Bill Beckner stories, Page 186
Derry grad, Penn State softball standout Chelsea Bisi out for season
Chelsea Bisi was hoping for an encore at Penn State, a follow-up to a breakthrough softball season that saw her clear the fences with an effortless swing as she produced offense just about every game. Bisi hit 13 home runs and earned a spot on the All-Big Ten Conference Freshman...
Breaking down the PSAC basketball playoffs
The Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference basketball playoffs will tip off today as teams built toward a trip to the NCAA Division II Tournament. Here are the tournament schedules and a breakdown of each bracket: Men First round West 1-IUP (25-2) — Bye 2-Mercyhurst (19-7) — Bye 5-Gannon (14-12) at 4-Cal...
Southmoreland girls put WPIAL loss behind them, focus on PIAAs
All season, Southmoreland has celebrated defense. Taking charges, ripping away steals and blocking shots were reasons to revel as the team made emphatic stops on the opponents’ end of the floor. But the Scotties want to celebrate something else: a championship. While their magical WPIAL season came to an end...
Westmoreland high school notebook: Big year for Belle Vernon sports
It is far from finished, but Belle Vernon already can look back on a successful 2019-20 sports year. With the boys basketball team making it to the WPIAL Class 4A championship, the Leopards were well-represented in the district postseason in recent months. The basketball team had not played in the...
North Catholic girls top Southmoreland to win school’s 20th WPIAL title
Storied. Perennial power. Gold standard. Labels like that follow programs with the ilk of North Catholic — programs that win, reload rosters and win some more. Those are labels teams such as Southmoreland long to have attached to its name. The Trojanettes girls basketball team added another piece of hardware...
Penn-Trafford SADD fundraiser to purchase memorial bench for Maclean Maund
Penn-Trafford is renovating its baseball field in Harrison City and the project includes artificial turf for the infield. But there also are plans for a special memorial to honor a former Warriors standout pitcher. The Penn-Trafford Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD) are having a “Give It Your All” online apparel...
Westmoreland H.S. notebook: Reaching final ‘like no other’ for Belle Vernon’s Hartman
Jared Hartman is as grateful as he is delighted as Belle Vernon prepares to play for a WPIAL boys basketball championship. The Leopards senior forward looks back to the spring and summer of 2018 with a bittersweetness that can only be measured in setbacks and successes. “I was pretty down,...
At a glance: Local Division III basketball conference tournaments
College basketball conference tournaments are underway in the region and March Madness is on the horizon for Division III programs. Here is a look at the playoffs in the Presidents’ Athletic Conference and the Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference. Men PAC Semifinals Tonight ( 7 p.m.) 6-Saint Vincent (13-13) at 1-Grove...
Undefeated Southmoreland decided underdog against North Catholic
Overcoming the stigma of playing a perennial powerhouse can be just as important as matching baskets with one. It also could be the key intangible that drives an upset. Southmoreland is 24-0 but is a decided underdog heading into its first WPIAL girls basketball championship game Friday night at Petersen...
Belle Vernon ends New Castle’s reign, makes first WPIAL finals trip since 1978
Belle Vernon coach Joe Salvino did not speak to his players about New Castle’s success in the WPIAL boys basketball playoffs or the Red Hurricanes’ reputation as a storied program. He didn’t see a need to oversell his team’s semifinal opponent. “The kids know all of that already,” the veteran...
Unbeaten Southmoreland girls seeking fast start in quest to upset No. 1 North Catholic
Senior forward Sarah Pisula could have typed a text message and sent it in the time she had to line up a pair of 3-pointers early in Monday night’s playoff game. Instead, she dialed it up from long distance. Freshman teammate Olivia Cernuto, a fast-rising point guard, followed her lead....
Westmoreland campus clippings: Batts surpasses scoring milestone
Julian Batts plays college basketball out of state, so friends and family usually can watch his games only online. But Batts played a game close to home — as close as the schedule would allow — and achieved a career milestone for the wacthful eyes of local fans. Batts, a...
Westmoreland County basketball playoff preview capsule: Game of Feb. 26, 2020
Today’s game Boys Class 4A Semifinals No. 6 Belle Vernon (18-6) vs. No. 7 New Castle (17-7) 6 p.m. Wednesday at North Allegheny Winner plays: No. 1 Highlands (20-3) or No. 5 Blackhawk (13-10) at 1 p.m. Saturday in championship at Petersen Events Center Coaches: Joe Salvino, Belle Vernon; Ralph...
