Michael Love stories, Page 36
Plum girls wrestlers continue growth in 1st year as PIAA sanctioned sport
When the Plum school board voted to sponsor a girls wrestling program in June 2022, it got the ball rolling for new opportunities in a district rich with wrestling tradition. Eighteen months on, 12 girls represent the Mustangs in the newly sanctioned PIAA sport. Coach Dave Miller said progress was...
Gateway sports year in review: Boys tennis team makes program history
Paced by singles standouts in sophomores Adam Memije and Zidan Hassan and freshman Logan Memije, the Gateway boys tennis team captured the program’s first WPIAL team title in 35 years with a victory over North Allegheny in the Class 3A finals May 10 at Washington & Jefferson College. The No....
A-K Valley all-time leading passer Derek Burk of Deer Lakes wins Valley News Dispatch offensive player of the year honors
Offensive player of the year Derek Burk Deer Lakes, QB, sr. When Derek Burk stepped on the field against rival Freeport in the Allegheny 6 Conference finale, he had his sights set on doing what he could to help Deer Lakes clinch a spot in the playoffs for the second...
Hard-nosed linebacker Luke Bombalski of Highlands named Valley News Dispatch defensive player of the year
Defensive player of the year Luke Bombalski Highlands, RB/LB, sr. Before Highlands’ 2023 season started, Luke Bombalski was asked what his goals were for the season. The senior two-way standout didn’t point to any type of personal success. It was team accomplishments he was focused on. A playoff win was...
2023 Valley News Dispatch high school football all-stars
Parker Anderson Knoch, OL/DL, Sr. The 6-foot-1, 260-pounder was a difference maker in the trenches for the playoff-qualifying Knights in Class 3A. He helped Knoch gain more than 3,000 total yards and collect eight victories in 11 games. Coaches in the Allegheny 6 Conference recognized him as the most valuable...
North Catholic starts section play with 20-point win vs. Highlands
With about four minutes left in the third quarter of Thursday’s Section 1-4A opener between Highlands and North Catholic, the host Golden Rams trailed by two points. Moments before, senior sharpshooter Kate Myers had drained a 3-pointer from the left wing to draw Highlands to within one possession and energize...
Burrell, Kiski Area wrestlers celebrate sport with 1st A-K Valley girls dual, latest edition of boys rivalry
The final score of the history-making girls wrestling match between Kiski Area and Burrell — the first-ever in the Alle-Kiski Valley — was won by the Cavaliers, 30-12. But the wrestlers, coaches and spectators who witnessed the match know both Kiski Area and Burrell were winners Wednesday night. “This is...
Burrell wrestling looks to start its own streak against rival Kiski Area
The Burrell wrestling team waited 10 years to get back into the win column against rival Kiski Area. The Bucs ended the decade-long losing streak to the Cavaliers in a match last season at Kiski Area High School that went down to the wire. Julian Bertucci’s pin at 121 pounds...
Gateway grad Will Kromka steps into starting lineup for Pitt-Johnstown
Will Kromka was somewhat behind the 8-ball when he began his collegiate basketball career in the fall of 2022. The Pitt-Johnstown sophomore guard and Gateway graduate suffered an ankle injury in the spring that required significant surgery. That put him on the shelf for several months and slowed his growth....
Gateway sports notebook: Boys basketball team earns pair of early-season wins
The Gateway and Allderdice boys basketball teams played close throughout their nonsection game Dec. 5 at Allderdice High School. The Gators led by three at halftime and by two at the end of the third quarter before holding on for a 56-51 victory over the Dragons. The win moved Gateway...
A-K Valley high school athletes of the week: Plum’s Megan Marston and Kiski Area’s Isaiah Gonzalez
Megan Marston Class: Senior School: Plum Sport: Basketball Report card: Marston had a hot hand for the Mustangs as they jumped out to a 3-0 start. She kicked off the season with 22 points in a 67-43 victory over Freeport at the Freeport Tip-Off. About 12 hours later, she poured...
After strong WPIAL performance, expectations remain high for Plum girls swimmers
Last year’s WPIAL Class 3A championship meet was one to remember for the Plum girls swim team. The Mustangs earned five medals — two in individual events and in all three relays — and placed 10th in a deep team standings. While seven seniors were lost to graduation from the...
Megan Marston’s hot hand helps Plum girls start 3-0
Megan Marston got off to a hot start for the Plum girls basketball team. The senior guard had a pair of 22-point efforts in wins over Freeport and Highlands at the Freeport tip-off tournament the weekend of Dec. 1. Marston then hit for 31 in helping the Mustangs (3-0) roll...
