Greg Macafee stories, Page 21
WPIAL athletic directors deal with ‘whirlwind’ while preparing for fall sports
A pandemic wasn’t exactly on the radar for Drew Karpen when he was hired as the Highlands athletic director last year. “You could have given me a million guesses on how my first year was going to go, and I would’ve not have mentioned it at all,” Karpen said. That’s...
Riverhounds capture playoff berth with dominating win over Hartford Athletic
The Pittsburgh Riverhounds clinched a USL Championship playoff berth for the third straight season Saturday and did so in dominating fashion. Ropapa Mensah and Ryan James scored two goals apiece, and Anthony Velarde scored a penalty kick as Pittsburgh (9-3-1) defeated Hartford (6-3-1) opponent 5-0 to take a nine-point lead...
Fox Chapel basketball star Eli Yofan trades his soccer cleats for golf clubs
Throughout the winter months, Fox Chapel junior Eli Yofan made a name for himself on the basketball court as he led the Foxes to an almost perfect regular season and a WPIAL Section 3-6A championship. It came just a few months after Yofan played a big role in the Fox...
Burrell, Valley looking forward to another ‘Battle of the Bypass’
Before last year, Valley had dominated the “Battle of the Bypass” rivalry with Burrell, winning six straight. But when the airways opened up last season, quarterback Alex Arledge and the Bucs took home their first victory in the rivalry since 2012 with a 20-0 shutout, and they are looking forward...
Riverhounds look to stay sharp for important matchup with Hartford Athletic
Every win matters for the Pittsburgh Riverhounds at this point in the season, but Saturday’s contest with Hartford Athletic is one of utmost importance. Heading into their second meeting of the season, the teams are battling for first place in Group F. Although the Riverhounds lead the group by six...
Riverhounds Notebook: Team looks to build on perfect week
The Pittsburgh Riverhounds are coming off of their best week of the season. From Aug. 28 to Sept. 5, the Riverhounds played three games and went undefeated without allowing a goal and scoring nine. It was a week most coaches dream of, and it put the Riverhounds in prime position,...
In just over a year, Moon native Khama Worthy rockets to top of UFC fight card
The last year has been a little weird for Moon township native Khama Worthy, as the 33-year-old UFC fighter has gone from a last-minute replacement to a co-main event star. On Aug. 17 last year, Worthy took a fight against Devonte Smith, who was 10-1 at the time, on four...
Former Blackhawk, Slippery Rock infielder Joe Campagna signs with Wild Things
Although his summer at Wild Things Park was cut short, it looks like former Blackhawk and Slippery Rock infielder Joe Campagna was able to make an impression on the Washington Wild Things. After recording a .303 batting average for the Slammin’ Sammies this summer, the New Castle native became the...
Led by a staff of former Lancers, Deer Lakes ready to turn the corner
Deer Lakes football coach Tim Burk found himself in an interesting situation earlier this year. After last season, all of his assistant coaches went in different directions. Two decided to chase opportunities elsewhere, one moved to take over a family business, and the last received a teaching job at another...
Led by talented sophomore, junior classes, East Allegheny set to take next step
During his seven years as the football coach at East Allegheny, Dom Pecora has been trying to create a winning tradition. Over the past four years, he’s done just that. The Wildcats have reached the playoffs the last four years and earned a first-round playoff victory over Mohawk in 2017....
North Catholic motivated after falling short in WPIAL postseason
The North Catholic football players are motivated by how their 2019 season ended. The Trojans had great expectations last season, and through the regular season, they fulfilled those expectations. They won eight of nine games with their only loss coming against WPIAL Class 3A champion Central Valley. They captured the...
Valley to rely on experience, running game
The Valley Vikings lacked experience last season, and it showed early. They had a first-year starting quarterback, one returning starter on offense and four on defense, and they lacked strong line play. Despite their 1-9 record, the young team started to develop and learn from its mistakes as the season...
