Bill Beckner stories, Page 44
Shaler scores walk-off win over Franklin Regional in WPIAL Class 5A 1st round
With one swing and a sharp ping to center, trepidation turned to triumph for Alyssa Schaffold. The Shaler sophomore cracked a bases-loaded single up the middle to score junior Olivia Sachs in the bottom of the seventh as the fifth-seeded Titans walked off No. 12 Franklin Regional, 3-2, in the...
Westmoreland high school softball playoff preview capsules for May 14, 2024
WPIAL softball playoffs Class 3A First round 2-Ligonier Valley (13-5) vs. 15-Keystone Oaks (8-9) 4 p.m. Tuesday at Gateway Winner plays: Winner of 10-Ellwood City/7-Burrell on Thursday in quarterfinals (time, site TBD) Players to watch: Cheyenne Piper, Ligonier Valley; Kylie Stahl, Keystone Oaks Extra bases: Ligonier Valley has yet to...
Westmoreland high school softball playoff preview capsules for May 13, 2024
WPIAL playoffs Class 5A First round 4-Penn-Trafford (12-5) vs. 13-Bethel Park (10-9) 5 p.m. Monday at West Mifflin Winner plays: Winner of 5-Shaler (14-3)/12-Franklin Regional (10-8) on Wednesday in quarterfinals (time, site TBD) Players to watch: Cam Ponko, Penn-Trafford; Becky Gillenberger, Bethel Park Extra bases: Penn-Trafford defeated Bethel Park early...
Westmoreland high school sports notebook: GCC’s Crosby gets Buffalo’s attention
Samir Crosby has his third Division I scholarship offer for football. The Greensburg Central Catholic sophomore playmaker added Buffalo to his list, which also includes UNLV and Miami of Ohio. Crosby (5-foot-10, 175 pounds) played a variety of positions last season for GCC, including receiver, running back, quarterback and defensive...
Westmoreland high school athletes of the week: Southmoreland’s Makayla Etling, Franklin Regional’s Max Bernadowski
Makayla Etling School: Southmoreland Class: Junior Sport: Softball Claim to fame: Etling, a catcher for the playoff-bound Scotties (14-2), has been on an offensive tear as the team’s leadoff hitter. Over a four-game stretch, she is 13 for 17 with four doubles, two triples, four home runs and 13 RBIs....
Westmoreland County high school notebook: Belle Vernon junior officially a ‘Rising Star’
One of the WPIAL’s most prolific scorers over the past couple of years will be part of Roundball Classic history. For the first time, the annual all-star basketball games will feature multiple underclassman games for juniors and sophomores. Belle Vernon junior Zion Moore was selected to play in the Rising...
Roundball Classic’s Rising Stars game to feature some of area’s top juniors, sophomores
For the first time officially, the annual Roundball Classic all-star basketball event will feature multiple underclassmen games for juniors and sophomores. Rosters were announced for the “main event” game, the Rising Stars feature game, which will be 8 p.m. May 26 at North Allegheny. The Blue team will be coached...
Hempfield softball ‘proud’ to receive No. 1 seed as WPIAL releases brackets
Hempfield has won eight WPIAL softball championships. During five of those title runs, the Spartans opened the playoffs as a No. 1 seed. Now they will try to make it six. Defending champion Hempfield (18-1) was awarded the top seed in Class 6A when the pairings were announced Thursday. A...
Mt. Pleasant baseball roars into playoffs on 9-game winning streak
As a winning streak began to stretch out like salt water taffy from a preseason trip to Myrtle Beach, Mt. Pleasant baseball coach Chris Firmstone became less surprised. Three straight section sweeps and a nonsection win took the streak to seven — but it was not a lucky seven. “We...
Hempfield, Seneca Valley softball teams downplay importance of No. 1 seed for WPIALs
Neither coach seemed too concerned about it, but they also did not discount the value of getting the top seed. It’s only a number, they consented. Hempfield’s Tina Madison and Marlesse Hames of Seneca Valley basically agreed there isn’t much difference between the Nos. 1 and 2 seeds in the...
After 41 years in coaching, Jim Nesser steps down at Yough
Though he has won section, WPIAL and PIAA boys basketball championships, Jim Nesser is quick to point out he also has guided teams through rough patches, covering both ends of the spectrum in a coaching career that spans four decades. “I have been to the top, and I have been...
Despite squandering many chances, Greensburg Salem baseball holds on for win over Yough, clinches playoff spot
Greensburg Salem felt it could have done more with its 15 hits and slew of opportunities on the base paths. As it turned out, the Golden Lions did just enough to extend their season. Despite leaving 10 on base and getting mixed up in several baserunning miscues, Greensburg Salem clinched...
