Football
Veteran players hope to lead Apollo-Ridge back to playoffs
August 19, 2019
The Apollo-Ridge football team, youthful over the past couple of seasons, returns experience at several key positions this fall, and coach John Skiba said the Vikings are pointing in the right direction for a return to the WPIAL playoffs.
Avonworth hopes to challenge in Allegheny Conference with new QB Penrod
Playing quarterback for Avonworth will provide Park Penrod plenty of opportunities to shine.
Coach Rod Steele makes West Mifflin roster battle for jobs in 1st season
A few days of heat acclimation and a week of camp wasn’t enough time for Rod Steele to pick starters.
Beaver Falls football team looks to turn 2018 success into championship
In 2016, for the first time since 1984, Beaver Falls celebrated a WPIAL championship. In defense of the title in 2017, the Tigers won one game. However, last year, Beaver Falls bounced back to win nine games before falling to eventual Class 3A champion Aliquippa in the semifinals.
Waynesburg to ride talented backfield in Tri-County West
The Waynesburg backfield will have some familiar faces in it this fall; they just might not be lined up in the same places.
South Park ready to rebound with experienced group
South Park football coach Marty Rieck isn’t one to make excuses for shortcomings, but the fact of the matter is that his team was young last season.
Quaker Valley redesigns offense, keeps playoff goals intact
Quaker Valley was already going to have a thinner-than-usual roster this season, and then its starting quarterback moved to another state in July.
Keystone Oaks will turn to young players to try to make run at playoffs
Late last summer, Keystone Oaks was the talk of the town. When autumn came in Week 5, the Golden Eagles’ season turned upside down.
New coach Weiss wants Hopewell to compete, be physical
Four-to-six, A-to-B. That phrase has become a team motto for the Hopewell Vikings in 2019 behind first-year coach Matt Weiss.
Central Valley expects to be in contention again
In less than a decade on the scene, Central Valley has established itself among the WPIAL’s elite football programs.
Mt. Pleasant working to rebound after 2-win season
How do you erase the memory of a sad season? Turn around the record, of course.
Leechburg searching for right combination at middle linebacker
The human heart has two ventricles. One side pumps blood into the lungs, and the other pumps blood into the aorta.
Uniontown football team on quest to rebound from winless season
After a nightmarish winless season, Uniontown’s Cedric Lloyd is determined to get the Red Raiders program back on track.
Freeport hopes to reload for another playoff run
Last year, the Freeport football team came close to putting its stamp on a Class 3A Big East Conference championship.
With Shoaf gone, Yough looks to spread the wealth on offense
Much to the chagrin of the Yough football program, the Dustin Shoaf era is over, and it’s time for new players to take the football and carry it into the future.
Mt. Pleasant eyes return to winning ways
A stretch of productive seasons that began shortly after the turn of the century earned Mt. Pleasant repeated postseason trips before the Vikings’ fortunes went south the past two years.
WPIAL runner-up Derry turns focus to future after special season
Derry coach Tim Sweeney doesn’t like to look back. He’s all about the present.
Deer Lakes adopts ‘why not us?’ mantra in quest for playoff berth
Tim Burk is a Deer Lakes guy through and through, so he took great pride in watching the Lancers’ boys soccer team make a run to the state championship game and the boys basketball team win the first PIAA playoff game in school history and advance to the quarterfinals.
After near misses, North Catholic focused reaching championship game
When you come as close to playing for a championship as North Catholic football has only to see it slip away, it’s hard not to look back at the small moments that swayed the game.
