Bill Beckner stories, Page 18
Hempfield, Seneca Valley close chapter of epic rivalry
The final chapter in a four-year softball rivalry headlined by graduating star pitchers is complete. Powerhouses Hempfield and Seneca Valley met for the final time in their current iterations Thursday and added another one-run result to the pile — their sixth in 11 meetings. There were many more hits than...
Hempfield slips past Seneca Valley in ultimate showdown between 6A softball superpowers
So many things about this softball championship game seemed off. Not the matchup itself — that was about as good as it gets. It was the different day, the morning start time, the alternate site, that were peculiar. “We all agreed this doesn’t feel like a WPIAL championship game,” Hempfield...
Westmoreland County softball notebook: Hempfield, Penn-Trafford title games delayed to Thursday, moved
Hempfield and Penn-Trafford will play for WPIAL softball championships a day later than expected — at different sites. Both are scheduled to play Thursday after rainouts Wednesday at Cal (Pa.). Now, top-seeded Hempfield (20-1) will take on No. 2 Seneca Valley (16-3) at 11 a.m. at Norwin in the 6A...
2025 WPIAL Class 5A softball championship breakdown: Penn-Trafford vs. Shaler
WPIAL Class 5A softball final No. 1 Penn-Trafford vs. No. 2 Shaler 3:30 p.m. Thursday at North Allegheny On the air: Audio: Trib HSSN; Video: NFHS Network WPIAL titles: Penn-Trafford 0; Shaler 3 (2014, ’05, 1982) Penn-Trafford (20-2) Coach: Denny Little Projected starting lineup 18, Rilie Moors, LF, Jr. 32,...
Westmoreland high school baseball playoff preview capsule for May 28, 2025
Class A Third-place game Greensburg Central Catholic (18-3) vs. Eden Christian (15-5) Noon Wednesday at Ross Memorial Park, Washington & Jefferson What’s at stake: Both teams have qualified for the PIAA playoffs. For state seeding purposes, the winner is the third-place team from the WPIAL, while the loser is fourth....
2025 WPIAL Class 6A softball championship breakdown: Hempfield vs. Seneca Valley
WPIAL Class 6A softball final No. 1 Hempfield vs. No. 2 Seneca Valley 11 a.m. Thursday at Norwin On the air: Audio: Trib HSSN; Video: NFHS Network WPIAL titles: Hempfield 8 (2023, ‘19, ‘18, ‘17, ‘16, ‘15, ‘09, 1998); Seneca Valley 4 (2024, ’22, 1999, ’92) Hempfield (20-1) Coach: Tina...
‘A perfect championship game scenario’: Top seeds Penn-Trafford, Shaler to battle for 5A title
A thunderstorm bears down on Harrison City, and heavy rain pelts the roof of an unassuming maintenance building inside Warrior Stadium. The big bangs keep coming every few seconds, but they aren’t just from thunder. The Penn-Trafford softball team’s bats are clapping softballs off nets inside their makeshift “hitting center”...
Seneca Valley, Hempfield again set for championship clash in Class 6A
Ace pitcher Lexie Hames still remembers watching the softball sail out of the park. Two years ago, Hempfield’s Mia Bandiermonte launched a game-winning home run off her in the bottom of the eighth inning to lift the Spartans to a 2-1 victory over Seneca Valley in the WPIAL Class 6A...
Westmoreland high school notebook: Greensburg Central Catholic baseball wants to wash out bad taste
Greensburg Central Catholic didn’t win its first WPIAL baseball title since 2015, but the Centurions still have a chance at their first PIAA championship since 2002, when current Colorado Rockies interim manager and alum Warren Schaeffer was a star shortstop. GCC (18-3) will play Eden Christian (15-5) at noon Wednesday...
Westmoreland high school baseball playoff preview capsule for May 27, 2025
WPIAL Class 4A Third-place game Belle Vernon (16-7) vs. Central Valley (12-11) 1 p.m. Tuesday at Ross Memorial Park, Washington & Jefferson What’s at stake: The winner advances to the PIAA playoffs, and the loser’s season ends. Players to watch: Lucas Judy, Belle Vernon; Jackson Christopher, Central Valley Extra bases:...
Roundball Recap: Final scores, leading scorers, MVPs from all-star weekend
Another high school basketball season is in the books with the completion of the annual Roundball Classic. The all-star games, featuring the best senior players from the WPIAL, City League and District 10, were played Saturday and Sunday at North Allegheny. Here is a recap of the seven games: Boys...
Westmoreland County campus clippings: Seton Hill’s Ian Korn named Division II Pitcher of the Year
Seton Hill is known for having one of the more efficient pitching staffs in NCAA Division II baseball. Some of the better arms each spring take “the Hill.” The Griffins this season can say they have the best pitcher of them all. Redshirt junior Ian Korn received significant recognition last...
