Chris Harlan stories, Page 36

WPIAL Class 5A boys basketball final No. 1 Peters Township vs. No. 2 Penn Hills 9 p.m. Thursday, Petersen Events Center On the air: Video livestream: TribHSSN.TribLive.com; Radio: KDKA (1020 AM, 100.1 FM); WJPA (95.3 FM) WPIAL titles: Penn Hills 5 (2018, ’03, ’00, 1994, ’87), Peters Township 1 (2009)...

WPIAL Class A boys basketball final No. 1 Imani Christian vs. No. 2 Union 5 p.m. Thursday, Petersen Events Center Video livestream: TribHSSN.TribLive.com WPIAL titles: Imani Christian 0, Union 1 (2003) Imani Christian (17-6) Projected starting lineup Coach: Omar Foster No., Name, Ht., Cl., Pos. 1, R.J. Sledge, 5-11, so.,...

The first quarter was too low-scoring for Isaiah Boice’s comfort, so the New Castle senior got to work. The Red Hurricanes’ top shooter started the second quarter with three 3-pointers in a row, consecutive shots that ignited the offense as top-seeded New Castle ran away with a 58-42 victory over...

The Deer Lakes boys are headed to the WPIAL finals for the first time in school history, and they’ll do so with a first-year coach leading the celebration. But before they could scream and shout Monday night, everyone in green and gold held their breath. Lancers senior Michael Butler made...

Longtime Beaver football coach Pat Tarquinio, who was one of the winningest coaches in WPIAL history, has died. Beaver athletic director Alan Alcalde announced his death Monday. Tarquinio won 241 games and three WPIAL titles at Beaver, where he coached from 1966-99. The Bobcats won WPIAL titles in 1972, ’81...

Penn Hills teammates Daemar Kelly and Julian Dugger have perfected their high-flying alley-oop this winter, mastering a play that shows their rare athleticism. Five times they connected Saturday. But it was a 6-foot junior who stayed far away from the rim who left North Hills coaches shaking their heads. Lamire...

North Allegheny’s Corky Semler has coached high school swimming for almost 40 years, so when he says this year’s freshman class is among his best, that’s worth noting. The Tigers had a dozen ninth graders qualify for the WPIAL championships March 2-3 at Pitt’s Trees Pool. Seven were seeded among...

A football player’s body language and how he carries himself are important to Mike Collodi, who was thrilled with the reception he received Thursday as Mt. Lebanon’s new coach. The former Elizabeth Forward coach met at the school with his new Blue Devils players and came away impressed. “I’m really...

Three times in the fourth quarter, Mt. Lebanon’s Riley Farabaugh was sent to the foul line for a crucial one-and-one. In his mind, he was the right guy for the job. “I call myself a good free throw shooter, but you’ve got to have that confidence in yourself no matter...

Lincoln Park was held 25 points below its season average and didn’t make a 3-pointer all game, yet the WPIAL favorite in Class 4A is still alive. Sophomore star Meleek Thomas scored a game-high 23 points and top-seeded Lincoln Park played strong defense down the stretch to hold off No....

The PIAA is cracking down on junior high athletes who take unofficial redshirt years. Under a new rule interpretation approved Wednesday, students who pass eighth grade and voluntarily repeat that grade will start using up their eight semesters of high school eligibility. The rule change impacts students currently in sixth...

The last time WPIAL basketball had a consolation bracket, the league used a combination of play-in games and follow-the-winner tiebreakers to qualify teams for the 2016 state tournament. This winter, the consolation brackets are back and more elaborate than last time. Now, all state playoff seeds will be decided on...

Whenever Steel Valley’s Makhai Valentine glanced into the stands Monday night, he wasn’t looking for friends or family. That’s where his suspended head coach was sitting, five rows behind the team’s bench. Dale Chapman can’t coach the Ironmen in the playoffs, but he can attend their games and offer encouragement....

South Park football coach Marty Rieck, who won state titles with the Eagles as both a player and assistant coach, has resigned after eight seasons leading the program. His teams went 33-44 overall, qualified for the playoffs five times and once reached the WPIAL semifinals. South Park went 5-6 last...

Three nationally ranked wrestlers were among the 13 champions crowned Sunday at the Western Pa. Girls Championship, an event that more than doubled in size since last winter. This was the second year for the tournament, which drew 81 athletes from WPIAL and City League schools to compete at North...

Pine-Richland teammates Ryan Palmieri, Jake Beam, John Rottinghaus and Matt Nicely, who won a state title together in December, were among 22 WPIAL football players chosen for the Big School East-West all-star game. The East-West event consists of two games May 21 at Bishop McDevitt in Harrisburg. The big school...

WPIAL schedule-makers gave the North Allegheny girls almost two weeks off before the basketball playoffs, but the Tigers didn’t take a vacation. There were 11 days between the team’s regular-season finale and its playoff opener Feb. 23. Whether that downtime was good or bad for a team depends on what...

Pitt recruit Braylan Lovelace of Leechburg and future Miami (Ohio) lineman Greg Smith of Steel Valley were among 16 WPIAL and City League players selected for the Small School East-West all-star game this year. The roster was announced Saturday. The East-West event consists of two games May 21 at Bishop...

A backcourt led by experienced guards is a time-tested formula that works in March Madness, but it also wins games here in the WPIAL playoffs. Gateway coach Alvis Rogers can attest to both. Gators senior Jaydon Carr scored 20 points, senior Kaleb Pryor had 11 and fourth-seeded Gateway leaned on...

Thirteen players from the WPIAL and City League were selected to compete in this year’s Big 33 Football Classic. The Pennsylvania roster was announced Friday. The high school football all-star game is 7 p.m. May 28 at Bishop McDevitt in Harrisburg. The roster includes Aliquippa’s Neco Eberhardt, Armstrong’s Cadin Olsen,...

No more sitting and waiting. Many WPIAL basketball teams will have their state-playoff hopes in their own hands this winter with the return of a consolation bracket. Rather than the traditional follow-the-winner tiebreaker system used for years, the WPIAL will hold play-in games to decide some PIAA tournament qualifiers. The...

The chairman of the WPIAL basketball committee largely avoided one of Monday’s most-interesting debates, since it was a topic close to his heart. Where to seed the Hampton boys? As a section champion with a 20-2 record, Hampton has a resume worthy of a top two seed. But the Talbots...

A closer look at the WPIAL boys basketball playoffs, which begin Thursday night: Class 6A Favorite: New Castle was bumped up to the WPIAL’s largest classification this winter, but that move hasn’t slowed the Red Hurricanes. They’re led by a pair of 17-point scorers in seniors Jonathan Anderson and Isaiah...

If the season ended three days ago, the Penn Hills boys probably would’ve earned a No. 1 seed in the WPIAL basketball playoffs. So, too, might’ve Mohawk. Instead, losses in their section finales Friday night opened the door for Peters Township in Class 5A and Steel Valley in 3A to...

The Path to the Pete will be revealed Monday when the WPIAL basketball playoff pairings are announced at 3 p.m. on TribLive HSSN. While we wait to see what the WPIAL basketball committee decides, here’s a look at how HSSN’s Chris Harlan would seed the boys basketball brackets. Check out...