Bill Beckner stories, Page 149
A-K Valley baseball playoff preview capsule: Game Tuesday, May 25, 2021
Class A semifinals 7-Riverview (10-6) vs. 6-Jefferson-Morgan (13-5) 4:30 p.m. Tuesday at Plum Coaches: Bill Gras, Riverview; John Curtis, Jefferson-Morgan Winner plays: Winner of 1-Eden Christian (16-4)/4-Union (9-5) on June 1 or 2 in championship at Wild Things Park, Washington Players to watch: Taylor Zellefrow, Jr., IF, Riverview; Bryce Bedilion,...
Riverview makes noise in Class A baseball bracket, knocks out No. 2 GCC
The volume seemed to get louder from the Riverview dugout as the game progressed. Wire-to-wire chants and shouts echoed across the field and didn’t stop until the Raiders’ crescendo — the waving of a skull-and-crossbones flag that punctuated a brow-raising upset in the WPIAL Class A baseball playoffs. The message...
Westmoreland high school softball notebook: Sister pairs contribute for Mt. Pleasant
Sister combinations are nothing new to high school softball, but having multiple combos is a little less common. Mt. Pleasant, set to play Avonworth on Tuesday in the WPIAL Class 3A semifinals at Penn-Trafford, has two sets of sisters, and they all contribute. Both consist of a senior and sophomore....
WPIAL softball playoff capsules: Games for Tuesday, May 25, 2021
WPIAL softball playoff preview Tuesday’s games Class 4A Semifinals 7-Southmoreland (11-4) vs. 11-Ellwood City (13-4) 2 p.m. at Penn-Trafford Coaches: Todd Bunner, Southmoreland; Gary Rozanski, Ellwood City Winner plays: Winner of 1-Mt. Pleasant (15-3) vs. 4-Avonworth (12-5) on June 2 or 3 (time TBD) in the championship at Cal (Pa.)...
Westmoreland Campus Clippings: Greensburg’s Goetz makes run at NCAA golf regional
Mark Goetz already had made school history by qualifying for the NCAA Regional round. But the senior golfer from West Virginia nearly took it a step further. Goetz, a Greensburg native who attended The Kiski School, played his way into the lead on the final day of the regional and...
Low numbers concerning, but Jeannette football coach Hall not giving up
With lower participation numbers than usual at Jeannette, rumors have been swirling around the football program. Coach Roy Hall has heard them all. The season might be in jeopardy. The Jayhawks might not be able to field a team this year. A co-op with a neighboring district is imminent. Hall...
Westmoreland H.S. notebook: More offers coming in for P-T’s Cade Yacamelli
With high school football training camps set to open in less than three months, Cade Yacamelli of Penn-Trafford has a lot on his mind. The soon-to-be senior is drawing college offers at a rapid pace. He added three this month, from New Hampshire, Yale and Maine. The 6-foot, 200-pound running...
Westmoreland WPIAL softball playoff capsules for May 24, 2021
WPIAL softball playoff previews Monday’s games Class 4A Quarterfinals 7-Yough (11-5) vs. 2-Beaver (14-0) 3 p.m. at Peterswood Park, McMurray Coaches: Dutch Harvey, Yough; Amy Haggart, Beaver Winner plays: Winner of 3-West Mifflin (15-4)/6-Burrell (8-6) on Wednesday in semifinals (time, site to TBD) Players to watch: Savannah Manns, Sr., OF,...
Hempfield baseball survives up-and-down inning, stops Central Catholic
No matter how far this playoff runs goes, Hempfield will remember that nerve-racking yet fun-filled fifth inning from the quarterfinals when the Spartans turned a negative into a positive. The third-seeded Spartans went from an unsavory performance in the top of the frame to reversing course and taking control in...
Jake Bazala’s strong outing helps Norwin down Seneca Valley in WPIAL Class 6A quarterfinalsVideo
After the baseball season is over, Jake Bazala plans to cut his long, auburn-colored locks and donate them to a good cause. Until then, the Norwin senior pitcher and his trademark curly hair will try to keep moving forward in the WPIAL playoffs. And the Knights will keep trying to...
Norwin baseball turns up offense at right time
Norwin had made a habit out of eking one-run baseball games, which is fine with the coaching staff, as long as the Knights are winning. Some expected another tight finish when the Class 6A No. 3 Knights hosted Franklin Regional, the state’s top-ranked team in Class 5A, in a late-season...
Franklin Regional baseball works to ‘flush’ late-season loss
For Franklin Regional baseball coach Bobby Saddler and his players, it must have been like having the theme from “Psycho” pierce their ears. Ree, ree, ree. The Panthers’ first loss of the season hit hard, like a stabbing pain. Norwin, the third-ranked team in Class 6A at the time, roughed...
Leechburg softball rolls past Mapletown, advances to WPIAL Class A semifinals
Adjusting her helmet and gripping her bat while on the move from the dugout, Bella Vozar shuffled toward the plate in the bottom of the third inning like she was late for class. The umpire told her to slow down and take her time. “I’m OK,” the Leechburg junior catcher...
