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Michael Boytim

Big changes in Bellwood

It’s hard to argue that any school in the area has had more of a shakeup over the past year than Bellwood-Antis. Legendary football coach John Hayes’ passing last Saturday is the latest loss to the community’s strong tradition in high school sports. The changes started last year when the school decided to leave the Inter-County Conference to join the Laurel Highlands Athletic Conference in all sports. Soon after, longtime cross country and girls track and field coach Julie Roseborough stepped down after 57 years coaching B-A girls track. The Bellwood-Antis girls basketball ...

Slanoc sending a message

By Michael Boytim mboytim@altoonamirror.com It’s not often that high school coaches give their true thoughts on off-the-field drama or the day-to-day challenges coaching brings, especially an active coach. But that’s exactly what Portage varsity football coach Marty Slanoc did Saturday morning, even after the Mustangs opened their season with a convincing win over Conemaugh Valley on the road. Slanoc is in his fourth year as a head coach after taking over for Portage legend Gary Gouse, but he’s spent a quarter of a century on the sideline. He made it clear his post on “X” ...

If Blitz is here, football not far away

By Michael Boytim mboytim@altoonamirror.com The Mirror’s 11th annual Blitz magazine is now on newstands including most Sheetz locations, Martin’s and Weis grocery stores and also available for purchase at the newspaper’s office at 301 Cayuga Ave. during regular business hours. Blitz serves as “opening day” for the Mirror’s scholastic sports coverage of the 2023-2024 school year. The magazine, like our day-to-day coverage, is something we take a lot of pride in and hope you will support, much like an opening-day game at PNC Park in Pittsburgh. There’s plenty of ...

PIAA makes significant changes

The PIAA decided on some rule changes at its latest meeting Wednesday in State College, and the impact on high school and junior high basketball will be immediate. One-and-one foul-shot opportunities are now a thing of the past. The PIAA adopted the National Federation of High Schools’ rule change that all common fouls after a team has reached the bonus will mean two free throw attempts, regardless of the result of the first attempt. Teams will reach the bonus once they commit five fouls in a quarter, and team fouls will be reset after each quarter. NFHS Director of Sports Lindsey ...

Blair County rivalries are set to heat up

By Michael Boytim mboytim@altoonamirror.com HOLLIDAYSBURG — Tyrone, Central, Bellwood-Antis and Hollidaysburg all had girls basketball teams playing at the Blair Regional YMCA on Tuesday night. This winter, those Blair County rivals, in addition to Bishop Guilfoyle Catholic and six other non-county teams, will all be part of the Laurel Highlands Athletic Conference’s East Division. “I think it’s exciting,” New Bellwood-Antis coach Kyley Longo-McGarvey said. “I played at Hollidaysburg, so I’m used to having rivalries against Altoona and State College. I think it’s ...

Levy, Wood help Everett softball reach potential

By Michael Boytim mboytim@altoonamirror.com UNIVERSITY PARK — Everett softball coach Jackie Levy left Penn State’s Beard Field on Thursday with both arms wrapped around the PIAA Class 2A championship trophy. Prior to the Lady Warriors’ 12-1 victory over Bald Eagle Area in the school’s first-ever appearance in the state final, Levy let her players know she was retiring from her coaching position she’s held for the past nine years. What a way to go out. Levy spent most of the early afternoon waving home runners and cheering her players on as every single batter in ...