Michael Love stories, Page 79
Gateway swimmers earn early WPIAL qualifying times
The Gateway boys and girls swimming and diving teams have entered the Section 3-3A portion of their schedules, and coach Sherry Sonetti hopes that a strong series of practices over the holiday break will pay dividends. “I beat them up a little bit with wanting them to get that yardage...
Various Alle-Kiski Valley schools change classifications
After many years of high-level contests in WPIAL Class 2A, including five seasons that resulted in WPIAL championships, the Freeport girls volleyball team made a move to Class 3A two years ago. But the winning didn’t wane as the Yellowjackets posted co-section championships this past fall and in 2020. The...
Patience, hard work paying off for Plum girls basketball
Early last month, as the Plum girls basketball team was going through its final paces in practices and scrimmages to get ready for the 2021-22 season, first-year coach Rich Mull said patience and hard work would be key components in the improvement of a young group with just one senior...
Riverview’s Fichte finds success with new bowling program
Gwyn Fichte has had quite the year so far in terms of sports success. In October, the Riverview sophomore placed 16th overall in the Class A girls race at the WPIAL cross country championships at Cal (Pa.). The finish also earned Fichte a berth to the state meet in Hershey....
Junior guard steps into go-to role for Freeport girls basketball team
With two regular starters out of the lineup Monday for a Section 1-4A matchup against Burrell, Ava Soilis set out to lift up her youthful Freeport teammates. The junior guard, a second-year starter for the Yellowjackets and currently the team’s leading scorer, came through with a career-best 26 points and...
Burrell girls get 1st victory of season, beat Freeport
The Burrell girls basketball team was not able to taste the thrill of victory over its first eight games. But as the Bucs turned the calendar to January, they were able to put one in the win column. Senior Hope Clark scored a team-best 18 points, and junior Addy Landowski...
Top 10 A-K Valley sports stories of 2021
As 2021 opened, high school sports in the Alle-Kiski Valley and throughout the region and state were on hold because of ongoing covid-19 uncertainties. Games, meets and matches eventually went ahead, and individual and team champions were crowned. The spring sports season returned after it was canceled in 2020 at...
Knoch girls basketball team again leans on defense in win over Kiski Area
Nina Shaw loves to put the ball in the hoop. But the junior guard also gets excited when she and her Knoch teammates are able to play strong defense. That was on display again Wednesday evening against Kiski Area at the Kiski Area Holiday Classic. For the second time in...
Fox Chapel girls grab momentum with tournament win over Deer Lakes
In a game featuring several scoring runs, the Fox Chapel girls basketball team had the biggest one at a crucial point to take control of its Peter Sauer Memorial Tournament matchup with Deer Lakes on Wednesday afternoon at Shady Side Academy. Ahead by just two points with a little more...
Mars girls basketball gives Highlands its 1st loss
The Highlands girls basketball team came into their holiday tournament game against Mars on Tuesday afternoon undefeated through six games. But the visiting Planets ended up being too much for the Golden Rams to overcome. Three players scored in double figures for Class 5A Mars (7-1) as it handed Highlands...
Burrell senior coming to grips with ‘heartbreaking’ knee injury
Allison Fisher’s senior season was full of promise. The Burrell guard and multi-time section and Valley News Dispatch all-star had her sights set on leading the Bucs to a strong season and a WPIAL playoff spot in Section 1-4A. But her on-court goals were dashed just days before the start...
2021 Valley News Dispatch Football All-Stars
First-team all-stars Luke Bombalski Highlands, RB/LB, so. The Golden Rams’ offensive standout had a breakout season with 210 carries for 1,276 yards and 15 touchdowns. He also caught six passes for 51 yards and a score. He made 71 tackles and produced seven sacks. Logan Brooks Plum, WR/DB, sr....
Valley News Dispatch Defensive Player of the Year: Kiski Area’s Brayden Dunmire
Alle-Kiski Valley Defensive Player of the Year Brayden Dunmire DE/LB, Senior, 6-2, 230 pounds, Kiski Area When recalling positive moments from his 2021 football season, Kiski Area senior defensive stalwart Brayden Dunmire’s thoughts were drawn to a Sept. 3 nonconference matchup against rival Franklin Regional. The Cavaliers came into the...
