Bill Beckner stories, Page 6
Derry lineman Dylan Pitzer commits to walk on at Pitt
For a kid who has his college right there in his last name, Pitt seems like a perfect fit. Dylan Pitzer to Pitt sings. The Derry senior football player announced Monday he is accepting a preferred walk-on offer to play at Pitt, the only Division I school to make him...
Jayla Peterson hits milestone in Greensburg Central Catholic’s statement win over Bishop Guilfoyle
Milestones have a way of following high-level basketball teams on their journey through banner seasons. They are organic rewards that come with the territory. Bonus material on a pathway to the prize. The milestones keep coming for the Greensburg Central Catholic girls, who saw senior Jayla Peterson score her 1,000th...
Greensburg Central Catholic rallies in 2nd half to upend Ligonier Valley at Shootout at Saint Vincent
Greensburg Central Catholic’s latest game was like a microcosm of its season. A lot of people wrote off the Centurions because of a wave of turnover and a young, unproven rotation. But, like the 17-point deficit the boys basketball team faced Saturday night, the outside noise didn’t matter much to...
Westmoreland H.S. notebook: Jeannette’s Kymon’e Brown gets football offer from Robert Morris
Jeannette two-sport senior athlete Kymon’e Brown appears to be leaning toward football over basketball for college. That is because more schools are leaning in on him. Brown, the shifty playmaking quarterback and defensive back, now has three NCAA Division I scholarship offers. Robert Morris reached out last week, following spread-out...
Norwin notebook: Tristyn Tavares taking talents to Cal (Pa.)
Norwin will miss him, but will cherish the high school football career he left behind. Standout quarterback Tristyn Tavares announced he will play at Cal (Pa.). A four-year starter, Tavares was a first-team all-conference selection in Class 6A. He threw for 1,243 yards and 13 touchdowns and rushed for 738...
Latrobe boys use size to claw past Franklin Regional in must-win game
Latrobe had a contest at halftime called “Can the Cats” where children tried to throw small, rubber cats into a trash can. When the second half got underway, Latrobe’s boys basketball team canned Franklin Regional. Latrobe looked like a team playing with desperation, using a dogged defensive effort and its...
GCC’s Erica Gribble, Quaker Valley’s Oumou Thiero nominated for McDonald’s All-American Game
Two of the WPIAL’s premier girls basketball players are nominated for the country’s most prestigious all-star game. Erica Gribble, a senior point guard at Greensburg Central Catholic, and senior swing forward Oumou “Mimi” Thiero of Quaker Valley are nominees from the East for the McDonald’s All-American Game. Both are living...
Derry’s Dylan Pitzer gets preferred walk-on offer from Pitt football team
Coaches who have worked with him say Dylan Pitzer might have only scratched the surface of his capabilities as a football player. The 6-foot-7, 275-pounder at Derry has gained momentum with NCAA Division II offers, with IUP, Clarion and Glenville State extending offers to the two-way lineman. But a Division...
Go mode: Navarah Smith scores 31 for Jeannette in victory over Apollo-Ridge
The switch came on, just when Jeannette needed it. The Jayhawks were dull offensively early in a rematch with visiting Apollo-Ridge and needed somebody to sharpen the blade. Senior guard Navarah Smith has done it many times before, so she was glad to oblige again. “When I look at the...
Westmoreland County boys basketball notebook: 9 games set for Shootout at Saint Vincent
A regular event with a new venue will greet local basketball fans this weekend. The Shootout at Saint Vincent — formerly the Shootout at Seton Hill — will feature four showcase games Saturday and five Sunday. There will be two girls games and seven boys games at Carey Center. Saturday’s...
Penn-Trafford boys beat buzzer to defeat Latrobe
One second led to a second chance for Penn-Trafford. And that snippet of time made for one wild finish in Harrison City. Ethan McDonald made an off-balance, falling-down shot off a lob from Nick Ponko from under the basket to beat the buzzer and lift Penn-Trafford to a 45-43 victory...
Former Latrobe player Warren Agostoni signs with Pittsburgh Riverhounds USL Academy
Excuse Warren Agostoni if he feels a little like new Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike McCarthy. He’s coming home, too. Agostoni, a former standout soccer player at Latrobe, has signed with the Pittsburgh Riverhounds USL Academy. He joined the team this week for preseason practice. The 16-year-old midfielder spent last season...
