Burrell wrestling staff honored as top assistant coaches in state
The Burrell wrestling team continued its high level of success this past season with a 19th consecutive section championship, another appearance in the WPIAL Class 2A title match, a trip to the PIAA tournament and several individual standout performances at the section, WPIAL, regional and state levels. Bucs head coach...
Latrobe football team earns long-awaited 7-on-7 win on its home field
As Penn-Trafford’s final deep pass attempt sailed out of the end zone and fell incomplete, players from Latrobe jumped into each other’s arms and bounced around in a sudden swell of excitement. For once, the Wildcats got to celebrate on their home field, which hosted the county 7-on-7 passing tournament...
A-K Valley notebook: Freeport captures summer league title
High school basketball season is still months away, but excitement levels ramped up a little early for the Freeport boys basketball team. The Yellowjackets captured the St. Joseph summer league championship with a buzzer-beating victory over Kiski Area on Thursday. Rising junior Brady Sullivan hit the game-winning shot. Fellow rising...
Bolstered by 5 WPIAL championship teams, Quaker Valley captures Class 4A Trib Cup
Mike Mastroianni was in a no lose situation in this year’s race for the Trib HSSN Cup in Class 4A. He is the athletic director and boys basketball coach at Quaker Valley while he lives in the Montour school district. Those two schools finished first and second, with Mastroianni’s Quakers...
Penn-Trafford names Travis McKillop as wrestling coach
When A.J. Brentzel decided to step down as Penn-Trafford’s wrestling coach, athletic director Kerry Hetrick knew who could be the school’s next coach. It was assistant coach Travis McKillop, who spent the past three seasons rebuilding the program with Brentzel. “The kids like Travis, and I’m confident he’ll continue to...
A-K Valley teams adjust to changes in basketball alignment
Basketball in the A-K Valley will have a bit of a different look next winter. The WPIAL board of directors approved section alignments for the next two-year cycle in boys and girls basketball on June 13. Several A-K Valley teams were impacted. Here’s a look at some of the changes:...
Deer Lakes’ Justin Brannagan named 2022 Valley News Dispatch Baseball Player of the Year
2022 Valley News Dispatch Baseball All-Stars Player of the Year Justin Brannagan Deer Lakes, Sr., P/INF Justin Brannagan had a propensity this year for coming up big in clutch playoff scenarios. In February, Deer Lakes trailed Blackhawk by one point in the final seconds of a WPIAL Class 4A first-round...
Burrell’s Katie Armstrong earns 2022 Valley News Dispatch Softball Player of the Year honors
2022 Valley News Dispatch Softball All-Stars Player of the Year Katie Armstrong Burrell, Jr., P If the regular season didn’t already show it, then a WPIAL Class 4A quarterfinal game against Belle Vernon proved just how dominant Burrell junior pitcher Katie Armstrong was throughout the spring. Armstrong held a potent...
Burrell’s Jarrett relishes being part of 1st PIHL girls hockey season
Ellie Jarrett was smiling ear to ear after the PIHL girls hockey championship game June 11 at UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex in Cranberry Township. The rising sophomore at Burrell proudly held the trophy after she helped Team East, with players also from Armstrong, Elizabeth Forward, Hempfield, Latrobe, Norwin, Penn-Trafford, Windber,...
A-K Valley senior spotlight: Burrell’s Isabella Leger
Isabella Leger spent her four years at Burrell running for the cross country team and the track and field team. When Leger wanted to join the teams, her parents thought she was joking because she had severe asthma. Nonetheless, she stayed persistent in the sport and, after her sophomore year,...
Future looks bright for Burrell softball
A youthful lineup this spring didn’t stop the Burrell softball team from reaching the playoffs for the 17th season in a row, and when the Bucs arrived in the postseason, they made the most of their opportunity. Coach Rick Nealer said the team, which faced lower-than-usual roster numbers this year,...
Beaver’s Payton List crosses off Burrell in state quarterfinals with 20-K shutout
Beaver coach Amy Haggart often says standout pitcher Payton List gets better each game. It’s hard to disagree. The senior right-hander struck out a career-high 20 batters and gave up just one hit as the Bobcats (21-0) won their 42nd consecutive game with a 3-0 victory over Burrell. The PIAA...
A-K Valley PIAA softball playoff capsules for June 9, 2022
Today’s games Class 4A Quarterfinals Burrell (14-2) vs. Beaver (20-0) 3 p.m. at Mars Winner plays: Winner of Hamburg (20-3) vs. Clearfield (19-3) in semifinals Monday (site and time TBD) Players to watch: Caroline Dynka, Burrell; Payton List, Beaver Extra bases: Burrell won its first state playoff game since 2011...
