Bill Beckner stories, Page 64
Nick Raymond hired as Derry’s new athletic director
Derry hired Nick Raymond as athletic director Thursday. An Indiana resident and the current AD at Johnstown’s Forest Hills High School in District 6, Raymond replaces Brett Miller, who resigned to take a position at Seton Hill. Raymond, 32, said he is expecting to start around Thanksgiving. He has been...
Westmoreland County soccer preview capsules: Games of Saturday, Oct. 28, 2023
Boys Class 4A Quarterfinals 8-Norwin (12-5-1) at 1-Seneca Valley (13-0-3) 1 p.m. Saturday Winner plays: Winner of 5-Fox Chapel (10-4-2)/4-Upper St. Clair (14-1-2) Tuesday in semifinals Players to watch: Daniel Maddock, Norwin; Cole Kamarec, Seneca Valley Throw-ins: Norwin is trying to solve a team it has been challenged to defeat...
Avonworth limits Belle Vernon’s top scorer, sprints into WPIAL semifinals
Avonworth didn’t man mark Belle Vernon’s Trevor Kovatch, the second-leading goal scorer in WPIAL boys soccer. Instead, the Antelopes had five players shadow the junior forward. Yes, five. “He’s a special player,” Avonworth coach Tom Angell said. “There are no secrets anymore when you get to the playoffs. We did...
Preview: Cal (Pa.), Gannon, IUP expected to be top contenders for PSAC West women’s basketball title
Cal (Pa.) is the top vote-getter in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference West Division women’s basketball poll. Gannon and IUP also received first-place votes. Cal (21-11) captured back-to-back PSAC titles, defeating nationally ranked Gannon in the tournament final. PSAC Tournament MVP and double-double producer Allycia Harris returns for the Vulcans...
Preview: IUP, Cal (Pa.) expected to battle it out for PSAC West men’s basketball crown
IUP and Cal (Pa.) could have some close games on the court when they face each other this season. The teams also are tight in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference West Division preseason men’s basketball poll. IUP is the favorite, but by only one vote over the Vulcans. IUP, which...
Westmoreland County high school football notebook: Jeannette returns to big stage for matchup with Clairton
Players ran the hill next to the bleachers at McKee Stadium to end a practice earlier this week, and coach Tom Paulone joined them on the steep and somewhat muddy ascent. Jeannette has been on a steady climb all season. The Jayhawks (7-2, 4-1) have more wins than they had...
Westmoreland soccer preview capsules: Games for Thursday, Oct. 26, 2023
WPIAL soccer playoffs Boys Class 3A Quarterfinals 5-Belle Vernon (15-2) at 4-Avonworth (15-2-1) 7 p.m. Thursday Winner plays: Winner of 8-Keystone Oaks (12-5)/1-South Park (19-0) Monday in semifinals Players to watch: Bryce Burkhart, Belle Vernon; Rowan Carmichael, Avonworth Throw-ins: After regulation and two 10-minute overtime periods, Belle Vernon needed penalty...
2023 All-WPIAL boys soccer teams, players of year, released
Here are the 2023 boys soccer All-WPIAL lists for each classification, as selected by the Western Pennsylvania Soccer Coaches Association: Class 4A Dante Acamanado, Sr., GK, North Allegheny Nathan Bang, Sr., MF, Pine-Richland Caden Bennett, Sr., GK, Pine-Richland Liam Burlovic, Jr, MF, Upper St. Clair Owen Christopher, Sr., MF, Norwin...
South Allegheny girls crash net in overtime, upset Greensburg Central Catholic
Laila Chervon’s top priority was to crash the net. In that moment, as South Allegheny set up a corner kick late in overtime, nothing else mattered. “I just wanted to put my body on the ball any way I could,” the senior from South Allegheny said. “Nobody was really on...
Westmoreland County campus clippings: Penn-Trafford grads spark Grove City defense
A pair of Penn-Trafford grads continue to power No. 22 Grove City’s defense. Senior cornerback Gabe Dunlap and sophomore linebacker Jack Jollie tied a team high with seven tackles in a 49-0 win over Saint Vincent. Dunlap added an interception and a 40-yard punt return touchdown, and Jollie picked up...
Westmoreland WPIAL soccer playoff capsules for Wednesday, Oct. 25
Boys Class 3A Quarterfinals 11-Franklin Regional (11-7) at 3-Moon (15-3-1) 7 p.m. Wednesday Winner plays: Winner of 7-Thomas Jefferson (16-2-1)/2-Hampton (15-2-1) Monday in semifinals Players to watch: Joey Bayne, Franklin Regional; Davi Jansson, Moon Throw-ins: Both teams opened with 4-0 wins Saturday. Bayne scored twice for Franklin Regional, once on...
Fast start leads Latrobe into WPIAL Class 3A quarterfinals with win over West Allegheny
Latrobe gives out a hard hat for its player of the game, and, new this year for the playoffs, a dog tag for the toughest player of that match. The piece of hardware the Wildcats really want, though, is one less win away. Sixth-seeded Latrobe opened the WPIAL Class 3A...
