Bill Beckner stories, Page 209
Scoring Factory’s Pete Strobl to coach in Germany
Basketball guru Pete Strobl, who founded The Scoring Factory training business in Pittsburgh, is headed overseas to coach the professional game. Strobl, 41, was named head coach of Basketball Löwen Braunschweig, which played in the highest level of German basketball. He was an assistant for Basketball Bundesliga of Ratiopharm Ulm...
Former Seton Hill ace Perry DellaValle a minor-league all-star
Former Seton Hill standout pitcher, Perry DellaValle, who was drafted last year by the St. Louis Cardinals, was selected to play in the Florida State League All-Star Game set for June 15 in Jupiter, Fla. DellaValle, 23, plays for the Advanced-Class A Palm Beach Cardinals. He is 2-3 with a...
Alec Stopperich paces field with 66 at West Penn Amateur qualifier
There was no stopping Alex Stopperich. The Valley Brook Country Club member was the medalist with a 6-under-par 66 and 11 other players joined him as qualifiers for the 119th Western Pennsylvania Golf Association Amateur. Stopperich eagled the 344-yard par-4 first hole and made six birdies to pace the 72-player...
Hempfield blanks McDowell, reaches PIAA semifinals for 5th straight season
The home plate umpire might have forced Hempfield pitcher Callie Sowers to give up her good luck charm, but the Spartans were reluctant to throw in the towel. Sowers couldn’t keep her lucky gold cloth in her back pocket like she has done all season because the ump said it...
Southmoreland graduate Adeline Nicholson transferring to D-I Morehead State
Adeline Nicholson is proof the new NCAA transfer portal works. Nicholson’s name was entered into the portal, a national database designed to let athletes talk to other schools without restriction after first informing their current school of their desire to leave. It essentially can resemble a draft board for schools...
Hot-hitting Hempfield softball begins state title defense with mercy-rule win
Hempfield’s softball lineup, and the team’s offense in general, has been a steady progression from the start of the season through the state playoffs. It may just be 23-year veteran coach Bob Kalp’s greatest work in progress, and it’s rounding into form at just the right time. With each win,...
Westmoreland campus clippings: Honors roll in for Seton Hill baseball
Seton Hill fell short of its goal. A sign in the dugout says, “Cary, NC 484,” to signify the mileage from the Greensburg campus to the site of the NCAA Division II World Series. But the Griffins still managed a number of postseason accolades. Senior Andrew Chuba earned All-America honors...
Could Brennan Marion’s ‘Go-Go’ offense work in the NFL?
Brennan Marion brought an avant garde approach to the spread offense when he broke onto the college football scene two years ago. The fast-paced, “Go-Go” offense put up points, yards and highlights at Howard University and now Marion hopes it translates in his first season at William & Mary. But...
Terrelle Pryor signs with Jacksonville Jaguars
Jeannette’s Terrelle Pryor will head to camp with another new team, his ninth in eight years in the NFL. The Jacksonville Jaguars signed the veteran quarterback-turned-wide receiver to a one-year contract. The 6-foot-4, 228-pound Pryor spent last season with the New York Jets and Buffalo Bills during what has been...
Former St. Francis star Jess Kovatch signs pro basketball contract
So many times, Jess Kovatch clearly was the best player on the court when she played at St. Francis (Pa.). The standout guard fired in 3-pointers with no ceiling on her range, and slashed the lane for tough baskets to the tune of 2,874 points – the scoring record for...
Elizabeth Forward knocks off Mt. Pleasant for 1st WPIAL softball title
Elizabeth Forward softball coach Harry Rutherford didn’t tell his team Mt. Pleasant was ranked No. 13 in the nation by MaxPreps. “They didn’t need to know that,” the coach said. “I don’t know if they knew that. They had already beaten two undefeated teams (earlier in the season), and I...
Westmoreland campus clippings: Greensburg Salem graduate picked for NFL coaching summit
Brennan Marion is a sponge when it comes to gaining — and sharing — football information. Which made him a perfect candidate for the NFL Quarterback Coaching Summit. Marion, the offensive coordinator at William & Mary and a Greensburg Salem graduate, will join a number of other NFL and college...
Saint Vincent trainer Becky Pizer wins grant
Saint Vincent College athletic trainer Becky Pizer was the recipient of the Gatorade Fueling Greatness Education Grant by the College Athletic Trainers’ Society. She was recognized at the recent College Athletic Trainers Society convention in Las Vegas. A first-year award, the grant is for CATS members who have “helped advance...
