Paul Schofield stories, Page 78
Persistent Franklin Regional grad Krauza takes winding road to pro baseball in Texas
Michael Krauza never gave up his dream of playing baseball in college or on the professional level. The Murrysville native and Franklin Regional grad believes God has helped direct him through some tough times over the years. His path was different than most, but the results were favorable. Krauza earned...
Boys basketball coach Buddy Valinsky resigns at Norwin
Norwin boys basketball coach Buddy Valinsky resigned Wednesday after two seasons on the job. The Knights were 19-23 under Valinsky and lost to Butler in the WPIAL 6A playoffs this past season. They were 6-14 in the section. Valinsky previously coached at Allderdice in Pittsburgh City League. Norwin athletic director...
Hempfield grads, lifelong friends chase Olympic dreams together
They were neighbors in the Heather Ridge plan of Hempfield Township with adjacent backyards. They grew up together and competed together for the Hempfield track team. They were state and national track champions. They were NCAA Division I All-Americans. Now they are trying to make the United States Olympic team...
Shady Side Academy’s Warden captures WPGA Junior title in a playoff
It wasn’t the way Weston Warden would have preferred to win the Western Pennsylvania Golf Association’s 101st Junior Championship Tuesday, but he’ll take it. Warden, a senior at Shady Side Academy, used a conservative bogey on the first playoff hole to edge Plum’s Wes Lorish. The 36-hole event began Monday...
Penn-Trafford’s Cade Yacamelli commits to Wisconsin
When Cade Yacamelli visited the University of Wisconsin this past weekend, he said it felt like home. The visit cinched his decision, so the Penn-Trafford rising senior announced Monday his verbal commitment to the Badgers. He said he really didn’t have a Top 5 list. “Since I made my decision,...
Penn-Trafford grad Giovanni Scott to spend summer fine-tuning his game
Giovanni Scott didn’t get to pitch much for Penn-Trafford High School during his junior season, and his senior season was wiped out by the coronavirus. But Scott still wanted to pitch in college. He saw limited action his freshman season at Pitt-Johnstown but knew he had to improve if he...
Franklin Regional grad Palmer Jackson finishes 4th at Sunnehanna Amateur
Palmer Jackson’s late charge at the 68th Sunnehanna Amateur came up a little short Saturday, but the Franklin Regional grad and Notre Dame sophomore sure can build off his performance. After carding a tournament-low 6-under-par 64,which included nine birdies, during Friday’s third round, Jackson added six more birdies during a...
Armstrong softball comes up short in PIAA Class 5A championship
UNIVERSITY PARK — Armstrong’s bid to win its first PIAA team championship in any sport was denied by a veteran Lampeter Strasburg team. The District 3 champions from near Lancaster used a five-run fifth inning to rally from a four-run deficit for a 10-7 victory Friday in the PIAA Class...
Tri-Valley scores twice in bottom of 7th to defeat West Greene in PIAA Class A softball final
UNIVERSITY PARK — Tri-Valley scored two runs in dramatic fashion in the bottom of the seventh inning to stun WPIAL champion West Greene, 2-1, in the PIAA Class A softball championship game Friday at Penn State’s Beard Field. Senior Allison Huhn’s double to the right-center gap scored freshman Grace Header...
Beaver finishes undefeated season with wild title-game win over Tunkhannock
UNIVERSITY PARK – Perfection. That’s what the Beaver softball team was chasing this season, and the Bobcats achieved it by winning the school’s first PIAA title Thursday afternoon. Winning pitcher Payton List scored the winning run on a throwing error in the top of the ninth inning, and Beaver’s defense...
Ligonier Valley softball marvels at community support after special season ends in state finals
UNIVERSITY PARK — It wasn’t the ending the Ligonier Valley softball team had hoped for, but the 2021 season was still memorable. The Rams dropped a 1-0 decision to Line Mountain in the PIAA Class 2A championship game Thursday at Penn State University’s Beard Field. It was the first time...
Line Mountain finally pushes run across in 9th inning to top Ligonier Valley in state title gameVideo
UNIVERSITY PARK – To win a PIAA softball title, three things are important: strong pitching, timely hitting and solid defense. Ligonier Valley got solid pitching again from junior Maddie Griffin, and the defense was flawless, but the Rams offense struggled to find their groove against Line Mountain senior Kya Matter...
Returning champ Summerhays 5 shots behind at Sunnehanna Amateur
Returning Sunnehanna Amateur champion Preston Summerhays has work to do if he wants to defend his title. Summerhays shot a 1-over par 71 during Day 1 of the 68th Sunnehanna Amateur Wednesday at Sunnehanna Country Club in Johnstown, and finds himself five shots behind leaders Max Steinlechner and Jerry Ji,...
