High school notebook: Norwin wrestling coach leads U16 team to national duals title
Called the “toughest wrestling tournament in the country,” the USA Wrestling National Championships represent a true test of talent for coaches and competitors. To Kyle Martin, the event represents a grandiose stage that matches the competition level. Martin found so much enjoyment and success in last year’s event, he couldn’t...
2022 Trib HSSN Preseason Football All-Star Team: Belle Vernon’s Quinton Martin
Editor’s note: The Tribune-Review and the TribLive High School Sports Network are profiling each member of the 25-player Trib HSSN Preseason Football All-Star team. The players will be recognized July 15 during HSSN Media Day at Kennywood Park. An athlete of Quinton Martin’s ilk could line up just about anywhere...
Bolstered by 5 WPIAL championship teams, Quaker Valley captures Class 4A Trib Cup
Mike Mastroianni was in a no lose situation in this year’s race for the Trib HSSN Cup in Class 4A. He is the athletic director and boys basketball coach at Quaker Valley while he lives in the Montour school district. Those two schools finished first and second, with Mastroianni’s Quakers...
Westmoreland notebook: Belle Vernon slugger Maren Metikosh class of 4A softball
Maren Metikosh has a name that rolls off the tongue. It is pure alliteration for broadcasters and announcers at Belle Vernon softball games. Her swing is even smoother. The rising senior had a memorable season for the Leopards as she launched home runs off the Dairy Queen sign in left...
Beaver’s Payton List, Mt. Lebanon’s Deirdre Flaherty top all-state softball awards
Mt. Lebanon catcher Deirdre Flaherty and Beaver pitcher Payton List topped the list of players earning all-state honors Thursday from the Pennsylvania High School Softball Coaches Association. Flaherty was named as the state’s top position player, and List shared pitcher of the year honors with North Penn’s Julia Schearer. Two...
Westmoreland high school notebook: Latrobe’s Blair gets D-I offer
Emma Blair has her first NCAA Division I scholarship offer. The girls basketball standout from Latrobe was offered over the weekend by South Carolina-Upstate in Valley Falls, S.C. The 6-foot-1 throwback forward, who is known for her prowess to produce double-doubles, averaged 13.6 points and 12.5 rebounds and shot 56%...
Belle Vernon’s Viva Kreis playing high-level international handball with U.S. national team
Viva Kreis has been on a global barnstorming tour training with the U.S. junior and senior handball teams. The rising senior at Belle Vernon is sightseeing and bonding with her teammates, with her mother, Mary, by her side, as she continues to extend her budding playing career. The trip also...
Westmoreland H.S. notebook: Penn-Trafford, Greensburg Salem among biggest moves in basketball realignment
Summer is just starting, but the WPIAL has its new basketball sections in place for the next winter season. The biggest movers in Westmoreland County are Penn-Trafford and Greensburg Salem, which are dropping from Class 6A. Penn-Trafford will be in 5A in boys and girls hoops. The Greensburg Salem boys...
Westmoreland HS notebook: Special honor for Norwin’s Rosado Guindin
Norwin senior Sebastian Rosado Guindin knew he was in the running for a unique award, but he was a little taken aback when his name was called. “Yes, I was a surprised when I won,” he said. Rosado Guindin won the Pittsburgh Metropolitan Area Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Sports Most...
Westmoreland H.S. notebook: Local players shine at Roundball Classic games
Westmoreland County was well-represented at last weekend’s Roundball Classic senior all-star games, an event that wraps a bow around another high school basketball season in Western Pa. Maybe “most valuable” would be a better way to frame their overall showing at Geneva College. Ligonier Valley’s Matthew Marinchak was named his...
Burrell softball advances with grueling 11-inning win vs. Belle Vernon
The Burrell and Belle Vernon softball teams went well beyond regulation to decide their WPIAL Class 4A quarterfinal game Monday at Norwin. As dusk approached and the teams were locked in a scoreless battle with a trip to the semifinals on the line — Belle Vernon’s Talia Ross and Burrell’s...
What to watch for in WPIAL sports for May 23, 2022: Rematches set for baseball playoffs
Welcome to Semifinals Monday in the 2022 WPIAL baseball playoffs. Unless your team is in classes 6A or 4A, then it’s Welcome to Quarterfinals Monday. Whether it’s the second or third round, the recurring theme is rematches. Of the 16 scheduled games, 11 are matchups between teams that faced each...
A-K Valley softball playoff capsules: Games of Monday, May 23, 2022
Class 4A quarterfinals 6-Belle Vernon (12-7-1) vs. 3-Burrell (11-1) 5 p.m. at Norwin Winner plays: Winner of 10-West Mifflin (12-9) vs. 2-Elizabeth Forward (14-2) on Wednesday in semifinals (time, site TBD) Players to watch: Ashley Joll, Belle Vernon; Katie Armstrong, Burrell Extra bases: Belle Vernon registered its first playoff win...
