Bill Beckner stories, Page 24
Franklin Regional grad makes immediate impact at Washington & Jefferson
Cam Rowell knew he wanted to make a fast impact in the Presidents Athletic Conference. An array of steals, fast-break layups and punctuation slam dunks later, the Washington & Jefferson freshman is a rookie of the year. Rowell, a Franklin Regional graduate, capped his debut basketball season by winning the...
Norwin notebook: Knights alum recognized for defense
A Norwin graduate claimed a major award in Presidents Athletic Conference basketball. Grove City senior guard Mara Polczynski was named the conference defensive player of the year. Polczynski, known for her ability to force turnovers in the backcourt, had 80 steals and led the Wolverines with 6.5 per game. She...
With season over, Norwin girls bid farewell to sensational senior class
A section championship. A runner-up finish in the WPIAL. Another trip to the state playoffs. The Norwin girls basketball team’s season finally came to an end with a 49-38 loss at Altoona in the PIAA 6A first round. The Knights finished 15-8 a year after winning their third WPIAL title...
Seton Hill women’s basketball team advances in NCAA Division II tournament
The Seton Hill women’s basketball team took a 15-point lead into halftime and went on to hold back Kutztown, 89-75, in the first round of the NCAA Division II Tournament at Edinboro. The Griffins (24-6), who set a single-season program record for wins since the team joined the NCAA in...
Loaded Hempfield opens softball season with win over Penn-Trafford
Good weather doesn’t have much of a track record at this time of year, so it was somewhat surprising that the softball season started on time Friday, a sun-splashed opening day and 70-plus-degree temperatures greeting WPIAL teams. What wasn’t surprising was Hempfield starting a new season with a victory. “It...
Westmoreland PIAA basketball playoff preview capsule for Saturday, March 15, 2025
Boys Class 2A Quarterfinals Jeannette (25-2) vs. Greensburg Central Catholic (25-3) Noon Saturday at Norwin District-seed: Jeannette 7-1; Greensburg Central Catholic 7-5 Winner plays: Winner of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart (21-7)/Sewickley Academy (22-5) in semifinals March 22 (time, site TBD) Coaches: Adrian Batts, Jeannette (16th year); Christian Hyland,...
‘Get your tickets now’: Jeannette, Greensburg CC boys prep for clash in PIAA quarterfinals
Two basketball teams from Westmoreland County remain in the PIAA postseason. They will face each other this weekend for a spot in the Class 2A boys final four. That the matchup is one of the county’s best rivalries is a treat for local fans. Jeannette (25-2) and Greensburg Central Catholic...
Greensburg Central Catholic rolls into PIAA rivalry game vs. Jeannette
Liam Gallagher wore a different jersey number in the PIAA basketball second round, going with No. 4 instead of his usual 14. The old jersey wasn’t available to the senior guard from Greensburg Central Catholic, but there is a reason. “I ripped it in half after the Union (loss in...
Hempfield softball motivated to rejoin championship chase
With six Division I college commits, Hempfield is primed for another run at WPIAL and PIAA championships. Of course, last year did not include any titles, but the Spartans are refocused — and humbled — after they were dealt a surprising loss by Norwin in the WPIAL 6A semifinals. High...
OLSH girls turn tables on Greensburg Central Catholic, advance to PIAA quarterfinals
This was not the same Our Lady of the Sacred Heart team that Greensburg Central Catholic beat to advance to the WPIAL finals 18 days earlier. No, this was an entirely different opponent from the tip to the final horn, and this version will go down as the team that...
Westmoreland County high school basketball notebook: Jeannette not satisfied with 1st-round PIAA win
Jeannette boys basketball coach Adrian Batts said he was concerned Saturday as his team prepared to open the PIAA playoffs. It wasn’t that he thought Jeannette was going to lose. It was just the uniqueness of following a WPIAL title that made him unsure of what to expect. “It was...
Westmoreland PIAA basketball playoff preview capsules for Wednesday, March 12, 2025
Boys Class 2A Jeannette (24-2) vs. Northern Cambria (15-12) 7 p.m. Wednesday at Greater Johnstown High School District seeds: Jeannette 7-1; Northern Cambria (15-12) 6-2 Winner plays: Winner of 7-5 Greensburg Central Catholic (24-3)/7-4 Neshannock (22-4) Saturday in quarterfinals (time, site TBD) Players to watch: Markus McGowan, Jeannette; Caleb Dolney,...
Seton Hill women headed to NCAA DII basketball tournament
Seton Hill will play in the NCAA Division II women’s basketball tournament for the first time in 15 years. Accepting an at-large bid Monday, the third-seeded Griffins (23-6) will begin play at noon on Friday against No. 6 Kutztown (22-11) at Edinboro’s McComb Fieldhouse in Erie. Seton Hill beat Kutztown...
