Paul Schofield stories, Page 56
Trio of Westmoreland County running backs poised for big things in PAC
When Kyrie Miller, Justin Flack and Justin Huss were playing football in high school in Westmoreland County, they torched opposing defenses. Now the trio is doing the same in the NCAA Division III Presidents’ Athletic Conference. Miller starred at Ligonier Valley, where he rushed for 3,742 yards and 58 touchdowns...
Greensburg Salem senior Wallish provides huge heart
One thing a person can’t see is the size of a football player’s heart. At 5-foot-6, 125-pounds, not many people would fear Greensburg Salem senior Jerome Wallish. But don’t be fooled: Wallish isn’t afraid of a challenge. In fact, he relishes it. “You have to keep putting the work in,”...
Westmoreland County’s new football coaches breeze through Day 1 of practice
Westmoreland County’s five new high school football coaches had an uneventful first day of training camp. Players usually are greeted with hot, humid weather, but Monday was cool and damp. Things went so smoothly at Derry that Mike Arone gave his team an early dismissal. “It was a good day,”...
Penn-Trafford golfers look to take the next step
Penn-Trafford boys golf coach Andy Rizzardi said he’s set some lofty goals for his team. Not only does he want his Warriors to defend their Section 1-3A title and qualify for the WPIAL playoffs, he wants them to reach the WPIAL team finals. It would be a first in school...
Franklin Regional’s Ayden Hudock looking for breakout season
Franklin Regional football coach Lance Getsy can’t wait to unveil junior Ayden Hudock on opposing defenses this season. The coach did so when the multipurpose threat was healthy during his sophomore season. “People got a small glimpse of Ayden last year,” Getsy said. “Some nagging injuries slowed him down, but...
Pony League World Series set to begin Friday
The 2022 Pony League World Series begins Friday with two games and two fun contests for the players. Home run hitting and fastest runner contests will be held 11 a.m. Two games and opening ceremonies will be held in the evening beginning at 5:30 p.m. A full field of 10...
Penn-Trafford ready to tackle the challenge of staying on top
Penn-Trafford football coach John Ruane is faced with something he’s never encountered before: preparing a team to defend a WPIAL and PIAA Class 5A championship. It’s a challenge Ruane will embrace. Penn-Trafford celebrated the school’s 50th anniversary by winning its first WPIAL and PIAA titles last season. Now Ruane said...
Franklin Regional hopes last year’s learning experience benefits returning players
Injuries to two key players derailed Franklin Regional’s 2021 football season. But those injuries could provide a boost to the 2022 campaign. Those injuries forced then first-year Franklin Regional coach Lance Getsy to play more freshmen and sophomores than he wanted. The Panthers finished with a disappointing 3-8 record, which...
Bushy Run, Penn-Trafford complete strong Legion seasons
If anything was learned about the Bushy Run American Legion and Penn-Trafford Junior American Legion programs in 2022, it’s that the future is bright and the programs remain strong. Both teams had successful campaigns this summer. Bushy Run finished second in the District 31 American Legion regular season, third in...
Washington County’s Pony World Series returns to normal
When the 2022 Pony League World Series begins Aug. 12, things will be back to normal. After the 2019 tournament was cancelled by covid-19, the 2020 version had only eight teams. A full field of 10 teams, including three international teams, will be converging on Washington County next week. The...
Seton Hill football aims to improve; IUP, Slippery Rock picked 1st in PSAC West
With nine starters returning on defense and seven on offense, the Seton Hill football team could be looking for a banner season in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference in 2022. Led by preseason All-American defensive back Damonte Pratt, the Griffins will look to build off a season in which they...
Saint Vincent looks to continue to grow in PAC; Westminster picked 1st in preseason poll
If Brady Walker has anything to say about it, the Saint Vincent football team will be hoisting up the Presidents’ Athletic Conference trophy at the end of the season. The veteran quarterback, a four-year starter from Gateway, completed 192 of 323 passes for 2,738 yards and 22 touchdowns in helping...
Golf notebook: Strong finish lifts Jimmy Ellis to Pittsburgh Classic title
Amateur Jimmy Ellis of Venetia birdied the final two holes and rallied to win the Pittsburgh Classic at St. Clair Country Club. Ellis was trailing first-round leader Greensburg amateur Kevin Fajt when he made the final charge. Ellis shot a 3-under par round 69 and finished 8-under 136. Fajt, who...
