Paul Schofield stories, Page 38
Penn-Trafford field hockey in search of elusive PIAA victory
The late Pittsburgh Pirates broadcaster Bob Prince used the saying “hidden vigorish” to describe a player who was in a batting slump and was due for a hit. That saying could describe the lack of success that the Penn-Trafford field hockey team has had in the PIAA playoffs. The Warriors...
After quarterfinal loss, Penn-Trafford volleyball hopes to reload for future
Penn-Trafford girls volleyball coach Jim Schall would have rather been coaching a semifinal-round match than being at home watching the World Series. That’s because team dropped a hard-fought 3-1 decision to No. 3 Canon-McMillan on Oct. 26 in the WPIAL quarterfinals. It was a match that could have gone the...
Penn-Trafford notebook: Warriors hockey team of to 1-3 start
Penn-Trafford’s ice hockey team opened the season by defeating Norwin. Since then, the Warriors have dropped three games while they look for stronger goaltending. “It’s been frustrating; until we fix our goaltending problem we’re going to struggle,” Penn-Trafford coach Chris Cerutti said. “I have four guys I’m working with.” The...
WPIAL shines at PIAA cross country event with 4 champions
Cross Country is alive and well in the WPIAL. It was a golden day as four of the six PIAA individual champions and two teams brought back titles from Hershey on Saturday. The individual champions were: Butler senior Drew Griffith (3A boys), Ringgold senior Ryan Pajak (2A boys), Mohawk junior...
Saint Vincent wrestling makes return Saturday
Wrestling at Saint Vincent College returns on Saturday for the first time since 1975. The Bearcats are in Michigan to participate in the Adrian Invitational. First-year coach Dom Nania has 11 wrestlers from Westmoreland County on the squad. Some of the top wrestlers include Ryan Klingensmith (Kiski Area), Charlie Mesich...
Latrobe, Wetzel punish West Allegheny in playoffs
Maybe the WPIAL committee gave the Parkway Conference too much credit and not enough to the Big Seven. No. 9 Latrobe (8-3) showed the committee what the Big Seven is all about as it took it to the Parkway Conference fourth-place team, No. 8 West Allegheny, on Friday in the...
Robert Morris men picked 7th, women last in Horizon League preseason basketball polls
The Robert Morris men’s basketball team was picked to finish seventh and the women’s team last as the Horizon League released its preseason polls. Northern Kentucky, which has won four league titles during eight seasons in the league, was tabbed as preseason favorite in voting of the conference’s men’s coaches....
Westmoreland County football players to watch in 2023 Week 10
Player of the week Tristyn Tavares Norwin, So., QB The sophomore ended the 2023 regular season with a memorable performance against Hempfield. Tavares threw for a career-high 318 yards and six touchdowns, completing 19 of 30 passes, and rushed for a score as Norwin won 47-21 over Hempfield. He and...
Led by do-it-all QBs, 1st-round foes Latrobe, West Allegheny are mirror images
When the WPIAL football committee released the Class 4A first-round pairings Saturday, all Latrobe coach Ron Prady could do was shake his head in disappointment when he saw his team was traveling to West Allegheny. The opposite reaction happened at West Allegheny. Coach Dave Schoppe was thrilled to get a...
After death of former Penguin, focus turns to neck protection in youth hockey
Penn-Trafford coach Chris Cerutti will be keeping an extra-close eye on his players as they take the ice for their next game against Armstrong. He will be making sure each player is wearing protection around his neck in light of the tragedy last weekend involving former Penguins player Adam Johnson,...
Penn-Trafford shuffles up wrestling coaching staff for this season
Larry Hohman coached the Penn-Trafford wrestling program from 2007-2013. He’s been an assistant and a youth coach since. Because Travis McKillop’s duties at work have changed, he wasn’t sure how things would work out if he stayed on as head coach this season. So Hohman will return as head coach...
Penn-Trafford notebook: Barilla qualifies for state cross country meet
Penn-Trafford senior Amelia Barilla achieved her goal Oct. 26 at the WPIAL Class 3A Cross Country Championship at White Oak Park. Barilla placed eighth overall and qualified for the PIAA Championship Nov. 4 at Hershey. Her goal is to earn a medal, which is Top 25. Last year she placed...
WPIAL football playoff pairings surprise some Westmoreland County teams
When the WPIAL football committee announced the pairings for the upcoming playoffs Saturday, some coaches were surprised at their opening-round opponents. Two Westmoreland County teams — Southmoreland and Greensburg Central Catholic — will face opponents they already played. Greensburg Central Catholic (6-3) will meet West Greene (8-2). The Centurions defeated...
