Bill Beckner stories, Page 101
Westmoreland County high school football notebook: Short-handed GCC happy with win
All things considered, Greensburg Central Catholic coach Marko Thomas was thrilled with his team’s result Friday night — a 48-21 win over Leechburg that clinched the Eastern Conference title. “When you have so many guys out and guys playing different positions, you never know,” Thomas said. “We know we can...
Norwin notebook: Late season surge leads to strong seed for boys soccer team
The Norwin boys soccer team played some of its best soccer late in the season and it led to a quality seeding in the WPIAL playoffs. The Knights (11-6) received the No. 3 seed in Class 4A and, since there are only eight teams in the bracket, the Knights earned...
Franklin Regional notebook: Soccer teams split playoff openers
Soccer season continued for one Franklin Regional soccer team, while another saw its season end abruptly. The girls team advanced to the WPIAL Class 3A quarterfinals with a 1-0 victory over South Fayette. Abby Paterline scored for the Panthers (11-5-2) with about 15 minutes to play on a penalty kick....
Greensburg Central Catholic routs Leechburg, clinches Eastern Conference title
Greensburg Central Catholic was not in a sharing mood Friday night. With the outright Eastern Conference title dangling like a carrot in front of them, the third-ranked Centurions made sure they took care of business with a 48-21 victory over No. 4 Leechburg in the conference finale. Da’sjon Craggette ran...
Westmoreland soccer playoff preview capsules for games of Oct. 29, 2022
WPIAL soccer playoffs preview Girls Class 2A Quarterfinals 7-Freeport (14-2) at 2-Mt. Pleasant (17-1) Noon Saturday, Viking Stadium, Mt. Pleasant Winners plays: Winner of 6-Shady Side Academy (10-5)/3-South Park (13-5) 8 p.m. Tuesday in semifinals (site TBD) Players to watch: Aleah Parison, F, Freeport; Morgan Gesinski, F, Mt. Pleasant Corner...
Mars girls solve Franklin Regional defense in OT, run unbeaten streak to 79
Try as they might, teams just can’t stop the streak. Franklin Regional “parked the bus,” as coaches like to say, employing a back-line-heavy approach behind the ball to make scoring a chore for mighty Mars. With eight girls back, the Panthers contested shots, played physically and continuously cleared the ball,...
Westmoreland County H.S. football notebook: Playoff berth means progress for Latrobe
Latrobe quickly put a loss to No. 2 McKeesport in the past and clung to perspective with a trip to the WPIAL playoffs clinched. The Wildcats (5-4) will head to the postseason for just the third time since 2003, secure in an improved mindset and culture reset in the program....
Westmoreland County don’t miss high school football matchups for 2022 Week 9
Class 5A Big East Norwin (1-8, 0-4) at Hempfield (5-4, 1-3) 7 p.m. Friday, Spartan Stadium, Hempfield Township Neither team is heading to the WPIAL postseason, so this matchup is for pride. Norwin suffered its sixth straight loss, falling 42-10 to Gateway. Nick Urey, one of four quarterbacks the Knights...
Westmoreland WPIAL soccer playoff capsules: Games for Thursday, Oct. 27, 2022
WPIAL soccer playoffs preview Girls Class 3A Quarterfinals 5-Latrobe (11-2-2) at 4-Thomas Jefferson (17-2) 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Thomas Jefferson Stadium, Jefferson Hills Winner plays: Winner of 9-Franklin Regional (11-5-2)/1-Mars (15-0), 8 p.m. Tuesday in semifinals (site TBD) Players to watch: Robin Reilly, MF, Latrobe; Bella Vozar, MF, Thomas Jefferson Corner...
Freshman Morgan Gesinski scores 7 goals in Mt. Pleasant’s rout of West Mifflin in Class 2A
When teams open the WPIAL soccer playoffs, they immediately look to take the pressure off. It’s about that first clean shift, that first productive possession and that all-important opening goal. Ultimately, it can all add up to the first win, like it did Tuesday night for the Mt. Pleasant girls....
Westmoreland WPIAL soccer playoff capsules: Games for Wednesday, Oct. 26, 2022
Girls Class A Quarterfinals 5-Greensburg Central Catholic (12-4) at 4-Chartiers-Houston (15-2) 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Buccaneer Stadium, Houston Winner plays: Winner of 9-Seton LaSalle (12-4)/1-Freedom (14-4) 8 p.m. Monday (site TBD) in semifinals Players to watch: Riley Kerr, MF, Greensburg CC; Haley Siege, MF, Chartiers-Houston Corner kicks: Greensburg Central Catholic advanced...
Westmoreland campus clippings: Penn-Trafford grad Bobby Lane to play baseball at VCU
Talk about a Lane shift. Bobby Lane is taking his baseball career in a new direction. The former Penn-Trafford standout is headed to Virginia Commonwealth of the Atlantic 10 Conference. Lane will be a redshirt junior when he finally suits up for VCU. Injuries played a part in the slow-going...