Westmoreland high school notebook: Belle Vernon freshman gets D-I offer
Belle Vernon’s Aubrey Brown is only a freshman, but she already has Division I college coaches interested in her game. The 6-foot-1 forward, who made an immediate impact at the varsity level last season for the Leopards, received a scholarship offer last week from Kent State. Brown averaged 10.9 points,...
Franklin Regional grad grateful to be part of championship lacrosse team at Grove City
Back-to-back conference titles. Two NCAA Division III Tournament trips in a row. A passion for her sport. Gwen Shilling has done a lot in a short time at Grove City, and the lacrosse standout out of Franklin Regional is more appreciative of her accomplishments with each passing day. Shilling is...
Norwin notebook: Knights earn trip to state track meet
Norwin’s track and field teams were ready to take a familiar trip across the Pennsylvania Turnpike. More than a half-dozen Norwin athletes qualified to compete in the PIAA Championships May 23-24 at Shippensburg University’s Seth Grove Stadium. Norwin, which dominated the team portion of the WPIAL season with boys and...
Crafty Serra Catholic runs past Greensburg Central Catholic into Class A finals
Greensburg Central Catholic had more hits than Serra Catholic, but the top-seeded Eagles had one more sneaky play — and it worked to perfection. As a result of its narrow 3-2 escape in the semifinals, Serra Catholic (19-3) is headed to its fourth straight WPIAL title game, whereas No. 5...
Westmoreland County baseball notebook: Norwin, coach break through with trip to finals
When he coached at Yough for six seasons, Craig Spisak made the WPIAL baseball playoffs four times but always hit the ceiling in the semifinals. In his third year at Norwin, he and the Knights have broken through to the final. Fourth-seeded Norwin (14-8) rallied for a 7-4 victory over...
Westmoreland high school baseball playoff preview capsule: GCC, Serra Catholic meet in Class A semis
WPIAL baseball playoffs Class A Semifinals 5-Greensburg Central Catholic (17-2) vs. 1-Serra Catholic (18-3) 4 p.m. Friday at Gateway Winner plays: Winner of 6-Carmichaels (15-4)/2-Eden Christian (14-4) in championship May 27 or 28 at EQT Park, Washington Players to watch: Jackson McMullen, GCC; Owen Dumbroski, Serra Catholic Extra bases: The...
Westmoreland County softball notebook: Penn-Trafford’s Allyson Paulone brought drama to 5A semifinals
Allyson Paulone said she had no idea she was taking a no-hitter into the seventh inning Tuesday in the WPIAL 5A softball semifinals. None. “I was just going along,” the Penn-Trafford pitcher said. “I knew my defense was playing well behind me, but I wasn’t thinking about (a no-hitter). Nobody...
After coaching change at Marshall, Latrobe’s John Wetzel flips commitment to Pitt
Pitt didn’t offer John Wetzel initially when the Latrobe standout was looking for a place to further his football career. But when he became available again, the Panthers pounced. “I haven’t been this excited about college in months,” Wetzel said after signing a letter of intent with Pitt, about a...
Lexie Hames neutralizes Norwin again as Seneca Valley advances to Class 6A finals
Norwin opted to pitch to Lexie Hames four times in the WPIAL semifinals. No intentional walks on this day. If only she hadn’t pitched to them. Hames wasn’t much of a problem with a bat in her hands, but the high-speed ace from Seneca Valley continued to mow down the...
With quick turnaround, rivals Hempfield, Norwin to meet in WPIAL 6A baseball semifinals
A surprise semifinal matchup Tuesday night will mark the fourth meeting of the season between a pair of Westmoreland County baseball teams. No. 4 seed Norwin (13-8) will take on No. 8 Hempfield (9-12) at 7 p.m. at Boyce-Mayview Park in Upper St. Clair for a spot in the WPIAL...
No. 1 Pine-Richland turns tables on Latrobe, rallies for 1-run win in WPIAL 5A quarterfinals
Usually, it is Latrobe finding ways to win one-run baseball games. But it was top-seeded Pine-Richland that captured some late drama against the Wildcats on Monday in the WPIAL Class 5A quarterfinals, using a last-inning rally to win its second straight one-run game and advance in the playoffs. Drew Boivin...
Former Latrobe standout Austin Butler hired as Hempfield boys basketball coach
Though his playing career appears to be entering its twilight years, Austin Butler’s coaching career is just stepping into the jump circle. Butler, the former Latrobe basketball star who played for two Division I programs and professionally overseas, was hired Monday night to be the next coach at Hempfield. Butler,...
Westmoreland County softball notebook: Norwin eyes another playoff upset
Put the ball in play. It sounds simple enough, and Norwin believes it is the key to overtaking Seneca Valley in the WPIAL 6A semifinals. The Knights (10-11) will take on No. 2 seed Seneca Valley (15-3) and ace flamethrower Lexie Hames at 4 p.m. Tuesday at Fox Chapel for...
