Bill Beckner stories, Page 79
Westmoreland County campus clippings: Saint Vincent lacrosse standout named player of year
The Presidents’ Athletic Conference selected Saint Vincent senior lacrosse standout Brody McMahon as its defensive player of the year and also put him on the all-conference first team. Senior attacker Jordan Billet, senior midfielder Caleb Hawkins, sophomore faceoff specialist Brady Beard, graduate short-sticker Max Schuler and grad goalie Noah Sperling...
Vidic’s pitching powers Hampton to 1st-round softball victory over Greensburg Salem
When Cassie Vidic is grooving her pitches, you might hear a grunt or two come from the Hampton sophomore right-hander. “I don’t know. I guess maybe it helps me throw harder and pitch better,” she said of the low-volume sound that signifies a little extra oomph and mph. Vidic was...
Westmoreland WPIAL softball playoff capsules: Games for Tuesday, May 16, 2023
WPIAL softball playoffs Class 3A 4-Burrell (11-5) vs. 13-Mt. Pleasant (11-8) 3 p.m. Tuesday at Plum Winner plays: Winner of 5-Mohawk (11-4)/12-South Park (11-5) Thursday (time, site TBD) in quarterfinals Players to watch: Katie Armstrong, Burrell; Sophia Smithnosky, Mt. Pleasant Extra bases: The only all-Westmoreland matchup in any bracket matches...
Westmoreland County campus clippings: Seton Hill baseball collects postseason awards
Seton Hill baseball has ruled the PSAC West, so it is no surprise the Griffins cleaned up in postseason awards. Marc Marizzaldi was named the division coach of the year, while Jack Whalen (Norwin) picked up freshman of the year honors for the Griffins, who won their third PSAC title...
Westmoreland high school notebook: Multi-sport athletes contribute to GCC boys’ track and field title
It should not come as a surprise that Greensburg Central Catholic is a WPIAL Class 2A boys track and field champion for the first time. The roster is chock full of talented athletes who play multiple sports, so putting all of that talent into one lineup should produce points. Take...
Westmoreland softball playoff capsules: Games for Monday, May 15, 2023
WPIAL softball playoffs Class 5A First round 7-Franklin Regional (11-6) vs. 10-Moon (6-8) 4 p.m. Monday at Peterswood Park, Peters Township Winner plays: Winner of 2-Shaler (16-0)/15-Bethel Park (6-10) Wednesday (time, site TBD) in quarterfinals Players to watch: Toryn Fulton, Franklin Regional; Ava Karpa, Moon Extra bases: Franklin Regional tied...
Westmoreland H.S. athletes of the week: Norwin’s Hannah Shaw, Greensburg CC’s James Brewer
Hannah Shaw School: Norwin Sport: Track and field Class: Senior Claim to fame: Shaw broke Norwin’s girls pole vault record by clearing 12 feet, 7 inches at the Last Chance Meet at Norwin Knights Stadium. The previous record was set by Kasey Kemp, at 12-6, in 2011. Shaw then cleared...
Westmoreland County high school notebook: Seniors to cap careers at Roundball Classic
Don’t close the book on basketball season just yet. It’s Roundball week. The Roundball Classic all-star basketball games return with nine games across Thursday, Friday and Saturday at Geneva’s Metheny Fieldhouse. Teams will feature top senior players from the WPIAL, City League and District 10. Local players selected were Lilly...
Norwin notebook: New football coach fills out staff
New Norwin football coach Mike Brown has filled out his staff for the upcoming season. Assistants will be Conner Schultheis, Rocco Yauger, Anthony Giansante, Diandre Cooper, Joe Lauricia, Jon Lochiatto, Josh Lugai, Matt Gornall, Ray Reitz, Jackson Pruitt, Justin Hall and Bill Brown, his father. Brown did not announce the...
Franklin Regional notebook: Spring teams book trips to playoffs
Several Franklin Regional teams earned the right to compete for championships in the WPIAL spring sports postseason. Teams in softball, boys track and field, girls track and field, girls lacrosse and boys tennis all qualified for the playoffs. The eighth-seeded tennis team cruised to a 4-1 win in the Class...
Westmoreland County well represented in softball playoffs
WPIAL softball teams waited with anticipation most of Thursday for the outcome of one last section game so they could see the playoff seedings and brackets. Some practiced to stay busy, while others played nonsection games. It sure beat twiddling their thumbs. Imagine how the teams playing that all-important final...
Latrobe linebacker getting Division I attention
Ron Prady has been saying it since he took over as Latrobe’s football coach. Watch out for Alex Tatsch. Prady believes the sophomore linebacker has limitless potential and one day will be playing at a high level of college football. “He’s going to be really good,” Prady said. At least...
