SPORTS

The opportunity to develop and practice hobbies and passions is a vital part of a strong community. With the pursuit of hobbies and passions comes a sense of purpose, accomplishment, and confidence, which strengthens both the individual and the community. Such benefits would not be as obtainable without the operations of businesses that provide the medium and resources for community members to practice their hobbies. One such business that provides this opportunity for the community is Mt. Pleasant Martial Arts.

CARLISLE – Mike Gaffey may have had more than enough intel on the adversary his Mechanicsburg side was about to encounter, but he decided to take one last look – a first-hand look – to be sure. Although Mechanicsburg’s second-year skipper was a bit uneasy after watching...

Belle Vernon got a big send-off Friday as the Leopards head off to the PIAA championship to play the Northwestern Lehigh Tigers. It's Belle Vernon's second consecutive trip to the big game. In addition to Belle Vernon, North Allegheny is going for a title Saturday. Other western PA teams playing...

Saturday is a big day for boys high school basketball fans in the Westmoreland County area with the Westmoreland County Coaches Association Showcase. The event is so big, games will be taking place at two sites. The schedule for games at Hempfield:. • Yough (3-0) vs. Monessen (1-0) at noon.

In a recent change for Derry, we welcome a new athletic director, Mr. Nick Raymond, stepping into the role vacated by Mr. Miller, who returned to Seton Hill this fall. Bringing a wealth of sports experience, Mr. Raymond was a three-sport athlete, coached football for 12 years at Homer Center, where he won two District 6 championships, and served as an athletic director at Forest Hills High School for two years before joining our community.

A quick glance at the Presidents’ Athletic Conference men’s basketball statistics shows Saint Vincent is tops in assists per game (16.1) and assist-to-turnover ratio (1.52). That makes sense for a team that shares the ball, plays at a breakneck pace and throws alley-oops in transition. Social media videos...

The Belle Vernon football team was in Northwestern Lehigh’s shoes last year. The Leopards reached the PIAA final for the first time in 2022, and they left with the trophy. If you purchase a product or register for an account through a link on our site, we may receive compensation. By using this site, you consent to our User Agreement and agree that your clicks, interactions, and personal information may be collected, recorded, and/or stored by us and social media and other third-party partners in accordance with our Privacy Policy.

Yough expects to see zone defenses this season. Deer Lakes sure knows how to run them. Using its trademark 1-3-1 zone, the defending WPIAL champion and fourth-ranked Lancers silenced No. 3 Yough, 53-32, in a matchup of Class 3A top-five boys basketball teams Friday night at Yough. “We have been...

Carrick at Avonworth, ppd. Albert Gallatin at Ringgold, 7:30 p.m. Aquinas Academy at Leechburg, 6 p.m. Blackhawk at Highlands, 7:30 p.m. Butler at Kiski Area, 7 p.m. Cheswick Christian Academy at Geibel, 7:30 p.m. Derry at Connellsville, 7:30 p.m. Frazier at West Greene, 7 p.m. Harvest Baptist Academy at Springdale,...

In all of his years in coaching, Doug Kelly was almost certain he had never coached a double-overtime game in a season opener. “Oh, man, I don’t think so,” the Penn-Trafford coach said. He could guarantee he’d never coached two in a row to start a season. Who...

It didn’t take long for new coaches to get their first win. Four local first-year coaches won in their season debut last Friday in Christy Hajjar (Ligonier Valley), Bob Madison (Hempfield), Mackenzie Livingston (Latrobe) and Brian Znavor (Yough). Hempfield, Yough and Latrobe doubled down with wins the following day...

The nostalgic Birdie, long off his diet and primed for Christmas cookie season, filled his yellow belly with chocolate after Belle Vernon won last week. He couldn’t help himself. It was habit. Mama Birdie was making peanut butter blossoms — “kiss cookies” as she calls them — and he...

Champion's Tom Conrad has told 21 Sports he's stepped down as head coach of the Flashes. He me with the team this afternoon and announced he was stepping aside. "I have a six month old baby and want to spend time with the my family," Conrad told 21 Sports. He...

Another Fayette County school district has decided not to accept a football schedule from the WPIAL. Connellsville Area School District’s board voted 9-0 to withdraw from the WPIAL in football for the next two seasons. Connellsville joins Albert Gallatin, Uniontown and Brownsville in playing an independent schedule. Butler has...

They needed the rulebook to decide Wednesday’s WPIAL Class 2A Section 6 match between Greensburg Salem and Valley. The match ended deadlocked at 30-30, but after the official looked at the scorebook, Valley was awarded the victory for most matches won, 6-5. Greensburg Salem coach Randy Parsley actually cut...

Last year, Jeannette’s boys basketball team lost in the first round of the WPIAL playoffs to Northgate. There are plenty of reasons for the Jayhawks not to dwell on that defeat. It came at the end of a perfectly respectable regular season — they went 13-8, 7-5 in section play — and the sixth-seeded Flames ended up being the surprise of the Class 2A tournament, going all the way to the WPIAL final.

There is no doubt the PIAA Class 3A title game will be a physical, defensive battle. Belle Vernon (12-1) will meet Northwestern Lehigh (15-0) in an attempt to defend its state title at 1 p.m. Saturday at Cumberland Valley High School in Mechanicsburg. “The thing that you learn from tape...

(Aqueduct stretch drive / Photo by Chelsea Durand & Courtesy of NYRA) Cash is King and LC Racing’s Disco Ebo will look to build on a fine weekend of racing for her connections in Saturday’s $120,000 Garland of Roses, a six-furlong test for fillies and mares 3-years-old and up, at Aqueduct Racetrack.

Head Coach: Tom Esposito – 6th season of second stint (15th overall at Derry Area) Last Season: 11-10 overall, lost to Mohawk in the WPIAL Class 3A first round. Key Losses: Gabe Carbonara, Ethan Frye, Ashton Beighley. Key Returners: Nate Papuga, Brady Angus, John Wasnick. Promising Newcomers: Roman Fridley,...