Pine-Richland notebook: Rams start fast, win big in WPIAL quarterfinals

By: Jerin Steele
Saturday, November 16, 2024 | 11:01 AM

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Led by stellar performances from juniors Mac Miller and Lawrence “Jay” Timmons, the Pine-Richland football team secured a 42-0 win over Franklin Regional in the WPIAL Class 5A quarterfinals Nov. 8.

The Rams looked to earn a third consecutive trip to the 5A championship game when they faced Bethel Park in the semifinals Nov. 15 at North Hills’ Martorelli Stadium.

One major difference this year is the Class 5A championship will be played at the home of the Pittsburgh Steelers, Acrisure Stadium, after being played the last two years at Norwin.

Pine-Richland scored all 42 points in the first half on three touchdowns each by Miller and Timmons.

Miller scored on a pair of 9-yard runs in the first quarter and had a 2-yard touchdown before halftime.

Timmons caught a pair of touchdown passes of 52 and 22 yards and returned an interception 31 yards for a touchdown. He is the son of former Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Lawrence Timmons.

Hoosier history

While the current group of Pine-Richland football players are enjoying another strong season, a pair of alumni are helping Indiana football rewrite the record books.

Michael Katic and Eli Jochem are Pine-Richland grads who have helped Indiana reach 10 wins for the first time in program history.

The Hoosiers defeated defending national champion Michigan, 20-15, on Nov. 9 to improve to 10-0.

They were ranked fifth in the AP top 25.

Katic is a starter on the offensive line and is in his sixth and final season as a redshirt senior. Jochem is a walk-on wide receiver who is a redshirt junior.

Indiana is coached by Pittsburgh native Curt Cignetti. He was the head coach at IUP from 2011-16. His father Frank Cignetti Sr., coached at Leechburg in the 1960s before going on to be the head coach at West Virginia and IUP.

Player of the year

Pine-Richland junior Isabelle Hoppe, one of the top girls volleyball recruits in the 2026 class, added another accolade to her stellar high school career by being named the Section 2-4A Player of the Year by the Big 56 Conference.

Hoppe, a Pitt recruit, was also named to the all-WPIAL Class 4A team for the third consecutive season.

Joining Hoppe on the Section 2-4A first team is junior hitter Valerie Menke.

Junior libero Megan DeKunder and sophomore setter Avery Dougherty made the second team.

All-section picks

Emme Kline, Lily De Jesus and Shea Best received first-team all-Section 3-4A soccer honors from the Big 56 Conference.

All three are juniors. Kline is a midfielder, De Jesus is a defender and Best is a goalkeeper.

Junior defenders Elle Cassidy and Riley White were named to the second team.

Senior forward Finn Kichi and sophomore midfielder Ryan Cashman were on the boys Section 3-3A second team.

Field hockey all-stars

The now six-time defending WPIAL Class 3A champion Pine-Richland field hockey team had six players on the WPIAL Class 3A all-star team.

Seniors Georgia Rottinghaus (midfield), Ella Perry (midfield), Madeline Mill (midfield), junior Anna Merlack (forward) and sophomore Anna Basculik (forward) were the first-teamers.

Senior Kendyll Jerry (midfield) was an honorable mention.

The Rams’ season came to an end in the first round of the PIAA playoffs with a 2-0 loss to Mechanicsburg on Nov. 5.

Jerin Steele is a freelance writer

Tags: Pine-Richland