Seven Westmoreland boys teams clinch

With one week remaining in the WPIAL boys basketball section slate, seven Westmoreland County teams are already guaranteed a postseason spot. In Class 6A, Hempfield Area has clinched, as the Spartans currently reside in fourth place in Section 2 at 6-5. In Class 5A, Penn-Trafford has secured its spot, as the Warriors have gone 8-4 in Section 1 and trail only Gateway. Both Derry Area and Belle Vernon Area have punched their tickets in Class 4A. Competing in Section 3, the Trojans have amassed a mark of 8-2 and are tied with Elizabeth Forward atop the standings, while the Leopards are third in the section at 8-3. In Class 3A, Southmoreland and Ligonier Valley are in. The Scotties pace Section 4 at 7-0, while the Rams sit in second place at 5-2. Lastly, Jeannette is playoff-bound from Class 2A. At 10-0, the Jayhawks have the top spot in Section 1. Several other Westmoreland teams remain in contention for playoff bids entering the final week, including Norwin in Class 6A, Franklin Regional, Greater Latrobe, and Kiski Area in 5A, Burrell and Greensburg Salem in 4A, Greensburg Central Catholic in 2A, and Monessen in 1A.

Shaffer to lead GL boys soccer

Greater Latrobe tabbed Scott Shaffer as its new boys soccer coach last week. Shaffer previously guided Derry Area, which fielded a co-ed team, for four campaigns. Prior to leading the Trojans, Shaffer was an assistant at Greater Latrobe under Tom Kennedy. A Mount Pleasant Area grad, Shaffer replaces Jake Rice, who stepped down after four seasons at the helm of the Wildcats. In the fall, GL went 8-10-0 overall, including 7-3-0 in Class 3A Section 3. In the WPIAL playoffs, the Wildcats fell to West Allegheny in the first round.

Golden Lions hockey notches shutout win

Greensburg Salem hockey collected a much-needed win for its playoff aspirations, as the Golden Lions ousted Westmont Hilltop 4-0 last Thursday at the Kirk Nevin Arena in Greensburg. After a scoreless opening period, the Golden Lions scored three times on the power play in the middle frame, with Jake Fink netting the first two goals. Luke Dieter tallied to extend the GS lead, and Jeremiah Faulk sealed the victory with a shorthanded goal in the third period. In addition to a pair of goals, Fink also picked up an assist, while Faulk and Dieter each had two-point efforts. Hayden Henry notched the shutout, making 11 saves. With the triumph, Greensburg Salem improved to 7-9-0-2, and with 23 points, the Golden Lions are just one point behind North Hills for the final playoff spot in the PIHL Class A Gold Division.

PT softball recognized by MaxPreps

After capturing state gold last year, Penn-Trafford softball received significant recognition heading into this season. The Warriors were chosen as the top team in Pennsylvania, regardless of classification, by MaxPreps. In 2025, PT amassed a mark of 24-3, finishing as the runner-up in the WPIAL Class 5A Championship, but taking gold in the PIAA Class 5A title game a couple of weeks later with a 2-0 triumph against Greencastle-Antrim. Penn-Trafford graduated seven players from that championship squad.

Griffins baseball tops preseason poll

Once again, Seton Hill University baseball tops the preseason polls, as the Griffins were selected as the favorite in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) West Division last week. Seton Hill earned six of the eight first-place votes from the West, edging second-place Slippery Rock University, which garnered the other two votes for first place. The Griffins have been selected as the preseason favorite in five of the past six seasons. Last year, SHU compiled a mark of 40-18, including 21-7 in the PSAC, reaching the NCAA Atlantic Super Regional. The Griffs commence this year’s slate on Feb. 14 at the University of Findlay.

This week on WSN

The WPIAL basketball regular season winds down this week, with several key contests airing on the Westmoreland Sports Network. Tonight, Norwin girls basketball hosts Canon-McMillan in a first-place battle in Class 6A. There’s mat action on Thursday, as Saint Vincent College plays host to Bethany College in a Presidents’ Athletic Conference (PAC) clash. That same night, the Franklin Regional girls face a crucial test at home, as the Panthers welcome Shaler Area. Meanwhile, boys basketball action takes center stage on Friday, as Hempfield Area hosts Norwin in a 6A rivalry matchup, while Derry Area travels to Elizabeth Forward, with the Class 4A Section 3 title possibly at stake.