Murrysville Junior Legion team wins state title
For the second consecutive season, a team from Westmoreland County has won the American Legion Junior state title. This year it was Murrysville, which defeated Upper Perkiomen, 8-3, in the championship game Tuesday at First Commonwealth Bank Field in Homer City. Penn-Trafford was the champion last season. This was the...
8 Latrobe players named to District 31 American Legion first team
District 31 American Legion regular-season and playoff champion Latrobe had eight players named to the league’s All-Star team announced Friday. Bushy Run and Yough had two players each and Unity and Young Township one each. The Jethawks named were pitchers Rayce King and Peyton Henry; catcher Logan Short; infielders Lou...
Abington rallies to win Little League 8-10 state title at West Point
Abington Little League bounced back Monday to defeat Morrisville and win the Pennsylvania Little League 8-10 state title at West Point. A three-run fourth inning helped Abington rally for a 4-2 victory. Shane Goldberg and Jerry Jordan had clutch two-out RBI singles for the winners. Jake Kwiatkowski had an RBI...
Morrisville scores late to defeat Newtown and advance to Little League state final
Holden Perry singled home Seamus Burke in the top of the seventh inning, and Morrisville defeated Newton, 5-4, in the Pennsylvania Little League 8-10 State Tournament on Saturday at West Point. It was the second time Morrisville defeated Newtown in the tournament. Morrisville now will face Abington in the championship...
8 Latrobe players named to District 31 American Legion first team
District 31 American Legion regular season and playoff champion Latrobe had eight players named to the league’s All-Star team announced Friday. Bushy Run and Yough had two players each, while Unity and Young Township one each. The Jethawks named were pitchers Rayce King and Peyton Henry; catcher Logan Short; infielders...
Newton, Blue Mountain stay alive in Little League tournament
The field is down to four at the Pennsylvania Little League 8-10 State Tournament following Thursday’s results at West Point. Newton kept the Hermitage bats silent in a 9-0 victory in one of the loser’s bracket games. Newton will now face Blue Mountain, which held on to defeat Somerset in...
Morrisville rallies for win in Little League 8-10 state tournament at West Point
Robbie Ellis’s RBI hit drove in the winning run to highlight a five-run top of the sixth inning to lead Morrisville to a 9-4 victory against Blue Mountain in the Pennsylvania Little League 8-10 State Tournament on Wednesday at West Point. The hit drove in Gavin Reilly, who walked and...
Central Catholic grad Neal Shipley rallies to claim Pennsylvania Amateur
Central Catholic 2019 grad and future Ohio State player Neal Shipley shot a 3-under-par 67 during the final round to win the 109th Pennsylvania Golf Association Amateur Championship on Wednesday at Llanerch Country Club in Philadelphia. It was the second huge win this season for the St. Clair Country Club...
Blue Mountain opens Pennsylvania Little League 8-10 tournament at West Point with win
Anthony Amato singled and tripled, and Blue Mountain breezed to a 10-0 victory Tuesday in the Pennsylvania Little League 8-10 state championship tournament at West Point. The Blue Mountain squad broke the game open with a seven-run fourth inning to end the game. Amato was the winning pitcher. Landon Clemas...
Oakmont’s Piatt tied for lead at Pennsylvania Amateur
Oakmont Country Club’s Nathan Piatt shot a 2-under-par 68 during the second round of the 109th Pennsylvania Golf Association Amateur tournament Tuesday and is tied for lead with Rij Patel of the Country Club of York at 3-under. The duo own a two-shot lead heading into the final round at...
Shipley, Piatt and Pevarnik in hunt at 109th Pennsylvania Amateur
Chris Baloga of Briarwood Golf Club shot a 3-under-par 67 Monday and takes a one-shot lead at the 10th Annual Pennsylvania Golf Association’s Amateur at Llanerch Country Club in Philadelphia. He leads St. Clair Country Club’s Neal Shipley, who shot a 2-under 68, and Oakmont Country Club’s Nathan Piatt and...
Connellsville edges Penn Township for regional title; Murrysville advances
When Penn Township captured the 2021 Junior Legion Western Regional and state title, the Warriors defeated Connellsville four times. Connellsville exacted a little revenge Monday, defeating Penn-Township, 4-2, in the regional championship game behind a strong pitching performance from Mason Miller. “The pitcher wasn’t overpowering, but he did a good...
