Bill Beckner stories, Page 40
Westmoreland high school football notebook: Latrobe’s big win changes wild-card picture
Latrobe threw the Big East Conference for a loop. The Wildcats, decimated by injuries but not ready to pack it in, knocked off Gateway, 28-27, to throw their hat into the ring for a potential wild-card spot. Latrobe is 5-4 overall and 2-3 in the conference. The top three teams...
Westmoreland High School Athletes of the week: Week ending Oct. 20, 2024
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. Eden Williams School: Franklin Regional Class: Senior Sport: Soccer Claim to fame: Williams, an IUP commit, is one of the top all-around players in...
Franklin Regional’s Joey Bayne turning heads on football, soccer fields
Joey Bayne changed his hairstyle recently, going from long, wavy, brown locks to a blond buzz-cut with dark tiger stripes. Bayne can change his look quickly during the fall season, too. One day, he’s a speedy forward creating goals for the soccer team. The next, he’s launching touchbacks into the...
Norwin notebook: Knights sweep county cross country titles
Norwin doesn’t go to cross country meets to see the changing leaves and experience ambience. No, the Knights go to win. Norwin swept another meet this season by winning titles at the Westmoreland County Coaches Association Championship on the 5K course at Westmoreland County Community College. The girls, who are...
In 2nd stint with team, new coach wants Norwin hockey to push pace
Familiarity will not be a problem for Denny Zeravica, the new hockey coach at Norwin. He has been around the program for close to two decades, so he knows the key names and faces on and off the ice. Back for a second stint as head coach of the Knights,...
Greensburg Salem routs Yough, steps toward playoff spot
Cole Savage was in the mood for a big-man touchdown. His team is in the mood to make the WPIAL playoffs. Savage had a scoop-and-score, one of four turnovers forced by the Greensburg Salem defense, and the Golden Lions were efficient on offense as they thumped Yough, 37-8, on Friday...
Westmoreland County soccer playoff preview capsules for Oct. 19, 2024
WPIAL soccer playoffs Boys Class 3A First round 13-Ringgold (10-7-1) at 4-Latrobe (12-4-1) 2 p.m. Saturday, Rossi Field, Latrobe Winner plays: Winner of 12-Montour (9-8)/5-Bethel Park (11-5) on Wednesday in quarterfinals Corner kicks: Ringgold finished fourth in a strong Section 2 that also includes No. 2 seed Thomas Jefferson, No....
Greensburg Central Catholic beats California in WPIAL playoff battle of short-handed teams
Four soccer players, four cheerleaders, two cross country runners and two basketball players are moving on in the WPIAL girls soccer playoffs. That is the makeup of the team at Greensburg Central Catholic, which cruised to a 10-0 victory over host California on Thursday night in a matchup of short-handed...
Frazier calls off Friday night football game vs. Greensburg Central Catholic
Friday night’s Greensburg Central Catholic at Frazier Class A Eastern Conference football game has been postponed due to a shortage of players on the Frazier team. The school district said the team is overwhelmed with injuries and would have trouble filling out a lineup. “We have determined that it is...
Westmoreland County high school football notebook: Teams close in on playoff berths
The WPIAL playoffs are drawing nearer, with the league set to release seedings and pairings Oct. 26. No Westmoreland County team has clinched a playoff berth yet, but several could this week. The top four out of seven teams in Class 6A qualify. Central Catholic and North Allegheny have clinched....
Dual-threat quarterbacks give defenses fits in Westmoreland County
If they don’t beat you with their arms, they’ll beat you with their legs. A number of quarterbacks from Westmoreland County fit the dual-threat description, with the ability to make throws or take off and run with each developing snap. The measure of the best dual-threat QBs often is the...
8 Westmoreland boys, girls soccer teams will start WPIAL playoffs at home
There is no place like home for eight local soccer teams. The teams learned Wednesday they will be hosting their opening WPIAL playoff games. Higher-seeded teams will play at home in the first two rounds. “Not having to travel is huge,” said Penn-Trafford girls coach Jimmy Mastroianni, whose team is...
Westmoreland WPIAL soccer playoff capsules: Games for Thursday, Oct. 17, 2024
WPIAL soccer playoffs Boys Class 3A Preliminary round 17-West Mifflin (3-12) at 16-Belle Vernon (7-9) 6:30 p.m. Thursday, James Weir Stadium, Belle Vernon Winner plays: At No. 1 Moon (17-0) 6 p.m. Saturday in first round Corner kicks: Belle Vernon and West Mifflin finished tied for fourth in Section 3...