PIAA Class 2A softball finalists Ligonier Valley, Line Mountain similar
There are a lot of similarities between the Ligonier Valley and Line Mountain softball teams. In many ways, they mirror one another. Both are making their first trip to the PIAA championship game and seeking their first state title. Both have dominating pitchers and, recently, the offenses have come up...
PIAA Class 2A softball preview capsule: Ligonier Valley vs. Line Mountain
PIAA softball preview Class 2A Championship Ligonier Valley (22-2) vs. Line Mountain (22-3) 11 a.m. Thursday, Beard Field, Nittany Lion Softball Park, Penn State, University Park Coaches: Mark Zimmerman, Ligonier Valley; Butch Fessler, Line Mountain Players to watch: Kailey Johnston, Sr., 1B, Ligonier Valley; Kya Matter, Sr., P, Line Mountain...
Ligonier Valley softball team has come a long way under coach Zimmerman
When Mark Zimmerman became the Ligonier Valley softball coach 22 years ago, the program wasn’t very good. And it took Zimmerman almost nine years before the team became a consistent winner in District 6. “The 2008 team got us going,” Zimmerman said. “We won our first Heritage Conference title. They...
Greensburg native Mark Goetz is WVU’s first All-American golfer
It was a historic day for the West Virginia golf team. That’s because senior and Greensburg native Mark Goetz became the school’s first All-American golfer. Goetz, who just missed qualifying for the NCAA Division I championship, was named an honorable mention All-American by Golfweek. “This is a big moment, not...
Jackson, Goetz look to continue solid play at Sunnehanna Amateur golf tournament
Palmer Jackson and Mark Goetz enter the 68th Sunnehanna Amateur on a roll. Now can two of the top golfers in Western Pennsylvania compete against some of the best golfers across the country, including returning champion Preston Summerhays? The four-day tournament begins Wednesday at Sunnehanna Country Club in Johnstown. Jackson...
Ligonier Valley’s historic run continues after beating Union City in PIAA Class 2A semifinal
SLIPPERY ROCK – No no-hitter. No shutout. No problem. It was just another Ligonier Valley softball victory behind another strong pitching performance from Maddie Griffin. The junior allowed two hits, including her second home run of the season, but the Rams’ offense pounded out 12 hits in a 6-1 victory...
Golf notebook: Tri-State Section PGA Open, Sunnehanna Amateur on schedule
Golf fans around the area couldn’t ask for a better week of competition. Monday is the start of the Tri-State Section PGA Open, which will be held at Wildwood Golf Club in Allison Park. Pros and amateurs will compete over two days. Oakmont Country Club pro Devin Gee is the...
Penn-Trafford notebook: Bushy Run Legion off to strong start
Bushy Run’s American Legion baseball team stayed unbeaten in District 31 after winning four games last week. The wins improved their record to 6-0 overall. Bushy Run defeated Kiski Valley, 5-2; Mt. Pleasant, 14-0; Young Township, 11-1; and Latrobe, 4-3. They were scheduled to play five games the past week...
Junior tournaments allow Penn-Trafford’s Nicholas Turowski to work on short game
Nicholas Turowski hopes to have his driver’s licenses in a year. But the 15-year-old Penn-Trafford freshman is already a good driver — of the golf ball and not a vehicle, yet. If Turowski wants to become one of the top young golfers in the WPIAL and beyond, he knows it...
Franklin Regional grad Tommy Kegerreis named All-American
Westmoreland County Community College freshman Tommy Kegerreis was named an ABCA/Rawlings All-American. Kegerreis earned third-team honors for NJCAA Division III teams. He helped WCCA win the Region XX title and advance to the Mid-Atlantic regional. Kegerreis, a Franklin Regional grad, batted .453 with seven home runs, 11 doubles, 29 RBIs...
Mt. Pleasant’s Dayton Pitzer commits to wrestle at Pitt
One of the state’s top wrestlers plans to stay close to home for his college career. Mt. Pleasant junior Dayton Pitzer, a two-time WPIAL and PIAA champion, announced on Instagram Friday he was committing to Pitt. Pitzer joins a 2022 Pitt recruiting class that includes Hempfield junior Briar Priest, a...
Big inning for Spring-Ford sends Hempfield to season-ending loss
WINGATE — Sure, it’s not the way the Hempfield baseball team wanted to see its season end. But the Spartans’ season was historic, and the future remains bright. Spring-Ford, the District 1 fifth-place team, used a seven-run second inning and defeated Hempfield, 10-1, in the PIAA Class 6A quarterfinals at...
