Paul Schofield stories, Page 104
Sunnehanna Amateur moved to July
If everything goes as planned and things start to get back to somewhat normal because of the coronavirus pandemic, the 67th annual Sunnehanna Amateur will be held, but a month later than usual. One of the top amateur tournaments in the country, which has featured a Who’s Who list of...
Latrobe umpire Jansen Visconti waiting for MLB to startVideo
If Jansen Visconti had his way, he’d be calling balls and strikes in Chicago on Monday instead of fishing for trout on Fourmile Run in Ligonier. Fishing is a new sport Visconti has picked up since MLB shut down the 2020 season March 13 because of the Coronavirus. Who knows...
Hempfield senior Lukas Kissell vaults into new sport: Skeleton
Lukas Kissell was helping Hempfield win a WPIAL Class AAA team track title a year ago. And if things were normal today, the senior would be trying to help the Spartans win another title. “I was looking forward to the outdoor season,” Kissell said. “I had a good indoor season,...
Little League programs planning for possible start to season
There is a chance Little League International will have baseball and softball seasons — just a lot later than usual. Little League International sent a bulletin to district administrators Friday, instructing leagues to hold off until May 11 before launching a season. Leagues usually have started by now, but the...
Seton Hill wrestling adds recruits in Class of 2020
Seton Hill wrestling coach Brian Tucker is finishing up his recruiting class for 2020, and it features 11 wrestlers, including eight from WPIAL schools. Heading the list are Greensburg Salem’s John Meyers and Ian Ewing, Canon-McMillan’s Jimmy Baxter, Latrobe’s Ricky Armstrong, Thomas Jefferson’s Brendan Finnerty and Elizabeth Forward’s Etha Cain....
Latrobe native Sean Knaus named Ligonier Country Club pro
Latrobe native Sean Knaus grew up working on a golf course. In his senior year in high school, the 2008 graduate won the Class AAA Section 1 title at Latrobe Elks Golf Club, where he worked. Knaus recently was hired as head golf professional at Ligonier Country Club to replace...
John Klinchock takes over as Sunnehanna Country Club golf pro
John Klinchock never thought he would leave Ligonier Valley Country Club. He was the head golf professional for 22 years, and his family was enjoying life in the eastern Westmoreland County borough. But things changed in November. Sunnehanna Country Club in Johnstown was looking head golf professional and hired Klinchock....
Westmoreland Scholar/Athlete committee announces excellent group; banquet on holdVideo
Will the 64th annual Westmoreland Scholar/Athlete banquet be held this year? Westmoreland Judge John J. Driscoll sure hopes so. The annual banquet was supposed to be April 28 but has been postponed. “We’re hoping we can hold something in June or July,” Driscoll said. “Right now, we’re in the process...
Former Franklin Regional wrestler Michael Kemerer working toward another shot at national title with Iowa
When Michael Kemerer learned he wouldn’t get a chance to become an NCAA champion, like every Division I wrestler who qualified for the event, there was disappointment. The Iowa redshirt senior had unfinished business and was looking for an individual title for himself and a team title for the Hawkeyes...
Latrobe searching for wrestling coach after Ciotti resigns
Mike Ciotti knew early in the season this was going to be his last as Latrobe’s wrestling coach. Ciotti was newly married and lived in Fox Chapel. The trip to Latrobe during the winter was draining. “I was basically away from my wife for six months,” Ciotti said. “I didn’t...
Derry hopes to hire football coach within month
When Derry hired Tim Sweeney as its football coach in 2013, athletic director Brett Miller considered it a home run. Sweeney took a struggling program and made it a winner, which brought excitement back to Friday nights in eastern Westmoreland County. But Miller knew with that success and Sweeney’s desire...
Southmoreland softball hopes to make run at another title
When Southmoreland softball coach Todd Bunner addressed his team March 12, they talked about the future and hoped the 2020 season would continue in the near future. Around the state, the season is on pause until at least April 1 because of coronavirus. If the season continues, there is a...
Govern sees improvement in Southmoreland baseball team
Southmoreland baseball coach Al Govern calls himself old school. He likes to preach fundamentals. That’s why he’s excited for the 2020 season to resume so he can see how much his team has improved in one year under his training. Because of the coronavirus, Gov. Tom Wolf and the PIAA...
