Paul Schofield stories, Page 126
Five matches to watch during the 1st round of the NCAA Division I wrestling championships
The NCAA Division I wrestling championship begins Thursday, and here are some interesting first-round matches to watch (each wrestler’s name is preceded by his seeding): 28-Gage Curry, American (23-11) vs. 5-Jack Mueller, Virginia (17-0) Mueller (125 pounds) could make some noise in the tournament. Curry isn’t an easy draw. The...
Pitt recruit Bach hopes to lead Yough baseball to postseasonVideo
Yough’s baseball team made a late run to end the 2018 season, and that carried over to a successful American Legion season in the summer. That success gives Yough baseball coach Craig Spisak a reason to be optimistic for the 2019 season. Yough returns one of the best pitchers in...
Waywood, Yough softball dreaming of success in postseasonVideo
Kierra Waywood was the starting center fielder when Yough won the PIAA Class 3A softball title in 2016. Now, three years later, the Cougars’ ace pitcher hopes to lead her team back to the big game in June. Yough was one bad inning away from returning to the PIAA playoffs...
Penn State’s Jason Nolf sets sights on 3rd straight NCAA wrestling titleVideo
Jason Nolf was relaxed during a news conference Wednesday at the NCAA Division I wrestling championships at PPG Paints Arena. The 2014 Kittanning graduate was joking with teammate Bo Nickal during the question-and-answer period, which might surprise many Penn State wrestling fans. They are used to the serious Nolf, who...
Mt. Lebanon grad, former Pitt wrestler Hnath set to officiate his 10th NCAA D-I wrestling championships
When the NCAA Division I wrestling championships begin Thursday at PPG Paints Arena, there will be one official from Pittsburgh among the 20 picked to work the event. John Hnath, a former Pitt wrestler and Mt. Lebanon graduate and resident, will be working for the 10th consecutive season. Hnath, 51,...
Franklin Regional grad Spencer Lee looks to defend NCAA wrestling title
When Spencer Lee last wrestled in Pennsylvania, he lost in the finals of the 2017 PIAA Class AAA championships to Austin DeSanto, who is now his teammate. Lee felt a little betrayed by fans, whom he thought adored him. He didn’t understand at the time that fans love the upset,...
NCAA Wrestling Championships by the numbers
By The Numbers The 2019 NCAA Division I wrestling championships will be held Thursday-Saturday at PPG Paints Arena. Here are some interesting numbers: 3: Franklin Regional graduates who are entered in the event: Iowa sophomore Spencer Lee (125 pounds), Arizona State junior Josh Maruca (149) and Arizona State junior Josh...
Hempfield baseball field backstop damaged by wind
The Hempfield High School baseball field’s backstop suffered wind damage during a recent storm. The wind uprooted a pole holding up the backstop and, according to athletic director Greg Meisner, repairs will begin Tuesday. “It should be finished by Thursday,” Meisner said. “It should be ready for the start of...
Derry’s DeLuca dealing with knee injury
Derry senior Dom DeLuca wrestled with an injured left knee in the PIAA Class AA semifinals and finals in Hershey on March 8-9 according to wrestling coach Mike Weinell. “We knew he tweaked it on Friday in the quarterfinals, but we didn’t know to what extent,” Weinell said. “Looking back...
Berlin Brothersvalley too much for Sewickley Academy girls in PIAA quarterfinals
Berlin Brothersvalley girls basketball is starting to smell the chocolate. But before their fans can start launching Hershey’s Kisses at them, the Mountaineers have to dispose of section and District 5 rival Shanksville-Stoneycreek for the second time in four tries. That will be Tuesday at a site and time to...
United States team rolls past Team Pa.; WPIAL team falls to New York in Pittsburgh Wrestling Classic
A strong United States team had too much firepower for the Pennsylvania All-Stars in the annual Pittsburgh Wrestling Classic on Friday at Pitt’s Fitzgerald Field House. The U.S. squad raced out to a big lead and cruised to a 29-18 victory. It has won eight consecutive matches. For Kiski Area...
Franklin Regional celebrates 3 finalists at PIAA wrestling tournament
Franklin Regional sophomore Carter Dibert capped his second PIAA wrestling championship by standing on the top of the podium March 9 at the Giant Center in Hershey. Dibert used a five-point move early and defeated Seneca Valley sophomore Dylan Chappell, 7-2, to win the 106-pound title. While Dibert celebrated titles,...
Monessen rallies late to win thriller in PIAA Class A 2nd roundVideo
Devin Whitlock plays basketball well beyond his years. The Monessen freshman found the ball in his hands with time running out in Tuesday’s PIAA Class A second-round game against Bishop Carroll at Greensburg Salem. But Whitlock, playing like a varsity veteran, saw a small opening and decided to go to...