Latrobe tops Ringgold to pick up school’s 1st girls soccer playoff win ‘in style’
From the inaugural Wildcat growl that greeted players and fans over the loudspeaker to open the game, to the final horn that ended it, Latrobe was focused on one goal: Make some noise in the WPIAL playoffs. The Wildcats came in loud and clear in their historic postseason opener. On...
Murrysville’s Palmer Jackson set to make PGA Tour debut
A wonder-struck Palmer Jackson grew up watching the PGA Tour. He followed the storylines, emulated swings and mannerisms and slid to the end of his seat as Sunday finishes met their climax. Now, people will tune in to watch him play inside the ropes. Jackson, the former state champion out...
Westmoreland campus clippings: Saint Vincent closes in on winning football season
Saint Vincent was looking for a bust-out victory to move a game above .500 in conference play and continue its quest for a winning football season. The Bearcats made it happen. They erupted for a season-high 52 points and 439 yards in a 52-35 victory over Allegheny in a Presidents’...
Westmoreland WPIAL soccer playoff capsules: Games for Tuesday, Oct. 25, 2022
Tuesdays’ games Girls Class 2A First round 15-West Mifflin (8-6-1) at 2-Mt. Pleasant (16-1) 6:30 p.m. at Viking Stadium, Mt. Pleasant Winner plays: Winner of 10-Southmoreland (11-3-1) at 7-Freeport (13-2) 2 p.m. Saturday in quarterfinals (site TBD) Players to watch: Drina Johns, MF, West Mifflin; Rylin Bugosh, F, Mt. Pleasant...
Westmoreland soccer playoff preview capsules for games of Oct. 24, 2022
WPIAL soccer playoffs preview Monday’s games Girls Class 3A First round 12-Ringgold (11-6-1) at 5-Latrobe (10-2-2) 6:30 p.m. Monday at Rossi Field, Latrobe Winner plays: Winner of 13-West Allegheny (11-7)/4-Thomas Jefferson (16-2) 6:30 p.m. Thursday in quarterfinals (site TBD) Players to watch: Elizabeth Wilson, MF, Ringgold; Sofia DeCerb, GK, Latrobe...
Westmoreland HS notebook: Latrobe’s Sydney DeGram headed to St. Bonaventure
Latrobe senior softball player Sydney DeGram will play NCAA Division I college softball in the Atlantic 10 Conference. DeGram, an all-section outfielder, committed to St. Bonaventure, near Olean, N.Y. DeGram, who transferred in 2020 from Howell High School in Howell, Mich., hit .426 last season as the Wildcats’ leadoff hitter....
No. 13 Montour upsets No. 4 Franklin Regional in 1st round
As patient and prodding as it was, Montour’s gameplan also was simplistic. Stack the box early and put the offensive attack on a low simmer until the Spartans got better acquainted with Franklin Regional. Once that happened, they could turn up the heat. Sophomore Andrew Prunier understood the assignment and...
Westmoreland H.S. athletes of the week: Yough’s McKenzie Pritts, Franklin Regional’s Sam Dawson
McKenzie Pritts School: Yough Class: Senior Sport: Soccer Claim to fame: Pritts scored her 100th career goal as Yough defeated Serra Catholic, 4-0. She had all four goals in the game. The 100th goal came in the 79th minute. A Robert Morris commit, Pritts has helped short-handed Yough earn the...
Westmoreland County high school football notebook: Norwin star makes move to QB
Essentially a fourth-string quarterback if he was ever a quarterback at all, Jackson Pons was the “break glass in case of emergency” guy at Norwin. Only in a dire situation would the Knights think about moving their talented receiver under center. Injuries and inconsistency plagued Norwin during this one-win season,...
Norwin notebook: Runners set pace at county cross country meet
Get used to seeing the Norwin girls cross country team out in front of the pack. The Lady Knights, who boast a young but talented lineup, ran to a title at the Westmoreland County Coaches Association Championship earlier this month at Westmoreland County Community College in Youngwood. Norwin edged past...
McKeesport rolls over Latrobe, but Wildcats clinch playoffs
There was good news and bad news for Latrobe’s football team Friday night. The bad news came first: The Wildcats were thumped by No. 2 McKeesport, 54-14, in the Class 4A Big Seven Conference finale at Memorial Stadium. The good news, which softened the blow some: Latrobe is headed to...
Westmoreland County soccer playoff preview capsules for games of Oct. 22, 2022
Saturday’s games Boys Class 3A First round 13-Montour (9-4-4) at 4-Franklin Regional (14-4) 2 p.m., Panther Stadium, Murrysville Winner plays: Winner of 12-Gateway (10-7-1)/5-Kiski Area (14-3) in quarterfinals at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday (site TBD) Players to watch: Andrew Prunier, MF, Montour; Colton Hudson, MF, Franklin Regional Corner kicks: Montour finished...
Westmoreland County high school football notebook: Breaking down the WPIAL playoff format
The WPIAL football playoffs are less than two weeks away. The number of playoff teams in each classification differs, and some spots won’t be decided until the end of the regular season. Here is the breakdown for the postseason in each class: Class 6A — Top four of five teams...
