Greg Macafee stories, Page 39
Shady Side Academy sneaks by GCC for 1st WPIAL girls soccer title since 2016
The Shady Side Academy and Greensburg Central Catholic girls soccer teams split a pair of meetings in the regular season. On Friday at Highmark Stadium, the Indians took home the tiebreaker as they defeated the Centurions, 2-1, to win their first WPIAL Class A Championship since 2016. “It’s a hard...
New Kensington boxer Rich Cantolina fulfilling a promise inside the ringVideo
Heading into Saturday night’s fights at Printscape Arena in Canonsburg, New Kensington resident Rich Cantolina carries a professional boxing record of 5-0. But maintaining his undefeated record isn’t the only thing he hopes to accomplish. Boxing means a lot more to the Ambridge native. “It probably saved my life,” Cantolina...
Pennsylvania Karate Championships coming to the A-K Valley
The 47th annual Pennsylvania Karate Championships are coming to the A-K Valley. On Nov. 9, Valley High School will host the annual event as competitors from all over the state compete for top honors in the karate championships. It is an open tournament, so ages of contestants will range from...
Deer Lakes boys soccer searching for first WPIAL title
Since its loss in the PIAA Class AA championship game last season, the Deer Lakes boys soccer team has been on a mission. Not only do the Lancers want to get back to the state finals, which would be their second appearance in school history, they also want to cross...
Apollo-Ridge thrilled to stay at home on a Friday night
The Apollo-Ridge Vikings are celebrating the 100th anniversary of Owens Field this season. On Friday, they’ll get to do it in style by hosting their first home playoff game since 2014. “It’s huge for this week especially because of the short week,” Apollo-Ridge coach John Skiba said. “When you have...
A-K Valley high school football Q&A with Apollo-Ridge’s Klay Fitzroy
The Apollo-Ridge Vikings closed out their regular season schedule this past Friday with a 43-33 loss to Charleroi. But during that game, junior Klay Fitzroy had the opportunity to put his all-around versatility on display. Over the course of the game, Fitzroy, a 6-foot-4, 195-pound junior, threw a 53-yard pass,...
Bethel Park stands in way of elusive playoff victory for Kiski Area
It’s been 29 years since the last Kiski Area football playoff victory. On Friday, the No. 10 Cavaliers will get the second opportunity of the Sam Albert era to break that drought when they travel 40 miles south to take on seventh-seeded Bethel Park in the first round of the...
Mt. Lebanon, Canon-McMillan square off for WPIAL Class AAAA boys soccer championship
WPIAL Class AAAA Boys Soccer Championship 2-Mt. Lebanon (15-4-1) vs. 4-Canon-McMillan (14-3-1) 8 p.m. Thursday, Highmark Stadium Coaches: Bill Perz, Mt. Lebanon; Larry Fingers, Canon-McMillan Players to watch: Giuseppe Croce, Sr., MF, Mt. Lebanon; Joey Fonagy, Jr., F, Canon-McMillan Corner kicks: The Blue Devils are playing in their first WPIAL...
A-K Valley quarterbacks set the bar high in 2019
When the regular season ended this past Friday, seven quarterbacks from around the WPIAL had surpassed the 2,000-yard passing mark. Deer Lakes’ Aris Hasley and Burrell’s Alex Arledge were two of them. In his senior season, Hasley took the Lancers’ offense to a new level and became the leading passer...
A-K Valley boys soccer capsule for Oct. 30
Class A 4-Carlynton (17-3) vs. 6-Springdale (15-4) 6 p.m. Wednesday at Moon Winner advances to PIAA Class A Tournament Coaches: Nick Showman, Carlynton; Cesareo Sanchez, Springdale Players to Watch: Demetrius Howe, MF, Jr., Carlynton; Andrew Haus, GK, So., Springdale Corner Kicks: The Dynamos are seeking their second trip to the...
Apollo-Ridge, Kiski Area, Fox Chapel learn playoff opponents at WPIAL football pairings meeting
When the seedings of the WPIAL football playoffs were released Monday evening at the annual pairings meeting, three A-K Valley teams found out who they would be facing in the first round Friday night. Of the three, Apollo-Ridge was the only team to receive a first-round home game. After going...
WPIAL releases boys soccer championship dates, times
The dates and times for the WPIAL boys soccer championships at Highmark Stadium have been released for all four classifications, and they will take place Thursday, Friday and Saturday this week. Consolation games taking place in Class A, AA and AAA are set to be played Wednesday. Times and locations...
