Bill Beckner stories, Page 198
GCC’s Nate Ward named Tribune-Review Westmoreland Boys Soccer Player of the Year
Player of the Year Nate Ward Sr., MF, Greensburg Central Catholic Nate Ward will, in all likelihood, be remembered as a star soccer player at Greensburg Central Catholic. Rightly so. He’s an all-timer to wear maroon and black. But think about all of the things he did over the course...
Southmoreland boys basketball hopes depth translates to wins
Depth on paper and depth on the court are different things. Southmoreland has the roster makeup of a team that will keep the substitutes moving in and out of games with rapidity. Expect to hear the buzzer a lot when the Scotties play if the depth comes to pass. Several...
Westmoreland notebook: Pitt softball feels ‘like home’ for Mt. Pleasant’s Brunson
Mt. Pleasant junior softball player Haylie Brunson announced last week she made a verbal commitment to play at Pitt. Brunson opened her recruitment during the spring after she initially committed to Louisiana-Lafayette as a freshman. Pitt offered a week ago. “I absolutely love the coaches,” Brunson said. “They really made...
Playoff losses motivate deep, talented Norwin girls teamVideo
Jayla Wehner still can see the ball going through the rim — in slow motion, to haunt her dreams even more. “I see it when I go to bed at night,” said Wehner, a senior guard at Norwin who is referring to a layup by North Allegheny’s Katerina Balouris in...
With new coach, Norwin boys plan to ramp up excitement level
When Buddy Valinsky coached at Allderdice, he became accustomed to a certain style of play, a product of many talented and athletic players who helped him win six straight City League titles. “We played above the rim,” said Valinsky, who takes over the Norwin boys program this season. “Here, they...
Alumni represent Latrobe on college courts across country
One town’s name keeps popping up on college basketball rosters all over the place, up and down the East Coast. From New England to Florida — and many stops in between — “Latrobe” is a common hometown among lists that also include jersey numbers, classes, heights and positions. Latrobe graduates,...
Mt. Pleasant’s Haylie Brunson commits to Pitt
Mt. Pleasant junior softball player Haylie Brunson announced Wednesday night she has made a verbal commitment to play at Pitt. Brunson had opened her recruitment during the spring after she initially committed to Louisiana-Lafayette as a freshman. Pitt offered Sunday. She likes the prospect of playing closer to home. “I...
Westmoreland campus clippings: Franklin Regional grad helps Arizona State to upset
Arizona State redshirt senior 149-pounder Josh Maruca (Franklin Regional) earned a 5-4 decision over Penn State sophomore Jarod Verkleeren (Hempfield) as the No. 5 Sun Devils upset No. 1 Penn State, 19-18, to snap the Nittany Lions’ 60-dual match winning streak that dated to 2015. Bucknell: Sophomore Zach Hartman (Belle...
Twenty-four WPIAL players make all-state soccer teams
The Pennsylvania Soccer Coaches Association revealed its all-state selections Monday and the WPIAL made its presence known on the boys and girls teams. Twenty-four district players were chosen. Boys from the WPIAL to make the list are: senior forward Fletcher Amos of West Allegheny, Franklin Regional sophomore forward Anthony DiFalco,...
Westmoreland campus clippings: Norwin’s Harding makes 1st start for Pitt in NCAA Tournament
Anthony Harding teetered some when he was making his college decision coming out of Norwin. The soccer standout first chose Penn State before flipping to Pitt. Now he has found his way into the starting lineup for the Panthers (10-7-2). Harding made his starting debut as Pitt knocked off Lehigh,...
Penn-Trafford alum Michael Pifer lauded for efforts as Navy long-snapper
There are long-snappers who get little recognition — most of them — and then there are long-snappers like Michael Pifer. The Navy senior and Penn-Trafford alum, in his second season as the starting “LS” for the Midshipmen, is considered one of the best at his position in the country. The...
Norwin standout Walker to miss 1st month of basketball season
Norwin junior Jayden Walker is expected to miss the first month of basketball season as he recovers from surgery on his left labrum. Also a standout baseball player with a promising future as a left-handed pitcher, Walker had the surgery in June and plans to return in early January. “I...
