Michael Love stories, Page 69
Valley school board removes interim tag, names Kim Johnson full-time AD
For two months this spring, Kim Johnson balanced her duties as a ninth-grade honors biology and AP biology teacher at Valley High School with newly gained responsibilities as the interim athletic director after the resignation of Muzzy Colosimo in March. Through her work with the spring sports teams and advanced...
Duquesne men’s basketball adds Bowling Green transfer Joe Reece
The Duquesne men’s basketball roster expanded Monday as 6-foot-8 forward Joe Reece will join the program for the 2022-23 season. Reece is the 10th member of the current recruiting class. He has enrolled and has joined his new teammates in summer workouts. “I expect Joe to be a real asset...
Deer Lakes softball reflects on impressive season
Deer Lakes softball coach Rick Cerra saw the pieces for a strong season and postseason run come together back in September, six months before preseason practices began. “Things were really falling into place, and we were really looking forward to having this team on the field,” Cerra said. His expectations...
Win over Fox Chapel motivates Monroeville Junior Legion team
The Monroeville Junior Legion baseball team had played a number of close games in the early portion of its Westmoreland County Youth Legion schedule, so it probably came as no surprise to the Gators that they found themselves in a close battle against Fox Chapel on June 8, at Monroeville...
Strong pitching helping lead Plum Junior Legion team toward playoffs
The Plum Junior Legion baseball team found itself right in the mix for a playoff spot as it closed in on the midway point of its schedule. A dramatic 4-3 extra-inning victory June 6 against rival Fox Chapel put Plum at 4-3 in the North Division and also got the...
Gateway softball hopes to build from progress made this spring
When one looks just at the scores of a majority of the games for the Gateway softball team this spring, thoughts might develop of a team that went nowhere in developing on the field. But first-year coach Donny Holl said that was far from the case in examining his youthful,...
Future looks bright for Burrell softball
A youthful lineup this spring didn’t stop the Burrell softball team from reaching the playoffs for the 17th season in a row, and when the Bucs arrived in the postseason, they made the most of their opportunity. Coach Rick Nealer said the team, which faced lower-than-usual roster numbers this year,...
Burrell grads help IUP win Rugby Club Division II championship
RJ Beach and Dom Holmes knew the feeling of teaming up to help win a rugby championship. The Burrell graduates — RJ in 2019 and Holmes in 2020 — were teammates on the Kiski Valley club team that captured the Rugby Club Division II championship in May 2019. Fast forward...
Deer Lakes softball team bows out of state playoffs
Deer Lakes entered Thursday’s PIAA Class 3A quarterfinal matchup with Bald Eagle hoping to punch its ticket to the state semifinals for the first time since 2015. But the Eagles and freshman pitcher Sierra Albright had other ideas. Albright limited Deer Lakes to five hits and struck out nine over...
Deer Lakes wants to continue PIAA postseason journey
A quartet from the Deer Lakes softball team — Jenna Bisegna, Reese Hasley, Keeghan Cook and Lydia Guthrie — took one of the biggest walks of their lives and graduated Wednesday evening. As one journey comes to a close, the graduates hope another keeps rolling along. They will join their...
A-K Valley PIAA softball playoff capsules for June 9, 2022
Today’s games Class 4A Quarterfinals Burrell (14-2) vs. Beaver (20-0) 3 p.m. at Mars Winner plays: Winner of Hamburg (20-3) vs. Clearfield (19-3) in semifinals Monday (site and time TBD) Players to watch: Caroline Dynka, Burrell; Payton List, Beaver Extra bases: Burrell won its first state playoff game since 2011...
Burrell softball team faces juggernaut Beaver in PIAAs
The Beaver softball team currently owns one of the longest winning streaks in WPIAL history. The Bobcats, last year’s PIAA Class 4A champs, defeated District 3’s Fleetwood, 3-2, on Monday to extend their unbeaten run to 41 games. Burrell (14-2) has its chance to stop Beaver in its tracks Thursday,...
Burrell rides early offense, Armstrong’s arm into PIAA softball quarterfinals
ERIE — It was déjà vu for the Burrell softball team Monday afternoon in its PIAA Class 4A first-round game against District 10 champion Villa Maria Academy at Penn State Behrend. The Bucs scored three times in the first inning of last Tuesday’s consolation-game victory over Montour that clinched a...