Westmoreland County girls basketball notebook: 5 teams punch playoff tickets
The WPIAL basketball steering committee will meet Feb. 9 to determine playoff seedings and pairings for the playoffs. So far, five teams from Westmoreland County are headed to the postseason, with more likely on the way. Teams that have clinched so far include Norwin in Class 6A, Penn-Trafford and Latrobe...
5-2 guard Giuliana Giannikas plays big for Norwin girls again in win over Upper St. Clair
Suzie McConnell-Serio is regarded as one of the greatest undersized guards to play basketball. Period, full stop. The 5-foot-4 Upper St. Clair girls coach won a gold medal in the Olympics and played in the WNBA, highlights on a decorated resume. If anyone can appreciate a runty point guard with...
Penn-Trafford softball team named tops in Pennsylvania by MaxPreps
A PIAA championship brought Penn-Trafford softball local and statewide attention. The team went national this week. Prep website MaxPreps named the best returning softball teams in the country, one in each state, among all classifications. Penn-Trafford was the choice for Pennsylvania after the Warriors won their second PIAA 5A championship...
Westmoreland Campus Clippings: Mt. Pleasant’s Courtney Poulich makes preseason top-100 list for Robert Morris
Courtney Poulich powered Robert Morris softball to its first Horizon League title last season. The Mt. Pleasant graduate did so in record-breaking fashion, swinging a big bat and becoming known for her fence-clearing blasts. Hopes are high again for the redshirt senior outfielder, who was named to the D1Softball Preseason...
Norwin notebook: Cross country coach honored as state’s best
Norwin is known for its almost year-round training for track and field and cross country. Running is a lifestyle at the school. Athletes scale hills, trek through wooded trails and circle the track, even in the winter when it is snowing. The man in charge of the training — he...
Westmoreland County high school notebook: Norwin cross country coach honored as state’s best
Norwin is known for its almost year-round training for track and field and cross country. Running is a lifestyle at the school. Athletes scale hills, trek through wooded trails and circle the track, even in the winter when it is snowing. The man in charge of the training — he...
Franklin Regional soccer player studying link between knee injuries, turf
When Grace Copeland was a freshman, she fractured her right tibia and fibula and needed more than 11 months of recovery time to get back to playing soccer. The setback opened her eyes to the struggles that can come with a substantial injury. The Franklin Regional junior also watched several...
Gateway boys smother Franklin Regional, pull 2 games ahead in standings
From robes and fleece pants to slippers and onesies, Gateway’s student section wore pajamas to Friday night’s boys basketball game. On the court, the Gators lulled Franklin Regional to sleep. Behind a strong start triggered by senior Mykel Bruce-McCrommon and tight defense, the Gators ran to their fifth straight victory,...
Riverview girls persevere to defeat section foe Jeannette
With its star player on crutches, Riverview had to dig deep to earn its latest Section 4-2A girls basketball victory. It took a little extra to earn a split with Jeannette and stay in second place. “We have to play for Isabel,” Raiders freshman guard Mia Murphy said of senior...
Westmoreland County coaches see pros, cons with elimination of overtime for WPIAL soccer games
WPIAL soccer is fit to be tied. The PIAA last week made a major rule change by eliminating overtime in regular-season games, meaning teams will settle on a draw if they are tied after 80 minutes of regulation. A unanimous decision by the PIAA soccer committee led to the game-changing...
Westmoreland boys basketball notebook: Mt. Pleasant raining 3s
Some teams settle for 3-pointers. Mt. Pleasant uses them as its primary weapon. The Vikings’ offense is thick with them. Through 15 games, they made 121 of 469 3s. That is an average of 31.2 attempts. The message is simple to the players: When ball comes to you, be ready...
Upper St. Clair’s Jacobo Echeverria Lozano commits to Purdue
Jacobo Echeverria Lozano, the big-legged kicker from Upper St. Clair, has found a college destination. Echeverria Lozano is Big Ten-bound after making a verbal commitment to Purdue, which made him a scholarship offer about two weeks ago. Spencer Porath, Purdue’s kicker this season, transferred to Notre Dame. A two-time all-conference...
Westmoreland County girls basketball notebook: Penn-Trafford gets on a roll
Penn-Trafford girls basketball ran the table in the regular season last year, taking a spotless 22-0 record going into the WPIAL 5A postseason. The fourth-ranked Warriors (12-3, 8-0) are building another streak this season. Some Class 5A coaches are wondering if they will win out again before the playoffs. They...