Westmoreland softball playoff capsules: Games of Monday, May 23, 2022
Class 4A quarterfinals 5-Montour (13-4) vs. 4-Yough (13-3) 3 p.m. at West Mifflin Winner plays: Winner of 8-Freeport (10-6) vs. 1-Beaver (16-0) on Wednesday in semifinals Players to watch: Mia Arndt, Montour; McKenzie Pritts, Yough Extra bases: Montour held off Knoch in the first round 11-9. The Spartans trailed 9-7...
Westmoreland WPIAL softball playoff capsules: Games for Wednesday, May 18, 2022
Class 6A Quarterfinals 8-Norwin (6-9) vs. 1-Hempfield (12-3) 3:30 p.m. Wednesday at Penn-Trafford Winner plays: Winner of 5-Bethel Park (9-8) vs. 4-Seneca Valley (10-6), May 25 (time, site TBD) Players to watch: Angelina Pepe, Sr., Norwin; Margaret Howard, So., Hempfield Extra bases: Norwin overpowered No. 9 Baldwin in the first...
Westmoreland high school notebook: Area players to take part in upcoming Roundball games
Basketball season ended months ago, but the Roundball Classic will bring together some of the top talent from the WPIAL this week. The nine senior all-star games will be Thursday through Saturday at Geneva College in Beaver Falls. Area boys selected are Nick Crum and Noah Wright of Penn-Trafford, Michael...
Westmoreland baseball notebook: Franklin Regional playing well at right time
Franklin Regional won’t get the No. 1 seed like it did last year, but the Panthers have something most of the other teams in the WPIAL Class 5A playoff field don’t have: championship experience. The defending champions, who ran their winning streak to six with a 10-3 win over Kiski...
Westmoreland County softball notebook: Top-5 seeds at stake when WPIAL brackets are released
The WPIAL is scheduled to release playoff brackets at 4 p.m. Thursday virtually via the TribLive High School Sports Network. The rundown of local teams in the postseason looks like this: Hempfield (12-2) and Norwin (4-8) in Class 6A; Franklin Regional (13-5), Kiski Area (12-5), Penn-Trafford (13-2) and Latrobe (7-4)...
Yough softball rallies to stay in section title hunt; errors doom Belle Vernon
Trailing by a run with two outs in the top of the seventh inning Monday afternoon, the Yough softball team managed to rally without getting a single hit. The Cougars were down to their last strike on three occasions against Belle Vernon pitcher Talia Ross, yet they managed to plate...
What to watch for on Trib HSSN for Monday, May 9, 2022: Baseball, softball, tennis on tap
Welcome to the final week of the WPIAL baseball and softball regular season. With weather not an issue, several district baseball teams hope to join the long list of schools that have qualified for the 2022 WPIAL baseball playoffs with a victory Monday. *Kiski Area can clinch a playoff berth...
Westmoreland County softball notebook: Ligonier Valley’s Griffin gets aggressive
The owner of a 21-strikeout perfect game and three no-hitters this season, Ligonier Valley senior pitcher Maddie Griffin has all the physical tools to dominate in the circle. She has proven that beyond a doubt over the last season-plus of WPIAL and PIAA softball. But the Youngstown State commit, who...
WPIAL track notebook: Baldwin Invitational returns to 1-day format
When Baldwin track and field coach Ed Helbig approached the Baldwin-Whitehall School District administration about the 48th annual Baldwin Track and Field Invitational, they wanted the event to be held over two days because of covid concerns. But with the covid threat diminishing, Helbig was told recently the meet could...
A closer look at 2022 Westmoreland County Scholar-Athlete honorees
BELLE VERNON Morgan Einodshofer Sports: Soccer and track and field Parents: Susan and Michael Einodshofer Class rank: 1 of 191 GPA: 4.589 College: Undecided Extracurricular activities and honors: Hugh O’Brian Youth Leadership Award in 2019. … National Honor Society. … Mid Mon Valley All-Sports Hall of Fame Scholar-Athlete. … All-WPIAL...
Westmoreland County softball notebook: Ligonier Valley specializes in perfection
Ligonier Valley has only been in the WPIAL since 2020, but the softball program’s stay has been, in some ways, perfect. How many programs can say they have thrown six perfect games in two years? How many have six perfect games in their history? Senior Maddie Griffin tossed the fifth...
Numerous athletes looking to defend titles at WCCA meet
The best of Westmoreland County will descend on Latrobe’s Memorial Stadium Saturday for the running of the Westmoreland County Coaches’ Association track and field championship. This is the 99th year for the boys and 42nd for the girls. Numerous returning champions are back trying to defend their titles. Heading the...