Deer Lakes softball faces tough road in PIAA tournament
District champions, when they enter the PIAA playoffs, always are afforded the opportunity to play their first game in their home district. Sometimes, the benefit extends to a home game in the opening round. Deer Lakes, the WPIAL runner-up, must deal with that scenario when it travels to District 10...
A-K Valley PIAA softball playoff capsules: Games for Monday, June 6, 2022
Class 4A First round 7-3 Burrell (13-2) vs. 10-1 Villa Maria Academy (17-3) 3 p.m. Monday at Penn State-Behrend Winner plays: Winner of 7-1 Beaver Area (19-0) vs. 3-3 Fleetwood (16-6) Thursday in quarterfinals (site and time TBD) Players to Watch: Katie Armstrong, Burrell; Jenna Wagner, Villa Maria Academy Extra...
Riverview runners cap special season at PIAA meet
Riverview’s boys 3,200-meter relay runners stood on the medals stand at last year’s PIAA Class 2A championships having just completed a strong performance on the track at Shippensburg University. Parker Steele, Amberson Bauer, Ty Laughlin and the now-graduated Mason Ochs ran to a time of 8 minutes, 16.58 seconds and...
After quarterfinal loss, Riverview baseball looks forward to next season
Riverview baseball players had winning playoff experiences under their belts as they began this year’s WPIAL Class A tournament with a first-round matchup against Bishop Canevin. The Raiders, hoping for a second straight run to the WPIAL finals, checked in as the No. 10 seed, but coach Bill Gras knew...
Gateway’s Robinson caps high school career at PIAA track championships
Amaya Robinson graduated from Gateway on Wednesday. But before she took those all-important steps from one journey to begin another, she had some business to take care of on the biggest track and field stage in the state. Robinson was one of 25 sprinters who challenged themselves in the Class...
Times Express campus clippings: Gateway grad honored for strong softball season at Waynesburg
Gateway graduate Kayla Gratton, a sophomore on the Waynesburg University softball team, enjoyed a strong season at shortstop, and she was rewarded for her efforts with selection to the Presidents Athletic Conference all-star team as an honorable-mention pick. Nine players in all were selected after helping lead the Yellow Jackets...
Burrell softball team eyes 1st PIAA win in decade
With its season on the line and a trip to the PIAA playoffs at stake, the Burrell softball team came up big Tuesday against Montour at Mars. The Bucs scored early, and their defense, coupled with the pitching of junior ace Katie Armstrong, made it hold up in a 3-1...
Burrell coach Shawn Liotta, brother Jeremy key cogs of innovative Fan Controlled Football League
Shawn Liotta’s passion for coaching football and striving for success has no downtime. It’s a year-round venture. It’s his job. And he wouldn’t want it any other way. A veteran mentor in the sport for more than two decades at the high school, collegiate and professional levels, including work in...
Deer Lakes softball players turn attention to states after WPIAL title game loss
Jenna Bisegna was at the meeting point between disappointment over Deer Lakes’ 8-1 loss to Avonworth on Wednesday in the WPIAL Class 3A softball title game and getting energized for Monday’s PIAA first-round game as the Lancers met for practice Thursday afternoon. “We were feeling rather defeated yesterday, and the...
Avonworth tops Deer Lakes to claim WPIAL Class 3A softball crown
Avonworth softball is back on top of the WPIAL Class 3A mountain. The top-seeded Antelopes were strong at the plate, on defense and in the pitching circle, with sophomore standout Alivia Lantzy leading the way, in an 8-1 victory over Deer Lakes in the championship game Wednesday afternoon at Lilley...
Katie Armstrong leads Burrell into PIAA softball playoffs for 1st time in 11 years
For the first time in 11 years, the Burrell softball team will be a part of the PIAA playoffs. The Bucs scored three times in the first inning of Tuesday’s WPIAL Class 4A third-place game against Montour at Mars. The lead held up behind the pitching of junior Katie Armstrong...
Deer Lakes softball players hope to add another title to program’s legacy
Anna Bokulich remembers Deer Lakes’ 2015 WPIAL softball championship well. The Deer Lakes junior, along with a number of other young, up-and-coming players in the Deer Lakes area youth program, including seniors Shayne Cerra, Keeghan Cook and Lydia Guthrie, were on hand to see the Lancers rout Mohawk, 13-5, to...