Hempfield baseball banking on strong pitching staff
Hempfield senior outfielder Luke Hudson turned in quite a performance last season. He led the Spartans with a .431 batting average, 23 RBIs, six triples and three home runs. That performance helped him earn a scholarship to Seton Hill. But Hudson said last year is history. “It’s a fresh start,...
3-time defending PIAA softball champion Hempfield has holes to fill
Don’t pencil in the Hempfield softball team as the favorite to win WPIAL and PIAA Class 6A titles just yet. The Spartans have some holes to fill after finishing 24-3 and winning WPIAL and PIAA titles again in 2018. Veteran coach Bob Kalp has had some restless nights trying to...
Local trio among at-large wrestlers to receive bids for NCAAs
Three district wrestlers were among the 45 to receive at-large bids Tuesday for the NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships, which are March 21-23 at PPG Paints Arena. Hempfield graduate Sam Krivus (Virginia), Mt. Lebanon’s Kellan Stout (Pitt) and South Park’s Greg Bulsak (Clarion) were selected. This is the third year...
Greensburg Salem baseball hopes to build on strong finish to 2018Video
A seven-game winning streak, which included a win over No. 1 Blackhawk in the WPIAL Class 4A playoffs, toward the end of last season gives Greensburg Salem baseball coach Bill Wisniewski a reason to be optimistic about the 2019 season. Wisniewski believes his team can challenge Knoch for the top...
Greensburg Salem softball looking to contend in new sectionVideo
A move to a new section could be the right formula for the Greensburg Salem softball team this season. Greensburg Salem dropped from Class 5A to Section 1-4A, and while the new section isn’t any easier, second-year coach Rachel (Roddy) Brannigan and her players are excited about the challenges. The...
Canon-McMillan’s Nijenhuis stuns 2-time champ, named Outstanding Wrestler at PIAA Class AAA finalsVideo
HERSHEY — How do you win the PIAA Class AAA wrestling championship’s Outstanding Wrestler award? You easily handle a two-time state champion in the finals. That’s what Canon-McMillan junior Gerrit Nijenhuis did Saturday at the Giant Center, defeating Susquehanna Township senior Edmond Ruth, 8-3, to win the 170-pound title. Ruth...
Greensburg Salem graduate Chris Eddins wins second NCAA Division II wrestling title
Chris Eddins never won a PIAA wrestling championship at Greensburg Salem. But the Pitt-Johnstown junior added his second NCAA Division II national title Saturday by defeating Tiffin’s Trey Grine, 7-2, in the 149-pound finals. Eddins (23-0) opened the two-day tournament in Cleveland with a pin and followed with three consecutive...
Franklin Regional’s Dibert, Kiski Area’s Miller claim PIAA Class AAA goldVideo
HERSHEY — Franklin Regional sophomore Carter Dibert didn’t waste any time in the 106-pound final at the PIAA Class AAA wrestling championships Saturday at Giant Center. He let Seneca Valley sophomore Dylan Chappell know he meant business. Dibert (41-2) got a five-point move in the first 25 seconds of the...
Mt. Pleasant’s Pitzer brings home gold medal; Dom DeLuca comes up shortVideo
HERSHEY — Dayton Pitzer was not quite 2 years old the last time Mt. Pleasant had a state champion. That was Donnie Ament in 2005. With Ament in attendance Saturday at Giant Center, Pitzer capped his superb freshman season by defeating Freedom senior Bryson Miller, 3-1, in the 182-pound final...
7 WPIAL wrestlers advance to PIAA Class AA finalsVideo
HERSHEY – Things didn’t start out well for WPIAL wrestlers in the PIAA Class AA semifinals Friday night. The first four wrestlers to step on the mat lost close battles at the Giant Center. But the WPIAL finished strong as seven wrestlers advanced to Saturday’s finals at 2 p.m. Hopewell...
Derry’s DeLuca, Mt. Pleasant’s Pitzer going for gold at PIAA Class AA tournament
HERSHEY – Derry senior Dom DeLuca hopes to end high school wrestling career with a bang. DeLuca reached the finals at the PIAA Class AA wrestling championships for the second consecutive season, but this time he wants to end on top of the podium at the Giant Center. To do...
Norwin’s Phipps keeps PIAA title hopes alive following comeback winVideo
HERSHEY — What a difference a couple years made for Norwin junior Kurtis Phipps. Two years ago at the PIAA Class AAA wrestling championships, he would have lost if he fell behind early in a match. Phipps was starring at a three-point deficit midway through the second period in his...
