Bill Beckner stories, Page 31
Bethel Park uses OT to get around upstart Latrobe
When Xavier Jackson took a tumble after getting fouled during the first overtime, he considered not going back into the game because he felt pain in his hip. The Bethel Park junior forward quickly reconsidered, wiping the rubber pellets from the turf off his face and arms and checking back...
Westmoreland County high school soccer playoff capsule for Oct. 24, 2024
WPIAL soccer playoffs Girls Class 4A Quarterfinals 6-Canon-McMillan (12-3-1) at 3-Penn-Trafford (13-4) 7 p.m. Thursday, Warrior Stadium, Harrison City Winner plays: Winner of 7-Upper St. Clair (10-5-2)/2-Seneca Valley (12-2-2) on Monday in semifinals Corner kicks: Canon-McMillan scored seven first-half goals en route to an 11-0 victory over No. 11 Hempfield...
North Hills boys soccer unseats WPIAL champ Norwin
North Hills beat the buzzer, and the defending champs. With a little help, the No. 12-seeded Indians used a last-second goal to shock No. 5 Norwin, 3-2, in a WPIAL Class 4A first-round boys soccer playoff game Tuesday night at Norwin Knights Stadium. Just when it looked like it was...
Westmoreland County high school soccer playoff games for Oct. 23, 2024
WPIAL soccer playoffs Class 3A Quarterfinals 7-Franklin Regional (12-3-1) at 2-Thomas Jefferson (13-1-2) 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Thomas Jefferson Stadium, Jefferson Hills Winner plays: Winner of 14-Chartiers Valley (9-8)/3-Mars (13-1-4) on Monday in semifinals Corner kicks: Franklin Regional moved into the quarterfinals with a 3-0 victory over No. 10 Trinity as...
Mt. Lebanon girls upset Norwin on PKs in 1st round of soccer playoffs
Mt. Lebanon didn’t get a golden goal, but it leaned on its golden freshman to survive and advance. Goalkeeper Makenna Tappe expected to have an impact, but the freshman didn’t imagine this in her first varsity playoff game. Tappe not only made a key save but also converted her shot...
Westmoreland County campus clippings: Latrobe grad Sofia DeCerb stands tall for JMU soccer
Sofia DeCerb was a tall task for opposing soccer players when she guarded the net at Latrobe — literally, she’s 6-foot tall. Now, she is stopping shots at James Madison, and other teams also have to shoot low. DeCerb, a redshirt freshman, has taken over the position for the Dukes...
Westmoreland County WPIAL playoff soccer capsules: Games for Oct. 22, 2024
WPIAL soccer playoffs Boys Class 4A First round 12-North Hills (10-8) at 5-Norwin (11-5-1) 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Norwin Knights Stadium, North Huntingdon Winner plays: Winner of 13-Central Catholic (5-11-1)/4-North Allegheny (14-3-1) on Saturday in quarterfinals Corner kicks: North Hills has lost four of its last five and three in a...
Westmoreland WPIAL playoff soccer capsules: Games for Monday, Oct. 21, 2024
WPIAL soccer playoffs Boys Class 2A First round 10-Shady Side Academy (11-4-1) at 7-Mt. Pleasant (13-5) 6:30 p.m. Monday, Viking Stadium, Mt. Pleasant Winner plays: Winner of 15-McGuffey (9-8-1)/2-Avonworth (14-2-2) Thursday in quarterfinals Corner kicks: Shady Side Academy outscored teams 83-19 and has a five-game winning streak. The Bulldogs beat...
Westmoreland high school notebook: Franklin Regional baseball player Yarabinetz commits to La Salle
When he was a freshman, Brady Yarabinetz began to see a growth spurt in his baseball skills. He realized he was adjusting quickly to the varsity level and started to see a potential future in the game. Fast forward to his senior year, and the Franklin Regional outfielder is ready...
Latrobe boys soccer team notches 1st playoff win
Latrobe will remember its first playoff win in boys soccer for a number of reasons. • The Agostoni brothers each scored a goal. • The defense posted a shutout on the Wildcats’ home turf. • Traffic from a Donald Trump rally just up the road at the airport hindered late...
Westmoreland high school football notebook: Latrobe’s big win changes wild-card picture
Latrobe threw the Big East Conference for a loop. The Wildcats, decimated by injuries but not ready to pack it in, knocked off Gateway, 28-27, to throw their hat into the ring for a potential wild-card spot. Latrobe is 5-4 overall and 2-3 in the conference. The top three teams...
Westmoreland High School Athletes of the week: Week ending Oct. 20, 2024
The Westmoreland County Athletes of the Week is presented by Smail Kia. Look for the tags and look for the savings at Smail Kia in Greensburg. Eden Williams School: Franklin Regional Class: Senior Sport: Soccer Claim to fame: Williams, an IUP commit, is one of the top all-around players in...