Burrell softball team faces juggernaut Beaver in PIAAs
The Beaver softball team currently owns one of the longest winning streaks in WPIAL history. The Bobcats, last year’s PIAA Class 4A champs, defeated District 3’s Fleetwood, 3-2, on Monday to extend their unbeaten run to 41 games. Burrell (14-2) has its chance to stop Beaver in its tracks Thursday,...
12 WPIAL softball teams advance to PIAA quarterfinals
While opening day of the PIAA baseball playoffs was a mixed bag for district teams, the WPIAL softball qualifiers got a chance to strut their stuff in the first round. The WPIAL was a strong 12-7 in opening round games Monday, with all six new district champions winning and moving...
Burrell rides early offense, Armstrong’s arm into PIAA softball quarterfinals
ERIE — It was déjà vu for the Burrell softball team Monday afternoon in its PIAA Class 4A first-round game against District 10 champion Villa Maria Academy at Penn State Behrend. The Bucs scored three times in the first inning of last Tuesday’s consolation-game victory over Montour that clinched a...
A-K Valley PIAA softball playoff capsules: Games for Monday, June 6, 2022
Class 4A First round 7-3 Burrell (13-2) vs. 10-1 Villa Maria Academy (17-3) 3 p.m. Monday at Penn State-Behrend Winner plays: Winner of 7-1 Beaver Area (19-0) vs. 3-3 Fleetwood (16-6) Thursday in quarterfinals (site and time TBD) Players to Watch: Katie Armstrong, Burrell; Jenna Wagner, Villa Maria Academy Extra...
19 WPIAL teams prepare for PIAA softball playoffs
The 2022 PIAA softball playoffs start Monday with 19 WPIAL teams searching for state gold, including recently crowned district winners Seneca Valley, Armstrong, Beaver, Avonworth, Neshannock and Union on the hunt for more treasures. The state playoffs are made up of four rounds with the championships to be played at...
Burrell softball team eyes 1st PIAA win in decade
With its season on the line and a trip to the PIAA playoffs at stake, the Burrell softball team came up big Tuesday against Montour at Mars. The Bucs scored early, and their defense, coupled with the pitching of junior ace Katie Armstrong, made it hold up in a 3-1...
Burrell coach Shawn Liotta, brother Jeremy key cogs of innovative Fan Controlled Football League
Shawn Liotta’s passion for coaching football and striving for success has no downtime. It’s a year-round venture. It’s his job. And he wouldn’t want it any other way. A veteran mentor in the sport for more than two decades at the high school, collegiate and professional levels, including work in...
Katie Armstrong leads Burrell into PIAA softball playoffs for 1st time in 11 years
For the first time in 11 years, the Burrell softball team will be a part of the PIAA playoffs. The Bucs scored three times in the first inning of Tuesday’s WPIAL Class 4A third-place game against Montour at Mars. The lead held up behind the pitching of junior Katie Armstrong...
Fresh faces have Burrell softball team 1 win from PIAA playoffs
Bella Stewart said it all was a bit nerve-wracking at first when she jumped in head first as the Burrell softball team began the season. “We knew that there were spots that needed to be filled,” said Stewart, the team’s starting catcher from Day 1 and one of six freshmen,...
Elizabeth Forward puts end to Burrell’s softball title hopes
While the Burrell softball team failed to reach one of its goals Wednesday, another one remains very much in play. The Bucs saw their pursuit of a WPIAL Class 4A title halted in a 2-1 semifinal loss to No. 2 Elizabeth Forward at Norwin. But No. 3 Burrell’s season isn’t...
Alle-Kiski sends plenty of track athletes to PIAAs
Deer Lakes senior Carson McCoy doesn’t have to wait long to run at the PIAA track and field championships at Shippensburg University. He will be on the track at 9 a.m. Friday morning in defense of his Class 2A boys 1,600-meter title. It is the first of many events on...
What to watch for in WPIAL sports for May 25, 2022: Boys volleyball, lacrosse titles up for grabs
The district gold starts to flow Wednesday with two WPIAL boys volleyball and three district lacrosse title matches. In boys volleyball, could there be a changing of the guard in Class 3A? North Allegheny has completely dominated the 3A landscape with 21 WPIAL boys volleyball championships, four straight crowns and...
