Bill Beckner stories, Page 43
Norwin stuns defending champion Hempfield in Class 6A softball semifinals
To Norwin, the signs were there. Two ladybugs landed on a player’s shoulder. When the team arrived at Gateway, players found a heads-up penny at the entrance and picked it up. And don’t forget about the four-leaf clover coach Brian Mesich had in his pocket the whole game. “This had...
South Park’s Sydney Sekely throws perfect game to win duel with Ligonier Valley’s Cheyenne Piper
Make it four consecutive no-hitters for Ligonier Valley. Only the fourth one belongs to the other team. South Park and pitcher Sydney Sekely had a perfect day in Harrison City. Third-seeded South Park was the team that finally defanged Rams standout pitcher Cheyenne Piper, breaking up her streak of 23...
Westmoreland County WPIAL softball playoff capsules for Wednesday, May 22, 2024
WPIAL softball playoffs Class 6A Semifinals 5-Norwin (9-10) vs. 1-Hempfield (18-1) 5 p.m. Wednesday at Gateway Winner plays: Winner of 6-Canon-McMillan (7-11)/1-Seneca Valley (19-1) in championship game (date, time TBD) at Cal (Pa.)’s Lilley Field Players to watch: Bailey Snowberger, Norwin; Maggie Howard, Hempfield Extra bases: Hempfield is looking for...
Westmoreland County campus clippings: Hempfield grad honored for work as Pitt’s closer
Pitt likes to play “Renegade” by Styx — like the Pittsburgh Pirates do for closer David Bednar — when Phil Fox steps out of the bullpen and trots to the mound to slam the door on teams. The redshirt sophomore reliever is the Panthers’ closer and one of the most...
20 years later, Roundball Classic continues to evolve
It’s a banner year for the Roundball Classic and Allen Deep couldn’t be more grateful. The longtime organizer will see his prized high school all-star basketball event — the largest in Western Pennsylvania — turn 20. And with the anniversary comes several new additions, including a venue change, more games...
Norwin softball grateful for another shot at powerhouse Hempfield
To have another chance — that is all Bailey Snowberger could ask for. The Norwin standout shortstop has longed to knock off rival Hempfield in the softball playoffs, and she and the Knights will get another chance to do it at 5 p.m. Wednesday when the teams play at Gateway...
Westmoreland County WPIAL baseball playoff capsule for Tuesday, May 21, 2024
WPIAL baseball playoffs Class 5A Semifinals 7-Penn-Trafford (18-3) vs. 6-Franklin Regional (14-7) 6 p.m. Tuesday at Gateway Winner plays: Winner of 8-Shaler (16-5)/1-West Allegheny (16-3) & 4-Bethel Park (13-6)/12-Trinity (9-8) in championship game (date, time TBD) at Wild Things Park, Washington Players to watch: Carmen Metcalfe, Penn-Trafford; Cole Brinker, Franklin...
Montour bounces back from rough 1st inning to top Latrobe in wild 4A quarterfinal
When things went sideways for Montour in what would become an excruciatingly long first inning, coach Bob Janeda didn’t fret. One of his players screamed out that it was “only the first” and for his teammates to “get up and stay up.” There was a plenty of baseball left —...
H.S. softball notebook: Section 2-5A teams representing in WPIALs
Section 2-5A, it’s your time to flex. A number of local softball coaches have pointed to the section as being one of the strongest in the classification. “Watch out for Penn-Trafford,” said Franklin Regional coach Jim Armstrong, whose Panthers play in the Section 2 but were clipped by Shaler, 3-2,...
Westmoreland high school softball playoff preview capsules for May 21, 2024
WPIAL softball playoffs Class 3A Semifinals 2-Ligonier Valley (15-5) vs. 3-South Park (18-1) 4 p.m. Tuesday at Penn-Trafford Winner plays: Winner of 1-Avonworth (14-3)/4-Mohawk (16-5) in championship (date, time, site TBD) at Cal (Pa.)’s Lilley Field Players to watch: Marlee Miller, Ligonier Valley; Grace Kempton, South Park Extra bases: Ligonier...
Westmoreland County campus clippings: Tom Brush to lead WCCC women’s basketball
Tom Brush is the new women’s basketball coach at Westmoreland County Community College. Brush coached the Hempfield girls for five seasons, from 2018-23, before stepping down because of a change to his work schedule. He is back in the game and ready to take a stab at the college level....
Westmoreland baseball notebook: Section 1-5A provides intrigue
Section 1-5A was an anomaly. It’s rare for four baseball teams to tie for first place, an issue that presented such a seeding dilemma for the WPIAL steering committee that it had to “throw out” numbers and focus solely on creating the best quarterfinal matchups. “That’s what we did. Class...
