Bill Beckner stories

Norwin had three soccer players selected to the 2025 all-WPIAL teams. For the girls, who won a section title and made the WPIAL semifinals for the first time in six years, seniors Nicole Bown and Cameryn Reed made the 4A list. Senior Ryan Schoemer was a pick for boys 4A....

A hand-drawn sign taped to the bleachers at Russ Grimm Field flapped in the wind below the student section. “Nightmare on Hopewell Street,” it read, playing on a Halloween theme for the playoff opener. The sign was on point. Southmoreland’s latest bid at a postseason victory was another bad dream...

Rosters are finalized for the fourth annual Westmoreland County Coaches Association Girls Volleyball All-Star Match, set for 6 p.m. Nov. 18 at Ligonier Valley. The teams are as follows: West Cierra Alexander, Valley Ashlyn Black, Norwin Paige Chitester, Norwin Cianna Culgan, Penn-Trafford Hailey DeFazio, Yough Gianna Devito, Kiski Area Harper...

WPIAL Class 3A boys soccer championship 3-Franklin Regional (18-3) vs. 8-West Allegheny (13-6) Noon Saturday, Highmark Stadium, Pittsburgh Coaches: Nick White, Franklin Regional; Scott Zemba, West Allegheny Players to watch: Fabrizzio Costa, Franklin Regional; Aaron Bouch, West Allegheny Road to Highmark: Franklin Regional defeated Montour, 2-1, Chartiers Valley, 2-1 (OT),...

Quaker Valley was building toward something in the waning minutes of overtime. The players felt it, the coaches could sense it and the fans hidden under umbrellas perked up. Ari Bosh clanged a shot off the crossbar and then sent the rebound just wide off a defender to set up...

Franklin Regional and West Allegheny are a combined 29-0 this season when they score two or more goals. No. 3 seed Franklin Regional (18-3) is 17-0, and No. 8 West Allegheny (13-6) is perfect on 12 occasions. Both teams won 1-0 games in the semifinals, so scoring could be at...

Southmoreland football coaches repeatedly preach for the team to “go 1-0 every week.” The players hear it multiple times a day, dozens of times per week, hundreds per month. If the Scotties follow orders this week, they’ll make history. Southmoreland (9-1) will try to capture its first playoff victory, which...

WPIAL Class 3A boys soccer championship 3-Franklin Regional (18-3) vs. 8-West Allegheny (13-6) Noon Saturday, Highmark Stadium, Pittsburgh … Franklin Regional is a firm believer in a centuries-old sports adage: Defense wins championships. The Panthers’ back line has been one of the WPIAL’s best, and it could be what brings...

Floyd Snyder is a humble coach who often deflects attention to his assistants and players. But Snyder couldn’t hide from an unexpected and distinguished honor. The 18th-year Mt. Pleasant boys soccer coach was named WPIAL Class 2A co-Coach of the Year by the Western Pennsylvania Soccer Coaches Association. He was...

Girls Class 2A Third-place game Mt. Pleasant (14-5-1) vs. Quaker Valley (14-3-1) 6 p.m. Thursday, Chuck Knox Stadium, Leetsdale Players to watch: Cam Kapr, Mt. Pleasant; Ari Bosh, Quaker Valley What’s at stake: The winner gets third in the WPIAL and advances to the PIAA playoffs, and the loser’s season...

Three finalists were announced Wednesday for the sixth Moe Rosensteel Most Outstanding Player award, which highlights the WPIAL’s top girls soccer player. A 31-player watch list released in August was narrowed to three: • Natalia DiSora of Upper St. Clair • Morgan Gesinski of Mt. Pleasant • Emily McKee of...

A blinding sun greeted teams and spectators before kickoff Tuesday night at Gateway. It was tough to see the left side of the field until sunset. Mt. Pleasant didn’t see the first goal coming, either. Burrell’s Allie McMahon scored on a cross from Makiah Buchak just 43 seconds into a...

The WPIAL girls soccer playoffs are in full swing as tournaments race toward championships later this week. The WPIAL Soccer Coaches Association recognized the league’s top players Tuesday with the unveiling of the All-WPIAL lists. South Fayette had the most selections with six, while Seneca Valley and Peters Township had...