Westmoreland County campus clippings: PSAC West champion Seton Hill set to open playoffs
Seton Hill locked up its second straight PSAC West Division baseball championship with a two-game split against Gannon. Senior Andino Vecchiolla earned the 3-0 win in Game 2, the final game of the regular season, working five innings, while freshman Owen Henne, grad student Jack Oberdorf (Greensburg Salem), junior Max...
Franklin Regional alum Andrew Muraco commits to Old Dominion
Admitting he needed to get a better grip on his academics while continuing to improve his game, Andrew Muraco took a roundabout way back to Division I baseball. But here he is, back on the doorstep and raring to go again. The former Franklin Regional standout and WPIAL championship game...
Westmoreland athletes of the week: Belle Vernon’s Sienna Steeber, Norwin’s Nicholas Puskar
Sienna Steeber Class: Senior School: Belle Vernon Sport: Track & field Claim to fame: Steeber soared to a school record, breaking her own mark, in the pole vault at the Mid Mon Valley championship, clearing 11 feet to win a title. Steeber, who is Belle Vernon’s first and only pole...
Norwin soccer standout Owen Christopher makes dream come true with Pitt commitment
Owen Christopher had college soccer interest from a number of schools at multiple levels. He only revealed one of them, though, and it’s a winner for the Norwin senior. Christopher, the 2023 TribLive Westmoreland Boys Soccer Player of the Year, will play at Pitt next fall. “I couldn’t have asked...
Westmoreland County high school notebook: Belle Vernon runner picks Robert Morris
Tessa Rodriguez was over the Moon when she visited Robert Morris. The Belle Vernon senior signed to continue her track & field and cross country careers at RMU. “What made me choose RMU was how close the relationship was between the girls on the team,” she said. “I immediately felt...
Norwin notebook: Knights clean up at county meet
Two team titles. A three-time winner. Five individual champions. Norwin track and field had a blast at the Westmoreland County Coaches Association Championships at Latrobe. The Knights cleaned up at the medal stand. Junior Melani Schmidt won the 200- and 400-meter dashes and ran the anchor leg of the 400-meter...
Makayla Etling’s hot bat powers Southmoreland past Yough
If teams continue to pitch inside to Makayla Etling, they are probably going to continue to pay the price. Etling’s bat is making a different sound right now. “I’m a little surprised to see (inside pitches),” said Etling, the Southmoreland junior catcher and leadoff hitter. “I feel like I am...
Hempfield wins sloppy game vs. Norwin with walk-off single
A cloud of dust settling around him after an exciting finish on his home baseball diamond, Adam Hess was preparing to rake the pitcher’s mound when he was called over for an interview. He set down the rake and jogged toward the dugout. Moments earlier, Hempfield walked off Norwin. Before...
Norwin baseball team rides up-and-down regular season into playoffs
A three-game losing streak — the product of a Section 2-6A sweep by Mt. Lebanon — stung in the short term, but it did not deter Norwin baseball from its long-range goals. After the Knights lost Game 3 at home, second-year coach Craig Spisak held his chin high and showed...
Westmoreland County baseball notebook: Mt. Pleasant vaults into 1st place
Mt. Pleasant lost its first three games of the season while playing at the Ripken Experience at Myrtle Beach, S.C. The Vikings left the beach, and the setbacks, in the rearview mirror. They only lost one of their next 12 games and vaulted into first place in Section 4-3A with...
Hempfield softball team dominates No. 1 Seneca Valley
Hempfield went from the wrong end of a no-hitter to the right end of a no-doubter. Nobody saw this coming. In quite the turn of events, the second-ranked Lady Spartans had their way with No. 1 Seneca Valley in their Class 6A softball section rematch Wednesday, spraying base hits all...
Hempfield grad Callie Sowers tosses no-hitter to lead Bloomsburg to PSAC Tournament win
Callie Sowers always has had a flair for pitching in big games. The larger the stage, the harder she throws. And when the Bloomsburg junior ace is locked in, good luck hitting her. Slippery Rock was fortunate to get a foul tip Wednesday morning during the opening round of the...
Westmoreland County high school softball notebook: Hempfield has pair of aces
Hempfield softball has a number of talented hitters. In fact, 1 though 9 in the batting order can connect at any time. There are days when coach Tina Madison has an embarrassment of riches on her lineup card. But the Spartans also have pitching depth. Junior Riley Miller is tremendous,...
