Greg Macafee stories, Page 16
Girls basketball preview: Fox Chapel ready to take next step in coach’s second season
In Marty Matvey’s first year at the helm of the Fox Chapel girls basketball program, the Foxes saw a glimpse of success they are hoping to build on in Year 2. They finished with an overall record of 13-10 and went .500 in a section that included eventual WPIAL champion...
Boys basketball preview: Fox Chapel ready to reload after losing strong senior class
The Fox Chapel boys basketball team put together a historic season last year. The Foxes won their first 20 games of the season, put together an overall record of 21-2 with their two losses coming in their final three games of the season, limited teams to a WPIAL-low 43.1 points...
Girls basketball preview: Fox Chapel ready to take next step in coach’s second season
In Marty Matvey’s first year at the helm of the Fox Chapel girls basketball program, the Foxes saw a glimpse of success that they are hoping to build on in year two. They finished with an overall record of 13-10 and went .500 in a section that included eventual WPIAL...
Deer Lakes excited for a new opportunity in a new section
Deer Lakes girls basketball coach Dave Petruska is excited about what the 2020 season might hold for his Lancers, and rightfully so. A year after going 13-10 (9-5 in section), Petruska’s team returns four of five starters and lost only one senior. Reese Hasley, Nikki Fleming, Jenny Butler and Cameron...
With young roster, Deer Lakes boys are hoping to return to playoffs in 2020
After losing nine seniors to graduation, the Deer Lakes boys basketball team will be young in 2020, but the Lancers don’t lack experience. A season ago, the Lancers recorded an overall record of 12-10 and sneaked into the WPIAL Class 3A playoffs as the No. 16 seed. They earned a...
Highlands postpones winter sports until January
Around the WPIAL, schools have delayed the start of winter sports season. Whereas teams were set to begin practice last Friday, some schools pushed their start dates to Dec. 7. On Monday, the Highlands School District announced it was postponing winter sports until Jan. 15, though athletic director Drew Karpen...
Quaker Valley boys soccer using shortened season as motivation for next year
This season didn’t end the way the Quaker Valley boys soccer team wanted it to. After winning WPIAL and PIAA titles last season, the Quakers were motivated to repeat this season. After a solid regular season, where they went 11-1-1 and outscored opponents 114-8, they were ready to head into...
Senior class leads Sewickley Academy boys soccer to another strong season
The Sewickley Academy boys soccer team was on the brink of a berth into the WPIAL Class A championship for the first time since winning it all in 2016. The Panthers ran into No. 2 seed Winchester Thurston in the WPIAL Class A semifinals and took the defending PIAA Class...
Lewisburg too much for Deer Lakes boys soccer in state title game
Throughout the 2020 season, the Deer Lakes boys soccer team has taken pride in forcing its style of play on opponents. On Saturday, in the PIAA Class 2A championship game at Hersheypark Stadium, it was Lewisburg (22-0) that dictated how the game would flow. From the first whistle, Lewisburg dominated...
North Catholic girls soccer falls in first PIAA championship game appearance
North Catholic goalie Andrea Bean did everything she could during the Trojans’ first PIAA championship appearance on Saturday at Hersheypark Stadium. But with just under 20 minutes remaining in their contest against Bloomsburg, Panthers forward Rylee Klinger drew a penalty and Bucknell commit Paige Temple buried her attempt into the...
Shady Side Academy field hockey caps season with improbable run to PIAA semifinals
The Shady Side Academy field hockey team has made its fair share of PIAA playoff appearances since winning its first WPIAL title in 1993. But SSA could never find its way out of the quarterfinals and into the semifinals. Actually, not many WPIAL teams have been able to do so...
Fox Chapel’s Nate Lazzara caps high school career with all-state, all-WPIAL recognition
Throughout the 2020 high school soccer season, the Fox Chapel boys soccer team had a player to rely on when a goal was desperately needed. Senior forward Nate Lazzara fit that role perfectly for the Foxes, who finished 11-4 and fell just short against No. 1 Peters Township, 2-1, in...