Seneca Valley hadn’t attempted a penalty kick in a game all season. The Raiders didn’t miss on five PKs Monday night in a semifinal shootout to return to the WPIAL girls soccer finals. Madeline Marcotte, who hit the crossbar in last year’s WPIAL title match against Peters Township, redeemed herself...

Carlow will have baseball for the first time, with a side of Rice. The university announced it has hired James Rice to lead the program. It will be the first head-coaching job for the Greensburg Central Catholic graduate, who brings five years of coaching experience to the Celtics. Rice, who...

WPIAL soccer playoffs Class 3A Semifinals 3-Franklin Regional (17-3) vs. 2-Bethel Park (14-2-3) 6 p.m. Tuesday, Dormont Stadium, Dormont Coaches: Nick White, Franklin Regional; Doug Fink, Bethel Park Winner plays: Winner of 8-West Allegheny (12-6)/5-Thomas Jefferson (17-2-1) in championship (time, date TBD) at Highmark Stadium Players to watch: Aidan Alexander,...

Saint Vincent men’s soccer is on the upswing and a lot of the team’s success has to do with the play of freshman forward Daniel Maddock. Looking polished and prepared for NCAA Division III soccer, Maddock has surged to the team’s points lead. He has nine goals and five assists...

The Western Pennsylvania Soccer Coaches Association announced its All-WPIAL lists and players and coaches of the year on the eve of the WPIAL semifinals. All-WPIAL Class 4A Owen Ali, Seneca Valley Samuel Beuse, Pine-Richland Ryan Cashman, Pine-Richland Jake Ceklosky, Canon-McMillan Braden Crowe, Hempfield Jordan Crutchfield, Pine-Richland Rocco DiDomenico, Fox Chapel...

Highmark Stadium will be a happening place Saturday as playoff fever rolls into Station Square. The Pittsburgh Riverhounds will host a USL first-round game Saturday night at 6:30, a development that has caused the WPIAL to alter its schedule for this weekend’s soccer championship games at the stadium. Instead of...

Franklin Regional righted two wrongs in the WPIAL boys soccer quarterfinals. First, the Panthers (17-3) won their first overtime game in three tries this season. Secondly, they overcame a 1-0 deficit after two previous opportunities in that situation resulted in losses. A 2-1, double-overtime thriller against No. 6 Chartiers Valley...

The next event on the Westmoreland County Coaches Association calendar is the girls volleyball all-star game. The match will be played Nov. 19 at Ligonier Valley High School. After that, the boys basketball showcase will be Dec. 20 at Jeannette and Greensburg Salem. The WCCA wrestling tournaments will be Jan....

WPIAL soccer playoffs Girls Class 4A Semifinals 3-Norwin (15-3) vs. 2-Seneca Valley (11-3-2) 6:30 p.m. Monday, North Allegheny’s Newman Stadium, McCandless Winner plays: Winner of 1-Peters Township (15-2-2)/5-North Allegheny (15-3-2) in championship (time, date TBD) at Highmark Stadium Coaches: Ashley DeVito, Norwin; Mark Perry, Seneca Valley Players to watch: Neeve...

As Norwin shooters made the long walk from midfield and stepped to the penalty spot, Chase Eber saw something, felt something. His instincts were tingling. “Their kids looked like they had just seen a ghost,” the Plum goalkeeper said. “I had faith in every single one of my shooters. I...

Adversity can come at teams without warning in the WPIAL soccer playoffs. There are yellow cards and ill-timed fouls, short benches, cramps and injuries. The Norwin girls encountered their share of misadventure Thursday in the quarterfinals before Leesia Phetsomphou’s clutch winner inside the final minute of the second overtime produced...

Both Norwin varsity soccer teams had a chance to give ole Knights Stadium a playoff sendoff. A benefit of earning a higher seed in the WPIAL soccer postseason is getting a home game for the first two rounds — pending an opening win, of course. The Norwin girls (14-3) were...