Bill Beckner stories, Page 186
Hempfield’s Holmberg repeats as mid-region’s top field athlete
Another indoor track and field season, another award for Maddie Holmberg. Holmberg, a Penn State senior and Hempfield alum, was named the United Track & Field Cross Country Coaches Association Mid-Atlantic Region Field Athlete of the Year. She is a repeat winner of the award, which has a lot of...
Fresh start for Southmoreland in maiden voyage into PIAA girls basketball playoffs
Forgive Southmoreland girls basketball coaches and players for not knowing what to expect in the PIAA playoffs. This is their first time in the state tournament, but don’t expect uncertainty to bother the Scotties much. All coach Brian Pritts knows is his WPIAL runner-up team looks like it is ready...
Westmoreland County basketball playoff preview capsule: Game of March 6, 2020
Today’s game Boys Class 4A first round Belle Vernon (19-7) vs. Clearfield (15-8) 7:30 p.m. at St. Marys High School Winner plays: Winner of Lancaster Catholic (23-3) and Ringgold (14-10) on Tuesday in second round Coaches: Joe Salvino, Belle Vernon; Nathan Glunt, Clearfield Players to watch: Devin Whitlock, Belle Vernon...
Fite, Biss chosen top coach, athlete in PSAC East basketball
Chris Fite offers high praise for Jake Biss, his steely-eyed point guard at Shippensburg. But the feeling is mutual when it comes to Biss’ respect for his coach. Fite and Biss, both Latrobe alums, were lauded by the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference on Thursday, Fite as the coach of the...
Westmoreland basketball notebook: Belle Vernon aims to improve its defense
Ask Belle Vernon players about their runner-up finish in the WPIAL, and they immediately get defensive. The Leopards (19-7) think the result against Highlands (22-3) could have been different — or at least, closer — in last week’s WPIAL Class 4A championship had they amped up their effort on defense....
Jeannette’s Julian Batts sinks game-winner for LIU Brooklyn in NEC tourney openerVideo
Julian Batts never imagined he could get this much attention for a layup. But this layup was different. It had excitement and charisma. It brought the crowd to its feet. And it was a season-saver. The Long Island Brooklyn senior point guard took an inbound pass on the wing Wednesday...
Coach Joe Salvino, Belle Vernon boys hit reset button for PIAA tournament
Joe Salvino won two PIAA basketball championships, in 1988 and ’89, when he coached at Monessen. Both times, the Greyhounds were the third-place team to come out of the WPIAL. “We didn’t win the WPIAL either time,” said Salvino, who coached Monessen for 34 years and also won six WPIAL...
Westmoreland Campus Clippings: Hempfield’s Holmberg wins Big Ten
Penn State senior Maddie Holmberg captured her first indoor track and field conference title by winning the pentathlon over the weekend at the Big Ten Indoor Championships at SPIRE Institute. Holmberg, a Hempfield alum, finished with 4,274 points to become the Nittany Lions’ second conference title winner in the pentathlon....
Pitt-Greensburg’s Brody Jackson, Hayley Schaetzle tabbed AMCC coaches of year
Brody Jackson led Pitt-Greensburg to one of its best regular seasons in the history of the men’s basketball program. On Tuesday, he was recognized for the accomplishment as he was named the Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference Coach of the Year. His counterpart, Hayley Schaetzle, received the same conference honor on...
Westmoreland campus clippings: Saint Vincent’s Lafko named PAC player of year
Saint Vincent’s Jenna Lafko was lauded for a terrific junior season as she was named the Presidents’ Athletic Conference Women’s Basketball Player of the Year. Lafko averaged 13.8 points and 4.6 rebounds, and led the Bearcats (19-7) in assists (95) and steals (78). Junior Madison Kollar (Latrobe) joined Lafko as...
Derry grad, Penn State softball standout Chelsea Bisi out for season
Chelsea Bisi was hoping for an encore at Penn State, a follow-up to a breakthrough softball season that saw her clear the fences with an effortless swing as she produced offense just about every game. Bisi hit 13 home runs and earned a spot on the All-Big Ten Conference Freshman...
Breaking down the PSAC basketball playoffs
The Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference basketball playoffs will tip off today as teams built toward a trip to the NCAA Division II Tournament. Here are the tournament schedules and a breakdown of each bracket: Men First round West 1-IUP (25-2) — Bye 2-Mercyhurst (19-7) — Bye 5-Gannon (14-12) at 4-Cal...
