Steve Rotstein

1 week ago | unionprogress.com | Steve Rotstein

Baseball fans in Western Pa. haven’t had much to cheer about this season when it comes to the local professional ballclub, but one pitcher has been the talk of the town while racking up the Ks this spring. A flame-throwing 6-foot-6 right-hander with impeccable command who intimidates foes with his towering frame and intense demeanor on the mound, Shaler senior Colby Weber is a certified ace with a pedigree few pitchers in the area can match.

1 week ago | unionprogress.com | Steve Rotstein

Some teams prefer to ease into the regular season while ramping up their level of competition as the year goes on, but Penn-Trafford coach Denny Little has never subscribed to that theory. Following a season-opening loss against Class 6A powerhouse Hempfield, the surging Warriors (5-1, 2-0) have rattled off five wins in a row against a slew of leading title contenders in Class 5A. And with section play heating up, they don’t appear to be showing signs of slowing down anytime soon.

2 weeks ago | unionprogress.com | Steve Rotstein

After entering last year’s WPIAL playoffs as a No. 7 seed with eight losses on its resume, Avonworth had the luxury of flying under the radar prior to its epic postseason run. My, how quickly things have changed. Fast forward to 2025, and the big bad Antelopes won’t be catching anybody by surprise this time around.

2 weeks ago | unionprogress.com | Steve Rotstein

After watching a historic WPIAL championship four-peat slip through his team’s hands, South Fayette coach Bryan Bennett couldn’t stop beating himself up and second-guessing what he could have done differently to change the outcome in that devastating defeat against Peters Township. Sometimes, all you need to do is phone a friend in a time of need. “My best friend, [Sewickley Academy boys assistant coach] Greg Cercone — I called him one day. He was like, ‘So what? You lost.

2 weeks ago | unionprogress.com | Steve Rotstein

Having faced off against Peters Township star Natalie Wetzel not once, not twice, not thrice, but four times this season, nobody is more qualified to evaluate her credentials than Thomas Jefferson coach Matt Gould. “She took literally all of our attention,” Gould said. “She’s that good. You can’t leave her open at the 3-point line. You can’t let her post up by herself. Her mid-range game is fantastic. When she decides to guard or rebound, there’s not much you can do to stop her.