Sports

Pine-Richland’s Cole Spencer works against Norwin’s Chase Kranitz at 160 pounds during the WPIAL Class AAA wrestling championship.

Second WPIAL wrestling title gives Pine-Richland’s Cole Spencer reason to smile

March 6, 2021

In the middle of the second period of the WPIAL Class AAA 160-pound wrestling final, Cole Spencer took an accidental shot from Norwin’s Chase Kranitz and realized one of his teeth was broken.

From left, Pine-Richland’s Angelina Hunkele, Elizabeth Hunkele, Audrey DeKunder, Natalie McLean and Meredith Price ran at indoor nationals last month in Virginia.

5 Pine-Richland runners test themselves at indoor nationals

Five distance runners from Pine-Richland traveled to Virginia last month to test themselves against some of the best high school competition in the country and came home with solid results.

Plum’s Ta’Rasi Means pressures West Allegheny’s Nodin Tracy during their WPIAL Class 5A playoff game on Saturday, Feb. 27, 2021, at Plum High School.

Plum basketball teams enjoy playoff success before bowing out

For the Plum girls basketball team, joy at winning the program’s first playoff game since 2002 on March 1 turned to disappointment the next day as covid issues forced the Mustangs to bow out of the WPIAL Class 5A tournament ahead of a first-round matchup against No. 2 Chartiers Valley.

Plum sophomore Sarah Kvortek won the Intermediate I (Gold) division bars competition at the WPIAL individual gymnastics championships Feb. 27, 2021, at Moon Area High School.

Experience helps Plum’s Kvortek capture WPIAL gymnastics gold medal in bars event

When Sarah Kvortek placed fifth on bars at last year’s WPIAL individual gymnastics championships at Moon High School, her sights quickly were set on soon rising to the top of the medals podium.

Imani Christian coach Omar Foster directs his team from the bench Feb. 4, 2020.

Union confusion leads Imani Christian basketball team on ride to wrong school

Sixty miles separate the Union Area High School near New Castle from Union High School in Rimersburg, but the districts with matching names continue to cause trouble for bus drivers.

Trinity’s Michael Dunn scores over Highlands’ Antonine McDaniel during a WPIAL Class 5A first-round playoff game on Wednesday.

What to watch for in WPIAL sports on March 6, 2021: Trinity looks for another upset

March 5, 2021

With each round of the WPIAL basketball playoffs on a three-day cycle, Saturday is smack dab in the middle of the elite-eight round.

High school scores, summaries and schedules for March 5, 2021

High school

Upper St. Clair’s Luke Banbury (25) scored 30 points against Seneca Valley on Friday night.

High school roundup for March 5, 2021: Upper St. Clair boys, girls move into semifinals

Luke Banbury scored 30 points, David Pantelis added 17, and Upper St. Clair defeated Seneca Valley, 72-70, to fend off an upset bid in the WPIAL Class 6A quarterfinals Friday night.

Leechburg’s Eli Rich scored 17 points against Eden Christian on Friday night.

Leechburg rallies for double-overtime win over Eden Christian

In a double overtime thriller, No. 6 Leechburg upset No. 3 Eden Christian 45-40 in the WPIAL Class A quarterfinals Friday night at Sewickley Academy.

Butler’s Devin Carney (2) celebrates with Madden Clement after hitting the winning three-pointer as time expired in overtime of their WPIAL Class 6A quarterfinal against Penn-Trafford on Friday, March 5, 2021, in Harrison City.

Devin Carney’s buzzer-beating 3 lifts Butler past Penn-Trafford in OT

Ten times Butler’s Devin Carney had taken a shot from behind the arc Friday night and nine of them had missed. In fact, a potential winner at the end of regulation bounced hard off the rim.

Mt. Pleasant’s Tiffany Zelmore (back) fouls Southmoreland’s Gracie Spadaro during their WPIAL Class 3A quarterfinal playoff game Friday, March 5, 2021, at Southmoreland High School.

Southmoreland girls rout Mt. Pleasant in Class 4A quarterfinals

Southmoreland reached the WPIAL semifinals in girls basketball for a second consecutive season by overwhelming visiting Mt. Pleasant, 54-23, in a Class 4A quarterfinal-round game Friday night.

Pine-Richland conquers nerves, Hempfield in advancing to WPIAL Class 6A semifinals

Pine-Richland boys basketball coach Bob Petcash admitted to being nervous about Friday night’s WPIAL Class 6A quarterfinal game at Hempfield.

North Allegheny’s Greg Habib tries to get a pass off against Fox Chapel during their WPIAL Class 6A quarterfinal Friday, March 5, 2021.

Fox Chapel uses early run to knock off North Allegheny in Class 6A quarters

The Fox Chapel boys basketball team couldn’t have drawn it up any better.

Knoch’s Nina Shaw scored 21 points against Blackhawk on Friday.

Knoch girls defeat perennial contender Blackhawk, earn 1st trip to semifinals

Even with the late start to the season, March basketball has come to the Knoch girls program.

Sewickley Academy’s Bre Warner scored 19 points Friday night.

Sewickley Academy shuts down Greensburg Central Catholic

Sewickley Academy made 19 of 28 free throws and eventually pulled away for a 38-21 victory over Greensburg Central Catholic in the WPIAL Class 2A girls basketball quarterfinals Friday night.

Freeport senior Mark Livingston threw a 299 game in the regional finals Friday.

Freeport bowler wins regional title with 299 game

Freeport’s Mark Livingston turned in a tremendous performance Friday at the North Versailles Bowling Center.

Derry’s Tyler Cymmerman goes after Blackhawk’s Kenny Duschek during their regional championship match on Feb. 27, 2021. Both wrestlers are competing in this weekend’s West Super Regionals.

Wrestlers have one last hurdle en route to PIAA championships

To become a PIAA wrestling champion in 2021, wrestlers had to face new challenges, or in this case, another qualifying tournament.

Burrell’s Ian Oswalt works to defeat Ligonier Valley’s Ryan Harbert at 138 pounds during the WPIAL Class AA individual wrestling finals on Feb. 20, 2021, at Canon-McMillan High School.

A-K Valley wrestlers prepare to punch ticket to Hershey

Normally at this time of the year, wrestlers from around the WPIAL have already punched their ticket to Hershey to compete for a state championship, but this year is like no other.