Bill Beckner stories, Page 53
Ligonier Valley’s Cheyenne Piper throws 3rd straight no-hitter in quarterfinals vs. Ellwood City
She had just thrown her third straight no-hitter — the second in a row in the WPIAL playoffs — and Ligonier Valley senior Cheyenne Piper was just as dumbfounded as her opponents. “I just know when I got the first out, we came together and said, OK, 20 more,” the...
Penn-Trafford overcomes early Moon homers to advance into Class 5A quarterfinals
Penn-Trafford couldn’t break a tie in a tight, four-team Section 1-5A race for first place. But the Warriors had no problem snapping a knotted score in the first round of the WPIAL Class 5A baseball playoffs. Once they did, it was on to the next round. The seventh-seeded Warriors battled...
Clutch pitching key for Franklin Regional in 1st-round win over Connellsville
Connellsville had runners at first and second with one out in the top of the seventh inning, and Franklin Regional pitcher Blake Bertucci quickly fell behind in the count to Matt Firestone. Three balls and no strikes. A touch-and-go, one-run lead in the playoffs rested squarely on Bertucci’s shoulders, but...
Westmoreland high school notebook: Piper sizzles for Ligonier Valley softball
Even in the playoffs, teams are paying the Piper. Ligonier Valley softball pitcher Cheyenne Piper continued to erase hitters with her tricky movement and change of speeds as she twirled her second straight no-hitter, this one a perfect game. Piper, a senior Westminster commit, blanked Keystone Oaks, 8-0, as she...
Westmoreland softball playoff preview capsules: Games for May 16, 2024
WPIAL softball playoffs Class 3A Quarterfinals 2-Ligonier Valley (14-5) vs. 10-Ellwood City (15-4) 4 p.m. Thursday at Plum Winner plays: Winner of 6-Central Valley (12-2)/3-South Park (17-1) in semifinals (date, time, site TBD) Players to watch: Sydnee Foust, Ligonier Valley; Amber McQuiston, Ellwood City Extra bases: Ace Cheyenne Piper continued...
Well-prepared Central Valley knocks Mt. Pleasant out of WPIAL softball playoffs
Like most games, Central Valley softball players knew the assignment. Coach Shannon Sullivan and her staff like to analyze opponents down to the finest details. They know tendencies. “We had girls watching film during study hall,” Sullivan said. “We chart pitches and do our homework on teams. We know what...
Jeannette softball advances past Northgate even without the benefit of a hit
No hits, no problem. Sixth-seeded Jeannette didn’t get a hit against Northgate on Tuesday but took advantage of the Flames’ miscues to score four unearned runs and move on in the WPIAL Class A softball playoffs with a 4-0 victory in the first round at West Mifflin. “It wasn’t pretty,...
Westmoreland softball playoff preview capsules: Games for Wednesday, May 15, 2024
Class 6A Quarterfinals 5-Norwin (8-10) vs. 4-Pine-Richland (11-9) 4 p.m. Wednesday at Gateway Winner plays: 1-Hempfield (18-1) May 22 in semifinals (time, site TBD) Players to watch: Bailey Snowberger, Norwin; Mackenzie Gillis, Pine-Richland Extra bases: Norwin is looking to right the ship after two losses to Pine-Richland in section play...
Westmoreland campus clippings: Norwin grad Declan O’Brien transferring to Delaware
Record-breaking wide receiver Declan O’Brien isn’t done catching passes yet. After a brilliant three-year run at Allegheny, the Norwin product is planning to play a fifth season at a higher level. O’Brien, an All-Region 2 First Team player as a senior, is joining Delaware as a preferred walk-on. O’Brien will...
Shaler scores walk-off win over Franklin Regional in WPIAL Class 5A 1st round
With one swing and a sharp ping to center, trepidation turned to triumph for Alyssa Schaffold. The Shaler sophomore cracked a bases-loaded single up the middle to score junior Olivia Sachs in the bottom of the seventh as the fifth-seeded Titans walked off No. 12 Franklin Regional, 3-2, in the...
Westmoreland high school softball playoff preview capsules for May 14, 2024
WPIAL softball playoffs Class 3A First round 2-Ligonier Valley (13-5) vs. 15-Keystone Oaks (8-9) 4 p.m. Tuesday at Gateway Winner plays: Winner of 10-Ellwood City/7-Burrell on Thursday in quarterfinals (time, site TBD) Players to watch: Cheyenne Piper, Ligonier Valley; Kylie Stahl, Keystone Oaks Extra bases: Ligonier Valley has yet to...
Westmoreland high school softball playoff preview capsules for May 13, 2024
WPIAL playoffs Class 5A First round 4-Penn-Trafford (12-5) vs. 13-Bethel Park (10-9) 5 p.m. Monday at West Mifflin Winner plays: Winner of 5-Shaler (14-3)/12-Franklin Regional (10-8) on Wednesday in quarterfinals (time, site TBD) Players to watch: Cam Ponko, Penn-Trafford; Becky Gillenberger, Bethel Park Extra bases: Penn-Trafford defeated Bethel Park early...
