Paul Schofield stories, Page 92
Jeannette football team to honor coach’s sister-in-law who died of covid-19
As Jeannette’s football team prepares for Friday’s PIAA Class A Championship game against Steelton-Highspire, coach Roy Hall is dealing with the death of his beloved sister-in-law. Dana Hall, 56, was a secretary in the school district. She died Sunday from complications from covid-19. To honor her, the team will wear...
Jeannette, state-final opponent Steelton-Highspire have rich histories
How did you spend your Saturday afternoon? Jeannette football coach Roy Hall spent it watching his team’s next opponent on video stream. His tone was a lot better than it was less than 24 hours earlier after his team’s 48-12 win against Reynolds in the PIAA Class A semifinals. Jeannette...
Penn-Trafford field hockey gaining ground on PIAA competition
Since Cindy Dutt took over the Penn-Trafford field hockey program, the gap between her team and teams in Eastern Pennsylvania has shrunk. But the Warriors, who claimed their fifth consecutive WPIAL Class AA title this season, are searching still for that elusive first win in the PIAA playoffs. “When we...
Jeannette uses huge second half to roll Reynolds, wrap up trip to state finalsVideo
TRANSFER — Reynolds played Jeannette tough in the first half of Friday’s PIAA Class A semifinal. But a 12-minute outburst by the Jayhawks in the third quarter quickly turned a close game into a rout and had the District 10 champions thinking about the winter season. Jeannette (10-1) scored 27...
Franklin Regional volleyball on cusp of first state title
It’s been a season of firsts for the Franklin Regional girls volleyball team. The team won its first WPIAL championship and is making its first trip to the PIAA championship game. Will the season end with another first? Senior Aly Kindelberger thinks so. “I think we’re playing with great confidence...
John Berger resigns as Ligonier Valley boys basketball coach
Ligonier Valley boys basketball coach John Berger recently resigned, athletic director Wesley Siko said. Berger cited work demands as the reason he can no longer coach the team. Berger is the Ligonier Borough Chief of Police. Berger coached the Rams the past two seasons. The team played in the District...
Jeannette defense ready for PIAA semifinal test against Reynolds’ rushing attack
The first thing Jeannette football coach Roy Hall told his players at Monday’s practice was to forget about winning the WPIAL title. That game is over. Jeannette won the school’s 10th WPIAL championship Saturday, claiming the Class A title with an impressive and shocking 45-14 victory against Eastern Conference rival...
WPIAL wrestling notebook: Norwin hires coach with college, national team experience
Norwin has a new wrestling coach. It’s Connellsville grad Kyle Martin, an up-and-coming coach who has been an assistant at a couple of colleges and coached USA Wrestling’s national and Pennsylvania teams. Martin was a finalist for the Connellsville job that went to former Greensburg Central Catholic coach and Mt....
PSAC cancels winter sports for 2020-21 season
The Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference announced Wednesday that the winter sports seasons and championships have been canceled because of the coronavirus. The cancellation comes following a vote of the league’s board of directors. Teams in the PSAC are Seton Hill, Cal (Pa.), IUP, Slippery Rock, Clarion, Pitt-Johnstown, Edinboro, Mercyhurst, Gannon,...
Aly Kindelberger delivers for Franklin Regional volleyball in state semifinalsVideo
Franklin Regional senior Aly Kindelberger was delivering cake pops to her teammates after Tuesday’s PIAA Class 3A semifinal match against DuBois. It was appropriate because moments earlier, she delivered the team to a 3-0 sweep against District 9 champion DuBois and a berth in the PIAA championship game against Bethlehem...
Jeannette freshman QB Brad Birch likely out for Friday’s state playoff game
Jeannette freshman quarterback Brad Birch probably won’t play in Friday’s PIAA Class A semifinal game against Reynolds. Birch had a cast on his left ankle after suffering an undisclosed injury during Saturday’s WPIAL final against Clairton. Jeannette defeated Clairton, 45-14. The injury occurred during Jeannette’s first possession of the second...
Franklin Regional faces well-rested DuBois in PIAA Class 3A volleyball semifinals
It’s been an unusual and crazy fall sports season because of covid-19. Teams have been forced to postpone or cancel competitions. Some teams even forfeited playoff games. The DuBois girls’ volleyball team is making its first appearance in the PIAA Class 3A playoffs Tuesday, but it hasn’t played a match...
