Bill Beckner stories, Page 121
Westmoreland high school notebook: Belle Vernon’s Martin gets 5-star rating
Belle Vernon sophomore Quinton Martin is now a five-star recruit, at least according to one reputable recruiting website. 247Sports.com has upgraded the Leopards football standout to the highest rating a prospect can receive. Being recruited as an “athlete” by many schools who are not sure if he will fit in...
Belle Vernon to face monumental challenge in Quaker Valley in PIAA 2nd round
Belle Vernon knows it could be in for its toughest challenge of the season. It would be that way even if the Leopards had Devin Whitlock in the lineup. But with their best player out again, it is probably going to take another all-hands-on-deck effort like the one the Leopards...
WCCC to join NJCAA Division II, offer scholarships
The incentive to play sports at Westmoreland County Community College in the past was minimal. Play on a team for a year or two and maybe earn credits for a future transfer to a four-year college. But things are changing in Youngwood. WCCC announced it will be joining National Junior...
Greensburg Central Catholic boys advance on Turner’s buzzer-beating layup
DAVIDSVILLE — Greensburg Central Catholic was hooting on the way to hollering with a 19-point lead early in the fourth quarter. This first state playoff game — a new experience for all of the players and their coach — was going to be easy. Or so they thought. District 5...
Westmoreland PIHL playoff capsule: Westmont Hilltop vs. Norwin, Thursday, March 10, 2022
Class A Quarterfinals 5-Westmont Hilltop (13-7) vs.4-Norwin (14-4) 6:30 p.m. Thursday at Palmer Imaging Arena, Delmont Winner plays: Winner of 8-North Hills/1-Fox Chapel in semifinals, 6:45 p.m. March 16 at Robert Morris University Island Sports Center, Moon Ice chips: Westmont Hilltop turned around a five-game losing streak before the new...
Nathan Smith to captain 2025 Walker Cup team
Decorated district amateur golfer Nathan Smith was named captain of the United States Walker Cup team for 2025, the USGA announced Wednesday. Smith, 43, who is from Brookville and lives in Pittsburgh, will guide the American team against Great Britain and Ireland when the match, played in odd-numbered years, is...
Norwin carries momentum into Penguins Cup playoffs
The word “monumental” was used to describe this hockey win. Norwin trailed undefeated Fox Chapel, 5-3, with three minutes to play — the Knights were down most of the night — but found a spark as the clock dripped away Feb. 24 at Alpha Ice Complex. A pair of short-handed...
Short-handed Belle Vernon advances, gets coach Salvino his 700th career win
After doing postgame interviews, Joe Salvino was sprayed with water as soon as he opened the door to the Belle Vernon locker room. His players surprised him with an onslaught of hydration. Salvino barely got wet, though. The veteran coach has been around plenty of celebrations over the years and...
Joe Lewandoswki steps down as hoops coach at Point Park
After four years on the sideline at Point Park, Joe Lewandowski is signing off as men’s basketball coach. Initially brought aboard in an interim role, Lewandowski stayed around to lead the Pioneers on a part-time role but put in full-time hours. He also works as a ninth grade English teacher...
Westmoreland PIAA basketball playoff capsules: Games for Wednesday, March 9, 2022
Boys Class 2A First round Greensburg Central Catholic (18-4) at Conemaugh Township (21-3) 7 p.m. Wednesday District seeds: Greensburg Central Catholic 7-3; Conemaugh Township 5-1 Winner plays: Winner of Ridgway (20-5)/Cambridge Springs (13-12) Saturday in second round Layup lines: Greensburg Central Catholic picked up the No. 3 seed in the...
Saint Vincent weightlifter Amanda Serapiglia wins bronze at national event
She majors in biochemistry, but Saint Vincent’s Amanda Serapiglia also experiments in another discipline. The junior from Trafford is bringing home a bronze medal after competing in the Arnold Sports Festival’s USA Weightlifting National University Championships in Columbus, Ohio. Serepiglia, a 20-year-old cross-fitter, took third in her weight division while...
Westmoreland campus clippings: Grove City’s Podkul, Kallock earn all-conference honors
Allison Podkul and Megan Kallock used to play for neighboring high schools. But now they are college teammates and starters on the Grove City women’s basketball team. And, they’re both all-conference players. Podkul, a senior forward from Hempfield, and Kallock, a junior out of Greensburg Salem, picked up All-Presidents’ Athletic...
Westmoreland PIAA basketball playoff preview: Games of Tuesday, March 8, 2022
Tuesday’s game Boys Class 4A First round 7-4 Belle Vernon (19-4) at 8-1 Obama Academy (12-8) 7 p.m. Winner plays: Winner of Hickory (16-8)/Quaker Valley (23-0) on Friday in second round Layup lines: Belle Vernon returns to the court after a 64-53 loss to Montour in the WPIAL semifinals. Montour...
