Bill Beckner stories, Page 69

WPIAL soccer playoffs preview Girls Class 3A Quarterfinals 5-Latrobe (11-2-2) at 4-Thomas Jefferson (17-2) 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Thomas Jefferson Stadium, Jefferson Hills Winner plays: Winner of 9-Franklin Regional (11-5-2)/1-Mars (15-0), 8 p.m. Tuesday in semifinals (site TBD) Players to watch: Robin Reilly, MF, Latrobe; Bella Vozar, MF, Thomas Jefferson Corner...

When teams open the WPIAL soccer playoffs, they immediately look to take the pressure off. It’s about that first clean shift, that first productive possession and that all-important opening goal. Ultimately, it can all add up to the first win, like it did Tuesday night for the Mt. Pleasant girls....

Girls Class A Quarterfinals 5-Greensburg Central Catholic (12-4) at 4-Chartiers-Houston (15-2) 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Buccaneer Stadium, Houston Winner plays: Winner of 9-Seton LaSalle (12-4)/1-Freedom (14-4) 8 p.m. Monday (site TBD) in semifinals Players to watch: Riley Kerr, MF, Greensburg CC; Haley Siege, MF, Chartiers-Houston Corner kicks: Greensburg Central Catholic advanced...

Talk about a Lane shift. Bobby Lane is taking his baseball career in a new direction. The former Penn-Trafford standout is headed to Virginia Commonwealth of the Atlantic 10 Conference. Lane will be a redshirt junior when he finally suits up for VCU. Injuries played a part in the slow-going...

From the inaugural Wildcat growl that greeted players and fans over the loudspeaker to open the game, to the final horn that ended it, Latrobe was focused on one goal: Make some noise in the WPIAL playoffs. The Wildcats came in loud and clear in their historic postseason opener. On...

A wonder-struck Palmer Jackson grew up watching the PGA Tour. He followed the storylines, emulated swings and mannerisms and slid to the end of his seat as Sunday finishes met their climax. Now, people will tune in to watch him play inside the ropes. Jackson, the former state champion out...

Saint Vincent was looking for a bust-out victory to move a game above .500 in conference play and continue its quest for a winning football season. The Bearcats made it happen. They erupted for a season-high 52 points and 439 yards in a 52-35 victory over Allegheny in a Presidents’...

Tuesdays’ games Girls Class 2A First round 15-West Mifflin (8-6-1) at 2-Mt. Pleasant (16-1) 6:30 p.m. at Viking Stadium, Mt. Pleasant Winner plays: Winner of 10-Southmoreland (11-3-1) at 7-Freeport (13-2) 2 p.m. Saturday in quarterfinals (site TBD) Players to watch: Drina Johns, MF, West Mifflin; Rylin Bugosh, F, Mt. Pleasant...

WPIAL soccer playoffs preview Monday’s games Girls Class 3A First round 12-Ringgold (11-6-1) at 5-Latrobe (10-2-2) 6:30 p.m. Monday at Rossi Field, Latrobe Winner plays: Winner of 13-West Allegheny (11-7)/4-Thomas Jefferson (16-2) 6:30 p.m. Thursday in quarterfinals (site TBD) Players to watch: Elizabeth Wilson, MF, Ringgold; Sofia DeCerb, GK, Latrobe...

Latrobe senior softball player Sydney DeGram will play NCAA Division I college softball in the Atlantic 10 Conference. DeGram, an all-section outfielder, committed to St. Bonaventure, near Olean, N.Y. DeGram, who transferred in 2020 from Howell High School in Howell, Mich., hit .426 last season as the Wildcats’ leadoff hitter....

As patient and prodding as it was, Montour’s gameplan also was simplistic. Stack the box early and put the offensive attack on a low simmer until the Spartans got better acquainted with Franklin Regional. Once that happened, they could turn up the heat. Sophomore Andrew Prunier understood the assignment and...

