Paul Schofield stories, Page 28
Valley News Dispatch 2024 wrestling all-stars: Burrell’s Cooper Hornack fights through injury to win WPIAL gold
Wrestler of the Year Cooper Hornack Burrell, sr., 139 pounds 2023-24 record: 40-8; Overall record: 156-27. Cooper Hornack knows his senior season could have and should have ended better. Hornack did reach an elite milestone by becoming the WPIAL’s 88th three-time champion, but he came up short of his goal...
Chartiers Valley stings Greensburg Salem in overtime to win Class A Penguins Cup
Sometimes you just need a bounce. That’s what Chartiers Valley got in overtime to defeat Greensburg Salem, 2-1, in a tremendous PIHL Class A Penguins Cup championship game Tuesday night at the UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex in Cranberry. The Colts (23-0) got the game-winner when a shot from the right...
Thomas Jefferson captures 5th Penguins Cup title with big 2nd period
It took Thomas Jefferson a while to find the mark in the PIHL Class 2A Penguins Cup championship game Monday, but once it did, a feisty Penn-Trafford squad couldn’t keep up. The Jaguars, the second seed in the tournament, scored five goals during the final 9 minutes, 51 seconds of...
Penn-Trafford looks to finish off improbable Penguins Cup run with title
Penn-Trafford stumbled into the 2024 PIHL Class 2A Penguins Cup tournament, losing seven of its final eight games. But it’s been a different Penn-Trafford team in the playoffs, and now it is one victory from the program’s first Pens Cup title. Penn-Trafford faces No. 2 Thomas Jefferson at 6:15 p.m....
Penn-Trafford hockey heats up in Penguins Cup playoffs
Penn-Trafford’s hockey team didn’t end the regular season on a high note. But they sure picked the right time to get hot. For the second consecutive playoff game, the underdog Warriors beat the odds. They advanced to the Class 2A Penguins Cup finals by stunning No. 4 and rival Norwin,...
Norwin girls eliminated in PIAA quarterfinals
STATE COLLEGE — When the Spring-Ford girls basketball team defeated Norwin in third game of the season, the Rams got off to a quick start. Friday in the PIAA Class 6A quarterfinals, they did it again. Spring-Ford, the District 1 runner-up from north of Philadelphia, scored the first two baskets...
Westmoreland County baseball preview: Penn-Trafford, Latrobe hope to repeat playoff success
Penn-Trafford and Latrobe are coming off memorable seasons. The Warriors finished third in the WPIAL Class 5A playoffs and ended up defeating Central Mountain, the No. 1 team in the PIAA, in the first round of the state playoffs. They fell to the WPIAL and PIAA champion Shaler in the...
Greensburg Salem upsets Shaler, heads to Penguins Cup final vs. Chartiers Valley
Greensburg Salem gave up eight goals in each of its previous two meetings against Shaler in the PIHL Class A regular season. It was a different story Wednesday during their Penguins Cup semifinal at Robert Morris University’s Island Sports Center. The Golden Lions won their eighth consecutive game and third...
‘Impressive’ list of 2024 Westmoreland County Scholar/Athlete nominees announced
“What an impressive group.” That’s how Judge Michael Stewart, who replaced John J. Driscoll in 2023 as sponsoring judge for the annual Westmoreland County Scholar/Athlete banquet, described the 2024 group of nominees for the Excellence Award. Athletic directors or representatives from 15 of 18 county high schools met this week...
Underdog Penn-Trafford uses 4-goal flurry to set up Penguins Cup 2A final matchup with Thomas Jefferson
Penn-Trafford’s hockey team didn’t end the regular season on a high note. But they sure picked the right time to get hot. The underdog Warriors advanced to the 2024 Penguins Cup finals by stunning rival Norwin, the fourth seed, 6-3, Tuesday in a semifinal-round game at Robert Morris University’s Island...
Penn-Trafford swimmer Patton Graziano looking to finish senior season strong
Penn-Trafford senior Patton Graziano is hoping to end high school career on a good note. A PIAA Class 3A swimming title would be preferred, but he’d be satisfied with breaking his records in the 100 freestyle and 100 backstroke. He did that at the WPIAL swimming and diving championships March...
Frazier’s Rune Lawrence becomes 4-time PIAA wrestling champion
HERSHEY – Frazier senior Rune Lawrence surprised many when he stuck the landing on a backflip after his final match Saturday at the Giant Center. The impromptu move came after his opponent, Muncy junior Austin Johnson, said something to Lawrence following his dominating 6-3 victory at 215 pounds at the...
Burrell’s Joe Makara giving back to sport; three from A-K Valley earn medals
HERSHEY — Even though Burrell didn’t have a wrestler in the PIAA wrestling championship finals, it did have a former two-time PIAA champion roaming the mats as an official. Joe Makara, who won consecutive titles in 2002 and 2003, was on the center mat for two girls finals: 130 and...