Burrell football is back on the map
Despite a 56-32 season ending loss to Big East Conference runner-up Derry on Friday night, it’s clear Burrell is a team on the rise in Class 3A. One year after going 2-8, where second-year coach Shawn Liotta at times dressed 17-18 players a game, the Bucs (6-4) produced their first...
Derry runs past Burrell in crucial Big East Conference matchupVideo
Derry coach Tim Sweeney put it best earlier this week when he talked about senior running back Justin Huss as they headed into their WPIAL Class 3A Big East Conference matchup with Burrell. “I feel safe in saying he’s the best running back in our conference, and he might be...
A-K Valley boys soccer playoff capsules for Saturday, Oct. 26
Saturday’s games Boys Class AAAA semifinals 1-Plum (16-0-2) vs. 4-Canon McMillan (13-3-1) 4 p.m. at Mars High School Winner plays: Winner of 2-Mt. Lebanon (14-4-1)/3-Seneca Valley (14-3-1) Coaches: Raf Kolankowski, Plum; Larry Fingers, Canon-McMillan Players to watch: AJ Koma, Jr., F, Plum; Owen Maher, Jr., D, Canon-McMillan Corner kicks: The...
West Allegheny girls soccer defeats Kiski Area to advance to first semifinal in program history
For the first time in school history, the West Allegheny girls soccer team is headed to the semifinals of the WPIAL Class AAA playoffs. After a first half in which West Allegheny and Kiski Area recorded five shots and four saves apiece, the ball finally started to find the back...
Deer Lakes tops North Catholic in overtime to advance to boys soccer semifinals
The first 85 minutes of the WPIAL Class AA quarterfinal matchup between No. 2 Deer Lakes and No. 7 North Catholic was a stalemate, but something was bound to break sooner or later. Five minutes into the first overtime, Deer Lakes forward Mike Sullivan settled a rebound off a free...
A-K Valley high school football Q&A with Highlands’ Johnny Crise
Over the past few weeks, the Highlands football team has started to hit its stride, especially in the passing game. Senior wide receiver Johnny Crise has been a big part of that. During Highlands’ past two games, he has caught 12 passes for 295 yards and four touchdowns as the...
Derry provides tough final hurdle for Burrell’s playoff quest
Since their matchup with Deer Lakes on Sept. 27, the Burrell Bucs have been in playoff mode. They knew to secure their first playoff berth since 2012, they would have to get over some big humps, and it started during that matchup against the Lancers. They came away with a...
A-K Valley boys soccer playoff capsules
Wednesday’s games Boys soccer Quarterfinals CLASS AAAA 1-Plum (15-0-2) vs. 8-Upper St. Clair (12-3-2) 8 p.m. Wednesday at Plum Winner Plays: Winner of 4-Canon-McMillan/5-Fox Chapel Coaches: Raf Kolankowski, Plum; Uwe Schneider, Upper St. Clair Players to Watch: DD Flowers, Jr., F, Plum; Colin Sibley, Sr., F, Upper St. Clair Corner...
Plum boys soccer is ready to push past postseason shortcomings
The Plum boys soccer team has enjoyed a storybook-type season heading into their WPIAL Class AAAA quarterfinal match with Upper St. Clair on Wednesday. The Mustangs finished the regular season with a 15-0-2 record, captured the Section 3-AAAA championship and produced a goal differential of plus-47. It is the type...
After rough start, Fox Chapel is looking to close with 4 wins in row
Just a few weeks ago, the Fox Chapel football team was on the outside of the Class 5A playoff picture looking in. They were 1-5 overall, 1-3 in section and were coming off a 42-0 shutout loss to Upper St. Clair. The Foxes needed to turn things around. To do...
Springdale boys soccer gets past Chartiers-Houston in physical battle
Throughout the course of a soccer season there are certain moments when seniors feel the need to step up and make big plays. On Saturday at Fox Chapel, senior midfielder Mike Mitchell did just that during No. 6 Springdale’s WPIAL Class A first-round victory over No. 11 Chartiers-Houston. Mitchell received...
Fox Chapel football team cruises by Armstrong for 3rd win in rowVideo
It didn’t start great, but with its playoff hopes on the line, Fox Chapel rebounded quickly from an early turnover and ran away with its Class 5A Northern Conference matchup against Armstrong, 41-14. After Sam Brown fumbled on Fox Chapel’s second play of the game, the defense forced an Armstrong...
Armed with playoff experience, Deer Lakes boys soccer is ready to make another run
Beginning on Saturday, boys soccer teams from around the area will begin their trek to the WPIAL championship game at Highmark Stadium. The Class AA No. 2 Deer Lakes Lancers will approach their first-round game with No. 15 Steel Valley, along with any other games, as if they are already...
