Eight girls basketball teams clinch playoffs

Entering the final week of the WPIAL girls basketball regular season, eight Westmoreland County teams have already secured their spots in the playoffs. The qualifiers include Norwin, Penn-Trafford, Greater Latrobe, Greensburg Salem, Belle Vernon Area, Yough, Greensburg Central Catholic, and Monessen. The Knights are currently tied atop Class 6A Section 1, at 7-1. The Warriors (6-4) and Wildcats (5-5) are in third and fourth, respectively, in Class 5A Section 3. In Class 4A, the Golden Lions are 5-5, which places them fourth in Section 1, while the Leopards are in second in Section 3 at 10-1. The Cougars are 5-3 in Class 3A Section 4, which ties them for second place. The Centurions are deadlocked atop Class 2A Section 3 with a mark of 9-1. Lastly, the Greyhounds are 7-1, which leads Class 1A Section 2. Other county teams that remain in postseason contention include Hempfield Area, Kiski Area, Mount Pleasant Area, and Burrell.

Burrell wrestling falls in WPIAL championship

Burrell came up short in its pursuit of another WPIAL team wrestling title on Saturday, as the Buccaneers fell to Burgettstown in the title match. The top-seeded Blue Devils edged the Bucs 31-24 in the WPIAL Class 2A final at Chartiers-Houston High School. The Bucs won 15 consecutive championships from 2007-2021 before Quaker Valley edged Burrell to end the run last campaign. In the defeat, Cameron Baker (107) scored a fall and Isaac Lacinski (172) won via forfeit, Jake Stewart (121) notched a major decision, and Cooper Hornack (133), Niko Ferra (145), and Luke Boylan (215) all claimed decisions. The Buccaneers, who defeated Quaker Valley 41-30 in the semifinals earlier on Saturday, move on to the PIAA team tournament this week, and will face District 9 champion Brookville on Thursday. In Class 3A, Hempfield Area fell to eventual champion Canon-McMillan in the semifinals, but rebounded in the consolation match, edging Connellsville Area 32-31 to take third at Peters Township High School. As a result, the Spartans will battle Pittsburgh City League champion Allderdice on Monday in the PIAA Class 3A preliminary round.

Warriors edge Wildcats on the ice

Led by Xavier Solomon’s big performance, Penn-Trafford edged Greater Latrobe 4-3 last Thursday in a PIHL Class AA matchup at the Kirk Nevin Arena in Greensburg. Solomon factored in on every goal for the visiting Warriors, as he posted two goals and two assists. Jack Blank scored the other two markers for PT, while Cam Kiste and Nate Loughner each dished out a pair of assists. The Wildcats, meanwhile, were paced by Noah Guidos, who tallied a goal and an assist, while Fletcher Harvey and Bryant Dumnich also both scored. As a result, the Wildcats sit in fourth in Class AA, with 21 points, while the Warriors reside in sixth, with 17 points.

Tsourekis steps away from PT soccer

After three years at the helm of Penn-Trafford boys soccer, Sotiri Tsourekis has stepped down from the position. Tsourekis compiled a record of 21-26-1 in his tenure with the Warriors, including a mark of 9-9-1 this past season. Penn-Trafford qualified for the WPIAL Class 3A playoffs, but fell to Thomas Jefferson in the first round. Prior to coming to PT, Tsourekis guided Keystone Oaks, his alma mater, for 10 years. As a player, Tsourekis competed at the University of Pittsburgh, and continued his career professionally in Greece.

SVC’s Weber repeats as Player of the Week

For the second consecutive week, Saint Vincent College’s Madison Weber was selected as the Presidents Athletic Conference (PAC) Player of the Week. Weber garnered the accolades last Monday, following a week in which she averaged 20.0 points, 10.0 rebounds, and 4.0 assists in a pair of victories. In an 81-49 win at Waynesburg, Weber poured in 21 points, along with nine boards and six assists. She followed up with a 19 points, 11-rebound effort in upsetting Washington & Jefferson College 57-53. Collectively, the Bearcats boast a mark of 16-4 overall, including 14-3 in PAC play.