Franklin Regional’s Joey Bayne turning heads on football, soccer fields
Joey Bayne changed his hairstyle recently, going from long, wavy, brown locks to a blond buzz-cut with dark tiger stripes. Bayne can change his look quickly during the fall season, too. One day, he’s a speedy forward creating goals for the soccer team. The next, he’s launching touchbacks into the...
Norwin notebook: Knights sweep county cross country titles
Norwin doesn’t go to cross country meets to see the changing leaves and experience ambience. No, the Knights go to win. Norwin swept another meet this season by winning titles at the Westmoreland County Coaches Association Championship on the 5K course at Westmoreland County Community College. The girls, who are...
In 2nd stint with team, new coach wants Norwin hockey to push pace
Familiarity will not be a problem for Denny Zeravica, the new hockey coach at Norwin. He has been around the program for close to two decades, so he knows the key names and faces on and off the ice. Back for a second stint as head coach of the Knights,...
Greensburg Salem routs Yough, steps toward playoff spot
Cole Savage was in the mood for a big-man touchdown. His team is in the mood to make the WPIAL playoffs. Savage had a scoop-and-score, one of four turnovers forced by the Greensburg Salem defense, and the Golden Lions were efficient on offense as they thumped Yough, 37-8, on Friday...
Westmoreland County soccer playoff preview capsules for Oct. 19, 2024
WPIAL soccer playoffs Boys Class 3A First round 13-Ringgold (10-7-1) at 4-Latrobe (12-4-1) 2 p.m. Saturday, Rossi Field, Latrobe Winner plays: Winner of 12-Montour (9-8)/5-Bethel Park (11-5) on Wednesday in quarterfinals Corner kicks: Ringgold finished fourth in a strong Section 2 that also includes No. 2 seed Thomas Jefferson, No....
Greensburg Central Catholic beats California in WPIAL playoff battle of short-handed teams
Four soccer players, four cheerleaders, two cross country runners and two basketball players are moving on in the WPIAL girls soccer playoffs. That is the makeup of the team at Greensburg Central Catholic, which cruised to a 10-0 victory over host California on Thursday night in a matchup of short-handed...
Frazier calls off Friday night football game vs. Greensburg Central Catholic
Friday night’s Greensburg Central Catholic at Frazier Class A Eastern Conference football game has been postponed due to a shortage of players on the Frazier team. The school district said the team is overwhelmed with injuries and would have trouble filling out a lineup. “We have determined that it is...
Westmoreland County high school football notebook: Teams close in on playoff berths
The WPIAL playoffs are drawing nearer, with the league set to release seedings and pairings Oct. 26. No Westmoreland County team has clinched a playoff berth yet, but several could this week. The top four out of seven teams in Class 6A qualify. Central Catholic and North Allegheny have clinched....
Dual-threat quarterbacks give defenses fits in Westmoreland County
If they don’t beat you with their arms, they’ll beat you with their legs. A number of quarterbacks from Westmoreland County fit the dual-threat description, with the ability to make throws or take off and run with each developing snap. The measure of the best dual-threat QBs often is the...
8 Westmoreland boys, girls soccer teams will start WPIAL playoffs at home
There is no place like home for eight local soccer teams. The teams learned Wednesday they will be hosting their opening WPIAL playoff games. Higher-seeded teams will play at home in the first two rounds. “Not having to travel is huge,” said Penn-Trafford girls coach Jimmy Mastroianni, whose team is...
Westmoreland WPIAL soccer playoff capsules: Games for Thursday, Oct. 17, 2024
WPIAL soccer playoffs Boys Class 3A Preliminary round 17-West Mifflin (3-12) at 16-Belle Vernon (7-9) 6:30 p.m. Thursday, James Weir Stadium, Belle Vernon Winner plays: At No. 1 Moon (17-0) 6 p.m. Saturday in first round Corner kicks: Belle Vernon and West Mifflin finished tied for fourth in Section 3...
Breaking down the 2024 WPIAL boys soccer playoffs
Here’s a look at the 2024 WPIAL boys soccer playoffs: Class 4A Favorite: Plum was in Class 3A last year and was upset by South Fayette in the quarterfinals, but that was the Mustangs’ last loss. They have allowed 10 goals all season and tied two good 4A teams in...
Trio of unbeaten teams earn top seeds for WPIAL soccer playoffs
Three undefeated teams earned No. 1 seeds in the WPIAL boys soccer playoffs. Plum (15-0-3) was rewarded with the top seed in Class 4A, while Moon (17-0) took the top spot in 3A, and Bentworth (15-0) is No. 1 in Class A. In Class 2A, South Park (16-1-1) was given...