Westmoreland high school sports notebook: GCC’s Crosby gets Buffalo’s attention
Samir Crosby has his third Division I scholarship offer for football. The Greensburg Central Catholic sophomore playmaker added Buffalo to his list, which also includes UNLV and Miami of Ohio. Crosby (5-foot-10, 175 pounds) played a variety of positions last season for GCC, including receiver, running back, quarterback and defensive...
Westmoreland high school athletes of the week: Southmoreland’s Makayla Etling, Franklin Regional’s Max Bernadowski
Makayla Etling School: Southmoreland Class: Junior Sport: Softball Claim to fame: Etling, a catcher for the playoff-bound Scotties (14-2), has been on an offensive tear as the team’s leadoff hitter. Over a four-game stretch, she is 13 for 17 with four doubles, two triples, four home runs and 13 RBIs....
Westmoreland County high school notebook: Belle Vernon junior officially a ‘Rising Star’
One of the WPIAL’s most prolific scorers over the past couple of years will be part of Roundball Classic history. For the first time, the annual all-star basketball games will feature multiple underclassman games for juniors and sophomores. Belle Vernon junior Zion Moore was selected to play in the Rising...
Roundball Classic’s Rising Stars game to feature some of area’s top juniors, sophomores
For the first time officially, the annual Roundball Classic all-star basketball event will feature multiple underclassmen games for juniors and sophomores. Rosters were announced for the “main event” game, the Rising Stars feature game, which will be 8 p.m. May 26 at North Allegheny. The Blue team will be coached...
Hempfield softball ‘proud’ to receive No. 1 seed as WPIAL releases brackets
Hempfield has won eight WPIAL softball championships. During five of those title runs, the Spartans opened the playoffs as a No. 1 seed. Now they will try to make it six. Defending champion Hempfield (18-1) was awarded the top seed in Class 6A when the pairings were announced Thursday. A...
Mt. Pleasant baseball roars into playoffs on 9-game winning streak
As a winning streak began to stretch out like salt water taffy from a preseason trip to Myrtle Beach, Mt. Pleasant baseball coach Chris Firmstone became less surprised. Three straight section sweeps and a nonsection win took the streak to seven — but it was not a lucky seven. “We...
Hempfield, Seneca Valley softball teams downplay importance of No. 1 seed for WPIALs
Neither coach seemed too concerned about it, but they also did not discount the value of getting the top seed. It’s only a number, they consented. Hempfield’s Tina Madison and Marlesse Hames of Seneca Valley basically agreed there isn’t much difference between the Nos. 1 and 2 seeds in the...
After 41 years in coaching, Jim Nesser steps down at Yough
Though he has won section, WPIAL and PIAA boys basketball championships, Jim Nesser is quick to point out he also has guided teams through rough patches, covering both ends of the spectrum in a coaching career that spans four decades. “I have been to the top, and I have been...
Despite squandering many chances, Greensburg Salem baseball holds on for win over Yough, clinches playoff spot
Greensburg Salem felt it could have done more with its 15 hits and slew of opportunities on the base paths. As it turned out, the Golden Lions did just enough to extend their season. Despite leaving 10 on base and getting mixed up in several baserunning miscues, Greensburg Salem clinched...
Westmoreland County campus clippings: PSAC West champion Seton Hill set to open playoffs
Seton Hill locked up its second straight PSAC West Division baseball championship with a two-game split against Gannon. Senior Andino Vecchiolla earned the 3-0 win in Game 2, the final game of the regular season, working five innings, while freshman Owen Henne, grad student Jack Oberdorf (Greensburg Salem), junior Max...
Franklin Regional alum Andrew Muraco commits to Old Dominion
Admitting he needed to get a better grip on his academics while continuing to improve his game, Andrew Muraco took a roundabout way back to Division I baseball. But here he is, back on the doorstep and raring to go again. The former Franklin Regional standout and WPIAL championship game...
Westmoreland athletes of the week: Belle Vernon’s Sienna Steeber, Norwin’s Nicholas Puskar
Sienna Steeber Class: Senior School: Belle Vernon Sport: Track & field Claim to fame: Steeber soared to a school record, breaking her own mark, in the pole vault at the Mid Mon Valley championship, clearing 11 feet to win a title. Steeber, who is Belle Vernon’s first and only pole...
Norwin soccer standout Owen Christopher makes dream come true with Pitt commitment
Owen Christopher had college soccer interest from a number of schools at multiple levels. He only revealed one of them, though, and it’s a winner for the Norwin senior. Christopher, the 2023 TribLive Westmoreland Boys Soccer Player of the Year, will play at Pitt next fall. “I couldn’t have asked...