PIHL Penguins Cup playoff previews: Games of Tuesday, March 8, 2022
Tuesday’s games Class 2A Quarterfinals 5-Meadville (12-7) vs. 4-Penn-Trafford (15-4) 8:30 p.m. at Palmer Imaging, Delmont Winner plays: Winner of 8-Hempfield/1-Thomas Jefferson in semifinals, 7 p.m. March 15 at Robert Morris University Island Sports Center, Neville Township Ice chips: Meadville finished third in the West Division behind Thomas Jefferson and...
Known for highlight catches, former Seton Hill standout Derek Orndorff is showing HR power at Liberty
Derek Orndorff has become known for his highlight catches in center field. The grad student baseball player at Liberty has made ESPN SportsCenter’s Top Plays three times in less than a year. He even grabbed the show’s No. 1 highlight on Feb. 19 with a diving snag on the warning...
Westmoreland campus clippings: Franklin Regional grad Matt Frey homers for Michigan
Matt Frey finally connected with the lineup at Michigan, then connected for his first home run in Blue and Maize. Frey, a grad student from Franklin Regional, launched his first homer, a three-run blast in the ninth inning of a wild, 20-13 victory over Florida Atlantic. He was 2 for...
Westmoreland boys, girls basketball teams ready for PIAA playoffs
Some say luck is when preparation crosses paths with opportunity. For many WPIAL basketball teams, luck had a lot to do with their state playoff fate. It was, after all, in the hands of other teams. With the league’s follow-the-winner format to determine PIAA qualifiers and their seedings back in...
PIHL Penguins Cup playoff preview: Hempfield vs. Thomas Jefferson, Monday, March 7, 2022
Class 2A Quarterfinals 8-Hempfield (9-9) vs. 1-Thomas Jefferson (17-1) 7 p.m. Monday at Ice Castle Arena, Castle Shannon Winner plays: Winner of 5-Meadville/4-Penn-Trafford in semifinals, 7 p.m. March 15 at Robert Morris Island Sports Center, Moon Ice chips: Hempfield finished fourth in the East Division with 19 points despite allowing...
Norwin notebook: Loss to Butler ends solid season for boys basketball team
Norwin’s boys basketball team couldn’t hold off Butler for a second time this season and fell 81-73 in a rematch with the Golden Tornado in the WPIAL Class 6A first round, bringing the Knights’ season to a close. Junior Adam Bilinsky scored 27 points to pace the Knights, who finished...
Norwin girls basketball looks to future after abrupt playoff exit
Norwin had momentum, a nine-point halftime lead and its sights on a return to the WPIAL Class 6A girls basketball semifinals. But Bethel Park wasn’t ready to fold with two quarters to play. The fifth-seeded Black Hawks rallied to take down the No. 4 Lady Knights, 42-36, in the quarterfinals...
Westmoreland H.S. notebook: Belle Vernon resident Eli Teslovich helps Shady Side Academy to WPIAL title
Westmoreland County did not produce a WPIAL champion in basketball this season. Not so fast, says Eli Teslovich. A sophomore at Shady Side Academy, Teslovich helped lead the Bulldogs — remember, they aren’t the Indians any more — to the program’s second district championship Friday night with a 66-54 victory...
Latrobe goalkeeper DeCerb commits to James Madison
Anyone who follows Latrobe girls soccer will not be surprised to hear the news: Sofia DeCerb will stop shots at the NCAA Division I level. The junior goalkeeper announced she verbally committed to play at James Madison. Her high school coach knew she would find a spot with a high-level...
Jake DiMichele, OLSH dominant again in WPIAL Class 2A championship win over Fort Cherry
Jake DiMichele cracked open a cold Pepsi before meeting a gaggle of reporters. It looked like a Name, Image, Likeness type of deal as the Our Lady of the Sacred Heart star sipped and answered questions in the media room at Petersen Events Center. “Nah, it’s just my favorite drink,”...
Shady Side Academy surges past Avonworth to claim WPIAL Class 3A championship
Peter Kramer saw Eli Teslovich dribble into the open court with only one defender ahead. Kramer quickly sped up as the fast break developed. When Teslovich spotted his trailing teammate, the pair of Shady Side Academy guards orchestrated the play of the night. Dare they call it, “The Pete”? Kramer...
PIHL playoffs set to begin Monday
North Allegheny (Class 3A), Thomas Jefferson (2A), Fox Chapel (A) and Bishop Canevin (Division 2) are the top seeds for the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Hockey League Penguin Cup playoffs, set to begin Monday at various league-used rinks. The semifinals will be March 14, 15, 16 and 17, and the finals March...
