Bill Beckner stories, Page 17
Multiple heroes have Penn-Trafford on brink of 2nd state softball title
If you hit, you play. That is Denny Little’s mantra for the Penn-Trafford softball team, and the ninth-year coach has an abundance of talented hitters to pencil onto his lineup card. “You take your nine best hitters, and you find a place for them,” Little said, not giving away any...
Southmoreland quarterback Anthony Smith transfers to Seton LaSalle
Rising sophomore quarterback Anthony Smith is leaving Southmoreland after a record-breaking first season. Smith, who became the second freshman in WPIAL history to pass for more than 2,000 yards last fall, has enrolled at Seton LaSalle. He was with the Rebels on Wednesday for a 7-on-7 workout at Woodland Hills....
Seneca Valley pitcher Lexie Hames named Gatorade player of year
Seneca Valley star pitcher Lexie Hames was named the Gatorade Pennsylvania Softball Player of the Year for the second straight season. Hames, a Clemson commit, led the Raiders to a WPIAL 6A runner-up finish, their fourth consecutive finals appearance. The two-time WPIAL champion went 17-3 with a 0.49 ERA, a...
Penn-Trafford softball step-sisters chase state title together
Penn-Trafford senior softball players Kylie Anthony and Cam Ponko have made tweaks to their swings this season. Anthony has embraced “sighting,” a timing approach that she and her teammates learned from former Warriors standout Emma Little. Ponko is focused more on “slugging,” which also shortens the swing and gets the...
Westmoreland County campus clippings: Southmoreland grad, Duquesne assistant Abel joins St. John’s
Vanessa Abel is taking her coaching experience to a larger program. The Southmoreland graduate, who spent the last six seasons as an assistant women’s basketball coach at Duquesne, was hired as an assistant at St. John’s. Abel was an associate head coach for the Dukes this past season. Abel, a...
Westmoreland PIAA softball playoff preview capsules: Games for Monday, June 9, 2025
PIAA softball playoffs Class 6A Semifinals Hempfield (23-1) vs. Nazareth (21-4) 4 p.m. TUESDAY at Norco Park Softball Complex, Fayetteville District-place: Hempfield 7-1; Nazareth 11-2 Winner plays: Winner of 3-3 Central Dauphin (19-3)/1-3 Perkiomen Valley (21-4) in the championship at 4 p.m. Thursday at Nittany Lion Softball Park, Penn State...
Westmoreland County high school notebook: Franklin Regional baseball standout Luke Williams reopens recruitment
Luke Williams is hitting reset on his college baseball recruiting. The rising senior shortstop at Franklin Regional committed to Virginia when he was a freshman and has remained loyal to the Cavaliers. But a coaching change has disrupted his plans. Williams opened his recruitment and is looking for a new...
Hempfield softball team appreciates challenge of close calls
Hempfield has scored 205 runs this softball season and allowed 23. The Spartans have been an offensive machine, sending runners through the turnstiles with the rapidity of a marathon finish line. They have 10-runned their opponents 11 times. So what’s up with these tight games in the playoffs? The team...
Knee injury no match for former Norwin softball standout’s grit, love of the game
Hours after surgery to repair a torn medial patellafemoral ligament and meniscus in her knee May 20, Bailey Snowberger was dugout-side watching her high school alma mater play in the WPIAL softball semifinals. The Maine freshman shortstop didn’t want to miss Norwin going against Seneca Valley in a rematch of...
Norwin notebook: Softball senior headed to all-star game
It will be one more go-round for Norwin senior Rachel Minteer. The first baseman was selected to play in the Western Pennsylvania Softball All-Star Game at 7 p.m. June 24 at Plum. Minteer will play for Team Black against Team Gold in the eight-inning game meant for seniors. It will...
Prep school gets Franklin Regional grad ready to tackle college football
There is a reason they call it prep school. Owen Sinclair knows that better than anyone at this point. The former Franklin Regional standout linebacker spent a year at The Kiski School in Saltsburg to enhance his skills and build his resume for college football. The opportunity gave him a...
Confidence builds as inspired Penn-Trafford softball team heads into state semifinals
After Penn-Trafford lost to Shaler in the WPIAL Class 5A softball championship game, the Warriors gathered for practice the next day, only they didn’t pick up a bat or a ball. Instead, coach Denny Little picked up a remote control. “The first thing we did was have an hour-and-a-half practice...
Day resigns as Seton Hill football coach, assistant May takes over
Citing the desire to pursue opportunities outside of football, Seton Hill coach Dan Day resigned Friday after six seasons. Seton Hill went into a hurry-up offense to replace him, immediately promoting Kevin May, Day’s defensive coordinator. Day, who has the most football coaching wins at the university, went 18-36 leading...