First official season for girls wrestling in Pennsylvania getting started
The date May 17, 2023, will not soon be forgotten by those who follow and have an affinity for girls wrestling locally and throughout Pennsylvania. That day, the PIAA officially sanctioned the sport, making good on its promise that if schools in the state came through and 100 or more...
Springdale continues search for new football coach
Springdale continues its search for a new football coach, and the deadline for applications, according to a post on the WPIAL website, is Wednesday. Ryan Tempalski stepped down shortly after the season concluded, ending a two-year tenure with the Dynamos. In explaining his decision, Tempalski said it was best he...
Kiski Area basketball standout finding ways to help team after 2nd torn ACL
When Kiski Area senior Isaiah Gonzalez slashed to the basket or pulled up for a mid-range jumper in Tuesday’s 58-45 victory over New Castle, Jason Flemm got excited. When Cavaliers junior Colin Keller drained one from beyond the arc or made a standout defensive play, Flemm felt the energy. When...
WPIAL well-represented on Pennsylvania Volleyball Coaches Association girls all-state teams
WPIAL players were well-represented on the all-state girls volleyball teams released Wednesday by the Pennsylvania Volleyball Coaches Association. North Allegheny placed four on the Class 4A team — senior libero Avery Butcher, senior outside hitter Marin Dunaway, senior right side Jamie Frisco and senior outside hitter Kyra Schmidt. The Tigers...
Kiski Area girls hold off late push by St. Joseph to bounce back from loss
The Kiski Area girls basketball team bounced back from a tough loss to Armstrong Saturday and handed St. Joseph its first loss of the young season with a 44-35 victory Tuesday in a nonsection clash at Kiski Area High School. “It was nice to come back and get a good...
Plum girls basketball team starts season with victory over Freeport
Last year’s girls basketball season opener between Plum and Freeport at the Freeport Tip-Off Tournament went down to the wire with Mustangs combo guard/forward Riley Stephans hitting a 3-pointer at the buzzer in her freshman varsity debut. Plum didn’t need any late-game heroics in Friday’s rematch with the Yellowjackets at...
Burrell’s 1st girls wrestling team ready to debut
With high school girls wrestling growing at such a rapid rate in Pennsylvania and throughout the country, Burrell didn’t want to be left on the outside looking in. Burrell is the latest area school to give an affirmative vote to sponsor a girls wrestling program, having finalized the decision at...
Riverview boys basketball rolls past Valley in opener behind Jack Loughren’s 18 points
Jack Loughren missed all of last year’s basketball season with a leg injury. The Riverview senior guard felt good in his return to game action Friday at the Freeport Tip-Off at Freeport Middle School. Loughren scored 18 points and added eight rebounds to help pace a balanced effort as the...
Starting 5: A primer for 2023-24 boys basketball season in the A-K Valley
The WPIAL boys basketball season opens Friday. Here are some of the top storylines, teams and players to watch this season in the Alle-Kiski Valley 5 Storylines New faces at the top: Four teams — Freeport (Rich Macura), Leechburg (Andrew McDermott), St. Joseph (Logan Acri) and Valley (Ed Jenkins) —...
Starting 5: A primer for 2023-24 girls basketball season in the A-K Valley
The WPIAL girls basketball season opens Friday. Here are some of the top storylines, teams and players to watch this season in the Alle-Kiski Valley” 5 storylines New bench leaders: Apollo-Ridge (Jeff Zelonka), Freeport (Mallory Ketterer), Knoch (Shane McGraw), St. Joseph (Geoff Dutelle) and Springdale (Mike Dudjak) begin the season...
Loaded St. Joseph girls basketball team has eye on WPIAL finals
For the second straight year, the St. Joseph girls basketball team reached the WPIAL Class A semifinals. Two years ago, the Spartans pulled off one of the biggest upsets in recent memory, taking down No. 1 Rochester, a three-time defending WPIAL champion, in the quarterfinals. Last year, St. Joseph didn’t...
Underdog status doesn’t keep St. Joseph boys basketball team from aiming high
Charlie Ross hopes to be a central figure in St. Joseph boys basketball’s attempt this season to return to the WPIAL Class A playoffs. The only player back with varsity experience from last year’s Spartans squad which went o 8-14 overall and 2-8 in Section 3-A, Ross said he sees...
