Bill Beckner stories, Page 35
Greensburg Central Catholic girls move up in class while hunting for another WPIAL title
Greensburg Central Catholic won’t get to defend its WPIAL 2A girls basketball championship. In view of the fact it was bumped up in classification, it will be ring-chasing in Class 3A. The Centurions were subject to the PIAA’s competitive balance formula — based on two consecutive PIAA semifinal appearances and...
With deep roster, Greensburg Central Catholic boys have WPIAL title hopes
With the most seniors he’s had and what could be his deepest rotation, Greensburg Central Catholic boys basketball coach Christian Hyland expects his team to make another postseason run. Another championship run could lie ahead. “We want to get back to the finals and get another shot,” Hyland said. “There...
Coaches from variety of backgrounds come together to lead Jeannette on playoff run
Jeannette first-year assistant football coach Dustin Shoaf is a school teacher at Yough, his alma mater and a place where he is the all-time leader in rushing yards. He also works on his family’s farm, so he knows an interesting crop when he sees one. Like the crop of coaches...
Saint Vincent fires football coach Aaron Smetanka, 2 assistants after 1-9 season
After a 1-9 season, Saint Vincent fired head football coach Aaron Smetanka along with offensive coordinator Sam London III and defensive coordinator John Bell, launching an immediate search for new staff members. The remainder of the coaching staff was still listed on the school’s athletics website, but that does not...
Strong returning cast sparks optimism in Franklin Regional girls program
The thought of hanging a section banner on the wall brings a smile to Bernie Pucka’s face. It almost makes him giddy. He hunts pheasant and deer, but he would love to bag a section. “That would be … incredible,” the fourth-year coach of the Franklin Regional girls basketball team...
Upset-minded Jeannette to face toughest task yet in top-seeded Fort Cherry
If Jeannette can turn back Fort Cherry early like it has its past several opponents, the Jayhawks could have a shot at dethroning the top-seeded and defending WPIAL football champion Rangers. The halftime score could reveal whether the Jayhawks have a puncher’s chance, if the Class A kick seekers’ season...
New-look roster to write next chapter for Franklin Regional boys basketball
The word “almost” gets thrown around a lot when people talk about the 2023-24 Franklin Regional boys basketball program. The Panthers almost beat Moon in the WPIAL Class 5A championship game. They almost rallied to put a scare into powerhouse Imhotep Charter in the PIAA championship, their first trip to...
Rosters set for WCCA all-star volleyball match
Rosters are set for the 3rd Westmoreland County Coaches Association All-Star Girls Volleyball Match, which will be played at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 19 at Ligonier Valley High School. The game features the top senior players in Westmoreland County. Rosters are as follows: West Kylie Anthony (OH) Penn-Trafford Brandi Brozeski...
Westmoreland County campus clippings: Longtime coach Tom Harbert to be honored at Saint Vincent
The Saint Vincent wrestling program will honor one of its greats Tuesday night before the season opener against visiting Shippensburg. The man of the hour will be Tom Harbert, the head wrestling, lacrosse and cross country coach at SVC for over 50 years and a advocate for bringing wrestling back...
Westmoreland high school notebook: Big 5/6 recognizes area soccer, volleyball players and coaches
The Big 5/6 Conference, a web-based outlet that recognizes the achievements of the WPIAL’s largest classifications, announced its all-section teams for boys and girls soccer and girls volleyball. For girls soccer, local players to make the All-Section 1-4A first team were senior midfielder Robin Reilly, junior forward Annalyse Bauer and...
Westmoreland/Alle-Kiski Valley athletes of the week: Southmoreland’s Taylor Doppelheuer, Latrobe’s Joey Crimboli
The Westmoreland County Athletes of the Week is presented by Smail Kia. Look for the tags and look for the savings at Smail Kia in Greensburg. Taylor Doppelheuer School: Southmoreland Class: Senior Sport: Volleyball Claim to fame: A 6-foot hitter, Doppelheuer led the Scotties to their first PIAA playoff win...
Westmoreland high school football notebook: Upstart Jeannette takes cue from basketball team
If the basketball team could do it, so could the football team. That was Jeannette’s mindset Friday night as the Jayhawks double-stamped their surprising run in the WPIAL Class A football playoffs with a second straight upset, 29-23 over rival and fifth-seeded Greensburg Central Catholic in the quarterfinals at Norwin....
Norwin notebook: Cross country teams place at states
Norwin came home from Hershey with more than candy wrappers. For the first time, the Knights boys and girls cross country teams qualified for the PIAA championships. The girls placed sixth on the 3.2-mile course with 196 points, led by Annie Czajkowski, who placed 24th individually. The boys team, fresh...