Southmoreland girls put WPIAL loss behind them, focus on PIAAs
All season, Southmoreland has celebrated defense. Taking charges, ripping away steals and blocking shots were reasons to revel as the team made emphatic stops on the opponents’ end of the floor. But the Scotties want to celebrate something else: a championship. While their magical WPIAL season came to an end...
Westmoreland high school notebook: Big year for Belle Vernon sports
It is far from finished, but Belle Vernon already can look back on a successful 2019-20 sports year. With the boys basketball team making it to the WPIAL Class 4A championship, the Leopards were well-represented in the district postseason in recent months. The basketball team had not played in the...
North Catholic girls top Southmoreland to win school’s 20th WPIAL title
Storied. Perennial power. Gold standard. Labels like that follow programs with the ilk of North Catholic — programs that win, reload rosters and win some more. Those are labels teams such as Southmoreland long to have attached to its name. The Trojanettes girls basketball team added another piece of hardware...
Penn-Trafford SADD fundraiser to purchase memorial bench for Maclean Maund
Penn-Trafford is renovating its baseball field in Harrison City and the project includes artificial turf for the infield. But there also are plans for a special memorial to honor a former Warriors standout pitcher. The Penn-Trafford Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD) are having a “Give It Your All” online apparel...
Westmoreland H.S. notebook: Reaching final ‘like no other’ for Belle Vernon’s Hartman
Jared Hartman is as grateful as he is delighted as Belle Vernon prepares to play for a WPIAL boys basketball championship. The Leopards senior forward looks back to the spring and summer of 2018 with a bittersweetness that can only be measured in setbacks and successes. “I was pretty down,...
At a glance: Local Division III basketball conference tournaments
College basketball conference tournaments are underway in the region and March Madness is on the horizon for Division III programs. Here is a look at the playoffs in the Presidents’ Athletic Conference and the Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference. Men PAC Semifinals Tonight ( 7 p.m.) 6-Saint Vincent (13-13) at 1-Grove...
Undefeated Southmoreland decided underdog against North Catholic
Overcoming the stigma of playing a perennial powerhouse can be just as important as matching baskets with one. It also could be the key intangible that drives an upset. Southmoreland is 24-0 but is a decided underdog heading into its first WPIAL girls basketball championship game Friday night at Petersen...
Belle Vernon ends New Castle’s reign, makes first WPIAL finals trip since 1978
Belle Vernon coach Joe Salvino did not speak to his players about New Castle’s success in the WPIAL boys basketball playoffs or the Red Hurricanes’ reputation as a storied program. He didn’t see a need to oversell his team’s semifinal opponent. “The kids know all of that already,” the veteran...
Unbeaten Southmoreland girls seeking fast start in quest to upset No. 1 North Catholic
Senior forward Sarah Pisula could have typed a text message and sent it in the time she had to line up a pair of 3-pointers early in Monday night’s playoff game. Instead, she dialed it up from long distance. Freshman teammate Olivia Cernuto, a fast-rising point guard, followed her lead....
Westmoreland campus clippings: Batts surpasses scoring milestone
Julian Batts plays college basketball out of state, so friends and family usually can watch his games only online. But Batts played a game close to home — as close as the schedule would allow — and achieved a career milestone for the wacthful eyes of local fans. Batts, a...
Westmoreland County basketball playoff preview capsule: Game of Feb. 26, 2020
Today’s game Boys Class 4A Semifinals No. 6 Belle Vernon (18-6) vs. No. 7 New Castle (17-7) 6 p.m. Wednesday at North Allegheny Winner plays: No. 1 Highlands (20-3) or No. 5 Blackhawk (13-10) at 1 p.m. Saturday in championship at Petersen Events Center Coaches: Joe Salvino, Belle Vernon; Ralph...
Southmoreland girls dismiss Central Valley, earn program’s first trip to WPIAL finals
You might consider anything Southmoreland’s girls basketball team did after the quarterfinals a bonus. Gravy, as they say. After reaching the WPIAL semifinals for the first time and earning their first PIAA playoff berth, the Scotties already had earned a prime spot in scrapbooks and a firm place in school...
Westmoreland County basketball playoff preview capsule: Game of Feb. 25, 2020
Today’s game Boys Class 3A Semifinals No. 1 Ligonier Valley (22-2) vs. No. 5 Penns Valley (15-8) 7:30 p.m. at Hollidaysburg Winner plays: No. 2 Westmont Hilltop or No. 3 Richland 7:30 p.m. Friday in championship at Mt. Aloysius College, Cresson Coaches: John Berger, Ligonier Valley; Terrence Glunt, Penns Valley...
