Bill Beckner stories, Page 165
Norwin infielder chosen for exclusive showcase
No high school baseball season last spring only served to motivate players like Alex Gabauer, a slick-fielding, power-hitting shortstop at Norwin. The senior has committed to play at Penn, so his college future is secure — as secure as it can be during the covid-19 pandemic. But baseball can lead...
Franklin Regional’s Lindeman chooses Towson
Franklin Regional girls soccer coach Scott Arnold calls Sydney Lindeman a leader by example. The junior midfielder does not have to say much to inspire her teammates. Her skilled game does most of the talking. They often follow the pace she sets. “Syd’s teammates love and respect her,” Arnold said....
Penn-Trafford fits in basketball sweep before sports shutdownVideo
One and done. Before the big pause, Penn-Trafford’s basketball teams opened the season Friday with a doubleheader — the only games the Warriors will play in 2020. The girls took on Sto-Rox and the boys entertained North Allegheny in Harrison City. In between games, a sparse crowd — about 10%...
Franklin Regional grad Spencer Lee to receive Sullivan Award in person Saturday
Iowa senior wrestler Spencer Lee was honored virtually in April as a co-winner of the prestigious AAU James E. Sullivan Award, which recognizes the nation’s most outstanding amateur athlete. Now he will actually get his hands on the award. Covid-19 is still ravaging the country with spikes in positive cases,...
Some teams getting one last game in before sports shutdown beginsVideo
Basketball teams across the state found themselves with a dilemma Thursday after Gov. Tom Wolf announced the feared shutdown of high school sports, among a throng of other statewide restrictions due to the accelerated spread of covid-19. With the three-week mandate going into effect at 12:01 a.m. Saturday — a...
State soccer player of year is Mars’ Ellie Coffield; Anthony DiFalco, Sarah Schupansky join her as All-Americans
Because the covid-19 pandemic cut down on postgame ceremonies and awards banquets, Mars senior soccer star Ellie Coffield probably is going to get a lot of trophies, medals and other hardware in the mail. If the pieces all arrive the same day, the postal worker or delivery person might need...
WPIAL standouts named to all-state soccer teams
A number of the WPIAL’s brightest stars were recognized Wednesday morning with the unveiling of the Pennsylvania Soccer Coaches Association All-State teams. Thirteen boys and eight girls from District 7 were selected to the statewide lists, which were not broken down by classification. Deer Lakes had two selections on the...
Pine-Richland DE Miguel Jackson commits to Charlotte after losing scholarship at Liberty
Miguel Jackson felt a lot of emotions when he made his college football decision — for the second time. Almost simultaneously, the star lineman and defensive end from Pine-Richland experienced relief, a renewed sense of belonging and peace of mind when he announced he will play at Charlotte of Conference...
Westmoreland high school notebook: Franklin Regional’s Kindelberger honored
Franklin Regional standout hitter Aly Kindelberger was awarded for an outstanding senior season, one that saw her help the Panthers make team history. Kindelberger was named to the Pennsylvania Volleyball Coaches Association Class AAA all-state team for the second straight season. A DePaul commit, Kindelberger powered the Panthers to their...
Westmoreland campus clippings: Brennan Marion’s offensive influence grows
Brennan Marion’s GoGo offense has made its way around the country since he put the system in place a few years ago at Howard. Marion, a Greensburg Salem graduate, has seen shades of his offense in plays run by Lincoln Riley at Oklahoma, and even in the NFL by Kliff...
NCAA Division II reducing qualifiers for 2021 postseasons in winter, spring sports
NCAA Division II lost nearly $35 million of its projected allocation revenue from the cancellation of the 2019-20 men’s basketball championships due to the covid-19 pandemic. The NCAA did divvy up $270 million from multiple insurance policies and Division II announced it received $15 million to help mitigate the financial...
Saint Vincent’s Aaron Smetanka named to AFCA 35-under-35 coaching institute
Aaron Smetanka could be on his way to climbing the coaching ranks in college football. For now, the third-year Saint Vincent coach just hopes to see a season in 2021. The coronavirus wiped out the 2020 season in the Presidents’ Athletic Conference and left teams anxious and longing for a...
