Paul Schofield stories, Page 101

John Klinchock never thought he would leave Ligonier Valley Country Club. He was the head golf professional for 22 years, and his family was enjoying life in the eastern Westmoreland County borough. But things changed in November. Sunnehanna Country Club in Johnstown was looking head golf professional and hired Klinchock....

When Michael Kemerer learned he wouldn’t get a chance to become an NCAA champion, like every Division I wrestler who qualified for the event, there was disappointment. The Iowa redshirt senior had unfinished business and was looking for an individual title for himself and a team title for the Hawkeyes...

Mike Ciotti knew early in the season this was going to be his last as Latrobe’s wrestling coach. Ciotti was newly married and lived in Fox Chapel. The trip to Latrobe during the winter was draining. “I was basically away from my wife for six months,” Ciotti said. “I didn’t...

When Derry hired Tim Sweeney as its football coach in 2013, athletic director Brett Miller considered it a home run. Sweeney took a struggling program and made it a winner, which brought excitement back to Friday nights in eastern Westmoreland County. But Miller knew with that success and Sweeney’s desire...

When Southmoreland softball coach Todd Bunner addressed his team March 12, they talked about the future and hoped the 2020 season would continue in the near future. Around the state, the season is on pause until at least April 1 because of coronavirus. If the season continues, there is a...

Southmoreland baseball coach Al Govern calls himself old school. He likes to preach fundamentals. That’s why he’s excited for the 2020 season to resume so he can see how much his team has improved in one year under his training. Because of the coronavirus, Gov. Tom Wolf and the PIAA...

Ligonier Valley sophomore Nick Beitel was invited to the EXOS Select 50 instructional football showcase, which will take place in May in either Houston or Frisco, Texas. Beitel, the son of Ligonier Valley football coach Roger Beitel, will be evaluated by current NCAA/NAIA coaches and NFL alum. The morning session...

Even before the coronavirus became a part of our lives, the Westmoreland County Coaches’ Association and Tri-County Football Coaches’ Association made plans to play a football all-star game. It will be called the BeeGraphix Great 38 game. The game is scheduled for June 13 at Trinity High School if the...

The ACC announced Tuesday it is shutting down all athletic-related activities, including all competition and practices, through the end of the 2019-20 academic year. It was a unanimous decision made to mitigate the further spread of coronavirus. Each university will continue to work in accordance with its school and state...

Super Bowl MVPs go to Disney World the day after the game. Greensburg Salem senior Riley Stoner went to the Orlando, Fla., area theme park the day after she won a second Pennsylvania USA Girls wrestling title in Gettysburg. She pinned Montoursville’s Dominic Daugherty at 2 minutes, 22 seconds in...

Bob Kovalcin resigned as Latrobe softball coach in 2012 to watch his daughter play college softball. Now that his daughter’s college career is over, Kovalcin returned to Latrobe, and he is back coaching the Wildcats after Rick Kozusko retired at the end of the 2019 season. Kovalcin coached Latrobe to...

It’s been three years since the Latrobe Wildcats were baseball champions in the WPIAL and PIAA in 2017. The past two seasons haven’t gone as well, but Latrobe coach Matt Basciano said he expects the team should be in the thick of the Section 2-6A race. He expects Penn-Trafford and...

The Pennsylvania Junior Wrestling State Championship, which was to be held at the University of Pittsburgh’s Petersen Events Center this weekend, has been postponed because of coronavirus concerns. Organizers are working with Pitt officials to reschedule the event at a later date. The youth tournament features boys and girls wrestlers...

The annual Pittsburgh Wrestling Classic, scheduled for Saturday at Pitt’s Fitzgerald Field House, has been canceled because of the health concerns over coronavirus. The match pitted a team of United States all-stars against a team of Pennsylvania All-Stars, which were highlighted by WPIAL champions Kurtis Phipps of Norwin, Gerrit Nijenhuis...

When Hollidaysburg jumped out to a quick lead against Chartiers Valley on Wednesday in a PIAA Class 5A girls basketball second-round playoff game, there was no panic by the Colts. When you own the WPIAL record with a 57-game winning streak, breaking North Catholic’s 31-year-old mark, you’re not going to...

There is a reason for optimism for the Jeannette softball team. Coach Zac Karas said last season’s WPIAL playoff win against Mapletown did wonders for the program. And with seven starters returning, the Jayhawks look to make another playoff run. Jeannette finished 9-6 overall and 7-5 in Section 3-1A, tied...

Three years ago, Jeannette was celebrating its first WPIAL baseball title. As coach Marcus Clarkson prepares for the 2020 season, he hopes he has enough players to play games and complete the season. Jeannette will open with 12 players on the roster as Clarkson tries to replace eight starters, seven...

Kurtis Phipps’ high school wrestling career isn’t over just yet. The Norwin senior was selected to compete for the Pennsylvania all-star team at the annual Pittsburgh Wrestling Classic Saturday at Pitt’s Fitzgerald Field House. A team of WPIAL all-stars will wrestle Maryland’s all-stars at 4 p.m. followed by the USA...

HERSHEY — It was another dominating year for the WPIAL at the PIAA Class AAA wrestling championships Saturday. There were six state champions from the WPIAL headed by two-time champion Canon-McMillan senior Gerrit Nijenhuis (182). District 11 had three champions. Four all-WPIAL finals were contested. Norwin senior Kurtis Phipps used...

HERSHEY — On a day when Ellwood City senior Austin Walley became the school’s first state champion, the only thing fans who attended the PIAA Class AA championship were talking about was officiating in the 160-pound final. That’s where Notre Dame-Green Pond senior Andrew Cerniglia defeated Frazier senior Thayne Lawrence,...

HERSHEY — Latrobe freshman Vincent Kilkeary continued his stunning run through the PIAA Class AAA individual wrestling tournament. Now he finds himself in the finals Saturday night at the Giant Center. Kilkeary scored 11 points in the third period and rallied for a thrilling 14-10 victory against tournament favorite Ty...