Smithnosky pitches top-seeded Mt. Pleasant past Derry, into Class 3A semifinals
Normally, hitting is what jump starts the high-powered Mt. Pleasant softball team. One knock usually leads to many more. But in the Vikings’ playoff opener Thursday under blazing sunshine at Norwin, pitching carried the day. Senior Mary Smithnosky put together a career performance, striking out 14 in a three-hit shutout,...
Seton Hill, Bloomsburg to meet for PSAC baseball title
PSAC baseball championship series (best of 3) Bloomsburg (21-15) vs. Seton Hill (34-4) When: Friday, Saturday (Game 1, noon Friday, Game 2 to follow; Game 3 Saturday if needed) Where: Seton Hill Baseball Complex, Greensburg Coaches: Mike Collins, Bloomsburg; Marc Marizzaldi, Seton Hill What’s next: The winner advances to the...
Westmoreland campus clippings: Norwin grad Thrift transferring to Youngstown State
Jayvon Thrift said transferring will bring his college football career, one that still is getting off the ground, “full circle.” That is because the school where he is headed to is the place where he initially planned to play. Thrift, a Norwin graduate, is leaving West Virginia to join the...
Yough softball team scores winning run on error in 8th inning to top Freeport
Freshman Makayla Spoonhoward made the turn for home, hit the deck and did a rollover. The Yough freshman slid safely across the plate after an error on a pick-off attempt in the bottom of the eighth Wednesday to bring an abrupt ending to a WPIAL softball playoff game that couldn’t...
Westmoreland WPIAL softball playoff capsules for May 20, 2021
Today’s games Class 5A Quarterfinals 1-Penn-Trafford (15-4) vs. 8-North Hills (13-5) 2 p.m. at Fox Chapel Coaches: Denny Little, Penn-Trafford; Libby Gasior, North Hills Winner plays: Winner of 13-Connellsville (10-8)/5-Chartiers Valley (12-7) on Tuesday in semifinals Players to watch: Allie Prady, Sr., IF, Penn-Trafford; Sophia Roncone, Jr., P, North Hills...
Westmoreland notebook: Youngstown State right fit for Norwin’s Rigone
Emma Rigone had interest from a number of Division I women’s soccer programs but went with the one that checked all the boxes. The Norwin junior defender, who played center midfield in cup soccer, announced her commitment to Youngstown State. “The coaches stood out to me more than those from...
Westmoreland campus clippings: Another Big Ten title for Penn State’s Holmberg
A pair of Hempfield alums were crowned conference champions at the NCAA Division I level Saturday. Penn State grad student Maddie Holmberg won the heptathlon at the Big Ten Championships with a score of 5,839 points. Holmberg finished first in the long jump (6.16 meters) and the 200-meter dash (24.5...
Derry softball gets 1st playoff win in program historyVideo
From the routine-looking plays they made all over the field to the steady pitching and hitting they displayed, Derry softball players looked like they had been here before, like they belonged here even. The Trojans have experienced the WPIAL softball playoffs many times since the program began in 1979. But...
Favorite status doesn’t faze top softball seeds from Westmoreland County
If the softball playoffs come to pass the way the WPIAL committee foresees — “to chalk,” as they say — there are going to be some celebrations in Westmoreland County. Three schools — located at home plate, first base and third on a county map — are taking No. 1...
Westmoreland WPIAL softball playoff capsules for May 19, 2021
Wednesday’s games Class 6A Quarterfinals 3-Hempfield (12-5) vs. 6-Canon-McMillan (7-9) 4 p.m. at West Mifflin Coaches: Bob Kalp, Hempfield; Michele Moeller, Canon-McMillan Winner plays: Winner of 2-Norwin (13-2) vs. 7-North Allegheny (9-9) next Wednesday (time, site TBD) in semifinals Players to watch: Emma Hoffner, Sr. C, Hempfield; Olivia Ulam, Sr.,...
Westmoreland campus clippings: Led by Osikowicz, Seton Hill softball clean up postseason awards
Jenna Osikowicz played a key role at Hempfield, helping the softball program win three WPIAL titles and two PIAA championships. Now a senior right fielder at Seton Hill, Osikowicz brought her winning mentality to the Griffins — and the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference. Osikowicz, who helped lead Seton Hill to...
Westmoreland WPIAL softball playoff capsules for May 18, 2021
Tuesday’s games Class 5A First round Tuesday 1-Penn-Trafford (14-4) vs. 16-Hampton (7-8) 4 p.m. at Gateway Coaches: Denny Little, Penn-Trafford; Ron Fedell, Hampton Winner plays: Winner of 8-North Hills (12-4)/9-Trinity (8-4) on Thursday (time, site TBD) in quarterfinals Players to watch: Brooke Cleland, Sr., OF, Penn-Trafford; Charlotte Lomb, Fr., P,...
