P-G: Norwin beats Mt. Lebanon in WPIAL girls soccer playoffs

Norwin faced Mt. Lebanon in the opening round of the WPIAL Class AAA girls soccer playoffs, on Oct. 20 at Norwin High School. The Knights shut out the Blue Devils 4-0 to advance to the quarterfinals.

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• sportstown.sites.post-gazette.com/index.php/norwin/35065-photo-journal-norwin-beats-mt-lebanon-in-wpial-girls-soccer-playoffs (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

The Almanac: Autumn of '92 a special time for Lebo girls soccer

Forget the Summer of 42 or the Summer of 69. The Autumn of 92 proved a hit for Mt. Lebanon High School as its girls' soccer team climbed the charts. The Blue Devils produced a 23-3-1 record, complete with a WPIAL runner-up trophy as well as their first and only state championship.

Something more, however, propelled 17 of the team's original 22 members, including coaches, to reunite last weekend. They came from as far away as England, Chicago, Colorado and Virginia to celebrate that accomplishment on Nov. 21, 1992 when Molly Bushman as well as Heather Border scored goals and assisted each other's tallies during Lebo's 2-1 triumph against Villa Joseph Marie in the PIAA Class AAA finals played at Shippensburg University.

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• www.thealmanac.net/alm/sportstory11/09-19-2012-soccer-reunion-w-pics (The Almanac)

The Almanac: Lebo harriers runners-up in classic

Mt. Lebanon earned runner-up laurels in both the girls' and the boys' competition during the Red, White & Blue Classic held at Schenley Park.

Jillian Hunsberger and Seamus Roddy finished fourth overall, covering the 3.1-mile cross country course in 18:30 and 16:06 respectively.

Morgantown won the girls' Division A championship with 67 points while the Lebo ladies notched a 75 team score.

Julie Kocjancic and Audrey Gordon placed in the top 10 for the Blue Devils. Kocjancic secured sixth place with an 18:47 time while Gordon was eighth in 19:04.

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• www.thealmanac.net/alm/sportstory11/09-12-2012-cross-country (The Almanac)

Trib: Prospect watch: Mt. Lebanon’s Tyler Roth a jack of all trades

6-foot-2, 180 pounds, QB-DB-P, Mt. Lebanon

Tyler Roth is comfortable with the football in his hands. It’s just a matter of college coaches determining whether he is at his best throwing it, catching it or punting it.

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• www.triblive.com/sports/hssports/2501589-74/roth-football-insider-lebanon-tyler-basketball-blue-coaches-devils-junior (Pittsburgh Tribune-Review)

P-G: Mt. Lebanon field hockey team hopes to return to the playoffs

It's been awhile since Mt. Lebanon High participated in the WPIAL Class AAA field hockey playoffs.

The Blue Devils didn't make the semifinals in 2011, and they also were missing from the postseason in 2010 and 2009. The last time the Blue Devils were in the postseason was in the 2008 when they dropped a 3-0 decision to eventual WPIAL champion Norwin.

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• sportstown.sites.post-gazette.com/index.php/mt-lebanon/33567-mt-lebanon-field-hockey-team-hopes-to-return-to-the-playoffs (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

P-G: South Xtra: There's a change at the top for Lebo

Just like he has for the past 13 summers, Mike Melnyk opened a high school football training camp this week as a head coach.

Unlike the previous 13 summers however, Melnyk did so this week as the head football coach at Mt. Lebanon.

The former Manheim Township coach took over at Mt. Lebanon in April of this year.

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• www.post-gazette.com/stories/sports/high-school-football/south-xtra-theres-a-change-at-the-top-for-lebo-650132 (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

P-G: Mt. Lebanon girls soccer champions to reunite 20 years later

Memories can be a kick. Just ask members of the 1992 Mt. Lebanon High School girls varsity soccer team.

On Nov. 21, 1992, player Molly Bushman scored a goal that made local sports history. Her shot clinched the 2-0 victory against Villa Joseph Marie High School in the PIAA finals held at Shippensburg University -- making them the first Mt. Lebanon girls team to win the state soccer championship.

