Sports

Homer-Center’s Ryan Sardone is surrounded under the basket by Ligonier Valley’s Cooper Mills, left, and Michael Marinchak during the Heritage Conference championship game Friday, Feb. 7, 2020 at IUP.

Marinchak leads Ligonier Valley to 3rd straight Heritage Conference title

February 7, 2020

Michael Marinchak’s high school basketball days are numbered, but they won’t soon be forgotten.

Jackson Pruitt led Jeannette with 20 points Friday night.

Jeannette stops Serra Catholic, takes section title

Jeannette won the battle on the glass and made its free throws down the stretch Friday night, holding on for a 56-53 victory over Serra Catholic to become the outright champion of Section 2-2A.

Waynesburg’s Cole Homet pins Cathedral Prep’s Steffan Lynch in the PIAA Class AAA quarterfinals Feb. 7, 2020, in Hershey.

PIAA team wrestling tournament: Waynesburg reaches state finals

All Waynesburg junior Wyatt Henson was focused on was winning his match Friday at the Giant Center.

Upper St. Clair boys end Fox Chapel’s bid for undefeated regular season

Upper St. Clair missed its first 12 shots from 3-point range Friday night at Fox Chapel.

Frnaklin Regional’s Caden Smith makes a pass on Feb. 7 when the Panthers hosted the Kiski Area Cavaliers.

Franklin Regional boys punch ticket to playoffs with win over Kiski Area

Sometimes, it’s not always how you start, but how you finish that matters.

Hempfield’s Mikey Gaffney passes through Latrobe’s defense in WPIAL basketball on Friday, Feb. 7, 2020 at Hempfield Area High School.

Gaffney, playoff-bound Hempfield keep rival Latrobe from WPIAL postseason

Mikey Gaffney thought Hempfield had a playoff team last year, but the Spartans fell short of reaching the WPIAL boys basketball postseason. A 25-point loss on the final night of the season to rival Latrobe, a perennial playoff team, only rubbed salt in the wound.

South Side boys keep playoff hopes alive with win over Burgettstown

The South Side boys basketball team came into its final section game needing a win and some help to qualify for the WPIAL playoffs.

Clairton’s Wayne Wade drives for a layup past Greensburg Central Catholic’s Ben LaCarte.

Ogletree-led Clairton topples No. 4 Greensburg Central Catholic

In many ways, the deck seemed stacked against Clairton on Friday.

Gateway’s Dynasty Shegog (right) competes during practice for the 2019-20 season Nov. 29, 2019.

Shegog’s buzzer-beating layup lifts Gateway over Plum for Section 2-5A title

The winner-take-all game Friday between Gateway and Plum for the girls Section 2-5A championship wasn’t the prettiest, but the Gators gladly accepted the outcome.

Knoch senior diver Aryanna Napora has her sights set on getting back to the PIAA Class AA meet at Bucknell. She qualified for states as a freshman and sophomore but fell short last season, placing eighth in the WPIAL.

Quartet of Knoch divers hope to make ripple at WPIALs

Aryanna Napora set a goal at the beginning of her high school career to qualify for the PIAA Class AA diving championships all four years.

Members of the record-breaking Gateway relay team are, left to right, Ayva Harris, Morgan Holmes, Olivia Livingston and Summer Raymer.

Gateway girls relay team breaks 24-year-old pool record

The Gateway girls 200-yard medley relay set a pool record recently, snapping a mark that had lasted 24 years.

Gateway’s Chamor Price scores past Archbishop Wood’s Ryan DiVergilis during their PIAA Class 5A state semifinal Friday, Nov. 29, 2019, at Mansion Park in Altoona.

Gateway fall sports teams see significant changes with WPIAL realignment

The Gateway fall sports programs received a shakeup when WPIAL officials announced the district’s classification and sectional realignment Jan. 20.

Thomas Jefferson’s Riley Holzer competes against South Park on Jan. 27, 2020 at Ice Castle.

Players from basketball families star for Thomas Jefferson hockey team

Both families have rich histories in Western Pennsylvania high school basketball, particularly in the South Hills.

The 2019-20 Thomas Jefferson competitive spirit team.

Dedication pays off for Thomas Jefferson competitive spirit team

Dedication and determination are just two of the traits that drive the West Jefferson Hills School District cheer program.

Baldwin’s 2019-20 senior competitive cheer team captains are, from left, Abby Zuder, Alaina Wodarek and Paige Young.

Captains help Baldwin competitive spirit team find championship form

Outstanding teams require exceptional leadership.

Quaker Valley’s Donovan Cutchember tries to escape from Burrell’s Mike Scherer on Saturday, Feb. 1, 2020, at the WPIAL Class AA team wrestling championships at Chartiers-Houston High School.

Quaker Valley wrestling team celebrates 1st PIAA playoff berth

A year after finishing fourth in the WPIAL Class AA team tournament, the Quakers finished one place better this season and earned the program’s first PIAA tournament berth.

Pine-Richland’s Alyssa Schonbachler returns for the 2019-20 swim season.

Pine-Richland swimmers ready for WPIAL meet

With only a couple of meets left to before the WPIAL Class AAA swimming championships, Pine-Richland is solidifying its list of athletes who have earned qualifying times for their respective events. And this season, coach Pete Barry is optimistic about the prospect of his swimmers bringing home medals.

Pine-Richland’s Cameron Kirkland pulls down a rebound next to Butler’s Charles Kreinbucher during their game Tuesday, Jan. 28, 2020, at Pine-Richland High School.

Pine-Richland boys secure big win heading into playoffs

Heading down the home stretch of the regular season, the Pine-Richland boys basketball team had a WPIAL Class 6A playoff spot locked up. Still, the Rams did not lack for motivation as they entered their Section 1-6A finale at Central Catholic.