Chris Harlan stories, Page 4

Holding a preseason workout with a baseball team from another school was a mistake, Baldwin’s representatives said at a WPIAL hearing Monday, but they also questioned whether a PIAA rule was too vaguely written. The rule prohibits teams from “participating in any team competition” in the 10 days leading up...

Aliquippa surely felt some déjà vu. South Allegheny’s Josh Jackowski stole the ball and threw down a tie-breaking dunk with 90 seconds left Saturday as the Gladiators pulled off yet another stunning rally. Just like in the WPIAL finals, the Quips lost a late lead in the fourth quarter. South...

The South Fayette girls are headed to the state finals after avenging a WPIAL finals loss to Peters Township. For the Lions, that was two wins at once. “We really wanted to get them back,” said South Fayette sophomore Lailah Wright. “It feels good for revenge and feels really good...

The former Butler BlueSox, a summer league team for college baseball players, is moving to Natrona Heights after many years at Pullman Park. The team has a new home — the ballfield at Highlands High School — and soon a new nickname that’s still to be determined, said Mike McNabb,...

CLEARFIELD – Chartiers Valley’s mission was written across the chest of its opponent: Hershey. But the school from the so-called “Sweetest Place on Earth” handed Chartiers Valley a bitter loss one round short of the state championships Friday night. A nearly four-minute scoring slump just before halftime put the WPIAL...

A PIAA rule about open gyms has tripped up some WPIAL baseball and softball teams this spring. The rule prohibits PIAA teams from “participating in any team competition” in the 10 days leading up to their first official preseason practice. Four WPIAL teams violated the rule by holding a joint...

Nothing came easy for Upper St. Clair or senior Tyler Robbins, who was roughed up by McDowell’s defense for four quarters and nearly all of overtime. One dunk relieved all their frustration. Tied in the final seconds of overtime, Kaamil Jackson blocked a shot at one end of the court,...

Chartiers Valley likes to counterpunch whenever an opponent’s shot misses, and Johnstown gave the Colts plenty of chances Friday night. The District 6 champion struggled from 3-point range and missed 24 of its first 25 attempts from beyond the arc, empty possessions that propelled Chartiers Valley to a 58-38 victory...

The McKeesport boys basketball team hasn’t won a WPIAL title in a few decades, but the Tigers hired a new coach with one already on his resume. Dan DeRose, who led Penn Hills to a WPIAL title, was hired Thursday night by the McKeesport School Board. DeRose also had WPIAL...

South Allegheny’s Josh Jackowski circled into the lane, caught an inbounds pass and scored on a nifty play the team debuted Wednesday night. The Gladiators run lots of sets, and those designed plays led to some well-timed baskets in a 55-47 victory over Bishop Guilfoyle in the PIAA Class 3A...

In celebration, Chartiers Valley’s Jayden Davis let go of a half-court shot at the buzzer and it went in. That 3-pointer was one more than his opponent Montour made the entire night. The Spartans went 0 for 17 from beyond the arc as Chartiers Valley built an early lead and...

Neither Uniontown nor Meadville will advance in the PIAA boys basketball playoffs. The PIAA declared their fight-marred game a double forfeit and wants involved spectators suspended from attending any school-sponsored sporting events for more than a year, the association announced Monday. The game Friday night at Meadville was halted with...

Aliquippa had an entire week to fix what went wrong in the WPIAL finals, which was bad news for Westmont Hilltop. The same mistakes weren’t made twice. “We came out today and did all the little things that we didn’t do that made us lose,” said junior Josh Pratt after...

The only trap Friday night was the defense Montour sprung on its opponent. Montour’s Kaleb Platz scored 28 points, and three teammates scored in double figures as the Spartans opened the state playoffs with a 68-49 victory over visiting Milton Hershey in PIAA Class 5A. Clearly, this was no trap...

West Mifflin’s Armand Hill, a nationally ranked running back recruit, committed Friday to West Virginia. The 5-foot-10, 178-pounder rushed for 1,693 yards on 188 carries and scored 23 touchdowns as a sophomore last fall. Hill listed a dozen college offers, including Pitt, Penn State and Michigan. He announced his decision...

The PIAA is drawing criticism from all sides for changes made to its transgender athlete policy. The changes didn’t go far enough, says one Western Pennsylvania superintendent, who wanted to see the state high school athletic association adopt the NCAA’s stricter policy. Yet LGBTQ+ advocacy groups say the PIAA and...

Chartiers Valley went from being a basketball program in turmoil to a WPIAL champion in a little over a year. Led by first-year coach Corey Dotchin and prolific senior scorer Jayden Davis, fourth-seeded Chartiers Valley finished off its turnaround Saturday night by defeating No. 6 Peters Township, 73-66, in the...

WPIAL Class 3A boys basketball championship No. 1 Aliquippa vs. No. 2 South Allegheny 1 p.m. Saturday, Petersen Events Center On the air: Video livestream: NFHS Network; Audio: Trib HSSN WPIAL titles: Aliquippa 14 (2024, ‘23, ‘16, ‘15, ‘07, ‘06, ‘04, ‘03, ‘00, 1998, ‘94, ‘88, ‘87, ’49), South Allegheny...

WPIAL Class 5A boys basketball championship No. 4 Chartiers Valley vs. No. 6 Peters Township 7 p.m. Saturday, Petersen Events Center On the air: Video livestream: NFHS Network; Audio: Trib HSSN WPIAL titles: Chartiers Valley 6 ( 2015, ‘10, ‘04, ‘01, 1998, ’97), Peters Township 1 (2009) Chartiers Valley (22-3)...

A retirement party at Petersen Events Center for one of the WPIAL’s winningest boys basketball coaches might seem a bit outlandish. Yet three weeks after Joe Salvino shared his retirement plans, he and his Belle Vernon players were there to celebrate. North Catholic tried to crash the party, but the...

WPIAL Class 6A boys basketball final No. 1 Upper St. Clair vs. No. 2 New Castle 9 p.m. Friday, Petersen Events Center On the air: Video livestream: NFHS Network WPIAL titles: Upper St. Clair 4 (2024, ‘21, ‘05, 1996), New Castle 14 (2021, ’19-17, ’14-12, 1999-97, ‘93, ‘82, ‘36, ‘27)...

While celebrating a WPIAL semifinal win Monday night, New Castle’s Ralphie Blundo thought back to this time last year, when he and his teammates were already done for the winter. They’d missed the playoffs entirely. “It was almost embarrassing,” said Blundo, a senior who’d reached the WPIAL finals as both...

In a nearly 30-point win, North Catholic’s Jason Fredericks heard his coach keep urging him and his teammates to master the moment. It’s a phrase North Catholic coach Jim Rocco uses to sum up his team’s basketball philosophy. Nobody ever masters the game, Rocco admits, but he says their drive...

Chartiers Valley has a talented 2,000-point scorer in Jayden Davis, and the Colts have often shown a knack for beating teams on the offensive end of the floor. This time, they won at the other end. Chartiers Valley allowed only 24 points through three quarters Friday night, a determined defensive...