Bill Beckner stories, Page 191
GCC’s Nate Ward beats Clairton with bomb at the buzzer
Nate Ward simply has a knack for creating bedlam. A tie-busting forward in soccer — one of the top recruits in the country in the Class of 2020 — Ward has a penchant for game-winning goals. The Greensburg Central Catholic senior took that tendency onto the basketball court Monday night...
Soccer standout Sam Nemeth nets a different kind of game winner for GCC girls
As a standout soccer player, Sam Nemeth has scored winning goals before for Greensburg Central Catholic. She’s been known to show out in the clutch. On Monday night, she got her kicks for the girls basketball team — with some more flair for the dramatic. Nemeth, a senior forward, ran...
Westmoreland Campus Clippings: Saint Vincent men’s bowling returns
Men’s bowling is back at Saint Vincent. The college announced the addition of the sport, which was part of Bearcats athletics until 1982 but has been absent for 38 years. The club team will begin play in the fall and will be coached by Jeff Zidek, who also coaches the...
Westmoreland notebook: Local talent will be on display in PIHL all-star games
The Robert Morris Island Sports Center will be the site for the annual PIHL All-Star games on Jan. 26. The schedule starts with the Class B game at noon, followed by Class A at 2 p.m., Class AA at 4 and Class AAA at 6. In Class AA, selections include...
Norwin big man Jayden Walker feasts on Latrobe
Playing the first home game of his junior basketball season, Norwin’s Jayden Walker was expected to show up to work on an empty stomach. Explanation? “I told him, ‘You’re going to eat tonight,’” Norwin coach Buddy Valinsky said. “Be ready to get the ball. We’re going to feed you.” Walker...
Pitt-Greensburg hoops building to historic season
A smile crawled across Matt Johnson’s face as he talked about his basketball team and its inner workings. “It’s been a lot of fun,” the junior point guard at Pitt-Greensburg said. “What we’re doing hasn’t happened by accident. It’s nice to see the whole team commit to the same thing...
Saint Vincent adds men’s bowling
Men’s bowling is back at Saint Vincent. The college announced the addition of the sport, which was part of the Bearcats’ athletic program until 1982 but has been absent for 38 years. The club team will begin play in the fall and will be coached by Jeff Zidek, who also...
Surging Derry girls drop Deer Lakes, move into sole possession of first in sectionVideo
Even with a rowdy student section that was all decked out in USA-themed red, white and blue cheering and jeering, and a pep band thumping and blowing horns during timeouts, the Derry girls basketball team somehow continued to make all the noise. The upstart Lady Trojans, led by first-year coach...
Westmoreland boys basketball notebook: Home welcome for Greensburg CC
Playing at home has its advantages. Not playing at home for an extended period can be a real pain. Greensburg Central Catholic would know. The Centurions were 10 games into the regular season — nearly at the halfway point — before they finally played at home. GCC (7-3, 4-0 Section...
Mt. Pleasant senior Johnson proves to be more than scorer
As Derry attempted to inbound, Jake Johnson patrolled the baseline slyly with his arms up and his eyes locked in. The basketball belonged to him. In that moment, he was the only player on the floor. The Mt. Pleasant senior guard snatched the ball out of the air, put it...
Westmoreland girls basketball teams get boost from fabulous freshmen
Brian Pritts had heard of Olivia Cernuto long before the point guard made her way to the varsity at Southmoreland. He was hoping to get the chance to coach her because of the promise she showed. Now that the Scotties girls basketball coach has seen Cernuto match her potential to...
Westmoreland girls basketball notebook: Southmoreland moves forward after key player transfer
The Southmoreland girls are having their best season, record-wise, in program history. The Scotties found their way to an 11-0 record and No. 3 ranking by the Tribune-Review in WPIAL Class 4A by playing team basketball. That mantra won’t change as the Scotties move forward after the departure of sophomore...
Ex-Franklin Regional star Nick Novak scores 55 in debut for semi-pro team
Nick Novak is back in the states with a new house, a baby on the way and a basketball motor that won’t slow down. The former Franklin Regional star, who has been around the globe and back playing professionally for the last seven years, is playing this season for the...
