Sports
Shea Fleenor is entering his eighth year as Albert Gallatin boys basketball coach, so one would think the opening of the season is old hat to him.
Belle Vernon tied the game at halftime and then pulled away in the third quarter for a 75-60 victory over Jeannette Friday night in the first round of the Hempfield Tip-Off Tournament.
The Commodores led by one at halftime Friday night, but the host team rallied in the third quarter as Frazier was edged in the opening game of the tournament, 60-56, by South Park.
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Tristan Jarry spoiled Phil Kessel's return to Pittsburgh, turning aside all 33 shots to post his second consecutive shutout as the Penguins edged the Arizona Coyotes, 2-0, Friday night.
Lucas Garber scored a game-high 21 points Friday night to lead Waynesburg Central to a 62-39 victory over Burgettstown in the opening game of the McGuffey Tip-Off Tournament.
The Lady Leopards fell behind in the first quarter and were unable to recover as Belle Vernon lost to Penn-Trafford, 57-42, in the opening game Friday night of the McKeesport Tip-Off Tournament.
Waynesburg Central posted four scores of 100 Thursday afternoon as the Raiders defeated visiting Plum, 794-55x-749-26x, at Waynesburg Sportsmen's Association for their first win of the season.
The Falcons' Austin Goehring scored the first and last goals of Thursday's PIHL B South Division game, leading Connellsville to a 6-1 victory over visiting Burrell at The Ice Mine.
Elizabeth Forward built a 3-0 lead and Billy Siemon made 13 saves for a 5-1 PIHL Class B Division victory over visiting Wilmington at Rostraver Ice Garden.
Shea Fleenor is entering his eighth year as Albert Gallatin boys basketball coach, so one would think the opening of the season is old hat to him.
Frazier’s Thayne Lawrence is hoping to become the 46th wrestler to win three state championships since the PIAA tournament began in 1938, while Mount Pleasant’s Dayton Pitzer is seeking a second PIAA title in as many years with the wrestling season getting underway this afternoon and evening with dual meets and tournaments across the state of Pennsylvania.
Within the last two weeks, Cody Rhodes has filed trademarks for old WCW Pay-Per-View names Bash at the Beach, Slamboree and SuperBrawl.
Coming off of a disappointing 2018-2019 season, Mount Pleasant is poised to make waves during this year’s boys basketball campaign.
Southmoreland boys basketball coach Frank Muccino has been fortunate to have guided the Scotties to six playoff appearances in 10 years as head coach.
Dave Sarra will see a familiar cast of characters when the Waynesburg Central girls basketball team opens the 2019-20 season.
Ian McCombs played under Don Williams and is well aware of his legendary status as longtime Carmichaels boys basketball coach.
Jefferson-Morgan's boys basketball team struggled at times last year with a young roster but the Rockets still found themselves in the WPIAL playoff hunt after a couple key late-season victories.
Most girls basketball teams would be in a major rebuilding mode after losing a trio of 1,000-point scorers among a strong senior class, but not West Greene.
Mount Pleasant’s Lady Vikings are hoping that a fresh, clean slate of starters will propel the team to the postseason during the 2019-2020 girls basketball campaign.
Last season Frazier's boys basketball team had a disappointing 8-14 overall record with a 4-8 section record, but for the 2019-2020 season, the Commodores are making strides to return to their winning ways and the playoffs.
Stewart "Stu" Davis was a high school basketball star who graduated from Geibel Catholic in 1996 but his playing career began when he was a freshman at Brownsville.
Jefferson-Morgan girls basketball players have a familiar face guiding them this season.
Patty Columbia is in her fifth year as coach of the Brownsville girls basketball team and by now the players are familiar with the program.
Sometimes it can be a challenge for a basketball team to remain healthy for an entire season, but the Beth-Center boys have already been hit by the injury bug this year.
Mapletown's girls basketball team went from making a second straight playoff appearance last year to a squad with just one returning player this season, leaving first-year coach Kaitlyn Novak with a major rebuilding job.
It was only one game but Mapletown's clash at Jefferson-Morgan on Jan. 18 of last season had a huge impact on the mentality of the Maples' team, according to second-year coach Chad Stevenson.
Beth-Center qualified for the WPIAL playoffs a year ago but struggled down the stretch while point guard Olivia Greco was out with nagging knee injuries.
Shawna Little returns for her second year as the Connellsville Lady Falcons head coach and likes to tell he girls she started in the program as a manager sweeping the floors before becoming a player and now the head coach.
Connellsville head basketball coach Andy Hedrick is trying to piece together a team to make another run at the WPIAL playoffs after the Falcons finished fourth in Section 3-AAAAAA last year.
The Monessen boys basketball team enters the 2019-20 season with one of the longest section winning streaks in WPIAL history.
Second-year Belle Vernon boys basketball coach Joe Salvino has a nice problem on his hands.
Coming off of a season where his team achieved more than expected, second-year Belle Vernon girls basketball coach Ronnie Drennen has a nice mix of returning experience and a talented freshman class.
Southmoreland's girls basketball team had one of the best years in program history last season with an 18-6 record and a record-low 36.8 points per game on defense.
With four players back who were at least part-time starters, second-year California boys basketball coach Aaron Balla said expectations are higher than last season.
When Chris Niemiec took over the California girls basketball program a year ago from Chris Minerd, he was familiar with the team as Minerd’s assistant.
The Bentworth girls basketball team won its season opener against Geibel Catholic last to end an 11-game losing streak dating back to the 2017-18 season.
Coming off the 2018-19 season where his team went 0-22, Bentworth head coach Bob Kennedy knows his team is young, but excited.
Rebecca Capozza has a great deal to replace in her second year as head coach at Laurel Highlands.
Ellen Hildebrand is looking to get Albert Gallatin into the playoffs, and the veteran coach is optimistic this season as she enters her sixth season at the helm.
Elizabeth Forward girls basketball coach Krystal Gibbs lost six seniors to graduation from last year’s team that reached the WPIAL semifinals, so it is understandable if she felt that her program was about to go through a rebuild.
The Elizabeth Forward boys basketball team returns four starters and second-year head coach Matt Loftis is ready to get things rolling.
Penny Kezmarsky enters her third year as head coach at Uniontown with a very young squad, but the former Brownsville and Point Park University player has a Division I prospect that will help to lead the Lady Red Raiders in senior Mya Murray.
With three starters back, second year Ringgold girls basketball coach Lindsy Muchnock hopes the experience will help her team compete for a playoff spot.
Steve Mittereder enters his second season trying to build the Geibel Catholic girls basketball program. The main problem he has to deal with is the overall lack of numbers.
Geibel Catholic boys basketball coach Don Porter is hoping that having a few extra bodies will help the Gators challenge for the Section 2-A title.
It seems the level of aggressiveness that the Charleroi Cougars boys basketball team will play with this season is going to play a key to their success.
Waynesburg Central returns a strong core group from last year's boys basketball team and fifth-year coach Kirk King is confident the senior-laden Raiders can make a strong push for the WPIAL playoffs this season.
West Greene will be seeking its fifth consecutive WPIAL boys basketball playoff berth this season.
Last season Frazier's girls basketball team made it to the WPIAL playoffs for the eighth straight year, the last five coming under Ken Poling, and the Lady Commodores hope to extend that streak with a new look under new coach Winston Shaulis.
Bill Wagner knew he had a tall task in front of him when he took over the Charleroi girls basketball team a year ago.
When successful basketball coach Jim Nesser was chosen to take over the Yough boys program heading into last season, he knew the Cougars would face some struggles.
