Bill Beckner stories, Page 133

When Sean Knapp wins a golf tournament, he often finds a way to contend for the same title the following year. He has an olfactory sense for finding the top of leaderboards on the amateur circuit. The Oakmont native and Hannastown Golf Club member also has a penchant for raking...

Bethany Winnor, a key player on the girls soccer team at Greensburg Central Catholic that won the WPIAL Class A title and finished runner-up in the PIAA this season, will play NCAA Division I college soccer. The junior midfielder announced Tuesday her commitment to New Hampshire. Winnor, who led GCC...

In a matter of four days, Brandon Stone set his college basketball career on a new course. Last Saturday, he left the La Salle campus. On Monday, he entered the NCAA Transfer Portal. By Tuesday, he had a new suitor: Robert Morris. It happened that quickly for the former Southmoreland...

While Ethan Carr of Penn-Trafford, James Sanders of Jeannette and Jack Dilts of Kiski Area were the only Division I football signees from Westmoreland County on Wednesday, a number of others from the area could sign in February when the NCAA regular signing period begins. It runs from Feb. 3...

Most people will be more than happy to throw away calendars from 2020 and hang a new docket on the wall. While the year has been downright revolting to the masses, it has been pretty good to Mars girls soccer coach Blair Gerlach. The leader of the Fightin’ Planets received...

Christian Zilli had his junior baseball season ripped away. The back end of his senior football season also was a casualty of the coronavirus, which dug in its claws and forced the cancellation of two games. But the Hempfield senior is bound and determined to have a basketball season in...

One moved from wide receiver to quarterback. The other, from quarterback to receiver. Both made sacrifices to make their teams better. Now a pair of talented athletes from Westmoreland County will look to add to the quality of play at two in-state Division I FCS football programs. Senior Ethan Carr...

In a matter of four days, Brandon Stone set his college basketball career on a new course. On Saturday, he left the La Salle campus. On Monday, he entered the NCAA Transfer Portal. By Tuesday, he had a new suitor: Robert Morris. Yes, it happened that quickly for the former...

James Sanders went with the school that recruited him from the beginning. The Jeannette senior standout wide receiver and defensive back verbally committed to St. Francis (Pa.) on Tuesday, a day before the early signing period begins for NCAA Division I and II programs. He was recruited for defense but...

Brandon Coughlin was a junior varsity player at Hempfield in 2019, the last time the Spartans played a baseball game. Due to the cancellation of the 2020 season over the covid-19 pandemic, Coughlin has yet to play in a varsity game. But that hasn’t stopped him from earning a Division...

Yough hopes to be flexing its muscles again soon in the WPIAL — with a little lift from the Black and Gold. The school district recently accepted a $15,000 grant from the Pittsburgh Steelers to upgrade its weight room and the project is drawing rave reviews in Herminie. Yough athletes...

Iowa senior wrestler Spencer Lee was honored virtually in April as co-winner of the prestigious AAU James E. Sullivan Award, which recognizes the nation’s most outstanding amateur athlete. He actually got his hands on the award over the weekend, accepting it in person. Lee, a Franklin Regional alum, was presented...

The honors continued to roll in for Franklin Regional junior soccer star Anthony DiFalco, who garnered United Soccer Coaches Region II All-America and USC All-Region East team honors for the second year in a row. DiFalco, the Trib Westmoreland player of the year, propelled the Panthers to a third straight...

No high school baseball season last spring only served to motivate players like Alex Gabauer, a slick-fielding, power-hitting shortstop at Norwin. The senior has committed to play at Penn, so his college future is secure — as secure as it can be during the covid-19 pandemic. But baseball can lead...

Franklin Regional girls soccer coach Scott Arnold calls Sydney Lindeman a leader by example. The junior midfielder does not have to say much to inspire her teammates. Her skilled game does most of the talking. They often follow the pace she sets. “Syd’s teammates love and respect her,” Arnold said....

Iowa senior wrestler Spencer Lee was honored virtually in April as a co-winner of the prestigious AAU James E. Sullivan Award, which recognizes the nation’s most outstanding amateur athlete. Now he will actually get his hands on the award. Covid-19 is still ravaging the country with spikes in positive cases,...

Because the covid-19 pandemic cut down on postgame ceremonies and awards banquets, Mars senior soccer star Ellie Coffield probably is going to get a lot of trophies, medals and other hardware in the mail. If the pieces all arrive the same day, the postal worker or delivery person might need...

A number of the WPIAL’s brightest stars were recognized Wednesday morning with the unveiling of the Pennsylvania Soccer Coaches Association All-State teams. Thirteen boys and eight girls from District 7 were selected to the statewide lists, which were not broken down by classification. Deer Lakes had two selections on the...

Miguel Jackson felt a lot of emotions when he made his college football decision — for the second time. Almost simultaneously, the star lineman and defensive end from Pine-Richland experienced relief, a renewed sense of belonging and peace of mind when he announced he will play at Charlotte of Conference...

Franklin Regional standout hitter Aly Kindelberger was awarded for an outstanding senior season, one that saw her help the Panthers make team history. Kindelberger was named to the Pennsylvania Volleyball Coaches Association Class AAA all-state team for the second straight season. A DePaul commit, Kindelberger powered the Panthers to their...

Brennan Marion’s GoGo offense has made its way around the country since he put the system in place a few years ago at Howard. Marion, a Greensburg Salem graduate, has seen shades of his offense in plays run by Lincoln Riley at Oklahoma, and even in the NFL by Kliff...

NCAA Division II lost nearly $35 million of its projected allocation revenue from the cancellation of the 2019-20 men’s basketball championships due to the covid-19 pandemic. The NCAA did divvy up $270 million from multiple insurance policies and Division II announced it received $15 million to help mitigate the financial...

Aaron Smetanka could be on his way to climbing the coaching ranks in college football. For now, the third-year Saint Vincent coach just hopes to see a season in 2021. The coronavirus wiped out the 2020 season in the Presidents’ Athletic Conference and left teams anxious and longing for a...