Penn-Trafford ousts Franklin Regional in Big East showdown

Keyed by a couple of scores courtesy of Tasso Whipple and an incredible effort on special teams, homestanding Penn-Trafford bested Franklin Regional 26-10 in a Class 5A Big East Conference football matchup on Friday. Whipple rushed 16 times for 90 yards in the contest, including a TD on the Warriors first drive that put them ahead for good. The PT special teams converted a 32-yard field goal via Jack Miller, blocked a field goal, recovered a fumble, and forced a safety following a blocked punt. Jonny Lovre added a 1-yard TD run for the Warriors, while Jamison Yurt racked up 13 tackles. In the loss, Kyle Dupill rushed for 106 yards and a touchdown for the Panthers. As a result, PT moved to 3-1 in the conference, while FR dropped to 3-1.

Playoff field set for Westmoreland County boys soccer

While there’s still a few days left in section play for boys soccer, the WPIAL playoff field is already finalized for the Westmoreland County teams. Nine teams from the area have clinched their spots in the postseason, which commences next Monday. In Class 4A, Norwin is in, as the Knights finished as runner up in Section 1 with a mark of 8-2-0. In Class 3A, Greater Latrobe, Franklin Regional, Penn-Trafford, and Belle Vernon Area have all punched their tickets from Section 3. With a record of 10-0-0, the Wildcats claimed the section crown. Meanwhile, the Panthers finished second (8-2-0), the Warriors placed third (5-4-0), and the Leopards are in fourth (3-6-0). In Class 2A, Mount Pleasant Area, Southmoreland, and Burrell have secured their playoff berths. The Vikings placed second in Section 4 with a mark of 11-2-0, while the Scotties finished third at 8-5-0. Meanwhile, the Buccaneers claimed the fourth spot from Section 1, going 7-6-0. Lastly in Class 1A, Greensburg Central Catholic has qualified, as the Centurions tied for second place in Section 2, compiling a record of 5-3-0.

McGhee, Skatell take WCCA XC titles

Penn-Trafford’s Jake McGhee and Emerson Skatell of Greater Latrobe captured the Westmoreland County Coaches Association (WCCA) Cross-County Championships last Wednesday at Westmoreland County Community College. McGhee, a senior, claimed gold with a meet record time of 16:14.3. He narrowly edged Norwin’s Enzo Jiancristoforo, who registered 16:16.9, while Luke Simpson, also of the Knights, finished at 16:19.5. In the boys team competition, Norwin claimed the Class 3A crown, besting runner-up Hempfield Area 31-58, while Greensburg Salem took the 2A title, edging Derry Area 33-34. On the girls side, Skatell reigned supreme with a mark of 18:41.1. She finished ahead of Norwin’s Anna Czajkowski, who clocked a time of 19:09.1, while Kiski Area’s Lauren Ciuca placed third with a finish of 19:25.9. The Knights won the Class 3A team title, besting runner-up Greater Latrobe by a margin of 32-49. In Class 2A, Greensburg Salem took gold, finishing ahead of Derry Area 36-39.

Westmoreland teams litter volleyball postseason

With one week remaining in the WPIAL volleyball regular season, Westmoreland County teams are well-represented in the postseason picture. In Class 4A, Penn-Trafford, Hempfield Area, and Greater Latrobe have all punched their tickets to the playoffs. In Section 3, the Warriors lead the way at 7-1, while the Spartans are in second at 6-2, and the Wildcats sit in third at 5-3. In Class 3A, Greensburg Salem sits in second place in Section 5 with a record of 9-1. In Class 2A, Southmoreland and Burrell have punched their postseason tickets. The Scotties pace Section 5 with a record of 8-0, while the Buccaneers are in second at 6-2. Lastly, Greensburg Central Catholic has clinched in Class 1A, as the Centurions are in second in Section 4 with a mark of 6-2. The playoffs will commence next Monday.

Jeannette alum Sanders hired to lead Mount Pleasant wrestling

Gio Vonne Sanders, a Jeannette alum who currently plays professional football, was hired to lead the Mount Pleasant Area wrestling program last Monday. During his time with the Jayhawks, Sanders captured WPIAL wrestling gold in 2015, and he was a state runner-up in 2016. He wrestled for the University of Pittsburgh, and then shifted his focus to the gridiron, playing collegiately at Saint Francis and Western Michigan. Sanders currently competes in the Indoor Football League (IFL). Last year, Tom Dolde guided the Vikings.