By: Bill Beckner Jr.


Saturday, January 17, 2026 | 5:37 PM

The PIAA boys and girls soccer championships are coming to Highmark Stadium for the next four years.

It has been a while since the PIAA brought its trophies west.

Next year’s finals will mark the first time a state championship has been played in WPIAL territory since the 1992 PIAA girls volleyball finals were contested at Robert Morris.

There have been many state tournaments played on this side of the commonwealth.

The 1991 PIAA Class 2A football championship was played at South Stadium (now Cupples Stadium), and numerous PIAA basketball finals were played in Pittsburgh — proper and surrounding areas — before Penn State and Hershey became longtime sites.

The old Civic Arena hosted boys state finals in 1966, ’71 and ’79. Pitt’s Fitzgerald Field House hosted the boys Class 2A final in 1963 and ’65, and the 1962 Class A final was played at New Castle High School.

The Pavilion at Pitt Stadium hosted the 2A title game in 1947, ’51, ’53, ’55, ’61 and the 1929, ’31 and ’34 3A championships.

Irwin won its first two titles at the Pavilion in ’47 and ’53.

Valley won the 1979 title at Civic Arena. Franklin Regional’s girls took their ’79 title there, as well.

Washington High School hosted the 1950 PIAA wrestling championships.

Many don’t realize the PIAA was founded in Pittsburgh in 1913.

The WPIAL is looking forward to seeing the state’s premier games come to the city.

“We are extremely happy for our players, coaches and fans to have an opportunity to play for a PIAA soccer championship right in our own backyard,” WPIAL executive director Vince Sortino said. “Highmark has a great facility for such an event, and it also gives schools from across the PIAA the opportunity to see our beautiful city.”

Second offer for Brown

Jeannette standout quarterback/defensive back Kymon’e Brown wants to play Division I football, and he has more than one option.

A second program offered him a scholarship last week, with Albany reaching out.

His other offer is from the Naval Academy.

Brown has won back-to-back TribLive Westmoreland player of the year awards.

This season, he threw for 1,822 yards and 19 touchdowns and rushed for 1,119 yards and 17 TDs. He added 50 tackles and two interceptions.

The great indoors

The Hempfield distance medley relay is off to a fast start to the indoor track and field season.

The foursome of Ryan Ewing, Kieran Allison, Isaiah Bittner and Jonathan Stetchock broke the school record last weekend with a time of 10 minutes, 40.44 seconds.

The time ranks first in the state and is No. 5 nationally.

Recruiting

• IUP offered Norwin senior linebacker, tight end and long-snapper Josh Lenart. The 6-foot-2, 210-pound Lenart, a first-team all-conference pick on defense, had 28 tackles, six for loss, two sacks and an interception this season for the Knights.

Lenart has five Division II offers from PSAC schools. The others are from Edinboro, Seton Hill, Gannon and Clarion.

• Jeannette running back and linebacker Nick Mendoza grabbed his first NCAA Division II offer, from West Liberty of the Mountain East Conference.

This season, Mendoza (5-11, 180) ran for 460 yards and eight touchdowns, and had 65 tackles and six sacks for the Jayhawks.

• West Liberty also offered Franklin Regional senior tight end and linebacker Lochlan Bresnahan. Bresnahan (6-2, 210) had four catches for 42 yards this season and made 34 tackles, eight for loss, with four sacks.

• Brayden Gerst, a senior all-conference linebacker at Hempfield, will play at Grove City. Gerst (5-10, 200) had 70 tackles, nine for loss, this season for the Spartans.

• Greensburg Central Catholic senior lineman Matt Mazowiecki (5-10, 225) and senior wide receiver and defensive back Jackson Lowden (5-11, 160) will continue their playing careers at Washington & Jefferson.

• Hempfield senior Isabella Billeck will play lacrosse at Mount Aloysius.

Bill Beckner Jr. is a TribLive reporter covering local sports in Westmoreland County. He can be reached at bbeckner@triblive.com.