Paul Schofield stories, Page 103
Latrobe searching for wrestling coach after Ciotti resigns
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...
Derry hopes to hire football coach within month
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...
Southmoreland softball hopes to make run at another title
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...
Govern sees improvement in Southmoreland baseball team
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 Beitel invited to elite football camp
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...
WCCA/Tri-County all-star football game planned for June 13
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...
ACC officially cancels spring sports season
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...
Paul Schofield: Westmoreland County wrestlers shine in PIAA finalsVideo
What an exciting and puzzling week it has been for high school athletics and everyone else as the coronavirus pandemic has interrupted our lives. With the sports world on pause, it’s a good time to look back and nothing was more exciting than the PIAA wrestling championships for three Westmoreland...
Greensburg Salem’s Stoner wins 2nd state wrestling title, keeps program tradition alive
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...
Championship coach returns for 2nd stint with Latrobe softball
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...
Latrobe looking to rebound with young squad
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...
Pennsylvania Junior Wrestling state tournament postponed
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...
Pittsburgh Wrestling Classic canceled because of coronavirus concerns
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...
Chartiers Valley tops Hollidaysburg to win WPIAL-record 57th straight game
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...
Jeannette coach Karas looking for big season from experienced softball team
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...
Young, small roster has Jeannette baseball facing new challenges
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...
4 WPIAL wrestlers to represent Pennsylvania all-star team at Pittsburgh Wrestling Classic
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...
Latrobe grad Luke Pletcher captures first Big Ten wrestling titleVideo
Ohio State senior Luke Pletcher (Latrobe) lost his No. 1 ranking when Penn State’s Nick Lee handed him his first loss of the season Feb. 12. It was Pletcher’s time to shine Sunday in the 141-pound Big Ten finals at Rutgers. A late takedown gave Pletcher his first conference title...
WPIAL dominates PIAA finals in Class AAA
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...
Norwin’s Kurtis Phipps finally wins state titleVideo
HERSHEY — It wasn’t a perfect match, but Norwin senior Kurtis Phipps will take it. After finishing second the past two seasons at the PIAA Class AAA wrestling championships, Phipps finally won his state title. Phipps (41-1, 153-10) used a five-point move in the first period and held off a...
Ellwood City’s Walley makes history; Frazier’s Lawrence loses controversial match at PIAA Class AA championships
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,...
Latrobe’s Kilkeary wins another stunner at PIAA tournament, advances to finals
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...
Frazier’s Lawrence looking to become 3-time PIAA winner
HERSHEY — Frazier senior Thayne Lawrence’s high school wrestling career will come to an end Saturday at Giant Center. The big question is whether he will become a three-time PIAA champion. It won’t be easy as he faces last season’s 145-pound champion, Andrew Cerniglia, in the 160-pound showdown at 2...
Derry’s Cymmerman will medal again at PIAA Class AA wrestling championships
HERSHEY — Derry junior Ty Cymmerman must wait another year to win a state title. That dream came to an end Friday in the PIAA Class AA quarterfinals when he lost to Tunkhannock senior David Evans, 17-8. But Cymmerman bounced back in the consolation rounds and earned his second consecutive...
Latrobe’s Kilkeary making big noise at PIAA Class AAA wrestling championships
HERSHEY — The smallest guys in the PIAA Class AAA wrestling championships are making some big noise. On a day where controversial calls cost Franklin Regional junior Carter Dibert and Waynesburg freshman Mac Church possible state titles Friday, Latrobe freshman Vincent Kilkeary, a 5-foot ball of thunder, rolled into the...
