Hampton leads Class 4A standings to claim school’s 3rd Trib Cup

By: Don Rebel
Friday, July 12, 2024 | 6:22 PM

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It was 11 years for Hampton between winning its first Sports Cup in 2011 and second in 2022.

The wait for the third Trib Cup was a lot shorter.

The Talbots claimed the 2023-2024 Class 4A Trib Cup by an impressive 125 points this past school year.

“It is a great achievement,” Hampton athletic director Mike Gavlik said. “It is a credit to our student-athletes and our coaching staffs. They dedicate themselves both in season and in the offseason to becoming the best that they can be. I believe the community and school district are immensely proud of their achievements. I know I am.”

The Trib Cup is a yearlong competition in 25 varsity sports 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.

After long runs as athletic director of the City League and at Chartiers Valley, Gavlik just concluded his first year at Hampton after taking over for the retired Bill Cardone.

“I met with each head coach individually when I arrived and from those conversations, I knew how dedicated, prepared and passionate they were about their teams,” he said. “The student-athletes are leaders on and off the field and work extremely hard to be the best players and teammates they can be.

“There has been a lot of stability amongst our coaching staffs. We had a few spots to fill, which further strengthened the athletic department. That is a credit to Bill Cardone and his leadership along with the support that the community and school board and leadership team provides. It was evident from the moment I walked in the door.”

Hampton scored points in 14 sports, tying with runners-up Indiana and Thomas Jefferson for the most sports registering points in Class 4A.

One of the big differences between the three was the championship runs for the Talbots girls volleyball and boys cross country teams. The cross country team also won a PIAA championship.

“We had a lot of success this year and it was awesome to be a part of,” Gavlik said. “The girls volleyball team and boys cross country teams were profoundly focused. They were both very deep squads with experience. You wouldn’t know if the teams were winning or losing, they had a quiet confidence. The coaches did an excellent job of leading the teams through their preparation and by challenging them throughout the regular season so that they were prepared for the postseason.

“The successes of those teams were also historic for both of those programs at Hampton and have several student-athletes that will continue their athletic careers collegiately.”

Indiana and Thomas Jefferson finished tied for second place, 125 points behind Hampton.

Rounding out the Top 5 in Class 4A were Elizabeth Forward taking fourth place and last year’s 4A champion, Montour, finishing in fifth place.

Final 2023-24 Trib Cup standings

Class 4A

1. Hampton – 525

2. Indiana – 400

2. Thomas Jefferson – 400

4. Elizabeth Forward – 280

5. Montour – 270

6. Belle Vernon – 260

7. Chartiers Valley – 240

8. Blackhawk – 230

9. Latrobe – 180

10. Kiski Area – 130

11. McKeesport – 85

12. Ringgold – 80

13. Laurel Highlands – 75

13. West Allegheny – 75

15. Highlands – 70

16. Ambridge – 50

17. Albert Gallatin– 0

Tags: Albert Gallatin, Ambridge, Belle Vernon, Blackhawk, Chartiers Valley, Elizabeth Forward, Hampton, Highlands, Indiana, Kiski Area, Latrobe, Laurel Highlands, McKeesport, Montour, Ringgold, Thomas Jefferson, West Allegheny