Westmoreland County campus clippings: Norwin, Franklin Regional grads earn PAC awards
A pair of local products claimed major awards in Presidents’ Athletic Conference basketball. Grove City senior guard Mara Polczynski (Norwin) was named the conference defensive player of the year, while Washington & Jefferson freshman guard Cam Rowell (Franklin Regional) claimed newcomer of the year honors. Polczynski, known for her ability...
Westmoreland PIAA basketball playoff preview capsules for Tuesday, March 11, 2025
Boys Class 5A Second round Latrobe (21-6) vs. Greater Johnstown (25-1) 7 p.m. Tuesday at Pitt-Johnstown District-seed: Latrobe 7-6; Greater Johnstown 6-1 Winner plays: Winner of Chartiers Valley (24-3)/Montour (25-2) on Friday in quarterfinals (time, site TBD) Players to watch: John Wetzel, Latrobe; Dante Tisinger, Greater Johnstown Layup lines: Latrobe...
Westmoreland H.S. basketball notebook: Brad Wetzel, Latrobe savor PIAA win
The win meant everything to Brad Wetzel. Everything. The four-hour bus trip home across the state Friday night from Exeter Township was a joy ride. The 23rd-year coach enjoyed every second of Latrobe’s victory, including celebrating it with his son, John, the senior point guard. Assistant coach Eric Butler, Wetzel’s...
Franklin Regional’s Student Athlete Leadership Team aims to enhance athletics experience
When Franklin Regional saw what Seneca Valley was doing, the district decided to sprinkle a little salt on its athletics programs — S.A.L.T. that is. The acronym stands for Student Athlete Leadership Team, a program Franklin Regional formed to enhance and direct forward its sports teams and athletes. Think of...
Kymon’e Brown’s ‘flu game’ lifts Jeannette boys past Mercyhurst Prep in PIAA 1st round
Jeannette point guard Kymon’e Brown missed a morning walkthrough Saturday with flu-like symptoms. His stomach hurt, and he was sluggish. While Brown was told to drink a lot of fluids, the junior settled for a steady dose of free throws to help the Jayhawks stay ahead and post a win...
Westmoreland County high school notebook: Jeannette’s Kymon’e Brown draws 1st offer
Jeannette football standout Kymon’e Brown is expected to see increased college recruiting attention as the clock ticks toward his senior season. Brown, a quarterback and defensive back, received his first NCAA Division I offer last week as Navy reached out. The TribLive Westmoreland Player of the Year last fall helped...
Greensburg Central Catholic girls pull away from Cambria Heights after tight 1st half
Ask them about the slow start. They’ll tell you how they finished. Fresh off back-to-back championships, Greensburg Central Catholic avoided the proverbial WPIAL hangover by knocking off eight days worth of rust, relying on its star power and finally accelerating past Cambria Heights, 61-31, in a PIAA Class 3A first-round...
Greensburg Central Catholic boys have unfinished business in state playoffs
Greensburg Central Catholic might always wonder what if, but, for now, the boys basketball team is dialed in to what still could be. The Centurions (23-3) were the No. 1 seed in the WPIAL Class 2A playoffs but were upset by No. 8 Union, 44-42, in the quarterfinals. GCC already...
Westmoreland County PIAA basketball playoff capsules for March 8, 2025
Boys Class 2A First round Mercyhurst Prep (19-7) at Jeannette (23-2) 1 p.m. Saturday District seeds: Jeannette 7-1; Mercyhurst Prep 10-3 Winner plays: Winner of 9-3 Clarion Limestone (16-10)/6-2 Northern Cambria (14-12) on Wednesday in second round Players to watch: Tanner Ashton, Mercyhurst Prep; Kymon’e Brown, Jeannette Layup lines: Mercyhurst...
Westmoreland County PIAA basketball playoff capsules for March 7, 2025
PIAA basketball playoffs Boys Class 5A First round Latrobe (20-6) at Exeter Township (14-11) 7 p.m. Friday District seeds: Latrobe 7-6; Exeter Township 3-2 Winner plays: Winner of 7-7 Moon (19-7)/6-1 Greater Johnstown (24-1) Tuesday in second round Players to watch: Ian DeCerb, Latrobe; Jayden Ware, Exeter Township Layup lines:...
Westmoreland County basketball notebook: GCC’s Erica Gribble proves to be comfortable on big stage
Greensburg Central Catholic junior point guard Erica Gribble has the uncanny ability to treat any place she plays basketball as “just another court.” Just like she can make any date on the schedule “just another game.” Whether it’s the compressed confines of her team’s home floor, an obscure road game...
Latrobe boys seek milestone win for coach Brad Wetzel
Set to travel more than 400 miles round-trip Friday for its PIAA Class 5A boys basketball playoff opener, Latrobe has another number on its mind. The number 300 is more significant to the Wildcats, the sixth-place team from the WPIAL who will play their first state playoff game since 2017....