Hempfield softball clips Chambersburg for another 1-run win in PIAA quarterfinals
WINDBER — As quickly as Hempfield built its lead, Chambersburg did everything it could to tear it down. And it almost did. It didn’t take Hempfield long to adjust to Chambersburg’s pitching, but the Spartans did have to recalibrate to hold off another opponent in the state playoffs. WPIAL champion...
Penn-Trafford’s pinch-hitting secret weapon delivers walk-off win over Red Land
WINDBER — Sophomore Annabell Carvajal spent some extra time in the batting cage with coach Denny Little this week in preparation for the PIAA Class 5A quarterfinals. Penn-Trafford’s top pinch-hitter turned the reps into a walk-off winner. Carvajal sent a two-out single to right field in the bottom of the...
Westmoreland County PIAA baseball/softball playoff preview capsules for June 5, 2025
Baseball Class A quarterfinals Greensburg Central Catholic (19-4) vs. Clarion (15-6) 2 p.m. Thursday at Slippery Rock University District-place: Greensburg Central Catholic 7-4; Clarion 9-2 Winner plays: Winner of 7-3 Eden Christian (17-5)/Homer Center (20-5) in semifinals Monday Players to watch: Tyler Samide, Greensburg Central Catholic; Derek Smail, Clarion Extra...
Tireless drive to improve carries Greensburg Central Catholic baseball into state quarterfinals
Practice ends and Greensburg Central Catholic baseball players break to greet the day ahead. Maybe an afternoon by the pool awaits? A Sheetz run? Hanging out at a friend’s house? No, it’s time to hit the cages. What’s a little more baseball? Training never seems to stop for the Centurions,...
Pitcher Riley Miller continues to solidify her place among Hempfield softball greats as Spartans vie for state title
Riley Miller smiled as she emerged from the Hempfield dugout, a clump of cellophane-wrapped ice cubes resting on her right shoulder and another win in her back pocket. The ace pitcher, just a few days removed from graduation, tossed a two-hitter as the WPIAL Class 6A champion Spartans clipped visiting...
Penn-Trafford playoff run fueled by super senior class
Bella Rubbe gets her quality at-bats, and Rilie Moors consistently puts the ball in play. Cam Ponko pounds the softball out of the park, Giuliana Youngo makes highlight catches in right field and Kylie Anthony cleans up at shortstop. Jadyn Pellis is always ready to come out of the bullpen,...
Nothing comes easy for WPIAL champ Hempfield in PIAA 1st-round win vs. State College
Hempfield softball players took a mile-and-a-half walk around Twin Lakes Park on Monday morning. Coach Tina Madison wanted the girls to clear their heads and focus for their state playoff opener later in the afternoon. The opener was successful, but it was far from a walk in the park. The...
Westmoreland County campus clippings: Pitt-Greensburg’s Domer, Burkey earn AMCC honors
The Pitt-Greensburg baseball team piled up some serious postseason hardware after a memorable season. Junior outfielder James Domer was named the AMCC Player of the Year, and sophomore Conner Burkey (Hempfield) grabbed AMCC Pitcher of the Year honors. Junior Tommy Smith joined Domer on the D3Baseball.com All-Region First Team, Domer...
Westmoreland PIAA baseball/softball playoff preview capsules: Games for Monday, June 2, 2025
PIAA baseball playoffs Class A First round Greensburg Central Catholic (18-4) vs. West Middlesex (12-8) 2 p.m. Monday at Slippery Rock University District-finish: Greensburg Central Catholic 7-4; West Middlesex 10-1 Winner plays: Winner of 7-1 Serra Catholic (20-3)/9-2 Clarion (14-6) Thursday in quarterfinals Players to watch: Ian Shipley, Greensburg Central...
Westmoreland high school notebook: Belle Vernon tennis player Dusi shifts commitment to Duquesne
Junior Gabby Dusi is changing course for her college tennis career. The Belle Vernon standout, who won back-to-back WPIAL Class 2A singles championships, announced last week she committed to Duquesne. She previously made a verbal pledge to Saint Francis (Pa.), but with SFU dropping from NCAA Division I to Division...
Norwin notebook: Ryan Schiller leads Knights at PIAA track meet
Sprinter Ryan Schiller came home from Shippensburg with the best Norwin individual finish at the PIAA track championships since 2017. Schiller finished second in the 110-meter hurdles in a time of 14.36 seconds. The Knights had plenty of highlights from the state meet, which celebrated its 100th anniversary, at Seth...
WPIAL title represents return to form for powerful Hempfield softball program
From beneath her sunglasses, softball coach Tina Madison peered over a sea of Hempfield players and fans who gathered on the infield at Norwin on Thursday for congratulatory hugs and fist bumps. There was a different celebration, it seemed, at every base and in the pitcher’s circle — an around-the-horn...
