westinghouse’s defense dominates Allderdice in battle for 1st place in City League
Dozens of skulls and crossbones already decorate Josiah Collins’ helmet, decals awarded by Westinghouse coaches for sacks, tackles for loss and other explosive plays made on defense. There will be more stickers on the defensive end’s helmet very soon. Collins scored two defensive touchdowns Thursday night, which was one more...
Derry javelin champ Sophia Mazzoni commits to Auburn
Derry javelin thrower Sophia Mazzoni, an elite talent with state and national titles, committed Wednesday to Auburn. The senior announced her college decision on social media. Mazzoni won a PIAA Class 2A title in May with a personal-best throw of 161 feet, 10 inches at the state meet in Shippensburg....
5 things we learned from Week 4 of WPIAL football season: Power shifts south in Class 5A
There could be a lot of football talk in the South Hills this fall, maybe while eating sandwiches stuffed with French fries and coleslaw. “The Primanti’s in between Upper St. Clair, Bethel and us, it’ll be fun for those kids,” South Fayette coach Marty Spieler said. “They’ll have something to...
WPIAL high school football rankings: Week ending Sept. 22, 2024
Class 6A Rank, Team, W-L, Last 1. North Allegheny, 5-0, 1 2. Central Catholic, 3-2, 2 3. Canon-McMillan, 2-3, 5 4. Seneca Valley, 1-3, 3 5. Norwin, 2-3, 4 Out: none Class 5A 1. Peters Township, 5-0, 1 2. Pine-Richland, 4-0, 2 3. Upper St. Clair, 5-0, 3 4. Bethel...
Behind determined defense, Penn Hills hands Aliquippa 1st regular-season loss since 2021
The night ended much the way it started with the Penn Hills defense celebrating a stop. The Indians shut out Aliquippa for the first three quarters Friday night, built a three-touchdown lead and made a game-ending stand late in fourth to hand the Quips their first regular-season loss in three...
Despite mismatch in enrollments, Aliquippa draws nonconference clash vs. Penn Hills
Aliquippa went to court to avoid a promotion to Class 5A football this fall, but the Quips still get a taste of that classification on Friday. Their opponent — Penn Hills — has three times as many students and maybe twice as many players. “That’s a great big difference,” Aliquippa...
5 things to watch in Week 4: Excitement builds in Monessen for battle of undefeated teams
The buildup to facing a defending WPIAL champion was always going to be big, but undefeated records make this Monessen’s biggest home game in quite a while. “It’s the biggest game since I’ve been here coaching,” coach Wade Brown said. “And this is my fourth year.” Undefeated Monessen (4-0, 1-0)...
Shady Side Academy football coach Chuck DiNardo resigns
Chuck DiNardo has resigned as football coach at Shady Side Academy, stepping down four games into his eighth season with the Bulldogs. A school spokesperson confirmed DiNardo’s departure, saying the coach resigned Monday. “This was a personal decision for Coach DiNardo, and we respect his choice,” said Diana Toole, the...
PIAA adopts girls flag football as sanctioned high school sport statewide
Flag football is officially a sanctioned sport for Pennsylvania high school girls, meaning the WPIAL and PIAA soon will be crowning champions. The PIAA board voted Wednesday to add flag football to its growing catalog of sports. This vote was the third and final needed to complete the PIAA’s emerging...
WPIAL notebook: Wrestling teams want in-season tournaments exempt from PIAA contest limit
If WPIAL wrestling teams get their wish, some in-season tournaments no longer will count toward their 22-contest limit set by the PIAA. The WPIAL board will consider a request to reclassify events such as the Midwestern Athletic Conference Tournament and the Tri-County Athletic Directors Tournament as “league championships,” and therefore...
Clairton reveals ‘Tyler Boyd Stadium’ as new name for high school football field
Not only is Clairton’s football stadium getting new turf, new bleachers and new lights, it also has a new name: Tyler Boyd Stadium. A 2013 graduate now playing in his ninth NFL season, Boyd had a legendary high school career at Clairton and remains rooted in his hometown. He was...
5 things we learned in high school football Week 3: Rare low-scoring tilts draw attention
Don’t call for maintenance. The scoreboard at South Park’s stadium wasn’t malfunctioning Friday night, nor was the one at Franklin Regional, even if they both had a 0-0 score in the fourth quarter. There were zeroes on Ringgold’s scoreboard in the third quarter, as well. In a football era often...
WPIAL football rankings: Week ending Sept. 15, 2024
Class 6A Rank, Team, W-L, Last 1. North Allegheny, 4-0, 1 2. Central Catholic, 2-2, 2 3. Seneca Valley, 1-2, 5 4. Norwin, 2-2, 3 5. Canon-McMillan, 1-3, NR Out: Hempfield (1-3, 4) Class 5A 1. Peters Township, 4-0, 1 2. Pine-Richland, 3-0, 2 3. Upper St. Clair, 4-0, 3...
Missing its top 3 running backs, Pine-Richland fends off North Hills in Northeast opener
The Pine-Richland roster lists Jalen Neals as a wide receiver, but the versatile junior had a hint that his coaches were planning a position change. At least for one game. “I was at the JV game and coach was like, ‘Jalen, make sure you know the running back plays for...
Season-ending knee injury sidelines Alabama recruit Fiona Mahan as Avonworth chases 4th straight WPIAL title
Fiona Mahan continues to guide Avonworth on its quest for a fourth straight WPIAL girls soccer title, but the senior has taken on a new role after a season-ending knee injury. Mahan, an Alabama recruit and one of the WPIAL’s top talents, will have surgery in a couple of weeks...
North Hills rides momentum of 3-0 start into conference opener vs. Pine-Richland
North Hills is off to its first 3-0 start in five years, early-season success that coach Pat Carey credits to the snaps his seniors logged over a couple of tough seasons. The team went 4-6 last year and 3-8 in 2022, but Carey had today’s seniors on the field for...
5 things to watch in Week 3: Conference openers arrive for many WPIAL football teams
WPIAL schedule-makers gave everyone at least a couple of warm-ups to start the schedule. Now, the majority of WPIAL teams will jump into conference play. Seventy-eight of the WPIAL’s 116 teams play a conference opener here in Week 3. That accounts for teams in 12 of the 17 conferences, including...
