Michael Love stories, Page 88
WPIAL girls tennis preview: Knoch, Latrobe loaded to defend titles
Knoch girls tennis players pulled off a rare WPIAL trifecta last year. Laura Greb captured her fourth WPIAL singles title, sisters Brooke and Ally Bauer brought home doubles gold and the Knights snapped Sewickley Academy’s three-year reign for their first team title after three straight runner-up finishes to the Panthers....
Multi-talented Fraser hopes to have healthy season, be key player for Knoch
Keegan Fraser is on multiple missions entering football season. The Knoch senior running back, H-back and free safety hopes to be a major factor on both sides of the ball to help the Knights rebound from a winless 2020. To do that, a personal crusade Fraser is hoping to accomplish...
New generation of versatile, athletic linemen paves way for A-K Valley offenses
Brandon Lawhorn Moore doesn’t mind that his Kiski Area teammates and coaches call him “Beef.” It is a nickname that has stuck since sixth grade. “My history teacher had these beef jerky days every Friday, and I would be the only one who would bring in the beef jerky,” said...
Senior linebacker making name for himself at Kiski Area
Anyone who plays football at Kiski Area is bound to receive a nickname from head coach Sam Albert and his coaching staff. For Brayden Dunmire, his ability to deliver the goods early in his varsity career earned him the moniker “Stick.” “When he was a freshman, I put him in...
Knoch determined to get back to winning ways
There is optimism in Saxonburg. Knoch football coach Brandon Mowry said his players — including nine starters back on both offensive and defense — carry the experiences of a challenging 2020 season with them and are using it to propel themselves this fall. “We played a lot of underclassmen last...
Highlands looks to leave playoff drought in past
Chandler Thimons enters his third year as the Highlands starting quarterback hoping to help snap the Golden Rams’ five-year playoff drought. The 6-foot-3, 215-pound signal caller said he developed a high degree of optimism through the team’s work in the offseason. “This team has a really special bond this year,”...
Highlands’ new-look offensive line showing potential
Last year, a Highlands offensive line that included four seniors opened holes for the run game and protected the passer who averaged 300 yards a game as the Golden Rams finished 4-3 in the Greater Allegheny Conference and challenged for a WPIAL playoff spot through the final week of the...
With more preparation, Kiski Area expects strong start to season
Matt Hilty is hoping this season at Kiski Area can start and remain normal after a 2020 fall that was anything but. The senior two-way starter and second-team Class 5A Northeast Conference all-star at linebacker was part of a Cavaliers team that had to make do without much preseason preparation...
Freeport sophomore Colton Otterman set to take off after breakout freshman season
Colton Otterman is not the biggest dog in the fight. But the Freeport sophomore wide receiver and outside linebacker wants to make sure opponents experience his bite. After a breakout freshman season in which he had 33 tackles and a team-leading six sacks, the 5-foot-10, 162- pounder is ready to...
Plum native, former NHL player R.J. Umberger set to join Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame
Five years have gone by since R.J. Umberger last laced up his skates in an NHL game. “Time sure has flown by,” said the Plum native who played 11 years in the NHL with the Columbus Blue Jackets and Philadelphia Flyers. “Before I know it, it will be 10 and...
Registration opens for Pittsburgh Marathon’s return to in-person racing
In-person racing for the Dick’s Sporting Goods Pittsburgh Marathon returns in 2022, and registration for the weekend of races and events officially opened Wednesday. More than 40,000 runners of all ages and abilities are expected to participate. The Pittsburgh Marathon will be the weekend of April 29 to May 1....
Alle-Kiski Valley swimmers hope to make splash at USA Eastern Zones meets
Numerous age-group swimmers, including those from the Alle-Kiski Valley, hope to make a splash for Allegheny Mountain Swimming this weekend at the USA Swimming Eastern Zones long course championship meets in Buffalo, N.Y., (ages 15 and up) and Richmond, Va. (14 and under). Many of them posted qualifying times for...
