Paul Schofield stories, Page 125
Hempfield grad Verkleeran jokes he’s leaving Penn State’s wrestling program
On April 1, Penn State redshirt freshman Jarod Verkleeren announced on Twitter that he was leaving the wrestling program to pursue a World/Olympic dream. Well, before Penn State fans get worried, Verkleeren isn’t going anywhere. It was an April Fool’s joke. After much thought and talking it over with my...
Ginther resigns as Penn-Trafford wrestling coach
Penn-Trafford wrestling coach Rich Ginther informed his team at the end-of-season banquet Sunday that he is not returning as coach next year. Ginther submitted his resignation to the school last week. He has been coaching for more than 20 years, the past 12 at Penn-Trafford. He previously coached at Norwin...
Saint Vincent names Terrance Smith new men’s basketball coach
It didn’t take Saint Vincent long to find a new men’s basketball coach to replace D.P. Harris, who left March 7 to coach at NAIA St. Thomas University in Miami Gardens, Fla. After receiving more than 100 applicants, Saint Vincent officials trimmed the list to six finalists and then to...
Six Seton Hill wrestlers are academic all-Americans
Seton Hill wrestling team had six wrestlers named 2018-19 NCAA Division II Scholar All-Americans. They were Billy Bowlen, Luke Ewing (Greensburg Salem), John Fulmer, Damon Greenwald (Burrell), Sean Hoover and Ryan Ressler. Seton Hill wrestling team finished 18th in the country with an overall GPA of 3.099. Maryville University led...
Franklin Regional graduate Spencer Lee named Iowa wrestling team’s MVP
Iowa sophomore Spencer Lee overcame an unknown illness that zapped him of his strength during the 2018-19 season to capture his second NCAA Division I 125-pound wrestling national title March 23 at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh. Neither Lee, nor any team spokesman, would comment on the reported illness. “I...
Greensburg Salem graduate Chris Eddins receives regional wrestling honor
Pitt-Johnstown junior Chris Eddins recently won his second NCAA Division II wrestling title by defeating Tiffin’s Trey Grine, 7-2, on March 9, in Cleveland, Ohio. The Greensburg Salem graduate won the 149-pound title and on Thursday was named the National Wrestling Coaches Association Super Region I Wrestler of the Year....
High school roundup for April 3, 2019: McGovern leads No. 1 Hopewell past No. 5 Beaver Falls
Winning pitcher Jake McGovern drove in four runs with a home run and two doubles as Class 3A No. 1 Hopewell edged No. 5 Beaver Falls, 9-7, in a Section 2 contest. Tyler Beck tripled for Hopewell (3-2, 1-0), which led 7-0 after four innings. Dayln Brickner had three hits...
Hempfield thrower Orie wants record, gold medalsVideo
One of the state’s oldest records in track and field could be challenged this spring. Greensburg Central Catholic grad and U.S. Olympian Colleen Rosensteel’s discus throw of 168 feet, 11 inches, set in 1984, is in the crosshairs of Hempfield senior Mackenna Orie. Rosensteel also owns the WPIAL (167-7) and...
Hitters aim to catch up to pitchers for No. 2-ranked Hempfield
It’s six games into the 2019 baseball season and Hempfield coach Tim Buzzard said he has learned a lot about his team. The early-season report card has both good and bad marks. The Spartans (4-2) are ranked No. 2 in the latest Trib HSSN Class 6A poll after starting the...
3-time WPIAL champion Norwin wrestler Phipps has foot surgery
Norwin three-time WPIAL champion wrestler Kurtis Phipps, who suffered a foot injury at last month’s PIAA Class AAA championship, underwent surgery March 22, his father, Andy Phipps, said. Phipps suffered a Lisfranc injury at the state tournament. The recovery time is five months, according to his dad. There are two...
Canon-McMillan’s Gerrit Nijenhuis named Trib HSSN Wrestler of the Year
Trib HSSN Wrestler of the Year Gerrit Nijenhuis, Canon-McMillan, junior, 170 pounds When Gerrit Nijenhuis returned home to Canonsburg after winning the PIAA Class AAA 170-pound title, he was greeted by a parade. It was the culmination of a season of hard work. The Canon-McMillan junior struggled a little with...
Mt. Pleasant’s Dayton Pitzer named Westmoreland Tribune-Review Wrestler of the YearVideo
When Dayton Pitzer began his freshman season at Mt. Pleasant, his goal was to stand on the podium at the PIAA championships in Hershey. That goal changed as the season progressed. After he defeated some of the area’s top-ranked wrestlers, Pitzer knew he was capable of winning a state title...