Boys basketball preview: Southmoreland steps up in class with young roster
With a quiet demeanor, the Southmoreland boys basketball team practices with masks on while the coach looks on wearing a face shield. The facial coverings are a sign of the times, but the Scotties are getting used to them. And the shield has not changed the way coach Frank Muccino...
Girls basketball preview: Southmoreland hopes for strong encore to historic season
Reaching the WPIAL finals for the first time and going two rounds deep in the state playoffs made Southmoreland one of the darlings of WPIAL girls basketball last season. Their story caught the eye of starving fans in town, neighboring spectators and even casual observers who appreciate good teams come...
Westmoreland H.S. notebook: Local football players dot all-star teams
The Big 5/6 Conference, which recognizes the accomplishments of teams and athletes in the WPIAL’s largest classifications, announced all-star teams for football. A number of local players made the lists, including in Class 6A where Hempfield senior center Sean Knight and the Norwin trio of senior lineman Anthony Giansante, senior...
Pine-Richland’s Miguel Jackson named 2020 Bill Fralic Memorial Award winner
Pine-Richland teammates gave Miguel Jackson the nickname, “Smoke,” when he was a sophomore because they often caught him saying, “They don’t want no smoke.” It became his catchphrase, a warning of sorts that meant opponents would do better not to mess with him on the football field. They used to...
Norwin notebook: Recruitment heating back up for Knights lineman
Anthony Giansante isn’t ready to give up on playing Division I college football. In fact, he may be more enthusiastic now than before he started getting scholarship offers. Giansante, a 6-foot-3, 300-pound lineman from Norwin, is back on the recruiting trail, proactively reaching out to schools that had already recruited...
Former WPIAL hoop stars Kalin, Marisa come through in clutch for Duquesne, Penn State
Amanda Kalin and Makenna Marisa were exceptional talents when they played basketball in the WPIAL. They were all-around players who could shoot it, drive it and defend it — Kalin at Pine-Richland and Marisa at Peters Township. But they also had something else in common: They both were clutch. Their...
Norwin girls basketball again set to contend for Section 1 title
Just as Norwin girls basketball was getting started this season, the Knights had to stop. When a team member tested positive for covid-19, the girls had to shut down for a week and could interact only via Zoom meetings. Coach Brian Brozeski did his best to keep the team engaged...
Tall, experienced group returns as Norwin boys seek trip to postseason
Everybody is back. They’re all seniors. And they’ve had more than a full season to get accustomed to their coach’s system. It all adds up to four words. Watch out for Norwin. “We’re leaps ahead of where we were at this time last year,” said second-year coach Buddy Valinsky, whose...
Westmoreland notebook: Norwin’s Giansante back on recruiting trail
Anthony Giansante isn’t ready to give up on playing Division I football. In fact, he might be more enthusiastic now than before he started getting scholarship offers. Giansante, a 6-foot-3, 300-pound lineman from Norwin, is back on the recruiting trail, proactively reaching out to schools that had already recruited him...
Mars’ Blair Gerlach, George Williams of Seneca Valley tabbed state’s top coaches
Blair Gerlach directed the Mars girls soccer team to back-to-back WPIAL and PIAA championships. He also doubled up on one of the state’s top honors. Gerlach was named the Class AAA coach of the year by the Pennsylvania Soccer Coaches Association, becoming the first repeat winner in the classification since...
Trib HSSN WPIAL girls soccer all-stars: Ellie Coffield led Mars to new heights
Player of the year Ellie Coffield Mars, Sr., MF With both arms raised high, Ellie Coffield stretched the PIAA championship trophy toward the sky, her face framed in pure joy on a cold November night in Hershey. The Mars senior standout and her teammates reveled in winning another state title,...
Westmoreland high school notebook: FR golfer Tragesser picks Rhode Island
Chuck Tragesser always knew he wanted to play golf collegiately. But he was unsure of where or what level. He just knew he had the game to compete at a higher level and waited for an opportunity to come along. The Franklin Regional senior had a breakout year, one that...
Norwin grad Jayla Wehner shows drive to succeed at NAIA Marian
Jayla Wehner went from having doubts about a season happening to earning a starting spot on the Marian women’s basketball team. The Norwin graduate and college freshman has become an important backcourt player for Marian, a private school in Indianapolis that fields a prominent NAIA program. With covid-19 lurking at...