WPIAL Class 4A softball final preview: Mt. Pleasant vs. Elizabeth Forward
No. 1 Mt. Pleasant (17-0) vs. No. 2 Elizabeth Forward (16-3) NOON FRIDAY AT LATROBE Coaches: Chris Brunson, Mt. Pleasant; Harry Rutherford, Elizabeth Forward Players to watch: Mary Smithnosky, So., OF, Mt. Pleasant; Bri Sersevic, So., C, Elizabeth Forward WPIAL titles: Mt. Pleasant 1 (2016 3A); Elizabeth Forward 0 How...
WPIAL Class 6A softball final preview: Hempfield vs. North Allegheny
No. 3 Hempfield (15-6) vs. No. 1 North Allegheny (15-6) 2:15 p.m. Thursday at Peterswood Park Coaches: Bob Kalp, Hempfield; Morgan Vescovi, North Allegheny Players to watch: Emma Hoffner, So., C, Hempfield; Rachel Martindale, Sr., SS, North Allegheny WPIAL titles: Hempfield 6 (2018, ‘17 6A; ‘16, ‘15, ‘09 4A; ‘98...
Unbeaten Mt. Pleasant overcomes loss of Poulich to reach WPIAL final
Mt. Pleasant softball players, coaches and fans held their collective breath when Courtney Poulich dropped to the ground, writhing in pain. It was the Section 1-4A opener at home against Indiana, and Poulich stretched out to pull in a potential putout at first base. The attempted stab was more stabbing:...
Penn-Trafford takes down Franklin Regional, reaches state playoffs for 1st time since ’90
Refreshed and refocused, Penn-Trafford quickly closed the door on a sour loss in the WPIAL softball semifinals and rebounded for a historically significant victory in the Class 5A third-place game. Emma Little and Brooke Cleland each had two hits as the Warriors set the scene early and downed Franklin Regional,...
Mt. Pleasant’s Haylie Brunson opens recruitment
Another one of the WPIAL’s top sophomore softball players has opened her recruitment. Mt. Pleasant’s versatile Haylie Brunson decommitted from Louisiana-Lafayette, a school she pledged to as a freshman. She will see what interest begins to materialize this summer during the travel ball season and go from there. “For the...
WVU sophomore Mark Goetz breaks course record at Hannastown
With his college season finished, Mark Goetz returned to Greensburg to play his home course. Make that, overtake his home course. Goetz carved up a career round Monday — and had a Memorial Day to remember – with a course-record 10-under par 60 at Hannastown Golf Club. A sophomore at...
WPIAL Class 6A baseball final preview: Penn-Trafford vs. Pine-Richland
WPIAL baseball championships Class 6A 1-Penn-Trafford (18-3) vs. 2-Pine-Richland (17-4) 7:30 p.m. Wednesday at Wild Things Park, Washington Coaches: Dan Miller, Penn-Trafford; Kurt Wolfe, Pine-Richland Players to watch: Maclean Maund, Sr., P, Penn-Trafford; Matt Wood, Sr., C Pine-Richand WPIAL titles: Penn-Trafford 0; Pine-Richland 5 (2017 6A; ’10 4A; ’06, ’05,...
Westmoreland Campus Clippings: GCC’s Liberatore nabs conference honor
Some athletes have “hello world” moments in college sports. Collin Liberatore has had a “hello world” season at Indiana State. The junior starting pitcher was named the Missouri Valley Conference Newcomer of the Year. Liberatore, a right-hander from Greensburg Central Catholic who transferred from Pitt and sat out a season,...
Seton Hill lacrosse senior John Miller to play in national all-star game
Seton Hill midfielder John Miller will play in the United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association Division I/II All-Star Game Friday at the U.S. Lacrosse Headquarters in Sparks, Md. The 78th all-star event features top-tier seniors from around the nation. Miller was an All-Great Midwest Athletic Conference first team player for the...
Greensburg Salem grad Brennan Marion invited to NFL coaching summit
Rising coach Brennan Marion is a sponge when it comes to gaining — and sharing — football information. Which made him a perfect candidate for the NFL Quarterback Coaching Summit. Marion, the offensive coordinator at William & Mary and a Greensburg Salem graduate, will join a number of other NFL...
Uncharacteristic mistakes cost top-seeded Penn-Trafford softball trip to final
How quickly things can change in the WPIAL softball playoffs. “You don’t feel comfortable with any lead until the game is over,” Penn-Trafford coach Denny Little said. Top-seeded Penn-Trafford built an early four-run advantage, but several defensive lapses led to a drastic swing in momentum and allowed No. 4 Connellsville...
Solid pitching, defense and just enough hitting lift Mt. Pleasant softball into final
Center fielder Sydney Kanuch made a terrific, over-the-shoulder catch to snap closed the sixth inning. Third baseman Haylie Brunson clubbed a solo home run to deep right. Fast-armed pitcher Carolyn Alincic allowed just four hits against a team that made decent contact against her. And coach Chris Brunson almost lost...