Norwin’s championship defense ends in unexpected fashion
While the season didn’t end with another WPIAL championship, it did come with a bizarre ending for the Norwin boys soccer team. And a crushing ending, at that. Still, the Knights finished another strong season at 11-6-1 and stayed among the top contenders in Class 4A. “We knew it wasn’t...
Runner-up Franklin Regional takes pride in WPIAL final performance
After they received their silver medals and runner-up trophy, Franklin Regional boys soccer players sat in a circle on the turf at Highmark Stadium. They talked and reflected on a Saturday night along the Monongahela River about how far they had come, how well they had just played and what...
Jeannette pulls another upset, knocks off Greensburg CC in Class A quarterfinals
Kymon’e Brown had not beaten Greensburg Central Catholic during his high school football career, but now Jeannette’s dual-threat quarterback can check the accomplishment off his bucket list. Brown ran for 139 yards and a touchdown on 26 carries, threw for 133 yards and another score, and intercepted a pass to...
Avonworth’s Mahan chosen for All-American soccer game
Avonworth soccer standout Fiona Mahan missed most of her senior season with a torn ACL, but that didn’t stop her from making an elite roster. Mahan, an Alabama commit, was selected to the 12th annual High School All-American Game set for Dec. 14 at Wando High School in Charleston, S.C....
Westmoreland County PIAA soccer preview capsule for Nov. 9, 2024
PIAA boys soccer playoffs Class 3A Quarterfinals Franklin Regional (15-4-2) vs. Conrad Weiser (23-1-1) 5 p.m. Saturday, Trojan Stadium, Chambersburg District seeds: Franklin Regional 7-2; Conrad Weiser 3-1 Winner plays: Winner of 8-1 Allderdice (13-4-1)/7-1 Moon (23-0) on Tuesday in semifinals (time, site TBD) First round: Franklin Regional 6, Bellefonte...
Jeannette’s Tommy Paulone takes pride in bringing alma mater back to prominence
From three wins, to seven, to eight, Jeannette football has climbed back to respectability in three short seasons under Tommy Paulone’s leadership. The gaping wound left by the departure of nearly a dozen transfers in 2021 has all but healed. The rough patch in a proud program’s history is fading...
Westmoreland County high school notebook: Franklin Regional appreciates trip to state quarterfinals
When Nick White was an assistant boys soccer coach at Fox Chapel, the Foxes made the PIAA playoffs once in his 10 years there. Now the boys coach at Franklin Regional, White does not undervalue the privilege to play in the state tournament. Franklin Regional (15-4-2), the WPIAL 3A runner-up,...
Westmoreland County high school football notebook: Jeannette coach wins Steelers honor
Jeannette’s Tommy Paulone was selected as the Steelers High School Coach of the Week after his team’s 23-7 upset of Neshannock in the first round of the WPIAL Class A playoffs. The 13th-seeded Jayhawks scored 23 unanswered points to soundly dispatch the No. 4 Lancers. Paulone will receive $1,000 for...
Jeannette, Greensburg Central Catholic add playoff stakes to spirited rivalry
Fresh off a head-turning upset of fourth-seeded Neshannock in the first round of the WPIAL football playoffs, Jeannette went back to work this week for its next challenge, and it is a dandy. Of all teams, Greensburg Central Catholic is next up for the Jayhawks, who scored their first postseason...
Reunited Bilinksy brothers at Pitt-Johnstown headline Westmoreland County players in college basketball
Adam Bilinsky wants to gain traction in his slow-going college basketball career, and the former Norwin standout believes he has found a comfort zone with his new team. Bilinsky transferred from Mercyhurst to Pitt-Johnstown, bringing familiarity of PSAC basketball while also reuniting with his brother, Ty, another Norwin alum and...
PIAA boys soccer playoff capsule: Game for Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024
PIAA boys soccer playoffs Class 3A First round Franklin Regional (14-4-2) at Bellefonte (15-3-3) 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, Bellefonte High School, Bellefonte District place: Franklin Regional 7-2; Bellefonte 6-1 Winner plays: Winner of 3-1 Conrad Weiser (21-1)/7-3 Mars (16-2-4) Saturday in quarterfinals Corner kicks: Franklin Regional is back in the PIAA...
Westmoreland County campus clippings: Penn-Trafford grad Dylan Grabowski commits to Liberty
Dylan Grabowski built some equity playing baseball at Patrick & Henry Community College in Virginia. He honed his skills to better prepare himself for a potential future at the Division I level. He improved, and the bigger schools came around. Grabowski recently committed to one of them. The utility man...