Lovre comes through in clutch as Penn-Trafford outlasts Franklin Regional
Penn-Trafford coach John Ruane said before Friday’s second-place showdown in the WPIAL Class 5A Big Conference game at Franklin Regional that junior quarterback Jonny Lovre was making huge strides in his game. Lovre proved his coach right in the fourth quarter, connecting on two huge fourth-down passes and then scoring...
Westmoreland County football players to watch in 2023 Week 9
Player of the week Ahmad Ward Derry, Sr. RB/SS The junior scored four touchdowns, including the game-winner on a 59-yard run in the fourth quarter, and rushed for 250 yards on 22 carries as Derry defeated Burrell, 29-22, on Friday. His performance helped the Trojans clinch a berth in the...
Playoff berth on the line when Penn-Trafford, Franklin Regional collide
The WPIAL playoffs don’t officially begin until Nov. 3. But for the Penn-Trafford and Franklin Regional football teams, the playoffs start Friday in Murrysville. The Warriors (4-5, 3-1) and the Panthers (6-3, 3-1) will battle for second place in the WPIAL Class 5A Big East Conference behind Gateway (5-4, 5-0),...
Westmoreland County high school football matchups for 2023 Week 9
Class 5A Big East Conference Hempfield (1-8, 0-4) at Norwin (2-7, 1-3) 7 p.m. Friday, Norwin Knights Stadium, North Huntingdon Last week: Plum 38, Hempfield 20; Gateway 48, Norwin 20 Last year’s result: Hempfield 34, Norwin 7 • Neither team is going to the playoffs, so this is their bowl...
4 runners looking to defend WPIAL cross country titles
Butler senior Drew Griffith set a course record during the Tri-State Coaches Association cross country championship a week ago at White Oak Park. And with weather conditions expected to be almost perfect Thursday, Griffith could be on track for another record performance. The WPIAL championship meet returns to White Oak...
Nick Turowski wraps up Penn-Trafford career with 2nd-place finish at states
Penn-Trafford senior Nick Turowski finished his high school career Oct. 17 with a second-place finish at the PIAA Class 3A championship. Turowski was edged out in a three-way playoff by Butler senior Hunter Swidzinski on the third extra hole when Swidzinski sank a 15-foot birdie putt. The third player in...
Penn-Trafford notebook: Williams looks to rebound at state tournament
Mia Williams was the favorite to win her second WPIAL Class 3A singles tennis championship last month. But things didn’t turn out how she had planned. The sophomore had an off day against a tough opponent. Shady Side Academy’s Meriwhether McCargo stunned the returning champion, 7-6(1) and 6-1. The freshman...
Mt. Pleasant swimmer Lily King commits to N.C. State
Mt. Pleasant junior swimmer Lily King announced on Instagram on Friday that she is not changing her colors. She will wear the red of N.C. State. She gave the Wolfpack a verbal commitment. King has earned six gold medals in the PIAA Class 2A championships. She won the 50- and...
Franklin Regional’s Tyler Kapusta looking to be a King of the Mat
Franklin Regional senior Tyler Kapusta missed the Super 32 Wrestling Tournament on Oct. 21 because he was in the school’s homecoming court hoping to be crowned King. He’s already the wrestling team’s King of the Mat. Kapusta, who committed to wrestle at Bucknell last November, is also hoping to be...
Imani Christian cruises, eliminates Ligonier Valley from playoff contention
Imani Christian Academy didn’t play a perfect game Friday at Ligonier Valley, but the No. 4-ranked Saints had enough firepower to pull out a victory on the road. Che’Von Allen caught two touchdown passes from two quarterbacks, and the defense limited Ligonier Valley to 68 yards of offense in a...
Westmoreland County football players to watch in 2023 Week 8
Player of the week John Wetzel Latrobe, Jr., QB/FS The 6-foot-2 quarterback had a fantasy football game to remember. He rushed for 142 yards and scored four touchdowns and completed 9 of 12 passes for 241 yards and two scores against Connellsville. Wetzel has thrown for 1,073 yards and 14...
Latrobe looks to overcome past history against McKeesport
With the recent history between McKeesport and Latrobe being so one-sided, one might think the No. 2-ranked Tigers could be looking ahead to their Week 9 showdown with No. 5 Thomas Jefferson. But McKeesport coach Matt Miller coach expects Latrobe to get his team’s best effort. He almost guaranteed it....
