Pittsburg, PA
Cheswick Christian boys edge Pittsburgh Christian Academy for SWCAC title | Trib HSSN
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Saturday, February 24, 2024 | 8:49 PM
Antonio Rossetti | For TribLive
Cheswick Christian celebrates its victory over Pittsburgh Christian Academy in the SWCAC title game Saturday, Feb. 24, 2024.
Antonio Rossetti | For TribLive
Cheswick Christian celebrates its victory over Pittsburgh Christian Academy in the SWCAC title game Saturday, Feb. 24, 2024.
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The Cheswick Christian Academy boys basketball team defeated Pittsburgh Christian Academy, 42-39, on Saturday at a packed Steve Warden Gymnasium to take home its first SWCAC title since 2015.
Grant Rochkind, the league MVP, finished with 14 points, 13 rebounds and six assists for Cheswick Christian.
The game featured eight lead changes. Pittsburgh Christian, in its second season, took a 26-25 lead in the third quarter.
But the Chargers responded with an 11-0 run, which was fueled by Joseph Rosio, who knocked down a 3-pointer. A layup from Sean Louis put Cheswick up 36-26, but the River Hawks rallied with an 11-0 run capped by a 3-pointer from Aaron Powers to give Pittsburgh Christian a 37-36 lead.
The Chargers got their first points in the fourth quarter when Grant Rochkind was fouled and made both free throws with 1 minute, 46 seconds remaining to make it 38-37. Powers fouled out on the play.
Tim Nicklas then drove for a layup to give Pittsburgh Christian back a 39-38 lead.
Then came the biggest play of the game. Rochkind was forced left on an isolation and hit a fadeaway for a 40-39 lead.
“I knew we had to get a bucket,” Rochkind said. “I knew if we were going out, I had to take my best shot at it and it went in.”
The Chargers forced a stop, and after reaching the bonus, Brian Kazmer hit both free throws to go up 42-39.
The River Hawks chucked up a final shot as time expired, but it went long.
“The crowd was electric,” Rochkind said. “It was amazing tonight. I love their support. They’re great.”
Rosio, who scored 14 points and buried three 3s, marveled at his teammate.
“He’s clutch, man,” Rosio said of Rochkind. “That’s the reason he’s MVP.”
Rosio contributed several key baskets, including an and-one 3 early in the game to energize the crowd.
“Joseph man, he’s a sniper,” Rochkind said. “He’s great. He’s been huge for us all year, and it continued tonight.”
Rosio also appreciated the atmosphere.
“I love these fans man,” Rosio said. “I love this crowd.”
“My team puts that trust in me. They trust me to get the ball. They trust me to knock down those shots, and I do my best to knock them down.”
Kazmer said the team is peaking at the right time.
“I’m super proud of the team,” Kazmer said. “We’ve been playing good defense all year. Our offense has been getting better and better as we went on. Playing WPIAL teams made us better as a team. Our team chemistry, we’ve been playing since middle school, so it’s just through the roof.”
Pittsburgh Christian dominated much of the fourth quarter until Cheswick Christian’s late rally.
“They worked really hard, and they had a goal to get here,” River Hawks coach Chadd Schafer said of his team. “Obviously we wanted to win, but we’re really proud of how they played. They battled a lot of things this season. I’m super proud of them.”
Nicklas finished with 15 points and four rebounds, and Powers had 12 points and five rebounds.
Tags: Cheswick Christian
Pittsburg, PA
Pittsburgh is promising its biggest fireworks show ever. Here’s what the setup looks like.
We are just two days away from the Fourth of July, and that means fireworks. The final preparations are underway for the City of Pittsburgh’s show, which is promised to be the largest in history. In all, five barges full of fireworks will be set off for this show.
Under the blistering sun, the true heat is packed on the barges along the Ohio River. Thousands upon thousands of fireworks will go off during the 25-minute show Saturday night, done by Starfire Corporation.
“Being down here, for our family to be able to perform for Pittsburgh is such an honor,” Starfire Corporation vice president Vince Terrizzi Jr. said.
Planning started back in February for this event. The barges will go on the Mon, Allegheny and right near The Point, creating a triangle effect around the Golden Triangle.
“We have one rooftop location that will surprise people and come in and out during the show,” Terrizzi said.
In all, nine truckloads of fireworks were brought in to be part of the show. Inspectors with the Pittsburgh Bureau of Fire inspected and will do a final inspection before the show. For the inspector, it’s her last show as she plans to retire in a few months.
“Going out with literally the biggest bang the city has ever seen,” Lisa Epps-Cuda said with a laugh.
Starfire has done the about a half dozen of the city’s shows over the years, and it never gets old for them.
“Listening to the crowd’s response, boats cheering, those kind of things make it worth its while,” Terrizzi said.
As for the weather, the big concern will be lightning; the fireworks can still be fired off in the rain. The show is set to go off at 9:35 on Saturday night.
“Mayor of Kingstown” has wrapped up filming its fifth and final season in Pittsburgh.
Since the Paramount+ show began filming in western Pennsylvania in 2022, the Pittsburgh Film Office says it has injected over $325 million into the local economy and created over 10,000 jobs. In total, the show has had 457 shoot days in the Pittsburgh area.
“We look forward to seeing your work on the screen and thank you for several years of dedication to the region,” the Pittsburgh Film Office wrote in a Facebook post.
Production of the show’s fifth and final eight-episode season began in March. According to Paramount+, the new season follows what happens when an FBI agent described as a “dedicated lawman” arrives in Kingstown and “threatens to disrupt the tenuous balance of power.”
Jeremy Renner, who stars as Mike McLusky, marked the end of the show in an Instagram post, saying he was “filled with gratitude.”
“I am so very thankful for all of your support over the years—it has given my stride and purpose in my recovery and love in my heart,” Renner wrote. “Thank you cast and crew for carrying me through when necessary.”
Renner broke dozens of bones and underwent multiple surgeries after he was involved in an accident involving a 7-ton snowplow on New Year’s Day in 2023. He has said that returning to the set of “Mayor of Kingstown” for Season 3 helped him cope.
The release date for Season 5 hasn’t been announced yet.
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