Jeannette football wins rivalry showdown against GCC

With Kymon’e Brown serving as catalyst, homestanding Jeannette knocked off Greensburg Central Catholic 37-22 in a Class 1A Eastern Conference battle last Friday. Brown compiled 143 yards and two scores on the ground, and he passed for 144 yards and two more touchdowns through the air for the Jayhawks. Jayce Powell snagged three receptions for 65 yards for Jeannette. In the loss, Samir Crosby posted a prolific outing for the Centurions (3-4, 1-3), as he rushed for 211 yards and a TD, and shifted to QB in the second half and threw for 137 yards and another touchdown. Bobby Smithnosky, who moved from quarterback to receiver, caught four passes for 96 yards and a TD and also found paydirt on a touchdown run. As a result of the victory, Jeannette moved to 4-3 overall, including 2-2 in the conference, putting the Jayhawks in a tie for third place. Greensburg Central Catholic, meanwhile, dipped to 3-4 on the season, and 1-3 in the Eastern Conference, putting the Centurions into a tie for sixth. Jeannette hosts Brentwood on Friday, while GCC welcomes Springdale.

Ten Westmoreland girls soccer squads clinch

More than a week remains in the WPIAL girls soccer regular season, and 10 Westmoreland County teams have already secured their spots in the postseason. In Class 4A, Norwin, Penn-Trafford, and Latrobe have all secured spots from Section 1. Entering Monday night’s action, the Knights pace the section at 8-0-0, while the Warriors are in second at 6-2-0, and the Wildcats reside in third, holding a mark of 5-3-0. In Class 3A, Franklin Regional and Kiski Area have clinched from Section 4. At 8-2-0, the Panthers are in second place, while the Cavaliers sit in third at 7-3-0. Lastly, in Class 2A, Mount Pleasant Area, Southmoreland, Yough, Belle Vernon Area, and Burrell have all punched their tickets to the playoffs. In Section 4, the Vikings lead the way with a mark of 8-0-0, while the Scotties’ mark of 5-3-0 has them in third, and the Cougars hold the fourth spot at 4-4-0. In Section 1, the Leopards are in second place with a record of 7-2-1. And in Section 2, the Buccaneers sit in second, holding a mark of 5-2-1.

O’Rourke tabbed to lead Centurions boys hoops

Tim O’Rourke was hired last week as the head coach for the Greensburg Central Catholic boys basketball program. O’Rourke replaced Christian Hyland, who stepped down in the summer after six years guiding the Centurions. A Ringgold graduate who played collegiately at Saint Vincent College, O’Rourke boasts significant experience as an assistant coach, including a tenure at Derry Area with the boys programs, and at Greensburg Salem and GCC with the girls teams. Last season, the Centurions compiled a mark of 26-4, which included a trip to the PIAA Class 2A semifinals.

PT hockey blanks Norwin in opener

The PIHL season commenced last Monday, highlighted by Penn-Trafford’s 5-0 victory at the Palmer Imaging Arena in Delmont. Jordan Tucek led the Warriors with a pair of goals and an assist, while Brock Bienemann notched a goal and a helper. Liam Lehneke and Zach Grkman also ripped the twine for the Warriors. Tyler Funk was perfect in net for PT, as he notched 30 saves for the shutout. On the other side, Connor Lovinfosse took the loss, making 32 saves between the pipes for the Knights. The Warriors return to the ice on Thursday with a road tilt against Shaler Area at the Alpha Ice Complex in Harmarville.

Griffins football stuns Cal U

Seton Hill University football notched one of the biggest wins in program history on Saturday, claiming a 16-7 road victory against No. 6 California University of Pennsylvania. The Griffins outpaced the Vulcans 10-0 in the final quarter, punctuated by a 48-yard touchdown run by Ky’Ron Craggette with 2:22 left in the contest. Craggette, who was honored as the PSAC West Offensive Athlete of the Week today, rushed 27 times for 155 yards in the triumph. Darrian Carter, in his first start as QB, passed for 71 yards and rushed for 97 yards and a TD for SHU, while Thomas Johnson led the defense with 10 tackles. The outcome marked the first Griffins win against Cal U in program history. Seton Hill, which improved to 3-3 overall and 1-1 in the PSAC West, hosts Slippery Rock on Saturday.

Upcoming on WSN

The Westmoreland Sports Network is packed with live broadcasts this week, beginning with a girls soccer clash on Monday between host Norwin and Penn-Trafford. On Tuesday, the Warriors girls volleyball team will welcome Hempfield Area for a Class 4A Section 3 clash with first-place at stake. On Wednesday, Greater Latrobe girls soccer looks to further solidify its playoff seeding, as the Wildcats host the Spartans. On Thursday, the Norwin boys soccer team heads to Plum in pursuit of redemption after the Mustangs scored a dramatic 1-0 win in the first clash. Among the notable matchups on the gridiron on Friday, Penn-Trafford heads to neighboring Franklin Regional for a Class 5A Big East Conference clash, while Hempfield Area aims to rebound from a tough loss, as the Spartans play host to Seneca Valley in Class 6A. On Saturday, Seton Hill University football seeks to build on last week’s stunner, as the Griffins host another traditional powerhouse in Slippery Rock University at noon.