WPIAL Class 3A football breakdown: Scenery changes but Central Valley still team to beat
The WPIAL Class 3A race may look a little different this year, but the winner could be the same. Perennial contender Aliquippa has moved up to Class 4A, and Beaver Falls has moved down to Class 2A after fielding one of its best teams since 2016. The entire classification has...
Burrell looking to ‘seize the moment’ under 3rd-year coach
Since taking over the Burrell football program three years ago, coach Shawn Liotta has been trying to create a buzz around the Bucs. By the end of last season, players, coaches, administrators and fans could hear that buzz as loud as ever. The Bucs recorded their first winning season since...
A-K Valley boys soccer preview: Plum looking to stand out again
The Plum boys soccer team put together one of its best seasons in recent memory last season, capturing the section title and going undefeated in the regular season. But with the graduation of key seniors such as leading goal scorer Tyler Kolankowski, center back Cole Kelly and midfielder Luke Gildea,...
Defense, running game set to lead Kiski Area
Teams are always in search of their identity, and it took the Kiski Area Cavaliers a little longer than expected to find theirs in 2019. But as the Cavaliers get ready for the 2020 season, they have a better idea of what that identity is going to be, and they...
With new coach, Brownsville focused on running, stopping run
The Brownsville football team hasn’t had a winning season in quite some time, but first-year coach Ramont Small is ready to get the Falcons pointed in the right direction. The Falcons finished 2-8 last season with wins over Bentworth and Beth-Center, but they haven’t had a season with more than...
Leechburg incorporates Air Raid offense under 1st-year coach
A new era is coming to Leechburg football, and new coach Randy Walters is ready to take the Blue Devils to new heights. Since accepting the job in March, Walters has focused on the finer points of putting his stamp on the program. He and his coaching staff have revamped...
Run vs. Pass: Fast-paced, high-scoring offenses finding a home in Alle-Kiski Valley
When Shawn Liotta took over the Burrell football program two years ago, he brought a fast-paced and exciting passing offense with him. The Bucs quickly adopted the motto “Play Fast” as they operated with a no-huddle, run-and-shoot offense that lights up the scoreboard and set a PIAA record for most...
Riverhounds complete perfect week with win over New York Red Bulls II
The Riverhounds completed their best week of the season Saturday when they beat New York Red Bulls II, 3-0, on the road. The Riverhounds’ Ropapa Mensah scored just before halftime, then Robbie Mertz scored his fifth goal of the season to tie Steevan Dos Santos for the team lead in...
Quaker Valley soccer ready to continue tradition with new coach
J.J. Veshio has been around the Quaker Valley soccer program practically his entire life. He was a player and assistant coach, but the Quaker Valley graduate never really imagined becoming the head coach, something so many of his mentors have done. When former head coach Andrew Marshall stepped down this...
Kiski Area football reschedules postponed games
Earlier this week, the Kiski Area football team was forced to postpone its first two games of the season because of a covid-19 exposure. The Cavaliers suspended all football activities until Sept. 10 and had to postpone matchups against Penn Hills and Connellsville. But, the Cavaliers now have it all...
Riverhounds prepare to deal with New York’s intense pressure in rubber match
The Riverhounds are in the middle of one of their best weeks of the season and they are looking to finish strong when they head to New Jersey on Saturday to face off with New York Red Bulls II. Last Friday, the Black and Gold got an important 3-0 win...
Deer Lakes boys soccer motivated to return to WPIAL championship game and more
Last season didn’t end the way the Deer Lakes boys soccer team wanted. In the first year under coach Dan Yates, the Lancers recorded a 17-6 overall record, went 13-1 in WPIAL Section 2-2A play and earned their first WPIAL championship appearance in school history. But, they lost to eventual...
Highlands looks to pick up where it left off
Toward the end of last football season, Highlands started to hit a stride. In their final three games, the Golden Rams went 1-2, but losses to South Fayette and Latrobe came by a combined five points. They also produced three of their five highest-scoring outputs of the season. Despite losing...
