Bill Beckner stories, Page 63
Norwin claims 1st WPIAL soccer championship with PK shootout win over North Allegheny
When Norwin started a group chat in the preseason, they called it “Road to Highmark.” When they rattled off back-to-back playoff upsets, they changed the name to, “Highmark.” Maybe now the Knights will label the ongoing text chain, “WPIAL champs.” George Bunovich scored the clinching penalty kick in a shootout...
Big plays help Greensburg Central Catholic top West Greene, end playoff drought
Establishing a running game, hitting some long scoring plays and sending a message early on defense, Greensburg Central Catholic erased a nuisance of a playoff drought. Speaking of nuisances, West Greene played that part well in the WPIAL Class A first round. No. 8 seed GCC took a big lead...
Hempfield grad wins Pan Am gold in pole vault
Already a world-class athlete, Bridget (Guy) Williams became a world champion with a victory at the Pan Am Games. The Hempfield and Virginia alum soared to a gold medal in the pole vault Friday at Julio Martinez Pradanos National Stadium in Santiago, Chile with a vault of 4.6 meters (15...
Norwin, North Allegheny expect physical, high-energy battle for Class 4A championship
North Allegheny and Butler engaged in some chippy final minutes in the WPIAL boys soccer semifinals. There was physical play, even some shoving, which resulted in yellow cards and a red card on Butler. Tigers second-year coach Manny Montero doesn’t condone that level of aggression, but he wasn’t completely put...
Westmoreland County high school football notebook: Playoff win would mean a lot to Greensburg Central Catholic
Greensburg Central Catholic versus West Greene. Truth be told, there isn’t very much green to this WPIAL Class A first-round playoff matchup. GCC (7-3) defeated West Greene (8-2) earlier in the season 48-30 and will look to make it back-to-back wins over the Pioneers when the teams play at 7...
Norwin goalkeeper returns from injury just in time for brilliant playoff run
Eleven games into his senior season, big-gloved Anthony Scalise was batting away shots, deflecting crosses and spoiling corner kicks with regularity. There weren’t many goalkeepers better than him in the state’s largest classification. But then came a freak disruption. The Norwin senior tore a groin muscle against rival Penn-Trafford in...
Westmoreland County high school soccer notebook: Latrobe’s Robin Reilly up for top award
Robin Reilly was one of the top goal scorers and set-up midfielders in Class 3A this season. An All-WPIAL selection, the junior from Latrobe is up for the top award in the WPIAL game. Reilly is a finalist for the Moe Rosensteel Most Outstanding Player of the Year Award, which...
Westmoreland County high school football playoff matchups for 2023 Week 10
Class 5A quarterfinals 8-Franklin Regional (6-4) at 1-Peters Township (10-0) 7 p.m. Friday, Confluence Financial Partners Stadium, McMurray Last week: Penn-Trafford 27, Franklin Regional 14; Peters Township 68, Bethel Park 28 Winner plays: Winner of 5-Moon (5-5)/4-Gateway (5-5) in semifinals Nov. 10 (time, site TBA) These teams are meeting for...
Coaching conundrum can’t slow Norwin’s run to WPIAL boys soccer finals
A referee saw Carter Breen jogging across the field during pregame warmups Tuesday night at Hampton and stopped him. “He asked me if I was one of the players from Norwin,” Breen said. “I laughed. I’m like, ‘No, I’m the coach.’ ” Still looking the part of a youthful player,...
Moon keeper Serayah Leech picked for All-American Game
Moon senior goalkeeper Serayah Leech was selected to play in the 11th annual Girls’ Soccer High School All-American Game, set for Dec. 9 at Wando High School in Charleston, S.C. Moon’s Bill Pfeifer was already slated to coach the East team so he will join Leech in the prestigious event....
No. 8 seed Norwin continues playoff surge, beating Fox Chapel to reach WPIAL finals
Anyone wearing a Halloween mask was not permitted to enter Hampton’s Fridley Field on Tuesday night. Anyone wearing a Norwin boys soccer jersey didn’t want to leave. There was plenty of celebrating to be done by the No. 8-seeded Knights after they clipped No. 5 Fox Chapel, 2-1, to continue...
All-state selections, coaches of year revealed for boys soccer
Fourteen boys soccer players from the WPIAL were named to the Pennsylvania Soccer Coaches Association All-State list. Five coaches from Distict 7, meanwhile, garnered coach of the year honors by the Western Pennsylvania Soccer Coaches Association. The all-state honorees include Tyler Prex (Seneca Valley), Tristan Ralph (Plum), Kaiden Fischer (South...
Westmoreland WPIAL playoff soccer capsule: Game for Wednesday, Nov. 1, 2023
WPIAL soccer playoffs Boys Class 3A Consolation game Franklin Regional (12-8) vs. Montour (15-5) 6 p.m. Wednesday at North Allegheny Players to watch: Jovan Sankoorikal, Franklin Regional; Jaxson Camp, Montour Throw-ins: The winner qualifies for the PIAA playoffs, and the loser’s season is finished. … Both teams have short weeks...
