Author: Jim Equels Jr.


Jake Tomer scored 13 points for North catholic on Monday night.
North Catholic boys hold off upstart South Allegheny, make Class 3A championship game
February 24, 2020
In this season’s WPIAL Class 3A tournament, three of the final four teams — North Catholic, Lincoln Park and Aliquippa — were routine playoff participants and traditional statewide powers.

Read More...

Central Valley’s Ameer Dudley carries past Thomas Jefferson’s Nathan Werderber during the second quarter of their game Friday, Oct. 4, 2019, in Center.
Top quarterbacks to square off when Central Valley, Wyoming Area meet for PIAA 3A title
December 5, 2019
As Central Valley football coach Mark Lyons and Wyoming Area’s Randy Spencer look back on the past four months that have led up to their teams meeting on Saturday in the PIAA Class 3A championship game, they both found that the turning points for their respective teams were remarkably similar.

Read More...

Central Valley quarterback Ameer Dudley celebrates a touchdown against Aliquippa earlier this season.
Fresh off bye, Central Valley to face stern test from upstart Bald Eagle Area
November 28, 2019
For the better part of the last three decades, the players, coaches and fans of the Bald Eagle Area football team got to enjoy Thanksgiving in the traditional fashion — by eating turkey and watching football.

Read More...

Central Valley’s Jaylen Guy stiff-arms Aliquippa’s Isaiah Towler during the second quarter Friday, Oct. 25, 2019, at The Pit in Aliquippa.
Backyard rivals Central Valley, Aliquippa to play for WPIAL Class 3A title
November 14, 2019
Every year, as Central Valley football coach Mark Lyons prepares for a new season in the brutal heat of August, he longs for the moments he can put on a winter coat and stocking cap to patrol the Warriors’ sideline. In fact, he’s a regular Punxsutawney Phil: he wants six weeks of winter — or at least cold temperatures — for his players by season’s end.

Read More...

Central Valley overcomes shaky start to ease past Mt. Pleasant in first round
November 1, 2019
The WPIAL Class 3A first-round playoff game between Central Valley and Mt. Pleasant was a contradiction of football fortunes.

Read More...

Dudley leads Central Valley football team to shut out of Quaker Valley
August 30, 2019
Ameer Dudley said he was a bit shell-shocked a year ago when he was thrust into the starting lineup at quarterback as a sophomore for perennial power Central Valley. But a year later, those nerves have appeared to turn into a burst of confidence for the Warriors.

Read More...

new era
                                Upper St. Clair quarterback Ethan Dahlem (4) helped to lead the Panthers over Upper St. Clair, 27-13, on Friday. It was the Panthers’ first game in 40 years without coach Jim Render on the sidelines. Mike Junko is in his first season at USC.
Upper St. Clair defeats South Fayette in first game of post-Render era
August 23, 2019
Mike Junko knew what the expectations were when he got the job as the football coach at Upper St. Clair. Not only was he inheriting a program that was a perennial power, he was replacing the legendary Jim Render, who walked the Panthers’ sideline for the previous 40 years.

Read More...

Fast start, highlight-reel goal seal South Fayette’s PIHL Class A semifinal win
March 12, 2019
It wasn’t over before it started, but almost.

Read More...

Jake Tomer scored 13 points for North catholic on Monday night.
North Catholic boys hold off upstart South Allegheny, make Class 3A championship game
February 24, 2020
In this season’s WPIAL Class 3A tournament, three of the final four teams — North Catholic, Lincoln Park and Aliquippa — were routine playoff participants and traditional statewide powers.

Read More...

Central Valley’s Ameer Dudley carries past Thomas Jefferson’s Nathan Werderber during the second quarter of their game Friday, Oct. 4, 2019, in Center.
Top quarterbacks to square off when Central Valley, Wyoming Area meet for PIAA 3A title
December 5, 2019
As Central Valley football coach Mark Lyons and Wyoming Area’s Randy Spencer look back on the past four months that have led up to their teams meeting on Saturday in the PIAA Class 3A championship game, they both found that the turning points for their respective teams were remarkably similar.

Read More...

Central Valley quarterback Ameer Dudley celebrates a touchdown against Aliquippa earlier this season.
Fresh off bye, Central Valley to face stern test from upstart Bald Eagle Area
November 28, 2019
For the better part of the last three decades, the players, coaches and fans of the Bald Eagle Area football team got to enjoy Thanksgiving in the traditional fashion — by eating turkey and watching football.

Read More...

Central Valley’s Jaylen Guy stiff-arms Aliquippa’s Isaiah Towler during the second quarter Friday, Oct. 25, 2019, at The Pit in Aliquippa.
Backyard rivals Central Valley, Aliquippa to play for WPIAL Class 3A title
November 14, 2019
Every year, as Central Valley football coach Mark Lyons prepares for a new season in the brutal heat of August, he longs for the moments he can put on a winter coat and stocking cap to patrol the Warriors’ sideline. In fact, he’s a regular Punxsutawney Phil: he wants six weeks of winter — or at least cold temperatures — for his players by season’s end.

Read More...

Central Valley overcomes shaky start to ease past Mt. Pleasant in first round
November 1, 2019
The WPIAL Class 3A first-round playoff game between Central Valley and Mt. Pleasant was a contradiction of football fortunes.

Read More...

Dudley leads Central Valley football team to shut out of Quaker Valley
August 30, 2019
Ameer Dudley said he was a bit shell-shocked a year ago when he was thrust into the starting lineup at quarterback as a sophomore for perennial power Central Valley. But a year later, those nerves have appeared to turn into a burst of confidence for the Warriors.

Read More...

new era
                                Upper St. Clair quarterback Ethan Dahlem (4) helped to lead the Panthers over Upper St. Clair, 27-13, on Friday. It was the Panthers’ first game in 40 years without coach Jim Render on the sidelines. Mike Junko is in his first season at USC.
Upper St. Clair defeats South Fayette in first game of post-Render era
August 23, 2019
Mike Junko knew what the expectations were when he got the job as the football coach at Upper St. Clair. Not only was he inheriting a program that was a perennial power, he was replacing the legendary Jim Render, who walked the Panthers’ sideline for the previous 40 years.

Read More...

Fast start, highlight-reel goal seal South Fayette’s PIHL Class A semifinal win
March 12, 2019
It wasn’t over before it started, but almost.

Read More...