Westmoreland girls soccer preview capsules: Games for Tuesday, Oct. 24, 2023
WPIAL soccer playoffs Class 2A First round 16-Yough (5-13) vs. 1-Avonworth (14-1-2) 8 p.m. Tuesday Winner plays: Winner of 9-Quaker Valley (10-5-1)/8-Southmoreland (10-5) Saturday in quarterfinals Players to watch: Brooke Wieland, Yough; Fiona Mahan, Avonworth Throw-ins: Yough is the only sub.-500 team in the bracket. The Cougars have been shut...
Westmoreland County campus clippings: GCC grad Carlo Denis nets 1st goal for Grove City
Carlo Denis was a prolific goal scorer during his time at Greensburg Central Catholic. He finished with 139 career goals which, at the time of his graduation, ranked fifth all time in WPIAL history. Now a freshman at Grove City — another GCC program — he is on the board...
Westmoreland WPIAL soccer playoff capsules for Monday, Oct. 23, 2023
Boys Class 2A First round 9-Mt. Pleasant (12-4) at 8-Keystone Oaks (11-5) 7 p.m. Monday, Dormont Stadium Winner plays: Winner of 16-Yough (10-7-1)/1-South Park (18-0) on Thursday in quarterfinals Players to watch: Luke Rivardo, Mt. Pleasant; Ayden Worstell, Keystone Oaks Throw-ins: Mt. Pleasant has produced nine shutouts and allowed a...
High school notebook: New award to be named after Valley graduate B.B. Flenory
Baron “B.B.” Flenory’s name is woven into the fabric of Western Pennsylvania basketball. If you’re around the game, you have heard his name. His exploits are renowned, his reputation glossy. The former Valley High School and Duquesne University star guard scored 81 points as a ninth grader in a 124-52...
Plasko scores all 4 goals to lead South Fayette past Latrobe in boys soccer playoffs
Senior Michael Plasko is one of South Fayette’s best basketball players. A fiery guard who can shoot 3-pointers, he averaged 17 points per game last winter. But he also plays a mean forward for the soccer team. In the first half of the Lions’ opening playoff game, the call was,...
Westmoreland high school athletes of the week: Hempfield’s Sarah Podkul and Latrobe’s Brock Pflugh
Sarah Podkul School: Hempfield Class: Senior Sport: Volleyball Claim to fame: Podkul has helped lead the Spartans on a four-game winning streak and to a WPIAL Class 4A playoff appearance. Podkul, a third-year libero, had 30 digs in a 3-1 victory against Shaler. She added 18 digs in a 3-0...
Westmoreland high school football notes: 3 more teams clinch playoff berths
Three more Westmoreland County teams clinched spots in the WPIAL football playoffs with wins Friday night. One is another resurgent program that has taken its lumps in recent years. With a 29-22 victory over Burrell — and Ligonier Valley’s 31-0 loss to Imani Christian — Derry secured its first postseason...
Norwin notebook: Cross country teams sweep at county meet
While it is the time of year to rake leaves, the Norwin cross country teams brought brooms to the county race. Norwin’s girls and boys teams swept the Westmoreland County Coaches Association Championship earlier this month at Westmoreland County Community College in Youngwood. The girls placed seven runners in the...
After 2 special seasons, Norwin hockey ready to tackle step up in class
As Norwin discovered, there is a menu of factors for hockey teams to move up in classification in the PIHL. To mention some main ones: The league takes into account previous years’ winning percentages, the number of hockey players in the school’s district and hockey talent in that district, as...
Greensburg Central Catholic survives scare vs. Riverview
Sophomore Landon Honick didn’t want his team’s playoff hopes to stretch into Week 9. “No, get it over with now,” said Honick, who had an impressive debut at running back for Greensburg Central Catholic, which wiped its collective brow after a close Week 8 encounter with Riverview. Honick rushed for...
Westmoreland County high school soccer playoff matchups for Saturday, Oct. 21
Boys Class 3A First round 9-Latrobe (13-3) at 8-South Fayette (10-2-3) 1 p.m. Saturday Winner plays: 16-Chartiers Valley (7-9)/1-Plum (17-1) Wednesday in quarterfinals Players to watch: Roman Agostoni, Latrobe; Nate Belcufine, South Fayette Throw-ins: Latrobe is back in the playoffs for the first time since 2020. The Wildcats never have...
Westmoreland County high school football notebook: 3 teams could clinch playoff spots in Week 8
Four Westmoreland County teams have clinched WPIAL playoff berths, but more can secure spots this week. There are two weeks left in the regular season. Playoff pairings will come out Oct. 28. Already in the postseason are Latrobe (6-2, 4-1) in Class 4A, Belle Vernon (6-1, 3-0) and Southmoreland (5-3,...
Westmoreland County high school football matchups for 2023 Week 8
Class 5A Big East Conference No. 5 Gateway (4-4, 4-0) at Norwin (2-6, 1-2) 7 p.m. Friday, Norwin Knights Stadium, North Huntingdon Last week: McKeesport 38, Gateway 28; North Allegheny 53, Norwin 25 Last year’s result: Gateway 42, Norwin 10 Big East champion Gateway is looking to close out conference...