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• www.post-gazette.com/stories/local/neighborhoods-south/mt-lebanon-girls-soccer-champions-to-reunite-20-years-later-650188 (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

P-G: Mt. Lebanon pair seek national titles

The Mt. Lebanon High School wrestling team will be well represented at the USA Wrestling National Championships.

Kevin Kinyua qualified for Junior Nationals, while Sean Perri qualified for Cadet Nationals, which will take place Friday through July 21 at the Fargodome on the campus of North Dakota State University in Fargo, N.D.

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• www.post-gazette.com/stories/sports/high-school-other/south-xtra-mt-lebanon-pair-seek-national-titles-644303 (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

P-G: Athlete of the year: Luke Hagy

Luke Hagy now keeps company with Neil Walker and Terrelle Pryor.

No, Hagy is not suddenly buddies with Walker and Pryor, but in the room of great athletes from southwestern Pennsylvania, Hagy now sits at the same table.

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• www.post-gazette.com/stories/sports/high-school-other/athlete-of-the-year-luke-hagy-643742 (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

Trib: Mt. Lebo native ready for Olympic swim team trials

She’ll be among the youngest swimmers at next week’s U.S. Olympic Team Trials, but Leah Smith has done everything she can over the past year to prepare herself for the biggest meet of her life.

She’s ready for the stage, if not exactly the arena.

“I’ve seen pictures of CenturyLink Center,” the 17-year-old freestyle specialist said of the Omaha, Neb., venue that greeted more than 160,000 spectators the last time it hosted the weeklong event in 2008. “I’ve never swam in front of more than 500 people, so it will be a lot different.”

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• www.triblive.com/sports/2074648-85/smith-olympic-team-trials-100-200-freestyle-400-leah-native (Pittsburgh Tribune-Review)

The Almanac: Lebo, BP, USC lead the Diamond Dozen list

This spring, Mt. Lebanon enjoyed one of its more successful baseball seasons since winning a WPIAL championship six years ago.

After slipping into the playoffs as the third-place team out of Section 3, the Blue Devils played some of the finest baseball ever seen during an extended playoff run. Lebo reached the WPIAL finals and advanced to the Final Four in the western regional of the PIAA playoffs before wrapping up a 15-10 campaign.

While the Blue Devils exhibited teamwork and excellence in all aspects of the game, a group of talented contributors factored mightily into Lebo's triumphs.

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• www.thealmanac.net/alm/sportstory11/06-20-2012-diamond-dozen (The Almanac)

Trib: Seneca Valley knocks off Mt. Lebo to defend title

Seneca Valley starter Matt Smith’s strikeouts were the difference for the first six innings Wednesday.

His teammates handled the seventh.

With runners on first and second, Seneca Valley shortstop Zach Creedon turned a game-ending double play in last night’s 5-3 victory over Mt. Lebanon in the WPIAL Class AAAA baseball championship at Consol Energy Park.

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• www.triblive.com/sports/1875820-85/smith-seneca-valley-allowed-lebanon-wpial-bahm-duffy-run-six (Pittsburgh Tribune-Review)

Trib: Mt. Lebanon lacrosse reaches state semifinals

Will Nabors lived for the moment, and Mt. Lebanon’s lacrosse season lives on.

The junior goalie turned away 13 shots — nine in the second half — as Mt. Lebanon hung on to beat Shady Side Academy, 8-7, in the PIAA quarterfinals Saturday at Hampton High School.

Chris O’Dell and Doran Graham each had two goals for Mt. Lebanon (16-6), which advanced to the state semifinals for the second straight year. The Blue Devils face La Salle College on Tuesday.

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• www.triblive.com/sports/1893806-85/lebanon-shady-game-wpial-blue-devils-goal-gotta-nabors-goalie (Pittsburgh Tribune-Review)

The Almanac: Hagy, Heintz, Wilding winners at Almanac banquet

For the first time in the 22-year history of the event, a male from Mt. Lebanon claimed The Almanac's prized honor as athlete of the year during the Premiere Performers All-Sports Banquet held Sunday, May 20 at the DoubleTree Hotel in Green Tree.

Nearly 200 people attended the banquet and watched as Luke Hagy was named the 2012 Male Athlete of the Year. Bethel Park resident and Seton-La Salle junior Angela Heintz was crowned the top female athlete for the school year and Upper St. Clair's Austin Wilding captured the prestigious Waldie/Shaeffer Scholarship Award.