McKenzie Pritts School: Yough Class: Senior Sport: Soccer Claim to fame: Pritts scored her 100th career goal as Yough defeated Serra Catholic, 4-0. She had all four goals in the game. The 100th goal came in the 79th minute. A Robert Morris commit, Pritts has helped short-handed Yough earn the...

Essentially a fourth-string quarterback if he was ever a quarterback at all, Jackson Pons was the “break glass in case of emergency” guy at Norwin. Only in a dire situation would the Knights think about moving their talented receiver under center. Injuries and inconsistency plagued Norwin during this one-win season,...

Get used to seeing the Norwin girls cross country team out in front of the pack. The Lady Knights, who boast a young but talented lineup, ran to a title at the Westmoreland County Coaches Association Championship earlier this month at Westmoreland County Community College in Youngwood. Norwin edged past...

There was good news and bad news for Latrobe’s football team Friday night. The bad news came first: The Wildcats were thumped by No. 2 McKeesport, 54-14, in the Class 4A Big Seven Conference finale at Memorial Stadium. The good news, which softened the blow some: Latrobe is headed to...

Saturday’s games Boys Class 3A First round 13-Montour (9-4-4) at 4-Franklin Regional (14-4) 2 p.m., Panther Stadium, Murrysville Winner plays: Winner of 12-Gateway (10-7-1)/5-Kiski Area (14-3) in quarterfinals at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday (site TBD) Players to watch: Andrew Prunier, MF, Montour; Colton Hudson, MF, Franklin Regional Corner kicks: Montour finished...

The WPIAL football playoffs are less than two weeks away. The number of playoff teams in each classification differs, and some spots won’t be decided until the end of the regular season. Here is the breakdown for the postseason in each class: Class 6A — Top four of five teams...

Robbie Labuda threw his gym bag in the car, and off he went. An hour drive to McGuffey for a soccer game awaited. The Mt. Pleasant senior barely had time to get his football cleats off after practice, but once he did, his foot was planted on the gas pedal....

Mt. Pleasant never has won a WPIAL girls soccer title. The league’s soccer committee thinks the Vikings have a legit shot this year. Why else would they be seeded No. 2 in the Class 2A tournament? Mt. Pleasant (16-1), fresh off its first section title since 2016, did not get...

Here’s a look at the 2022 WPIAL boys soccer playoffs: Class 4A Favorite: Who else? Seneca Valley is the two-time defending champion and was the PIAA runner-up last year. The Raiders, ranked No. 1 in 4A for the entire regular season, have not lost and have one tie, against Butler....

Here’s a look at the 2022 WPIAL girls soccer playoffs: Class 4A Favorite: North Allegheny. The Tigers have 10 shutouts, including seven straight. Their only loss was to Seneca Valley in Section 1 play. Most of last year’s team returned. Speaking of last year, NA still resents a first-round loss...

Regan and Robin Reilly have a secret. A secret, just between sisters. “We are competing to see who scores more goals,” said Regan, a junior defender for the Latrobe girls soccer team. “It’s a little side competition we have.” “They have a little fun with that,” Wildcats coach Jamie Morrison...

Sam Napper will sit on a lead until April. The senior golfer from Westminster and a Mt. Pleasant graduate, Napper shares the 36-hole lead at the PAC Championships after rounds of 78 and 3-under 69 at Avalon Golf & Country Club in Warren, Ohio. He is tied with Allegheny sophomore...

Pitt-Greensburg pulled off a repeat as it defended its Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference women’s tennis title. The Bobcats handled Penn State Behrend, 5-0, in the conference title match. Your 2022 AMCC Women's Tennis Champions, the @upgbobcats! pic.twitter.com/HDi6NLsDhZ— AMCC Sports (@AMCCsports) October 16, 2022 UPG (11-1) will play in the NCAA...

Power-hitting catcher Madie Kessler is a Division I commit. The senior from Norwin gave a verbal pledge to Saint Francis (Pa.) of the Northeast Conference. Kessler is a standout catcher who also has played in the outfield and some third base at the travel level. Kessler said the educational environment...