Westmoreland HS notebook: BVA’s Guess set to get his kicks at Pitt
Belle Vernon’s Cameron Guess made it all the way to No. 1 in the Kohl’s Kicking Camps national punter rankings last year for the Class of 2020. Pitt made it to No. 1 on the senior’s list of college choices. The strong-legged Guess announced recently his commitment to Pitt. He...
Jeannette alumni help Lackawanna to Junior College title game
Robert Kennedy walked off the field at Clairton in the last regular-season game of his senior season feeling dejected and disappointed. He remembers the haunting glow on the scoreboard that read: Clairton 40, Jeannette 6. “I fully take responsibility for that loss,” Kennedy said. “I remember I threw two or...
Hempfield alum Kason Harrell headed to Ireland to play professional basketball
Kason Harrell was released by the Fort Wayne Mad Ants of the NBA G League on Nov. 6. Guess how many days since then the former Hempfield star sulked about his first shot at the pros? Better yet, guess how many days he did not pick up a basketball in...
Roster out for ESSMC WPIAL Girls Soccer Classic
Players have been named for the first East Suburban Sports Medicine Center WPIAL Girls Soccer Classic on Saturday at Franklin Regional’s Panther Stadium in Murrysville. The showcase event begins at 1 p.m. There could be one or two all-star games, depending on the turnout. The event is for All-WPIAL and...
IUP lineman Jeff Arnold up for Upshaw award
IUP probably does not pile up an average of 477.4 yards across 11 games this season if not for the up-front blocking of players like Jeff Arnold. A senior lineman from Brashear, Arnold has played well enough to be considered for a national award. Arnold is one of eight finalists...
Westmoreland Campus Clippings: Norwin’s Deri wraps impressive career at West Liberty
West Liberty senior safety Logan Deri (Norwin) finished his college career as one of only six players in West Liberty history to record 300 tackles. Deri had nine stops in his final college game, a 34-26 loss to Charleston. He finished with 301 tackles. “The milestone was great, but to...
Former GCC standout Carolyn Appleby joins coaching staff
Carolyn Appleby couldn’t help herself. During a water break this week at a Greensburg Central Catholic girls basketball practice, she took a few pull-up jump shots and banked in a scoop-shot layup as players looked on. Make that, as her players looked on. Appleby, just 22 years old and barely...
GCC girls get infusion of youth in bid for 20th straight playoff berth
Sam Salih relied on his seniors so much last year and got so comfortable with a short rotation that he didn’t leave the bench much while coaching the Greensburg Central Catholic girls. “I had that imaginary popcorn,” Salih said. “They were fun to watch.” Salih saw nine freshmen when he...
New GCC boys coach, 24, looks to carry on winning tradition at his alma materVideo
At 24, Christian Hyland will be one of the youngest head basketball coaches in the state — in the country, for that matter. But taking the reins at Greensburg Central Catholic — his alma mater — gives him a charge and gets his competitive juices flowing again. It’s all he...
WPIAL alums dot All-PSAC West football teams
The WPIAL is generously represented on the All-Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference football teams, which came out Wednesday. The PSAC West Division offensive first team features Slippery Rock senior offensive guard Ryan Podgorski (South Park) and senior kicker Jake Chapla (Plum); IUP redshirt sophomore receiver Duane Brown (Apollo-Ridge); Mercyhurst tight end...
Belle Vernon’s Cameron Guess commits to Pitt
Belle Vernon’s Cam Guess made it all the way to No. 1 in the Kohl’s Kicking Camps national punter rankings last year for the Class of 2020. Pitt made it to No. 1 on the senior’s list of college choices. The strong-legged Guess announced Wednesday night his commitment to Pitt....
Rebuilding ahead after breakthrough season for Franklin Regional girls
Franklin Regional made a rare appearance in the WPIAL Class 5A girls basketball quarterfinals last season with a senior-heavy team. How quickly graduation can change things. Second-year coach Anthony Kobus went from having a veteran group to directing a fledgling lineup that lacks varsity experience. In most cases, new coaches...
Young Franklin Regional boys roster takes aim at 5th straight playoff berth
When Steve Scorpion took over the Franklin Regional boys basketball program two years ago, he inherited a team loaded with juniors and seniors. Last year, he had an abundance of seniors. Year 3 is underway and Scorpion is a little light on upperclassmen. “It happens,” he said. “We have had...
