TNA Star Kurt Angle Visits, Motivates, Pine-Richland Wrestlers

The pro wrestler and Olympic champion also recognizes wrestling coach Ben Rings for his work with the “Best Buddies” program.

Pine-Richland’s wrestling team got a little advice from a champion Wednesday. Total NonStop Action wrestling star Kurt Angle stopped by the school to speak with students about their sport as well as meet wrestling coach Ben Rings. The pro wrestler and gold medal Olympian recently reached out to the district after Rings, a Pine-Richland teacher, was featured in a March issue of People magazine as an Amazing Educator for his work with the “Best Buddies” program.   Founded by Rings at Pine-Richland, the popular Best Buddies program pairs special needs students with non-special needs students, building a bond between them. "(Ben Rings) is not just a teacher or coach, he's a humanitarian," Angle said. "You only meet these kinds of people once …

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Pine-Richland Senior Brings Experience to Baseball Team this Season

Shane Heim was a freshman under Coach Kurt Wolfe when the Pine-Richland Rams took the 2010 WPIAL title.

Shane Heim was a freshman on the baseball team when the Pine-Richland Rams took home the 2010 WPIAL title. Now, according to the Pittsburgh Tribune Review, the senior is the last tie to that team and hopes to take what he learned from the experience to help the Rams return to prominence this season. Heim told the Trib that coaching is a huge part of the team's success, and that he has great admiration for Rams head baseball coach Kurt Wolfe, who he said took a chance on him as a freshman. “Coach Wolfe is an inspiring guy,” Heim told the Trib. “He gets us to play together, bond together and we make up the best unit.” Wolfe said Heim has speed, is good at bat, and has a trait he calls the five tools, a set of skills that sets players apart…

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Friday Night Lights: Pine-Richland Comes Together as a Community Despite Tough Loss

The Pine-Richland Lacrosse teams supports a classmate diagnosed with leukemia by raising money for the HEADstrong Foundation.

Pine-Richland Baseball is Ready for Action

The Rams have six of nine returning starters this season.

Pine-Richland earned four WPIAL championships, a PIAA crown and a PIAA runner-up, and the Rams baseball coach has confidence that players this season know what needs to be done to get there too. Rams coach Kurt Wolfe recently told the Pittsburgh Tribune Review that having six of nine returning starters this year is huge for the team.  “The boys are excited to get this going,” Wolfe told the newspaper. “They are ready to show missing the playoffs last season was a fluke and want to get back to where they need to be.” In addition to help from Neil Walker, Ryan Schleiden, Dan Passione and most recently Russell Clark, Wolfe believes Sophomore Joey Professori will be able to line up in the catcher position for a few more years, according to the…

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Pine-Richland Coach Who Battled Cancer to be Inducted into WPIAL Hall of Fame

Rams baseball coach Kurt Wolfe is recipient of the "Courage Award."

Pine-Richland head baseball coach Kurt Wolfe will be inducted into the WPIAL Hall of Fame. Wolfe is the recipient of the courage award as part of the WPIAL 2013 class announced Wednesday during a ceremony at the Heinz History Center. The award is named after the late John Challis, a former Freedom High athlete whose courageous battle with cancer became a national story a few years ago. Wolfe, also a Pine Richland teacher, has battled stage IV colon cancer that spread to his liver and threatened his life.  Demonstrating fortitude and courage, he led his team to the 2010 WPIAL Baseball Championship following two surgeries and on-going chemotherapy treatments while never missing a game. In support of and respect for their coach, in 2012 his …

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Pine-Richland Youth Wrestling Captures Tournament Title

The championship title in the North Hills Wrestling League Road Warriors series is the first for the Pine-Richland Youth Wrestling Team.

The Pine-Richland Youth Wrestling Team recently captured its first championship title in the North Hills Wrestling League Road Warriors series. Anthony Ferraro won the individual novice division title and Kelin Laffey took first in the open division, according to the Tribune Review. The individual novice is for wrestlers who have one or two years of experience and the open division is for those with more than two years. The league is made up of wrestlers in kindergarten through sixth grade from teams in Shaler, North Hills, Hampton, Mars, Pine-Richland, North Allegheny and Avonworth. The league hosts tournaments during the season and awards points.  Teams carrying the most points included Mars in second place, North Hills in third and …

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Pine-Richland Loses Penguins Cup to Latrobe

Latrobe beat the Rams 5-0 at Consol Energy Center.

The Pine-Richland hockey team lost to Latrobe, 5-0, in the PIHL Class AA Penguins Cup Championship game. Pine-Richland came out strong in the first period of Wednesday night’s matchup at Consol Energy Center. By the second period, Latrobe (19-3) led 3-0 and continued to pull ahead of the Rams (16-4-2), according to MSA Sports Network. Pine-Richland would have won for the first time since current Chicago Blackhawk Brandon Saad led them to the Class AAA title in 2008.  For the Wildcats, this is the fourth championship.  Like us on Facebook | Follow us on Twitter Check out some of today's other top stories here.

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Pine Richland Ice Hockey: Rams Advance to Penguins Cup Finals

The championship game is Wednesday at Consol Energy Center.

The Pine Richland Varsity Hockey Team will take on the Greater Latrobe Wildcats in the Class AA Penguins Cup Finals at the Consol Energy Center. The puck drops at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, March 20. The Rams earned their berth in the finals by defeating Bishop Canevin 3-2. You can read a recap of the game, reported by the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Hockey League, by clicking here. Greater Latrobe defeated Chartiers Valley 3-2 to advance to the finals. Tickets to the game are $7 for students and $12 for adults and can only be purchased at the door. If you can't make it to the game, you can hear it live on the MSA sports network by clicking here. The broadcast begins at 6:50 p.m. Wednesday night. Like us on Facebook | Follow us on Twitter Check…

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Where to Watch March Madness in Pine and Richland Townships

Beer, wings and hoops ... It's tournament time. Here's where to catch the games.

Don't have enough TV screens to keep up with your March Madness bracket? There are plenty of viewing options in and around the Pine-Richland area. The popular NCAA Division I men's basketball championships tournament starts on Tuesday night with two first-round games. Buffalo Wild Wings Cenci's Italian Restaurant and Pizza Bar Applebee's Neighborhood Grill & Bar Gateway Inn Where are you watching the tournament this year? Tell us in the comments section below, especially if we missed a spot!

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Let’s Hear It for the Girls! North Pittsburgh Wildcats Girls Hockey Team Takes Home Championship

The U14 team includes many players from the Pine-Richland area.

The North Pittsburgh Wildcats Girls Hockey Team is giving new meaning to the term “girl power.” The Girls U14 team went 18-0 this season and outscored their opponents 98-8.  Coach John Mudrany wrote on the Wildcats website that the players had something to prove this year. “After finishing at just 1-15 two short seasons ago, and then losing in the finals last year, the girls felt like they had some unfinished business this season,” he wrote. The season culminated with two playoff victories to complete the team’s clean sweep and secure the title with a finals victory. Above is a photo of the girls holding the championship banner they recently received in Morgantown at the Girls U14 playoffs.  They also received the banner for their …

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