Alle-Kiski Valley boys and girls cross country honor rolls announced
The Alle-Kiski Valley Cross Country Honor Roll for the 2021 season was released Wednesday. Jack Lorence, a senior from Fox Chapel, was named the boys runner of the year. He capped his final season with a ninth-place finish at the WPIAL Class 3A championships Oct. 28 at Cal (Pa.). He...
Freeport girls basketball fends off Deer Lakes rally in section opener
The Deer Lakes girls basketball team made a furious fourth-quarter comeback at Freeport on Monday in the Section 1-4A opener for both teams. But a 17-point third-quarter lead by Freeport — its largest of the game — was more than the Lancers were able to overcome. The Yellowjackets held on...
Citrano, Plum wrestling team motivated to reach goals
Vinnie Citrano has great expectations for his final varsity wrestling season. The Plum senior is eyeing section gold after a third and two runner-up finishes and is hoping to place at WPIALs and make a run at states. He also is hoping to join the exclusive 100-win club at Plum....
Schohn, Plum swim teams pushing pace
After making his mark at WPIALs last year and competing at the PIAA championships, Plum senior Sam Schohn’s goals are clear for the 2021-22 swim season. “I worked really hard in the offseason to get back to states and go even faster,” Schohn said. “I got best times in both...
Highlands continues hot start, defeats rival Burrell
The Highlands girls basketball team got off to a winning start in Section 1-4A play Thursday as three players scored in double figures and a fourth came close during a 59-37 victory over Burrell. The Golden Rams, playing for the fifth time in seven days, improved to 5-0 overall. “We...
Top A-K Valley swimmers already off to strong starts
Sophie Shao was the hunted last season after bursting onto the high school scene as a freshman and winning WPIAL and PIAA Class AAA gold in the 100-yard butterfly. She answered the bell and turned away all challengers to defend both crowns. Shao, a junior, now is eyeing a WPIAL...
Gateway’s Patrick Body looks forward to joining College Football Playoff qualifier Cincinnati
Patrick Body is confident. The Gateway senior feels Cincinnati can pull out a Cotton Bowl victory over No. 1 Alabama in one of the two College Football Playoff semifinals Dec. 31. His rooting interest these days runs deeper than it ever has before. On Wednesday, the three-star defensive back finalized...
A-K Valley football players finalize Division I commitments
Brandon Lawhorn Moore made a verbal commitment to Miami (Ohio) last month, and Wednesday morning, “Beef” made it official with the Redhawks. The 6-foot-5, 290-pound Kiski Area offensive tackle joined Cavaliers senior teammate Brock Wilkins (Pitt) and dozens of others from throughout the WPIAL, including Apollo-Ridge lineman Greg Klingensmith (William...
Highlands girls stay busy during undefeated start to season
The Highlands girls basketball team took advantage of the opportunity to get on the court in game action starting last Friday against Fox Chapel at the Freeport Tip-Off Tournament through Tuesday evening’s game against neighboring St. Joseph. The Golden Rams played four games in five days — Sunday was a...
Monroeville’s Ahmad Matour chasing pro card in International Federation of BodyBuilders
Ahmad Matour was surrounded by a bevy of savory food selections on Thanksgiving Day. But the Monroeville resident and one of the region’s top bodybuilders was disciplined and focused. Matour has let nothing stand in the way of his goals in the lightweight division at Saturday’s National Physique Committee National...
Alle-Kiski Valley Campus Clippings: Myers nets career-high 23 points
Tess Myers has made quite the impact for the Duquesne women’s basketball team. The latest evidence from the Dukes freshman guard, Lower Burrell resident and North Catholic graduate came Saturday against St. Francis (Pa.) in a nonconference game at UPMC Cooper Fieldhouse. Myers scored a career-best 23 points (6 of...
Marston, Susko pace Plum girls basketball past Freeport in season opener
Sophomore guard Megan Marston scored 17 of her game-high 21 points in the second half, and junior forward Dannika Susko added 12 points and nine rebounds as the Plum girls basketball team topped Freeport 43-33 in the second game of the Freeport Tip-Off Tournament on Friday at Freeport Middle School....