After ‘unbelievable’ win against Clairton, Jeannette must turn focus to next opponent
It took a day, but Jeannette football coach Roy Hall started to recognize what his team accomplished Saturday in the WPIAL Class A championship game. What Jeannette did to Clairton is something the Bears usually do to opponents: The Jayhawks smashed them. Jeannette (9-1) took advantage of six Clairton turnovers...
Penn-Trafford notebook: Hockey team opens with win
Penn-Trafford opened the 2020-21 season Nov. 5 by defeating Mars, 3-2, in Pennsylvania Interscholastic Hockey League action. Ryan Crombie’s goal in the third period snapped a 2-2 tie. The Warriors also got goals from Nick Loughner and Bennett Dupilka. Penn-Trafford dropped its next game, falling to Hempfield, 5-1. The Warriors...
Penn-Trafford football season ends a little earlier than hoped
Penn-Trafford’s football season ended a little earlier than it planned. The Warriors (6-2) saw their season end with a 49-14 loss at No. 1 Pine-Richland in the WPIAL semifinals. Their losses were to the two WPIAL Class 5A finalists. Peters Township edged Penn-Trafford, 24-21, in the second game of the...
Jeannette adds 10th WPIAL title to trophy caseVideo
The winningest football program in the WPIAL added another prize to its trophy case. This one might be the most impressive and unexpected. No. 3 Jeannette stunned No. 1 Clairton and captured its 10th WPIAL football championship Saturday with an impressive 45-14 victory in the Class A title game at...
Jeannette punishes Clairton in shocking WPIAL championship blowout
Jeannette captured the 10th WPIAL title in school history by shocking No. 1 Clairton, 45-14, in the Class A championship game Saturday at North Hills’ Martorelli Stadium. The Jayhawks (9-1) reversed a season-opening loss to the Bears by capitalizing on numerous Clairton mistakes. It was the first time since 2004...
Family atmosphere on coaching staff helps Jeannette stay successful
There is something special about being a football coach at Jeannette. But current coach Roy Hall knows to be successful, you must have a dedicated coaching staff that loves the game, loves coaching players and loves Jeannette. Hall has been the Jayhawks’ head man since 2009 when Ray Reitz left...
Clairton, Jeannette at it again in WPIAL Class A championship game
Before Jeannette and Clairton met in the first game of the season Sept. 11, Clairton coach Wayne Wade made two predictions. One, the game would decide the Eastern Conference title, and he was correct. Two, he said he was confident that the teams would meet for a second time for...
Fresh off program’s first WPIAL title, Franklin Regional volleyball heads into state playoffs
This has been a year of firsts for the Franklin Regional girls volleyball team. On Saturday, the Panthers captured their first WPIAL Class 3A volleyball title, rallying late to upend No. 3 Montour, 3-2. The Panthers trailed 14-13 in the fifth set but leaned on Division I recruit Aly Kindelberger...
Jeannette turns page on Rochester win, focuses on Clairton rematch
Jeannette football coach Roy Hall gave his team permission to enjoy Friday’s convincing win at Rochester in the WPIAL Class A semifinals until Saturday. The hour-plus bus ride back to Jeannette from Rochester provided the Jayhawks time to relish their accomplishment after the No. 3 seed Jayhawks defeated the No....
Moon’s Cochran, Shenango’s Medvit claim PIAA cross country titles
Mia Cochran and Carmen Medvit captured PIAA cross country championships Saturday in Hershey. Cochran, a junior from Moon, won her second Class AAA title by breezing in a time of 18 minutes, 28 seconds. Cochran is a two-time WPIAL champion. Medvit, a senior from Shenango, won her first Class A...
Franklin Regional football finds positives in challenging season
If Greg Botta has his choice, he’d be preparing his Franklin Regional football team for a playoff game instead of cleaning his condominium in Myrtle Beach. But Franklin Regional had its streak of 16 consecutive seasons of playing in the WPIAL playoffs stopped this season after finishing 4-3 overall and...
Jeannette takes down Rochester, gets rematch with Clairton in WPIAL title game
Jeannette coach Roy Hall told his team the key to defeating Rochester was controlling the line of scrimmage. That’s what No. 3 Jeannette did Friday in the WPIAL Class A semifinals at Rochester Stadium. The Jayhawks (8-1) controlled both sides of the line and gashed the Rams, 40-13, to advance...
WPIAL girls volleyball finals preview: GCC looks to end Bishop Canevin’s title run
Greensburg Central Catholic’s girls volleyball team hasn’t been in the WPIAL Class A championship since 2016. That also happened to be Courtney Stynchula first season as the school’s coach. If the Centurions want to win their fourth WPIAL title, they must find a way to defeat perennial power Bishop Canevin,...