Ross golfer Nathan Smith to serve as captain in amateur’s East West Matches
Ross Township’s Nathan Smith, a decorated amateur golfer and six-time USGA champion, is going to get used to having the word captain in front of his name. Smith was selected as captain of the East team for the 2024 East West Matches to be played Nov. 1-3, at Maridoe Golf...
Hampton boys top Franklin Regional, return to WPIAL Class 3A final
Music thumped and blared from the Hampton locker room as Luke Fiscus was about to be interviewed after the game. “Want me to go in and turn that down?” the Talbots senior midfielder asked. And break the mood? Fiscus and his teammates had the volume on full blast most of...
Franklin Regional boys soccer coach to step down at end of playoffs
Franklin Regional boys soccer coach Lukas Petersen is stepping down after this season, which isn’t over yet. Petersen, whose wife, Leslie Carrese, is taking a new job in Baltimore, told the team before the playoffs began that he was leaving but revealed it in an interview Monday night. The Panthers...
Westmoreland WPIAL boys soccer playoff capsule: Game for Tuesday, Oct. 31, 2023
WPIAL soccer playoffs Boys Class 4A Semifinals 8-Norwin (13-5-1) vs. 5-Fox Chapel (12-4-2) 6 p.m. Tuesday at Hampton Winner plays: Winner of 3-Butler (14-2-3)/2-North Allegheny (15-1-2) 5:45 p.m. Saturday in championship at Highmark Stadium, Pittsburgh Players to watch: Anthony Scalise, Norwin; Colin Lazzara, Fox Chapel Throw-ins: Norwin pushed its way...
Norwin boys will vie for spot in soccer title match without suspended coach
Norwin will make its first WPIAL boys soccer semifinal appearance since 2020 on Tuesday night, but the Knights will be without coach Scott Schuchert, who has to sit out after receiving two yellow cards — the equivalent of a red card — in the quarterfinal upset of No. 1 seed...
Finalists announced for Moe Rosensteel award
Three finalists were announced Monday for the Moe Rosensteel Most Outstanding Player of the Year Award, now in its fifth year. The award recognizes the top girls soccer player in the WPIAL. A watch list was put together in August, and a committee of organizers, coaches and media pared it...
2023 All-WPIAL girls soccer teams released
The All-WPIAL girls soccer list was announced Monday. The coaches’ selections are as follows: Lola Abraham, Sr., MF, Riverview Abigail Allan, Sr., MF, South Allegheny Gianna Babusci, Sr., F, Avonworth Shaye Bailey, Sr., F, Freedom Brooklyn Baldensperger, Jr., F, Elizabeth Forward Grace Bannon, Jr., MF, Montour Jillian Botti, Jr., D,...
Greensburg’s Mark Goetz aims to qualify for Korn Ferry Tour
Greensburg’s Mark Goetz is through to the next stage of qualifying for the Korn Ferry Tour, a minor-league type feeder to the PGA Tour. Goetz, 25, finished tied for 10th at a first-stage tournament last week at the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail at Magnolia Grove-Crossings in Semmes, Ala. with...
Westmoreland County campus clippings: Penn-Trafford grad Conlan Greene steps into starting role at Temple
When it comes to Conlan Greene, Temple can keep its redshirt. The former Penn-Trafford standout, who played quarterback and defensive end last season in the WPIAL, is suddenly starting for the Owls at defensive tackle. Injuries to teammates turned Greene into the next man up. According to 24/7 Sports, defensive...
Franklin Regional boys soccer hits stride at perfect time
Franklin Regional found something, and at just the right time. The proof is a pair of playoff upsets for the 11th-seeded Panthers (12-7), who knocked off No. 6 Mars (4-0) before a 2-1, double-overtime win over No. 3 Moon, a team many considered a title contender. Now, a semifinal matchup...
Westmoreland soccer preview capsule: Game for Monday, Oct. 30, 2023
WPIAL soccer playoffs Boys Class 3A Semifinals 11-Franklin Regional (12-7) vs. 2-Hampton (18-2-1) 6 p.m. Monday at North Allegheny Winner plays: Winner of 8-South Fayette (11-4-3)/5-Montour (14-4) TBA in championship at Highmark Stadium, Pittsburgh Players to watch: Tyler Pipon, Franklin Regional; Luke Fiscus, Hampton Throw-ins: Franklin Regional has back-to-back upsets...
Westmoreland HS notebook: Jeannette’s Taylor named Class 2A player of year
Jeannette soccer player Jordan Taylor had a senior season to remember, as he netted a school-record 54 goals to lead the WPIAL. The forward finished with 162 goals, third-most in WPIAL boys soccer history. Taylor’s exploits impressed coaches across Class 2A as he was named the classification’s player of the...
