Behind 3 WPIAL champions, North Catholic lifts 3rd straight Trib Cup in Class 3A
The North Catholic victory tradition continued to ring loud and clear this past school year. Steady contributions across all three seasons, along with a couple of championship runs, helped the Trojans win a third straight Trib HSSN Cup for Class 3A in 2021-22. “North Catholic has a long standing tradition...
Fox Chapel boys basketball drops to Class 5A in PIAA realignment
The biennial WPIAL basketball realignment can bring about odd situations. Take the one issued by the WPIAL Board of Directors to cover the 2022-23 and 2023-24 seasons. Both finalists for the 2021 Class 6A boys title — Fox Chapel and North Hills — are now part of Class 5A. Fox...
Shady Side Academy captains reflect on another WPIAL girls lacrosse championship
The WPIAL Class 3A title game victory for the Shady Side Academy girls lacrosse team was significant for the seniors who have known nothing but championships. But it was also significant for their coach. Coach Katy Phillips, also assistant athletic director for the school, will be leaving for another position...
Shady Side Academy boys lacrosse savors win in ‘electric’ WPIAL title game
Shady Side Academy players and coaches knew the WPIAL Class 3A boys lacrosse championship game would be a close battle. It lived up to those expectations and then some. The Bulldogs (17-5) defeated Mt. Lebanon in overtime, 12-11, at Robert Morris’ Joe Walton Stadium. A goal by J.P. Henry on...
Fox Chapel, Shady Side Academy athletes make state meet
Sophomore Mason Miles was the only member of the Fox Chapel track team to move on to the PIAA finals this year at Shippensburg University. The sophomore finished second in the shot put at the WPIAL meet recently at Slippery Rock University’s N. Kerr Thompson Stadium. Miles’ recored a throw...
Shady Side Academy boys beat Mt. Lebanon for WPIAL lacrosse title on J.P. Henry highlight-reel goal in OT
Shady Side Academy and Mt. Lebanon came into the WPIAL 3A tournament as the top two seeds. The teams met in the regular season in a tight, one-goal match one by the Bulldogs. So, it was no surprise that the championship rematch was close as Shady Side Academy’s J.P. Henry...
Shady Side Academy girls lacrosse completes WPIAL 3-peat
In 2019, Shady Side Academy needed two overtimes to beat Upper St Clair for its first girls lacrosse championship. Last season, the Bulldogs needed a goal from Jenny Wooding with 26.8 seconds remaining to best Mt. Lebanon. There was no such drama Wednesday night at Robert Morris. The Bulldogs shut...
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...
What to watch for in WPIAL sports for May 23, 2022: Rematches set for baseball playoffs
Welcome to Semifinals Monday in the 2022 WPIAL baseball playoffs. Unless your team is in classes 6A or 4A, then it’s Welcome to Quarterfinals Monday. Whether it’s the second or third round, the recurring theme is rematches. Of the 16 scheduled games, 11 are matchups between teams that faced each...
Quaker Valley tennis advances to PIAA semifinals
One WPIAL boys tennis team remains in the hunt for a PIAA title after Quaker Valley earned a 3-1 win over District 6 champion Juniata in the state quarterfinals Friday at Hershey Racquet Club. Mike Sirianni won at first singles, and the doubles teams of Henry Veeck/Justin Hajdukiewicz and Michael...
Shady Side Academy overcomes injuries to make WPIAL baseball playoffs
Some baseball teams get bit by the injury bug. For the Shady Side Academy baseball team, it’s more like the injury tarantula. The Bulldogs finished the regular season without some of their top players who were felled with injuries. This didn’t stop Shady Side from finishing with a 7-3 mark...
What to watch for on Trib HSSN for Monday, May 9, 2022: Baseball, softball, tennis on tap
Welcome to the final week of the WPIAL baseball and softball regular season. With weather not an issue, several district baseball teams hope to join the long list of schools that have qualified for the 2022 WPIAL baseball playoffs with a victory Monday. *Kiski Area can clinch a playoff berth...
Shady Side Academy doubles champs turn attention to PIAA tournament
After missing last season because of elbow surgery and 2020 because of the coronavirus pandemic, Shady Side Academy junior David Mnuskin wanted to make the most of a rare opportunity. Mnuskin and doubles partner Sam Bitzer brought home the WPIAL Class 3A doubles title to Shady Side by defeating Franklin...
