Bill Beckner stories, Page 183

Greensburg Central Catholic was still evolving, still finding its identity, as the WPIAL football regular season wound into its final week. At times, first-year coach Bret Colbert and his staff tweaked the playbook, rerouted the defense and changed the rotation as they looked for the right mix to best utilize...

Saturday’s games Boys Class AAA semifinals 1-Franklin Regional (17-0-1) vs. 12-Blackhawk (12-3-4) 4 p.m. at Hampton Winner plays: Winner of 7-West Allegheny (13-5-1)/6-Hampton (15-3-2) in championship at Highmark Stadium (time, date TBD) Coaches: Rand Hudson, Franklin Regional; Jerrod Rebich, Blackhawk Players to watch: Anthony DiFalco, So., F, Franklin Regional; Noah...

Franklin Regional puts a premium on goals. As in, when you play against the Panthers, you can’t have any. The Panthers (17-0-1) are a stingy, defensive juggernaut in WPIAL Class AAA boys soccer with their back line strength complementing their vast offensive skill set — or is it the other...

Penn-Trafford knows what it is getting with Franklin Regional. But the sentiment is mutual. “It’s your prototypical Franklin Regional team,” Warriors coach John Ruane said. “Big, strong linemen. Physical linebackers. Good skill guys.” You get the point. That being said, Ruane has a message for his team this week as...

IUP once again is favored to win the PSAC West Division in men’s and women’s basketball. The conference announced results of its preseason coaches polls Thursday. East Stroudsburg’s men were voted as the top team in the Eastern Division, while Kutztown is the women’s favorite in the east. MEN East...

Norwin senior quarterback Jack Salopek is looking to cap his career by reaching the 6,000-yard mark. Salopek, a Western Michigan commit, needs 133 yards to get to the milestone. Norwin (2-7) visits Seneca Valley (3-6) Friday night and has not qualified for the playoffs. Salopek could finish inside the top...

Rick Nese did not rule out a return to soccer, even in the near future, but for now he needs a break. Nese resigned as boys soccer coach at Penn-Trafford after five seasons. Nese, who wants to spend more time with his family, had a record of 55-30-4 with three...

It has not taken Palmer Jackson long to adjust to golf at the Division I level. He continues to look like a natural. Jackson, a freshman at Notre Dame, won his first college tournament and helped lead the Fighting Irish to a team title in record-breaking fashion at the Quail...

WPIAL boys soccer playoffs Quarterfinals Class AAAA 6-Norwin (16-2-1) at 3-Seneca Valley (13-3-1) 8 p.m. Wednesday at NexTier Stadium Winner plays: Winner of 2-Mt. Lebanon (13-4-1)/7-Butler (13-5-1) Saturday in semifinals Coaches: Scott Schuchert, Norwin; George Williams, Seneca Valley Players to watch: Ian Brown, Jr., D, Norwin; Luke Rupert, Sr., F,...

Scott Houseman decided it was best to attend a junior college when he was coming out of Yough so the mountain of a lineman could hone his skills and potentially land larger scholarship offers. His plan is taking shape. The 6-foot-4, 295-pound freshman offensive lineman who initially saw playing time...

If you want to be a captain of the Ligonier Valley football team, you have to apply for the job. Literally. “Players submit applications, and they complete tasks and then they are voted on by their peers,” Rams coach Roger Beitel said. “The coaches don’t pick the captains. The players...

A lot has been made of the Yough girls soccer team’s high-octane offensive skills. The Cougars can find the net with the best of them. But coach Dann Appolonia will be the first to say it all starts with defense. “Our defense was very strong, and that’s what we need...

Let the records fall where they may at Pitt-Greensburg. The women’s soccer team is having a season to remember and rewriting the record books in the process. The Bobcats (15-0) have registered 12 shutouts and outscored opponents, 49-4. As a result of their winning streak, which broke the program record,...

Emma Hoffner is a junior at Hempfield, but she already has been through the college recruiting process twice. The softball catcher committed to St. Francis (Pa.) last year, but a coaching change prompted her to decommit and open her recruitment. In the meantime, other schools entered the picture after following...

A versatile, 6-foot-1 hitter who can deliver from all three positions on the court, Franklin Regional junior Aly Kindelberger has all the tools and instincts to be a Division I volleyball player. She now has a scholarship, too. Kindelberger committed earlier this month to play at DePaul. The powerful Kindelberger...

Derry fans will remember for some time the game senior running back Justin Huss had Friday night. Or should we say, the half he had. Huss ran for a school-record 304 yards and four touchdowns on 10 carries against Deer Lakes, all before resting in the second half, as the...

It’s a begrudgingly accepted fact in sports. Sometimes, the other team is that much better. Greensburg Salem tried its best to downplay top-ranked Thomas Jefferson’s reputation as the kingpin of Class 4A, but the Jaguars quickly reminded the Golden Lions of their propensity for dominance. Perennial powers have a tendency...

Saturday’s games Boys Class AAAA first round 11-Baldwin (7-10-1) at 6-Norwin (15-2-1) 4 p.m. at Norwin Knights Stadium Winner plays: 3-Seneca Valley (13-3-1) Wednesday in quarterfinals Coaches: Scott Schuchert, Norwin; Dave Zinski, Baldwin Players to watch: Matt Federovich, Sr., F, Norwin; Pasi Oswald, Sr., MF, Baldwin Corner kicks: Norwin reached...

It’s just a name playing another game. That is the way Greensburg Salem is trying to view vaunted Thomas Jefferson, the team that will visit Offutt Field Friday night in a WPIAL Class 4A Big Eight Conference game. The idea is to shed the heavy armor, the Jaguars’ notorious reputation...

Let the records fall where they may at Pitt-Greensburg. The women’s soccer team is having a season to remember and rewriting the record books in the process. The Bobcats (14-0) have registered 11 shutouts and have outscored their opponents, 47-4. As a result of their winning streak, which broke the...

Playoff brackets can cause coaches to do a lot of hand-wringing as the WPIAL committee “holes up in some room somewhere” to draw up their tournament path. To that end, not all coaches are content with their team’s position and many wonder how decisions were made. The ones who have...