Norwin’s Landon Sidun keeps Westmoreland County streak alive by winning PIAA title
HERSHEY — Thanks to Norwin freshman Landon Sidun, the streak of PIAA wrestling champions from Westmoreland County has reached 30 consecutive years. Sidun (42-2) secured that milestone by rallying from an early takedown to defeat Ridley junior Curtis Nelson, 6-3, in the Class 3A 114-pound final Saturday at Giant Center....
After struggling at end of regular season, Franklin Regional advances in Penguins Cup playoffs
It didn’t matter that the Latrobe hockey team had beaten Franklin Regional in both regular-season meetings this season. That’s because the PIHL Penguins Cup playoffs are a different animal, and the Panthers have experience in the high-stakes environment. They know how to win these type of battles. Shawn Sinclair scored...
Frazier’s Rune Lawrence ready for showdown as he tries for 4th state wrestling title
HERSHEY – The PIAA Class 2A showdown between returning state champions is set. Now it’s time to see who is the best 215-pound wrestler in the state. Is it three-time champion Rune Lawrence, a senior from Frazier? Or is it returning 215-pound champion Austin Johnson, a junior from Muncy? Both...
Kiski Area’s Cooper Roscosky, Burrell’s Cam Baker fall in PIAA semifinals
HERSHEY — All Kiski Area sophomore Cooper Roscosky wanted from the PIAA Class 3A wrestling championship was his best performance. He figures the next two seasons will be his time to shine. Roscosky advanced to the semifinals by pinning Strath Haven sophomore Michael Spielman in 1 minute, 43 seconds to...
Franklin Regional wrestler Ty Kapusta believes it’s his time in state finals
HERSHEY – Franklin Regional senior Ty Kapusta is having the tournament of his life and he’s not surprised. Kapusta reached the 121-pound finals of the PIAA Class 3A wrestling championship at the Giant Center with two impressive wins Friday. He knocked off Quakertown senior Mason Ziegler, 3-2, in the quarterfinals...
Norwin’s Landon Sidun, Latrobe’s Hunter Snyder unfazed at PIAAs, reach semifinals
HERSHEY – There doesn’t seem like anything fazes Landon Sidun and Hunter Snyder. The two freshmen showed that to the large wrestling crowd at the Giant Center on Friday during the quarterfinals at the PIAA Class 3A championship. They were two of 17 WPIAL wrestlers to advance to the semifinals...
8 WPIAL wrestlers advance to PIAA Class 2A semifinals
HERSHEY — Eight wrestlers from the WPIAL have reached the semifinals at the PIAA Class 2A tournament at the Giant Center following wins in the quarterfinals Friday morning. The semifinal round is at 7 p.m. Friday. Burrell sophomore Cam Baker used a takedown in the third period to defeat Tussey...
As quest for 4th PIAA Class 2A title begins, Frazier’s Rune Lawrence records 100th pin
HERSHEY — Frazier senior Rune Lawrence began his quest of being the next four-time PIAA champion by recording the 100th pin of his career. The West Virginia commit (30-1) pinned Greenville junior Teague Calvin at 2:31 in the first round of the Class 2A tournament Thursday. He will face Catasauqua...
Norwin freshman Landon Sidun gets back on track in PIAA Class 3A 1st round
HERSHEY – Norwin freshman Landon Sidun couldn’t wait to be back on the mat after falling short in the Class 3A WPIAL tournament March 2. Sidun worked on a few of his mistakes and came out on Day 1 of the PIAA Wrestling Championships on Thursday at the Giant Center...
Derry freshmen make statement with upset wins in PIAA Class 2A wrestling
HERSHEY — For those in the wrestling community who didn’t know anything about Derry freshmen Mason Horwat and Brady Brown before Thursday, they do now after the opening round of the PIAA Class 2A tournament at Giant Center. One bystander told his buddy, “That’s a freshman,” after he watched Brown...
Burrell’s Cam Baker, Cooper Hornack advance to PIAA Class 2A quarterfinals
HERSHEY — This is the first year the PIAA has decided to sponsor a girls wrestling tournament. But not every girl entered that tournament. Northwestern junior Sierra Chiesa decided to give the boys tournament another try after going 2-2 last year. On Thursday, she lost to Burrell sophomore Cam Baker...
WPIAL contenders ready to compete in 1st PIAA girls wrestling championship
HERSHEY – When Canon-McMillan senior Valarie Solorio strolled into the Giant Center on Wednesday, she was listening to “Empire State of Mind” and checking out the size of the arena. Her first thought: “This is where I belong.” The PIAA is hosting its first girls wrestling championship over the next...