Penn-Trafford grad Dan Obremski starts well in PGA LatinoAmerica event
Penn-Trafford graduate Dan Obremski finished strong in his first PGA Tour LatinoAmerica event Sunday. The Irwin native shot 3-under-par 69 during the final round of Buenaventura Classic in Rio Hato, Panama and finished the four-round event at 2-under 286, which tied him for 16th. Juan Alvarez won the event by...
Lee shines again, captures second NCAA title
Iowa sophomore Spencer Lee calls himself a Pokemon nerd. His Iowa teammates call him the baddest man on the planet. You can just call the 2017 Franklin Regional graduate a two-time NCAA Division I champion. With many of his friends and coaches among the throng of hometown fans in attendance,...
Pletcher, Shields, Zavatsky settle on being All-Americans again
The 330 wrestlers who came to Pittsburgh for the 2019 NCAA Division I wrestling championship this weekend weren’t just looking to become All-Americans. They wanted to be national champions. But only 10 wrestlers could claim national-champ status once the tournament ended Saturday, and another 70 joined them as All-Americans. While...
Penn State clinches 8th NCAA wrestling title in 9 years
The suspense of which team was going to win another NCAA Division I Wrestling Championship title ended early on Saturday at PPG Paints Arena. Penn State claimed its eighth team title in the past nine years during the morning session and ninth in school history. Penn State has five wrestlers...
Vincenzo Joseph tops Josh Shields, on to NCAA finals
There is something about the NCAA wrestling championship that brings out the best in Penn State junior Vincenzo Joseph. The two-time champion punched his ticket to his third final Friday by edging a familiar foe: friend, practice partner from the Young Guns Club and Arizona State junior Josh Shields. Joseph...
Luke Pletcher edges Micky Phillippi before losing in semifinals
It was a match neither Luke Pletcher nor Micky Phillippi really wanted to wrestle, but they had to. The close friends from Westmoreland County battled in the 2019 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championship quarterfinals Friday afternoon at PPG Paints Arena for the right to become an All-American and a spot...
5 semifinal bouts to watch Friday night at NCAA Wrestling Championships
With three sessions in the books at the NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships, it’s time to look for the best matchups in Friday’s semifinals at PPG Paints Arena. The session will get underway at 8 p.m. These matches should be electric and have fans on the edge of their seats:...
5 quarterfinal bouts to watch on Day 2 of the NCAA Wrestling Championships
With Day 1 in the books at the NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships, it’s time to look for the best matchups in Friday’s quarterfinals at PPG Paints Arena. There are going to be some good ones, especially at 133 pounds. 5-Jack Mueller, Virginia (19-0) vs. 4-Ronnie Bresser, Oregon State (25-1)...
Stakes raised for next Micky Phillippi-Luke Pletcher meeting at NCAA wrestling
Micky Phillippi doesn’t know how many times he’s faced Ohio State junior Luke Pletcher on the wrestling mat. “Counting the practice sessions in high school, it was probably thousands,” said Phillippi, a redshirt freshman at Pitt. But when they two square off at noon Friday in the NCAA Division I...
Latrobe grad Pletcher off to good start at NCAA Wrestling Championships
When Latrobe graduate Luke Pletcher walked out on the mat for his first-round match at the NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships on Thursday, he heard a young fan yelling his name. Pletcher said he usually would nod, but when he saw the kid wearing a Latrobe wrestling sweatshirt, he gave...
Penn Hills grad Campbell, North Allegheny’s Woodley pull off upsets in NCAA 1st round
For Ohio State senior Te’Shan Campbell and Oklahoma freshman Jake Woodley a trip home turned out better than ever after both claimed wins in Round 1 of the NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships on Thursday at PPG Paints Arena. Campbell snapped a scoreless tie with a takedown in the third...
Former Penn-Trafford, Norwin football coach John Yaccino dies at 78
Former Penn-Trafford and Norwin football coach John Yaccino died suddenly in Florida on Wednesday. He was 78. He was reportedly playing golf near his Ponte Vedra Beach home when he fell ill, according to Hazleton Standard-Speaker Sports Editor Dave Seamon. Yaccino last coached in 1999 at Hazleton, where he was...
Five matches to watch in the evening session of Day 1 of the NCAA wrestling championships
With the first session in the books at the NCAA Division I wrestling championships, it’s time to look for the best matchups in Thursday’s second session at PPG Paints Arena. There are going to be some good ones, especially at 133 pounds. (Wrestlers’ seeds are designated before their names.) 5-Luke...
