Sports

Bethel Park’s Maddie Dzeizgowski (13) pulls down a rebound against Fox Chapel uring a WPIAL Class 6A quarterfinal game Friday, Feb. 21, 2020, at North Hills.

Bethel Park girls pull away from Fox Chapel in Class 6A quarterfinals

February 21, 2020

Bethel Park and Fox Chapel were locked in a low-scoring struggle through three quarters of Friday’s WPIAL 6A first-round game at North Hills.

Fox Chapel’s Eli Yofan drives to the basket against Norwin on Jan. 7, 2020, at Fox Chapel High School.

Alle-Kiski Valley basketball playoff capsules: Saturday, Feb. 22, 2020

Boys

Knoch senior Scott Fraser looks for an opening in the Highlands’ defense during their sectional matchup on Jan. 7, 2020.

Knoch ready for battle with three-time defending champ New Castle

The Knoch boys basketball team is starting to get restless.

<strong>Shady Side Academy’s Grady Munroe</strong>

The Herald Spotlight Athlete: Grady Munroe, Shady Side Academy

Senior Grady Munroe recently closed out his athletic career at Shady Side Academy. A 6-foot-3 wing man on the basketball team, he averaged close to 18 points a game. He was also a starter on the golf team. He will be attending Loyola Marymount in the fall and study screenwriting.

Thomas Jefferson senior Natalie Moore received a 10.0 from one of the judges on the vault event at the WPIAL individual gymnastics finals held Feb. 15, 2020, at Moon.

TJ gymnast Moore writes perfect ending with 10 on vault at WPIAL meet

Thomas Jefferson senior gymnast Natalie Moore capped her career with rare perfection — a 10.0 score on the vault from one of the judges at the WPIAL championships.

Baldwin’s Noah Fischer (52) competes against Armstrong on Jan. 27, 2020 at Ice Castle. Baldwin won 9-4.

Dominant Baldwin hockey team gearing up for playoffs

One of the magic numbers for the Baldwin hockey team this season is “15.”

Burrell’s Mikey Scherer wrestles against Quaker Valley’s Donovan Cutchember in the 220 weight class Saturday, Feb. 15, 2020 in WPIAL class AA individual wrestling championship at Canon-McMillan High School.

Donovan Cutchember, Quaker Valley wrestlers shine at WPIAL championships

In a season when Quaker Valley won its second consecutive section championship and earned its first PIAA playoff berth, Quakers coach Mike Heinl told his team he wanted more.

Quaker Valley’s 200-yard freestyle relay team won at the Midwest Athletic Conference championship on Feb. 15, 2020. Top down, then to right are Halle Wagner, Sophie Besterman, Isabel Huang and Ella Fuener.

Quaker Valley’s Huang in position to defend WPIAL swimming titles

For the second consecutive season, Quaker Valley sophomore swimmer Isabel Huang looks forward to topping the podium at the WPIAL Class AA championship Thursday and Friday at Pitt.

Penn-Trafford’s Lacey Adamik won a gold medal in beam at the WPIAL gymnastics championships Feb. 15, 2020, at Moon.

Penn-Trafford gymnast Adamik balances fun, competition at high school level

A couple of years ago, Lacey Adamik gave up the everyday grind of training for competitive USA gymnastics, but as time went on, she started to miss the sport.

Members of the 2019-20 Pine-Richland gymastics team include, from left, Bria Reinert, Ava Romano, Emily Yowan, Kyleigh Hughes, Megan Sharp, Avery Kline, Sidney Jones, Madison Abbate, Sonya Stugart, Sam Alexander, Mackenzie Koenig, Jessica Stella and Adrianna Avolio. The team also includes Maddie Alexander and Isabelle Youchek.

Alexander, Pine-Richland shine at WPIAL gymnastics championships

The Pine-Richland gymnastics team capitalized on strong group-wide performances in the both the vault and beam events to finish in fourth place overall at the WPIAL gymnastics championships Feb. 15 at Moon.

Members of the Aquinas Academy fencing team include, in front, from left, Sam Henry, Steven Giacobbe, Grace Burchill, Izzi Trevino, Natasha Rippee, Hunter Harrison; and in back, Gio Vella, Will Hoerster, Sam Everson, Sejal Sharma, Andy D’Angelo, Joanna Knight and coach John Carroll.

Aquinas Academy fencers improving ahead of postseason push

With just a couple of matches left in the regular season, the Aquinas Academy fencing teams still are jostling for at-large qualifying bids for the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Fencing Association league postseason championship tournament.

Plum’s Chloe Fabio (32) tips the ball away from Gateway’s Marina Grado (23) Jan. 13, 2020 at Gateway High.

Plum girls learn from playoff loss to Penn Hills

With 2 minutes, 4 seconds left in the third quarter of its WPIAL Class 5A first-round game against Penn Hills at Fox Chapel, the Plum girls basketball team held a four-point lead and hoped to expand it toward the program’s first playoff victory since 2002.

Norwin’s Mason Pivarnik (15) celebrates with Logan Connelly (77) and Jacob Dally (15) after scoring against Wheeling Feb. 4, 2020 at Center Ice Arena.

Dangerous top line leads Norwin hockey to best season in years

The Norwin hockey team made a statement this season.

The 2019-20 Franklin Regional boys swim team.

Franklin Regional relay teams to battle for gold at WPIAL championships meet

Relays will be a strength for the Franklin Regional boys swimming and diving team at the WPIAL Class AAA championship meet Thursday and Friday at Pitt.

Franklin Regional’s Trent Lunden (right) sneaks by Baldwin’s Lorenzo Shipley Jan. 13, 2020, at Ice Castle.

Franklin Regional’s young players learn grind of PIHL season

Going through the grind of a PIHL season can be a challenge.

Fox Chapel’s Vivian Shao works out in the pool Monday, Jan. 27, 2020, at Fox Chapel High School.

Fox Chapel, Shady Side Academy swimmers headed to WPIALs

The WPIAL swimming and diving championships will be Thursday and Friday at Pitt’s Trees Pool, and Shady Side Academy and Fox Chapel will be well represented.

Winchester Thurston freshman Maeve Kelley is the No. 1 seed for the WPIAL Class AA girls 500-yard freestyle.

Trib HSSN girls swimmer of the week: Maeve Kelley, Winchester Thurston

Maeve Kelley has made the most of her freshman swim season representing Winchester Thurston as an independent.

Southmoreland freshman Henry Miller is the No. 2 seed in the WPIAL Class AA boys 100-yard breaststroke.

Trib HSSN boys swimmer of the week: Henry Miller, Southmoreland

For most of this winter high school sports season, Henry Miller pulled double duty, representing Southmoreland both as an independent swimmer and as a member of the wrestling team.