Bill Beckner stories, Page 77

At first glance, Ryan Burkart does not look like he would be Greensburg Salem’s leading scorer. The 6-foot junior guard is not the fastest player and doesn’t jump higher than many of his opponents. His demeanor is reserved, his voice low. But don’t let looks deceive you. Burkart manages to...

With four young sons, including a 1-year-old, and three of them active in multiple sports, Marko Thomas decided it was time to be a dad instead of a coach. Thomas told his players Tuesday he has resigned as head football coach at Greensburg Central Catholic after two seasons. Thomas, 42,...

When Brian Brozeski played football at Blairsville in the late 1990s, his team was ranked No. 1 in its classification and was considered one of the top teams in the state. But even then, the lofty rating didn’t sit well with Brozeski, who is now the girls basketball coach at...

WPIAL scoring leader Tiffany Zelmore continues to put up impressive numbers. But don’t label Mt. Pleasant a one-girl team. How can it be? The Vikings are 9-2 overall and 1-0 in Section 3-3A. “It’d be easy to say on paper that we’re one-dimensional,” coach Scott Giacobbi said. “That would be...

Last January, Norwin stunned then-No. 1 North Allegheny to snap the Tigers’ 33-game section winning streak. The Tigers could not return the favor this time, with Norwin now the top-ranked team in WPIAL Class 6A girls basketball. The Knights simply wouldn’t have it in their first game of 2023. Behind...

Linebacker Jaylen McDuffie of Seton Hill continues to reap the benefits of a sensational senior football season. McDuffie added another accolade as he was named to the D2Football.com Elite 100 First Team. Just 25 players from across the nation made the first team. McDuffie also was a finalist for the...

Emma Henry said becoming a Division I college softball prospect was mind over matter. “I wouldn’t say I really had realized it, but it was more of a mindset thing for me,” Henry said. “I just thought, if I work really hard, the right opportunity would come my way. It’s...

One of the top backcourt players in the area, Penn-Trafford junior Olivia Pepple scored 19 points to help lead the Warriors to a 71-50 win over Albert Gallatin in a Section 3-5A game, then scored 21, including five in overtime, in a 46-38 win over Kiski Area last week. Pepple...

You can keep your redshirt, Dayton Pitzer is ready to body slam opponents now. The Pitt heavyweight wrestler and three-time PIAA champion at Mt. Pleasant introduced himself to the college mat congregation with three upset wins en route to the finals at the Ken Kraft Midlands Championships in Hoffman Estates,...

What were your goals when you were 8 years old? Anna DeFazio said she eyed a college track and field career at that age. Yes, she was that determined to run down her dream. She never took her eyes off the road and now, she has achieved her goal. The...

There were thrilling wins. There were gut-wrenching losses. Records were set and broken. The 2022 local sports year had breakthrough moments and dominating performances, first-time champions, veteran leaders and next-level talent. Teams and individuals left their mark in a tapestry of memories. Here are the top 10 local sports stories...

Halftime adjustments do not have to be complicated. They don’t even have to be schematic. In Hempfield’s case Thursday night, they were simple: relax and move to open spots. “We were up eight, but we were missing layups and foul shots and playing rushed,” Lady Spartans coach Tom Brush said....

In a game at Penn-Trafford earlier in the season, Norwin made eight 3-pointers in a quarter. Impressive? Sure. But senior Ryan Edwards nearly outdid that all by himself at Thomas Jefferson last week when he made eight 3s in a 56-41 victory. “It was a lot of fun, especially to...

Wake-up calls don’t always happen early enough in the season for a team to react and recover. But in Greensburg Central Catholic’s case, a 58-54 upset loss to Riverview that gave the Centurions the boot from the TribLive HSSN Class 2A rankings produced a lesson learned. “It’s your first section...

Collectively, Yough exhaled as a five-game losing streak got smaller in the rearview mirror. Guard Terek Crosby adjusted the mirror so the team could see the troubling skid fade away. Crosby scored eight of his game-high 18 points in the fourth quarter, including two big 3-pointers, as the Cougars rallied...

Latrobe welcomed Jenny from the block back to town. The girls program saw its all-time basketball scoring leader return for a holiday tournament at “The Den.” Jen Sobota coaches the McLean girls team from Virginia. McLean played Peters Township on Wednesday in the six-team tournament and will face host Latrobe...

With nine games in the first 20 days of the season — seven of them on the road — the Penn-Trafford girls basketball team has had little time to reflect. But with some down time over the holidays, the Warriors could step back and see what has produced an 8-1...

The Saint Vincent women’s basketball team was set for a road trip west for a holiday tournament, but the Bearcats — and their plans — were grounded at the last minute. “The trip was a nightmare,” coach Jimmy Petruska said. “It was a mess from the start.” The Bearcats (7-3)...

Tatum Gretz changed lanes in her college soccer career. The former Greensburg Central Catholic standout is transferring from Villanova to Youngstown State. She saw limited time as a freshman and sought a change of scenery. “We are excited to add a player like Tatum to the Penguin family,” Penguins coach...

Franklin Regional tight end Nate Chiarizio is a Division I FCS football commit, but he was not a household name around Westmoreland County or Western Pa. Why? Because he did the dirty work for the Panthers. But the team could not put a price on his role. He was critical...

The Pennsylvania Golf Association Senior Player of the Year needs no introduction. Oakmont’s Sean Knapp has been winning local, state and national championships for decades, so his sixth straight award should come as no surprise. The Hannastown Golf Club member always finds a way to contend, and if he doesn’t...

Franco Alvarez isn’t a big football fan. In fact, he admittedly didn’t know much about Franco Harris. Yet he has a connection to the late Pittsburgh Steelers great: The junior basketball player from Greensburg Central Catholic is named after Harris. “That’s pretty cool,” Alvarez said. “I think I heard my...

Braden Riley is your prototypical role player. He takes charges and plays energetic defense. He passes and cuts. He defers to the upper-class players. But the Greensburg Central Catholic sophomore guard saw an opportunity to be more assertive and help his team win Thursday night. Riley didn’t score in double...

Now that its basketball team is back to full strength, can Belle Vernon make a run at football and basketball titles? The Leopards have eight players back from the football team that won WPIAL and PIAA Class 3A championships. Three are starters: Quinton Martin, the returning Trib Westmoreland player of...

The Southmoreland boys basketball team put up 83 points in one game and 44 in another and won both games. So what does that say about the Scotties, who had their best start since 2014-15? “That’s a sign of a good team,” coach Frank Muccino said. “We want to be...