Breaking down the 2024 WPIAL boys soccer playoffs
Here’s a look at the 2024 WPIAL boys soccer playoffs: Class 4A Favorite: Plum was in Class 3A last year and was upset by South Fayette in the quarterfinals, but that was the Mustangs’ last loss. They have allowed 10 goals all season and tied two good 4A teams in...
Trio of unbeaten teams earn top seeds for WPIAL soccer playoffs
Three undefeated teams earned No. 1 seeds in the WPIAL boys soccer playoffs. Plum (15-0-3) was rewarded with the top seed in Class 4A, while Moon (17-0) took the top spot in 3A, and Bentworth (15-0) is No. 1 in Class A. In Class 2A, South Park (16-1-1) was given...
Franklin Regional girls embrace smooth style of play, enter playoffs on winning streak
Franklin Regional might allow a goal or two, but one thing the Panthers will not do in a game is disconnect. Playing organized is their bond. “As usual, our main strength is staying connected and playing together as a team whether attacking, defending or in transition,” fifth-year coach Scott Arnold...
Annalyse Bauer joins Latrobe girls soccer’s pipeline to Division I programs
Latrobe junior Annalyse Bauer has played in various U.S. cities in travel soccer and internationally for a club showcase. The standout midfielder/forward will be on the move again in the future. She is heading west to play in college. Bauer announced she has made a verbal commitment to Eastern Michigan...
Defending 4A boys champ Norwin expecting similar draw in WPIAL soccer playoffs
Scott Schuchert expects his team to get a similar to draw to last season’s playoffs when Norwin ran the table as a No. 8 seed and won its first WPIAL championship in boys soccer. “Hopefully, it’s the same result, too,” Schuchert said. The WPIAL will announce playoff seedings and matchups...
Jackson Vacanti grows into big-play threat for Greensburg Central Catholic boys soccer
From a 5-foot-3, 97-pound freshman to a senior who now stands 5-foot-7 and weighs 125 pounds, Jackson Vacanti has grown. But so has his game. All the diminutive soccer player does is make big plays. “I feel like I have gotten better every year,” the midfielder from Greensburg Central Catholic...
Westmoreland high school notebook: Hempfield’s DeMatt will join Bucknell
Allie DeMatt plans to compete in multiple track and field events in college. She had multiple reasons to like her future destination. The senior from Hempfield announced a commitment to Bucknell of the Patriot League. “Bucknell has great athletics but also an amazing academic record, and their campus is beautiful,”...
Westmoreland County campus clippings: Penn-Trafford grad Nick Turowski wins Red Flash Invitational
Nick Turowski knew he could compete at the NCAA Division I level, but winning might take some time. OK, maybe not. Turowski, a freshman golfer at West Virginia and a Penn-Trafford graduate, won the Red Flash Invitational at Sunnehanna Country Club in Johnstown. He was the only player to finish...
Westmoreland high school notebook: Puck drops for area’s PIHL teams
Hockey season has a way of sneaking up on people because it pops up late in the fall season. But the PIHL is back, and local teams already have played a few games. Penn-Trafford jumped out to a 2-0 start, scoring six goals in both games. A 6-0 win over...
Westmoreland high school football notebook: Greensburg Salem honors Rich Bowen
Greensburg Salem wore special helmet decals Friday night to honor late assistant coach Rich Bowen, who died Tuesday after a battle with cancer. It wasn’t the standard initials on the crowns, either. No, the Golden Lions made sure the name was loud and proud. The decals stretched down the back...
Southmoreland’s Anthony Smith throws for 3 TDs as Scotties top Mt. Pleasant, move closer to title
Southmoreland moved closer to its first conference title since 1979 with a sound victory over rival Mt. Pleasant in the teams’ 50th meeting. Anthony Smith threw for 280 yards and three touchdowns as visiting Southmoreland brushed aside the Vikings, 28-7, in a Class 3A Interstate Conference game Friday night at...
Greensburg Salem to wear helmet decals to honor late assistant coach Rich Bowen
Greensburg Salem football players will wear special helmet decals on their helmets Friday night at Derry to honor assistant coach Rich Bowen, who died earlier this week after a battle with rectal cancer. He was 60. Bowen was in his second year as an assistant coach with the Golden Lions....