Madie Kessler’s 2-homer day lifts No. 3 Norwin past No. 4 North Allegheny
Playing her last game on her home field, Madie Kessler wanted to leave a lasting impression. So the senior catcher did what she has done so many times before on Norwin’s turf: She hit bombs. Kessler enjoyed the first home run so much, she hit another one, both on deep...
Westmoreland County HS notebook: WPIAL pushes back playoff pairings due to timing of Hempfield-Seneca Valley game
It is rare for a section game, especially one with such potential significance on a tournament bracket, to be played on the same day as the WPIAL playoff pairings meeting. But that will be the case Thursday when No. 2-ranked Hempfield (15-2, 12-2) visits No. 1 Seneca Valley (15-1, 14-1)...
Scrappy Penn-Trafford holds off Franklin Regional for share of section title
After going 3 for 3 with four RBIs, first baseman Chuck Fontana III had one more hit lined up Tuesday. As his teammates gathered in left field to celebrate a nerve-racking victory, the Penn-Trafford junior ducked into the dugout and swiped the water cooler. He carried it quietly to the...
Westmoreland campus clippings: Belle Vernon grad joins Michigan State football staff
Belle Vernon alum Mark Diethorn has joined the football coaching staff at Michigan State. Diethorn, 37, was hired as the program’s executive director of player personnel and recruiting. It won’t be his first go-round at the Power 5 level. Diethorn worked similar jobs at Virginia Tech (2018-21), Pitt (2012-17) and...
Penn-Trafford, Franklin Regional lacrosse standouts light up scoreboard, lead teams
When inclement weather hits Western Pennsylvania during spring sports season, baseball, softball and tennis teams often go into hiding under an umbrella of postponements. But not lacrosse teams. Come rain or shine, warm or cold, they are playing, often at night under the lights. For Penn-Trafford girls lacrosse and junior...
No. 2 Hempfield softball outduels No. 3 Norwin
Recent matchups between the Norwin and Hempfield softball teams turned into home run derbys. The latest one, though, was a pitchers’ duel. And it had a postseason vibe between two playoff-bound teams. Sophomore Riley Miller went the distance for Hempfield, striking out nine with no walks, and the No. 2...
Westmoreland County campus clippings: Honors pour in for Seton Hill women’s lacrosse
A Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Western Division title that came with a 12-0 record earned the Seton Hill women’s lacrosse team a number of awards. The accolades start with senior Makayla Kintner, who was named the division’s defensive player of the year. Mila Udovicic, meantime, was picked for the rookie...
Westmoreland HS notebook: 5 from county make all-state basketball teams
Five players from Westmoreland County were named to the all-state boys basketball teams. They were represented in four classifications, and all of them made the third team. The players are: Zion Moore, a sophomore at Belle Vernon (Class 4A), junior Terek Crosby of Yough (3A), juniors Tyree Turner and Franco...
Latrobe’s Emma Blair, Southmoreland’s Olivia Cernuto rebounding from ACL tears
They were supposed to be two of the top girls basketball players in the WPIAL last season — locks for top-10 all-star picks and clear-cut player of the year candidates in Westmoreland County. But ACL injuries forced Latrobe’s Emma Blair and Southmoreland’s Olivia Cernuto to the sidelines and cost them...
Westmoreland H.S. notebook: Steve Pons takes over as Jeannette boys soccer coach
Jeannette’s boys soccer team is under new leadership. Steve Pons was named coach of the Jayhawks. He replaces Art Cicero, who was not retained after four seasons. An Imperial resident, Pons inherits a talented team that includes All-WPIAL player Jordan Taylor as well as standouts Austin Emery and Jorel Taylor....
Norwin notebook: Knights shine at WCCA championships
Norwin sent a message to the rest of the WPIAL at the 100th Westmoreland County Coaches’ Association track and field championships April 27, at Latrobe. That message? The Knights are for real — and they are WPIAL title contenders. The boys and girls teams won titles at the county meet,...
Sophomore lefty powers streaking Norwin past slumping Hempfield
Ethen Culbertson threw Hempfield a curve. The host Spartans were hoping to hit Norwin’s unassuming sophomore left-hander Friday and bounce back from a loss against the Knights. But Culberson wasn’t having it. With his curveball doing its job and a defense settling in behind him, Culberton tossed an 85-pitch complete...
Norwin baseball beats Hempfield on Weaver’s walk-off in 8th
Justin Weaver wanted to win for several reasons Thursday. The Norwin senior baseball player had his own, personal list of motivating factors in the back of his mind. • There was a playoff spot up for grabs. • It was senior day. • It was his 18th birthday. • Coach...