Shady Side Academy tandem captures school’s 11th WPIAL doubles title
The WPIAL boys tennis doubles title has returned to Shady Side Academy. Bulldogs senior Sam Bitzer and junior David Mnuskin overcame weather more suited for late January than late April to prevail over Franklin Regional’s Prerit Yadav and Dhruv Kulkarni, 6-3, 6-3, at North Allegheny High School. The duo was...
Shady Side Academy, North Catholic teams win WPIAL doubles titles
Teams in the WPIAL doubles tennis championships Wednesday faced two obstacles – tough opponents and terrible weather. The teams that handled the windy, cold conditions the best took home the titles. The Shady Side Academy duo of David Mnuskin and Sam Bitzer defeated Franklin Regional’s Dhruv Kulkarni and Prerit Yadav,...
2022 Trib HSSN Head of the Class: WPIAL boys basketball’s best in each classification
There were a lot of players and coaches who put in plenty of time on the basketball court this season to be the best they could be. While we salute all of those who participated in a memorable 2022 high school boys basketball campaign, we have a special seat in...
Shady Side Academy softball program seeks rebound
After a post-pandemic 1-9 season last year, Shady Side Academy is looking for quick improvement. “I’m hoping to win a few more of our section games this year,” coach Rebecca Uhlean said. “Truth be told, it’s a pretty tough section for the level we’re at right now. We’re still a...
Shady Side Academy baseball looks to keep momentum rolling
Shady Side Academy made the WPIAL baseball playoffs last season, finished in second place in Section 3-2A and had its first winning season (10-6, 8-2) in five years. But in 2022, the Bulldogs want more. “We’re trying to build on what they did last year and continue with the tradition...
Neighboring Fox Chapel, Shady Side Academy celebrate basketball titles
Fox Chapel and Shady Side Academy, schools located just about a mile apart, are celebrating WPIAL boys basketball championships from earlier this month. Fox Chapel defeated North Hills, 43-36, for Class 6A honors, and Shady Side defeated Avonworth, 66-54, to win the Class 3A title. Both games were held at...
2022 WPIAL Class 2A baseball preseason breakdown
Last spring was a celebration as district athletes returned to the diamond after the 2020 season was canceled because of covid-19 shutdowns. Baseball thrived throughout the WPIAL as six new champions were crowned, some in dramatic fashion. That success carried over to the state playoffs as WPIAL teams captured two...
What to watch for in high school sports for March 14, 2022: PIHL semifinals begin
A busy week of high school hockey semifinals action begins Monday. The PIHL Penguins Cup playoffs have reached the Final Four. The Class 3A semifinals are scheduled for Monday, 2A will be Tuesday, Class A on Wednesday and the Division II semis will be played Thursday. All eight final four...
What to watch for in WPIAL sports on March 9, 2022: More PIAA opening round matchups
The opening round of the PIAA basketball postseason is set to conclude Wednesday. The spotlight will shine on boys 6A, 3A and 2A first-round games, along with girls 5A, 4A and A state playoff openers. Inner city battle One of the Class 6A opening-round matchups could be considered a Crummie...
Trib HSSN Boys Basketball Team of the Week: March 6, 2022
After back-to-back sub-500 seasons, the Shady Side Academy boys basketball team turned the corner last season with a young roster. The Bulldogs finished on top in Section 3-3A with an overall record of 14-3 before falling in the WPIAL Class 3A quarterfinals. However, that may have set the stage for...
Westmoreland H.S. notebook: Belle Vernon resident Eli Teslovich helps Shady Side Academy to WPIAL title
Westmoreland County did not produce a WPIAL champion in basketball this season. Not so fast, says Eli Teslovich. A sophomore at Shady Side Academy, Teslovich helped lead the Bulldogs — remember, they aren’t the Indians any more — to the program’s second district championship Friday night with a 66-54 victory...
Shady Side Academy surges past Avonworth to claim WPIAL Class 3A championship
Peter Kramer saw Eli Teslovich dribble into the open court with only one defender ahead. Kramer quickly sped up as the fast break developed. When Teslovich spotted his trailing teammate, the pair of Shady Side Academy guards orchestrated the play of the night. Dare they call it, “The Pete”? Kramer...