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• www.thealmanac.net/alm/sportstory11/05-23-2012-banquet-story (The Almanac)

P-G: Blue Devils satisfied with finish at PIAA tennis meet

One less victory at the WPIAL tournament, but one extra win at the PIAA championships.

All in all, Mt. Lebanon will take it. Needing to replace three starters -- including their top player -- from last season's WPIAL Class AAA championship team, the Blue Devils were WPIAL runners-up and a PIAA semifinalist.

"I thought we definitely overachieved a little bit this year," coach Augie Garofoli said. "I think the guys' first goal is always to win WPIALs, and although they didn't, they did get to the finals, and they did get one round further than last year [at the PIAA championships]. We're happy with that."

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• www.post-gazette.com/stories/sports/high-school-other/south-xtra-blue-devils-satisfied-with-finish-at-piaa-tennis-meet-637223 (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

P-G: Mt. Lebanon holds off N. Allegheny in AAA semifinals

Mt. Lebanon got on the board early and held on late Monday night to secure a berth in the WPIAL Class AAAA championship game.

The Blue Devils beat North Allegheny, 3-2, at Burkett Sports Complex in Robinson to advance to the title game May 29 or 30 after missing the playoffs in 2010 and '11.

"I can't put it into words," Mt. Lebanon coach Pat McCloskey said. "We had a tough couple of years the past two years not making the playoffs."

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• www.post-gazette.com/stories/sports/high-school-baseball/mt-lebanon-holds-off-n-allegheny-in-aaa-semifinals-637187/ (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

Trib: Shady Side upsets Mt. Lebanon to reach WPIAL lacrosse finals

The Shady Side Academy boys lacrosse team started the season with four losses, including one to Mt. Lebanon, the top seed in the WPIAL Division I tournament.

The Indians have turned their season around and earned revenge over the defending champion Blue Devils on Tuesday with an 8-3 win in the WPIAL semifinals at Chartiers Valley.

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• www.triblive.com/sports/1842056-85/hills-north-game-seeded-shady-wpial-academy-division-goals-indians (Pittsburgh Tribune-Review)

Trib: Victory worth the wait for Mt. Lebanon baseball

The sun was out, rain was still falling and lightning was striking on the horizon.

The contradiction of weather led to a delay of one hour, 39 minutes before Monday night’s WPIAL Class AAAA baseball semifinal between Mt. Lebanon and North Allegheny got started. By that point, Mt. Lebanon was restless.

The No. 9 seed Blue Devils scored all of their runs in the opening three innings, boosting them to a 3-2 victory over the No. 5 Tigers at Burkett Complex and a spot in the WPIAL finals for the first time since winning the title in 2006.

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• www.triblive.com/sports/1834558-85/lebanon-happ-third-blue-devils-allegheny-final-north-tigers-semifinal (Pittsburgh Tribune-Review)

P-G: Mt. Lebanon comes up short of retaining WPIAL team tennis title

Mt. Lebanon won the WPIAL Class AAA boys tennis team championship last season, but it wasn't easy. Repeating the feat proved to be a bit too difficult.

The Blue Devils fell just short of their 19th WPIAL title when they lost, 3-2, to Shady Side Academy in the final this past Friday.

Considering Mt. Lebanon's top player from last season did not return to the team this season, the Blue Devils' run to the final arguably is as impressive or more impressive than winning it all in 2011.

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• www.post-gazette.com/stories/sports/high-school-other/south-xtra-mt-lebanon-comes-up-short-of-retaining-wpial-team-tennis-title-636204 (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

P-G: Mt. Lebanon boys will take a run at 'AAA' team track title

In the many years Mike Agostinella has been head coach of the Mt. Lebanon High School boys track and field program, one goal has eluded the Blue Devils: a WPIAL team championship.

"We were second in the team championships in 1998," said Agostinella, who coached the Blue Devils from 1969 to 1975, then returned to the program in 1984 after coaching the University of Pittsburgh's men's track and field and cross country teams.

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• www.post-gazette.com/stories/sports/high-school-other/south-xtra-mt-lebanon-boys-will-take-a-run-at-aaa-team-track-title-635160 (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)