2019-20 Trib Cup: Victory Bell rings loud as North Catholic runs away with title in Class 3A

By: Don Rebel
Friday, July 10, 2020 | 1:45 PM

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North Catholic has a tradition that players ring the school’s Victory Bell when their teams win a district or state championship.

When it comes to the 2019-20 Class 3A Trib Cup, the bell tolls for the Trojans.

The chase for the Cup in 3A wasn’t even close thanks to a golden sweep of WPIAL championships by both the North Catholic boys and girls basketball teams.

Both teams were expected to do well in the PIAA playoffs and had reached the state quarterfinals when the coronavirus pandemic ended the hope for a golden party in Hershey for the Trojans.

“It was tough for both of them,” North Catholic athletic director Brian Miller said. “I think the biggest thing in their minds is the ‘what if’ factor. At least when a season ends, you know that’s the end of it. But now with it just open, there’s that what could have happened? They were rolling with a lot of momentum and it just came to a halt.”

Basketball wasn’t the only championship earned by North Catholic teams in the fall and winter seasons. The Trojans’ girls soccer team won a WPIAL crown while the school’s girls volleyball team bounced back from a WPIAL finals loss to win a PIAA crown.

“I’ve been a part of a lot of championship games, and I have to say that was one of the most exciting finishes I’ve been a part of,” Miller said of the Trojans’ 1-0 overtime victory over Yough in the Class AA girls soccer finals.

“The state title game (in girls volleyball) was pretty scary going down 2-0.” Miller said of North Catholic’s title match against North Penn Liberty. “It took those first two sets for the girls to realize it wasn’t going to be handed to them, they were going to have to work for it. Again, that was very exciting coming back.”

The Trojans won the state title 3-2.

The Trib HSSN Sports Cup is a yearlong competition to determine the top WPIAL sports program in each classification. It awards points for section or conference championships, district and state playoff berths and district and state championships and runners-up.

Schools earn 10 points for a playoff berth, an additional 10 points for a section championship, 50 points for a WPIAL or PIAA championship and 25 points for a district or state runner-up.

In July, the weekly Rebel Yell podcast will be dedicated to the six cup champions.

Click here to watch our interview with Brian Miller.

Defending champion Shady Side Academy finished a distant second while Avonworth, Freeport and Waynesburg Central round out the Top 5. Southmoreland made a big jump with success from seven teams to finish in sixth place.

2019-2020 Class 3A Trib HSSN Sports Cup Results:

1. North Catholic – 540

2. Shady Side Academy – 275

3. Avonworth – 210

4. Freeport – 135

4. Waynesburg Central – 135

6. Southmoreland – 115

7. Deer Lakes – 105

8. Riverside – 100

9. Freedom – 80

9. Lincoln Park – 80

9. Seton LaSalle – 80

12. Washington – 65

13. Charleroi – 60

14. Beaver Falls – 55

14. McGuffey – 55

16. Keystone Oaks – 50

17. Beth-Center – 40

17. Brownsville – 40

17. Ellwood City – 40

17. South Allegheny – 40

21. East Allegheny – 30

21. Steel Valley – 30

23. Valley – 10

23. New Brighton – 10

Tags: Avonworth, Freeport, North Catholic, Shady Side Academy, Southmoreland, Waynesburg