Southmoreland girls dismiss Central Valley, earn program’s first trip to WPIAL finals
You might consider anything Southmoreland’s girls basketball team did after the quarterfinals a bonus. Gravy, as they say. After reaching the WPIAL semifinals for the first time and earning their first PIAA playoff berth, the Scotties already had earned a prime spot in scrapbooks and a firm place in school...
Westmoreland County basketball playoff preview capsule: Game of Feb. 25, 2020
Today’s game Boys Class 3A Semifinals No. 1 Ligonier Valley (22-2) vs. No. 5 Penns Valley (15-8) 7:30 p.m. at Hollidaysburg Winner plays: No. 2 Westmont Hilltop or No. 3 Richland 7:30 p.m. Friday in championship at Mt. Aloysius College, Cresson Coaches: John Berger, Ligonier Valley; Terrence Glunt, Penns Valley...
Westmoreland campus clippings: Penn-Trafford grad earns preseason player of year nod
Lydia DeFazio took the Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference by storm last softball season. After her breakthrough year, Mt. Aloysius can’t hide its secret weapon any more. DeFazio, a junior who has played first base and catcher at the college level, was tabbed the AMCC Preseason Player of the Year, and...
Waynesburg lacrosse snaps losing streak that spanned 3 seasons
Waynesburg had been waiting a long time to experience the thrill of victory again. The women’s lacrosse team finally broke through and did so Sunday when it scored a 7-5 victory at Thomas More to snap a 45-game losing streak that dated to 2016. Not a bad way to open...
Jeannette boys, Norwin girls hold out hope for PIAA playoff berths
The list might be short, but there are some Westmoreland basketball teams still in the hunt for spots in the PIAA playoffs. Despite a rough start to the district postseason that saw area teams combine for a 4-13 record over the first round and quarterfinals, five teams could end up...
Southmoreland girls basketball spearheads Scotties’ sports turnaround
One observer of Southmoreland athletics put it bluntly. For years, the Scotties carried a demeaning moniker with them whenever they showed up on opponents’ schedules. “Lovable losers.” Ouch. The mild-mannered Scotties — even their actual nickname seems to fit, with a wagging tail — would go through the motions, the...
Westmoreland County basketball playoff preview capsule: Game of Feb. 24, 2020
Today’s game Girls Class 4A semifinals No. 2 Southmoreland (23-0) vs. No. 3 Central Valley (18-6) 8 p.m. at Peters Township Winner plays: No. 1 North Catholic (21-1) or No. 4 Blackhawk (20-3) Coaches: Brian Pritts, Southmoreland; Chris Raso, Central Valley Points scored/allowed: Southmoreland 57.5 ppg/30.8; Central Valley 60.5/44.7 Players...
Free agent Terrelle Pryor healthy after stabbing, confident he can still play in NFLVideo
No matter where his football career goes from here, two words will always follow Terrelle Pryor. What if. What if he had gone somewhere other than Ohio State? What if he had not switched positions and stayed a quarterback in the NFL? What if he had signed a multi-year deal...
Westmoreland H.S. notebook: Rich Garland lands at Mt. Pleasant
When Rich Garland left Franklin Regional, he knew his days of coaching girls soccer in the WPIAL were not over. He was looking for a fresh start. It didn’t take him long to land with a new program. Garland, who guided Franklin Regional for 19 years and win 211 games,...
Shenango mans up, knocks off Jeannette in boys Class 2A quarters
Shenango had planned to come out in a 3-2 zone defense against Jeannette in the WPIAL Class 2A boys basketball quarterfinals, but coach Bob McQuiston had an 11th hour change of heart. “I was laying on bed (Thursday night) thinking about it, and I thought, ‘You know what? Let’s just...
Westmoreland County basketball playoff preview capsules: Games of Feb. 22, 2020
WPIAL basketball playoff preview Boys Class 4A Quarterfinals No. 6 Belle Vernon (17-6) vs. No. 3 Quaker Valley (17-5) 2:30 p.m. Saturday at Plum Winner plays: No. 2 Knoch (19-3) or No. 7 New Castle (16-7) Wednesday in semifinals Coaches: Joe Salvino, Belle Vernon; Mike Mastroianni, Quaker Valley Points scored/allowed:...
Undefeated Southmoreland girls survive stern test from FreeportVideo
Southmoreland made history and continued its perfect season, but the Scotties had to earn every bit of it. With its gang-busting defense saddled with its toughest test of the season, and Freeport answering each punch with an even better counter-punch, Southmoreland had to find a way to get to 23-0....