Ligonier Valley sophomore Beitel invited to elite football camp
Ligonier Valley sophomore Nick Beitel was invited to the EXOS Select 50 instructional football showcase, which will take place in May in either Houston or Frisco, Texas. Beitel, the son of Ligonier Valley football coach Roger Beitel, will be evaluated by current NCAA/NAIA coaches and NFL alum. The morning session...
WCCA/Tri-County all-star football game planned for June 13
Even before the coronavirus became a part of our lives, the Westmoreland County Coaches’ Association and Tri-County Football Coaches’ Association made plans to play a football all-star game. It will be called the BeeGraphix Great 38 game. The game is scheduled for June 13 at Trinity High School if the...
ACC officially cancels spring sports season
The ACC announced Tuesday it is shutting down all athletic-related activities, including all competition and practices, through the end of the 2019-20 academic year. It was a unanimous decision made to mitigate the further spread of coronavirus. Each university will continue to work in accordance with its school and state...
Paul Schofield: Westmoreland County wrestlers shine in PIAA finalsVideo
What an exciting and puzzling week it has been for high school athletics and everyone else as the coronavirus pandemic has interrupted our lives. With the sports world on pause, it’s a good time to look back and nothing was more exciting than the PIAA wrestling championships for three Westmoreland...
Greensburg Salem’s Stoner wins 2nd state wrestling title, keeps program tradition alive
Super Bowl MVPs go to Disney World the day after the game. Greensburg Salem senior Riley Stoner went to the Orlando, Fla., area theme park the day after she won a second Pennsylvania USA Girls wrestling title in Gettysburg. She pinned Montoursville’s Dominic Daugherty at 2 minutes, 22 seconds in...
Championship coach returns for 2nd stint with Latrobe softball
Bob Kovalcin resigned as Latrobe softball coach in 2012 to watch his daughter play college softball. Now that his daughter’s college career is over, Kovalcin returned to Latrobe, and he is back coaching the Wildcats after Rick Kozusko retired at the end of the 2019 season. Kovalcin coached Latrobe to...
Latrobe looking to rebound with young squad
It’s been three years since the Latrobe Wildcats were baseball champions in the WPIAL and PIAA in 2017. The past two seasons haven’t gone as well, but Latrobe coach Matt Basciano said he expects the team should be in the thick of the Section 2-6A race. He expects Penn-Trafford and...
Pennsylvania Junior Wrestling state tournament postponed
The Pennsylvania Junior Wrestling State Championship, which was to be held at the University of Pittsburgh’s Petersen Events Center this weekend, has been postponed because of coronavirus concerns. Organizers are working with Pitt officials to reschedule the event at a later date. The youth tournament features boys and girls wrestlers...
Pittsburgh Wrestling Classic canceled because of coronavirus concerns
The annual Pittsburgh Wrestling Classic, scheduled for Saturday at Pitt’s Fitzgerald Field House, has been canceled because of the health concerns over coronavirus. The match pitted a team of United States all-stars against a team of Pennsylvania All-Stars, which were highlighted by WPIAL champions Kurtis Phipps of Norwin, Gerrit Nijenhuis...
Chartiers Valley tops Hollidaysburg to win WPIAL-record 57th straight game
When Hollidaysburg jumped out to a quick lead against Chartiers Valley on Wednesday in a PIAA Class 5A girls basketball second-round playoff game, there was no panic by the Colts. When you own the WPIAL record with a 57-game winning streak, breaking North Catholic’s 31-year-old mark, you’re not going to...
Jeannette coach Karas looking for big season from experienced softball team
There is a reason for optimism for the Jeannette softball team. Coach Zac Karas said last season’s WPIAL playoff win against Mapletown did wonders for the program. And with seven starters returning, the Jayhawks look to make another playoff run. Jeannette finished 9-6 overall and 7-5 in Section 3-1A, tied...
Young, small roster has Jeannette baseball facing new challenges
Three years ago, Jeannette was celebrating its first WPIAL baseball title. As coach Marcus Clarkson prepares for the 2020 season, he hopes he has enough players to play games and complete the season. Jeannette will open with 12 players on the roster as Clarkson tries to replace eight starters, seven...