Century West girls soccer celebrates national championship
The Century West U15 girls soccer team put it all together throughout the spring and into summer and brought home the championship trophy from the U.S. Youth Soccer National Presidents Cup tournament last month in Des Moines, Iowa. “It just came down to a total commitment from the group,” coach...
Good weather greets golfers, Gateway supporters at annual Antimarino golf outing
Sunny and warm weather conditions greeted more than 100 golfers July 23 at Meadowink Golf Course in Murrysville for the fourth annual Walter “Pete” Antimarino Golf Outing. The day of activities serves to honor the memory of the legendary Pitcairn and Gateway football coach and is an opportunity for Gateway...
Weather helps make Freeport International Baseball Invitational
After the last of the fireworks lit up the sky over Freeport Borough on Saturday evening and the final cheesesteak sub and order of fresh cut fries were consumed at James E. Swartz Memorial Field, officials of the Freeport International Baseball Invitational quickly turned their thoughts to next summer’s weeklong...
Post positions set for 55th Adios Pace for the Orchids final
The field is set for Saturday’s 55th Delvin Miller Adios Pace for the Orchids final at The Meadows. The purse pays $375,000 to the winner, and last Saturday’s elimination winners — Abuckabett Hanover, Water Sports Teen and Hellabalou — will start from post positions 3, 4 and 5, respectively. Those...
Tradition, competition keep teams coming to Freeport International Baseball Tournament
Michael Perry knew all about the Freeport International Baseball Tournament when he worked in sports at the Butler Eagle newspaper through 2001. “I knew of the tradition, and that it always was a pretty cool tournament,” said Perry, who will bring his Lake Erie Warhawks 16U team from Cleveland to...
Plum native has burning desire to make sports-themed art
What started out as a way to pass the time during the stay-at-home orders in the early stages of the covid pandemic has turned into a career venture for Plum native Adam Mahr. The 2017 Plum graduate, who now makes his home in St. Petersburg, Fla., has turned his combined...
Record-setting Liberty Mile showcases Pittsburgh’s running spirit
For the first time since November 2019, a road race with a live start went off on the streets of Downtown Pittsburgh. More than 1,300 runners from ages 3 to 78, including a group of 22 elite pro-milers, tested their mettle Friday evening at the 10th annual Fleet Feet Liberty...
Highlands turns to familiar face to lead girls soccer program
Paul Matisz was hired last week as coach of the girls soccer program at Highlands. There was no need for an introduction to the Golden Rams players. As an assistant under former coach Jenna Plummer the past two seasons and also deeply involved with the Highlands Area Soccer Club, Matisz...
Competitive field set for Adios eliminations at The Meadows
A deep field of 23 top colts and gelding pacers are set for Saturday’s Delvin Miller Adios Pace For the Orchids eliminations at The Meadows. The 55th edition again will have a total purse of $450,000 on the line. The field will be split among three elimination races Saturday. Each...
Knoch’s Sutton part of Team Pennsylvania in upcoming Big 26 Classic
Eli Sutton has one year of high school baseball remaining. The all-section catcher and rising senior at Knoch is among the players to watch in the WPIAL next spring. He also is one to watch this weekend as a member of Team Pennsylvania for the eighth annual Big 26 Classic...
Fleet Feet Liberty Mile brings top runners back to Pittsburgh streets
The pace will be quick as runners of all ages will take to the streets of Downtown Pittsburgh on Friday evening for the 10th annual Fleet Feet Liberty Mile. Under the direction of P3R (Pittsburgh Three Rivers), the Liberty Mile returns to a live start this year and is the...
Plum teen enjoying winning summer on links
Wes Lorish kicked off his summer of golf in winning fashion. The rising freshman at Plum captured the boys 12-14 age division at the Tri-State Junior PGA Championship on June 9 at Fox Run in Beaver Falls. Two weeks later, Lorish, 14, finished second in a playoff at the 101st...
Highlands playmaker Brock White on road to recovery from knee injury
Brock White might have to wait a few games to start his 2021 football season. The standout rising senior running back and linebacker at Highlands is in the recovery process after surgery earlier this month to repair an MCL tear suffered at a seven-on-seven event in late May at Valley...
