Bill Beckner stories, Page 23
‘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...
Westmoreland softball playoff preview capsules: Games for May 20, 2025
WPIAL softball playoffs Class 6A Semifinals 6-Norwin (10-11) vs. 2-Seneca Valley (15-3) 4 p.m. Tuesday at Fox Chapel Winner plays: Winner of 4-Canon-McMillan (12-8)/1-Hempfield (19-1) in championship May 28-29 at Lilley Field, Cal (Pa.) Players to watch: Abbie Telli, Norwin; Lexie Hames, Seneca Valley Extra bases: Norwin upset No. 3...
Westmoreland County campus clippings: Ligonier Valley grad Cheyenne Piper earns postseason honors
At the end of the Presidents’ Athletic Conference softball season it was time to pay the Piper. Westminster pitcher Cheyenne Piper had a breakthrough freshman season and as a result won two major awards from the conference The Ligonier Valley alum was named pitcher and newcomer of the year for...
H.S. baseball notebook: Greensburg CC inspired by Warren Schaeffer’s rise with Rockies
If Warren Schaeffer can achieve his dream, so can anybody from Greensburg Central Catholic. The former Centurions star’s meteoric rise in the Colorado Rockies’ coaching ranks has caught the attention of the current team just in time for the WPIAL Class A playoffs. Schaeffer, who helped lead GCC to a...
Westmoreland softball playoff preview capsules: Games for May 19, 2025
WPIAL softball playoffs Class 3A Quarterfinals 7-Southmoreland (10-7) vs. 2-Mohawk (13-5) 3 p.m. Monday at Montour Winner plays: Winner of 6-McGuffey (11-5)/3-Ellwood City (10-8) on Wednesday in semifinals (time, site TBD) Players to watch: Zoey Murphy, Southmoreland; Lydia Cole, Mohawk Extra bases: Southmoreland, a perennial playoff contender, rallied several times...
Roundball activities now will include girls underclassman all-star games
After a spike in interest for the boys underclassmen games, organizers of the Roundball Classic all-star basketball weekend decided to add girls games this year. “We’ve had a fabulous response,” lead organizer Allen Deep said. The showcase games will feature top players in grades nine through 11 who play in...
Westmoreland County high school notebook: Latrobe at forefront of girls flag football movement
It is just a matter of time before girls flag football is a fully sanctioned PIAA sport, complete with district and state championships. Latrobe is one of the local club teams preparing to field a team in the WPIAL for 2025-26. It appears to be in good standing with the...