Pitt-Greensburg sinks 20 3-pointers in home victory
Pitt-Greensburg became U-P-3 on Tuesday night. The men’s basketball team made a school-record 20 3-pointers in a 103-80 victory over visiting Penn College at Chambers Hall. Sophomore guard Jojo France connected connected on 6 of 12 3s, while junior guard Matt Johnson was 4-for-7 from deep. Both players had 18...
Zach Rocco’s big night carries Penn-Trafford past Hempfield
Zach Rocco had a feeling he might get to the foul line a lot against Hempfield, depending on how tightly the game was officiated. But he knew if he was hacked, it would be because of his efforts to get to the rim. “I knew they would play physical with...
Westmoreland campus clippings: Breakout game for La Roche’s Cole
La Roche’s Jenna Cole had been waiting for a breakout game this season. It finally happened over the weekend. The senior forward out of Norwin put up a season-best 20 points and grabbed eight rebounds to power the Redhawks (6-4, 6-0) AMCC) to a 61-57 victory over D’Youville. Cole is...
Unbeaten Southmoreland gets ‘after it’ on defense, rolls past Elizabeth Forward
Unbeaten Southmoreland continued its best start in school history, passing a stern road test in the process, by utilizing what has brought it this far: defensive wherewithal and offensive balance. When the two intersect, this is one dangerous team. Four players scored in double figures, and the stingy Scotties quickly...
Westmoreland Campus Clippings: Norwin’s Deri living showcase life
A number of local college football players are in Fort Worth, Texas to take part in the College Gridiron Showcase, an invite-only “all-star” event for many of the country’s top seniors. The showcase runs from Jan. 3-8 at McNair Stadium. Among the local contingent is West Liberty strong safety Logan...
Standout Bailey Kuhns no longer part of undefeated Southmoreland girls basketball team
Southmoreland will have to continue its best start in girls basketball without one of its best players. Sophomore Bailey Kuhns is no longer on the team, coach Brian Pritts confirmed. Pritts did not give a reason, although Kuhns’ bio on her Twitter account now reads, “Greensburg Central Catholic High School...
Westmoreland high school notebook: Weather slows work on Penn-Trafford baseball field
Look to the right while cruising up the driveway to Penn-Trafford High School, and it is clear change is happening at the baseball field. When it is not blocked by construction vehicles, the infield glistens on a sunny day. That is because Penn-Trafford is installing artificial turf to the infield...
Area players taking part in College Gridiron Showcase
A number of local college football players are in Fort Worth, Texas to take part in the College Gridiron Showcase, an invite-only “all-star” event for many of the country’s top seniors. The showcase runs from Jan. 3-8 at McNair Stadium. Area players attending the event are cornerback Reid Harrison-Ducros and...
Mt. Pleasant boys make stand in final seconds to stop DerryVideo
Derry had one last chance, but Mt. Pleasant wasn’t having it. Sophomore forward Luke Brandner swiped at the ball and knocked it away as Derry’s Tyson Webb drove the lane and teammate Jake Johnson swarmed to complete the steal in the closing seconds as Mt. Pleasant held on for a...
Freshman Savannah Schneck helps Norwin girls avenge playoff loss to North Allegheny
With its 13-point lead squeezed to three with about a minute to play, Norwin did what any seasoned team would do in such a chaotic situation. It gave the basketball to a freshman. Reserve swing-guard Savannah Schneck made the most of her minutes, coming up clutch in a clash of...
Detail-oriented Penn-Trafford boys collecting quality wins
Penn-Trafford is more interested in the small details than the big picture. The Warriors boys basketball team is off to a firm start, but its success is more situational than all-encompassing as Section 3-6A play begins to ramp up. “I’m not terribly surprised by the start we’ve had,” coach Jim...
Westmoreland County boys basketball notebook: New defense suits Centurions
Greensburg Central Catholic soundly defeated Class 3A No. 3 Washington, 50-34, on the second day of the Greensburg Salem Holiday Classic. Coaches were praising the team’s defensive efforts, particularly how the Centurions performed in a 1-2-2 zone press. First-year coach Christian Hyland was asked when the new defense was introduced...