Westmoreland high school notebook: Softball tripleheader on tap at Gateway
Local softball fans will get a treat Wednesday if they make a trip to Monroeville. There will be a playoff tripleheader at Gateway. Penn-Trafford will play Thomas Jefferson at 3 p.m. in one WPIAL 5A semifinal, followed by Hempfield and Norwin at 5 in a 6A semifinals, and Latrobe faces...
Norwin notebook: Baseball, softball players earn all-section honors
The Big 5/6 Conference, which covers the top two classifications in WPIAL sports, released its all-section softball and baseball teams. Westmoreland County first-team picks from the lone Class 6A section included Norwin senior shortstop Bailey Snowberger and senior utilty player Brooklyn Kotch and Hempfield sophomore third baseman Lauren Howard, senior...
Coach ready to build Franklin Regional boys volleyball program from ground up
It looks like Franklin Regional found the perfect man for the job. Mike Feorene checked all the boxes the district was looking for when it sought out a coach for its inaugural boys volleyball team, which will take the court next spring. Feorene not only guided the Panthers’ girls team...
Steelers QB Russell Wilson to speak at Rising Stars underclassmen basketball practice
New Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Russell Wilson will be a guest speaker for a large group of boys underclassmen basketball players Tuesday at RIZE Sports in Leetsdale. Players will be practicing that night for the underclassmen games, which are a lead-up to the annual Roundball Classic senior all-star games set for...
Ligonier Valley’s Cheyenne Piper throws 3rd straight no-hitter in quarterfinals vs. Ellwood City
She had just thrown her third straight no-hitter — the second in a row in the WPIAL playoffs — and Ligonier Valley senior Cheyenne Piper was just as dumbfounded as her opponents. “I just know when I got the first out, we came together and said, OK, 20 more,” the...
Penn-Trafford overcomes early Moon homers to advance into Class 5A quarterfinals
Penn-Trafford couldn’t break a tie in a tight, four-team Section 1-5A race for first place. But the Warriors had no problem snapping a knotted score in the first round of the WPIAL Class 5A baseball playoffs. Once they did, it was on to the next round. The seventh-seeded Warriors battled...
Clutch pitching key for Franklin Regional in 1st-round win over Connellsville
Connellsville had runners at first and second with one out in the top of the seventh inning, and Franklin Regional pitcher Blake Bertucci quickly fell behind in the count to Matt Firestone. Three balls and no strikes. A touch-and-go, one-run lead in the playoffs rested squarely on Bertucci’s shoulders, but...
Westmoreland high school notebook: Piper sizzles for Ligonier Valley softball
Even in the playoffs, teams are paying the Piper. Ligonier Valley softball pitcher Cheyenne Piper continued to erase hitters with her tricky movement and change of speeds as she twirled her second straight no-hitter, this one a perfect game. Piper, a senior Westminster commit, blanked Keystone Oaks, 8-0, as she...
Westmoreland softball playoff preview capsules: Games for May 16, 2024
WPIAL softball playoffs Class 3A Quarterfinals 2-Ligonier Valley (14-5) vs. 10-Ellwood City (15-4) 4 p.m. Thursday at Plum Winner plays: Winner of 6-Central Valley (12-2)/3-South Park (17-1) in semifinals (date, time, site TBD) Players to watch: Sydnee Foust, Ligonier Valley; Amber McQuiston, Ellwood City Extra bases: Ace Cheyenne Piper continued...
Well-prepared Central Valley knocks Mt. Pleasant out of WPIAL softball playoffs
Like most games, Central Valley softball players knew the assignment. Coach Shannon Sullivan and her staff like to analyze opponents down to the finest details. They know tendencies. “We had girls watching film during study hall,” Sullivan said. “We chart pitches and do our homework on teams. We know what...
Jeannette softball advances past Northgate even without the benefit of a hit
No hits, no problem. Sixth-seeded Jeannette didn’t get a hit against Northgate on Tuesday but took advantage of the Flames’ miscues to score four unearned runs and move on in the WPIAL Class A softball playoffs with a 4-0 victory in the first round at West Mifflin. “It wasn’t pretty,...
Westmoreland softball playoff preview capsules: Games for Wednesday, May 15, 2024
Class 6A Quarterfinals 5-Norwin (8-10) vs. 4-Pine-Richland (11-9) 4 p.m. Wednesday at Gateway Winner plays: 1-Hempfield (18-1) May 22 in semifinals (time, site TBD) Players to watch: Bailey Snowberger, Norwin; Mackenzie Gillis, Pine-Richland Extra bases: Norwin is looking to right the ship after two losses to Pine-Richland in section play...
Westmoreland campus clippings: Norwin grad Declan O’Brien transferring to Delaware
Record-breaking wide receiver Declan O’Brien isn’t done catching passes yet. After a brilliant three-year run at Allegheny, the Norwin product is planning to play a fifth season at a higher level. O’Brien, an All-Region 2 First Team player as a senior, is joining Delaware as a preferred walk-on. O’Brien will...