Second-half rally lifts unbeaten Mars boys soccer to program’s first state title
All season long, the Mars boys soccer team was led by its defense. Mars had only allowed eight goals in 20 games, but when District 3 champion Northern scored the ninth in the first half of the PIAA Class 3A championship on Friday at Hersheypark Stadium, the Fightin’ Planets knew...
Deer Lakes seniors hope to leave final mark on program with victory in PIAA title game
For the past month, the Deer Lakes boys soccer team has been playing some of its best soccer. It has resulted in seven straight wins, a WPIAL Class 2A championship and a berth in the PIAA finals. The Lancers (17-1) have been treating every game like a championship, and Saturday’s...
Mars girls soccer caps undefeated season with second straight state title
For the third time in program history, the Mars girls soccer team is leaving Hersheypark Stadium with PIAA gold in hand and big grins on their faces. Purdue commit Gracie Dunaway scored a goal three minutes into their PIAA Class 3A championship match, and senior midfielder Samantha King shouldered in...
Lancers ready for 2nd PIAA title game appearance after missing out in 2018
Making a trip to Hersheypark Stadium on a weekend in mid-November can leave a lasting impact on any high school team. It can give players a sense of satisfaction after getting a PIAA gold medal placed around their neck or a sense of disappointment after losing on the biggest stage....
Central Valley laser-focused heading into PIAA semifinal matchup with Bedford
The Central Valley Warriors are coming off their second straight WPIAL title and are preparing for their PIAA semifinal matchup with District 5 champion Bedford on Friday. For the Warriors, it’s just like any other day. Since losing to Wyoming Area, 21-14, in the PIAA Class 3A state title game...
Burrell’s Ian Oswalt commits to Brown to continue wrestling career
Having one Burrell wrestler in a college program is enough to make an impact, but now the Brown Bears will have two on their roster in 2021. After senior AJ Corrado committed to the Rhode Island school earlier this fall, classmate Ian Oswalt also decided to join in on the...
Ryan Rodgers scores 3 goals to lead Deer Lakes to PIAA title game
For the last two years, Deer Lakes has been looking to get back to Hersheypark after coming up just short in 2018. On Tuesday night, on a snow-covered field at Lancers Stadium, the Lancers (17-1) accomplished that goal with a dominating 3-0 victory over District 10 champion Fairview (19-1-1) to...
Deer Lakes ready to ‘take care of business’ in PIAA semifinal matchup
Two years ago, the Deer Lakes boys soccer team made an improbable run to the 2018 PIAA Class AA championship game, and the Lancers have been looking to get back ever since. After a 2-0 win over District 9 champion Karns City on Saturday in the state quarterfinals, the Lancers...
Sewickley Academy hockey looking to build momentum
For a majority of the 2019-20 PIHL season, Sewickley Academy was on the losing end of things. The Panthers were 0-16, losing only three of those by two goals or fewer. But, as the season neared its end, the Panthers started to settle into a rhythm and won two of...
Deer Lakes shuts out Karns City to reach state semifinals for 2nd time in 3 years
From the first whistle of its PIAA Class 2A boys soccer quarterfinal against District 9 champion Karns City on Saturday, Deer Lakes’ confidence never wavered. The WPIAL champions controlled the pace of play and created scoring opportunities throughout the first half with tactical passing. A goal seemed inevitable. Seniors Ronan...
From near and far, longtime coach shepherds Shady Side Academy field hockey program
Since the Shady Side Academy field hockey team first began WPIAL competition in 1993, it has been one of the most successful programs around. The team has captured 17 WPIAL titles, winning at least three straight championships on five occasions. Shady Side also won WPIAL titles the first four years...
Combination of experienced leaders, young roster works for Fox Chapel hockey
The Fox Chapel hockey team may have lost five solid seniors, but with a young team that plays together, third-year coach Cam Raidna is confident in what his team can do. “We feel pretty good about our team this year, and we felt good about it going into the season...
Deer Lakes boys soccer has unfinished business in PIAA playoffs
As the Deer Lakes boys soccer team took the field for practice earlier this week at Lancers Stadium, players were still buzzing from capturing the first WPIAL title in school history. They had a few days off to rest, celebrate and relish in what they had accomplished Nov. 5 at...
