First Pitch, High school, Sports
By By LIAM BELAN lbelan@yourmvi.com 
March 13, 2025
The Rams are trying to learn how to win after going 2-14 last season. When Ringgold softball coach Kaitlin Kenney took over the helm for the first time last season, she knew that she had her work cut ...
First Pitch, High school, Sports
By ANDREW WHITE, MVI Sports 
March 13, 2025
The Eagles are built around a deep and talented pitching staff. After a dominant 17-4 season, including an undefeated 12-0 record in section play, Serra Catholic baseball is ready to build on its lega...
First Pitch, High school, Sports
By By LIAM BELAN lbelan@yourmvi.com 
March 13, 2025
She inherits a successful program from former coach Denny Willaman. The Serra Catholic softball team will be undergoing some changes this season, but the expectations will remain the same. Longtime co...
First Pitch, High school, Sports
By By LIAM BELAN lbelan@yourmvi.com 
March 13, 2025
South Allegheny has two “shutdown pitchers” returning after winning the section in 2024. When South Allegheny baseball coach Gib Pohodich was hired, he laid out the results that he expected from his p...
First Pitch, High school, Sports
PRESEASON SNAPSHOTS
Photos by Jake Layhue / MVI Sports
March 13, 2025
First Pitch, High school, Sports
By ANDREW WHITE, MVI Sports 
March 13, 2025
The Jaguars are still loaded with talent as they aim for another long playoff run. Coming off a strong 19-5 season, the Thomas Jefferson baseball team is preparing for a new challenge as it moves up t...
First Pitch, High school, Sports
By ANDREW WHITE, MVI Sports 
March 13, 2025
As defending PIAA champs, they know they’re an important game for every team they face. The Thomas Jefferson softball team is preparing for the new season, aiming to build on last year’s historic stat...
First Pitch, High school, Sports
By ANDREW WHITE, MVI Sports 
March 13, 2025
Coach Jeff Kuzma has to replace his pitching ace and top two hitters from last season. The West Mifflin baseball team enters the 2024 season with high expectations, looking to extend its streak of fou...
First Pitch, High school, Sports
By ANDREW WHITE, MVI Sports 
March 13, 2025
Rylie Dobnak was the Titans’ top hitter and pitcher last season. Coming off an 11-9 season and a third-place finish in section play, the West Mifflin softball team enters 2025 with high hopes and plen...
First Pitch, High school, Sports
March 13, 2025
Photos by Jeff Helsel & Mike Darnay
First Pitch, High school, Sports
By ADAM BREWER MVI SPORTS 
March 13, 2025
Coach Dan Palm want his team to challenge for the section title. It was a transition year last spring for the Yough baseball team, as the Cougars had a lineup full of underclassmen. After losing only ...
First Pitch, High school, Sports
By JEREMY SELLEW 
March 13, 2025
Star shortstop Adoria Waldier and pitching ace Kylee Fisher will both miss the season. With the news Yough head coach Dutch Harvey got prior to the season, one would think he wouldn’t be smiling as mu...
First Pitch, High school, Sports
Belle Vernon Area • Bentworth • California • Charleroi • Clairton • Elizabeth Forward • Frazier • McKeesport
Monessen • Ringgold • Serra Catholic • South Allegheny • Thomas Jefferson • West Mifflin • Yough
March 13, 2025
High school, Sports, Sports Columns
SPORTLIGHT
By By JEFF OLIVER MVI Sports 
March 10, 2025
By now, sports fans throughout the tristate area are aware of the wild melee that broke out during Friday night’s Uniontown-Meadville PIAA playoff game. With just over three minutes to play and Meadvi...
High school, Sports, Sports Columns
March 6, 2025
After a few days off I still find myself struggling to get back into the swing of things. It’s First Pitch time, we have new basketball champions and we’re about 8 days away from the start of baseball...
High school, Sports, Sports Columns
SPORTLIGHT
By By JEFF OLIVER MVI Sports, AMANDA SEITZ Associated Press 
March 3, 2025
John Kukrak remembers that day in 1995 perfectly. He was in his driveway washing his vehicle when his neighbor and friend, Nick Mahalko, pulled up. Mahalko had been the scorekeeper for Monessen’s boys...
High school, Sports, Sports Columns
SPORTLIGHT
By By JEFF OLIVER MVI Sports 
February 25, 2025
a little food for thought to help Here’s start your week: • Over the many years of his legendary coaching career, Joe Salvino and I had this little moment we used to enjoy. Often times, when I was int...
High school, Sports, Sports Columns
I’M JUST SAYIN’
February 13, 2025
There’s a lot to process when looking through the WPIAL playoff brackets when it comes to our local teams. Needless to say, it was a pretty good season for our Valley teams. Out of the 30 in the Mon V...
High school, Sports, Sports Columns
SPORTLIGHT
By By JEFF OLIVER MVI Sports 
February 12, 2025
They just don’t make ‘em like Joe Salvino anymore. The veteran basketball coach announced last week his 41st season as a head coach at Monessen and Belle Vernon Area would be his last. As someone who ...
High school, Sports, Sports Columns
SPORTLIGHT
By By JEFF OLIVER MVI Sports 
February 10, 2025
Now that the so-called “Big Game” is behind us, it is time locally for the real big games to start … high school basketball playoffs. In honor of one of my favorite times of the year, here’s a little ...