Spartans football rebounds with key win

Dom Detruf had a monster game, and Hempfield Area scored 24 unanswered points to claim a 38-27 home victory against Canon-McMillan in Class 6A action last Friday. Detruf went 26-of-34 for 346 yards and four scores for the Spartans. Troy Sebring caught seven passes for 119 yards, while Lucas Simmons hauled in six passes for 93 yards, scoring three times. Jack Kopas added another receiving score for Hempfield, while Aidan Stinebiser contributed 16 carries for 68 yards and a rushing TD. As a result, the Spartans snapped their two-game skid and moved to 4-2 overall, including 1-2 in Class 6A. In the defeat, Talan Sabatucci had a prolific effort for the Big Macs (3-3, 1-1), as he caught six passes for 203 yards and scored three times. This week, the Spartans travel to play rival Norwin.

Westmoreland girls golfers in contention at WPIAL

Halfway through the WPIAL Girls Individual Golf Championship, several Westmoreland County competitors are in contention for a state qualifying bid. The first of two rounds was contested last Tuesday at the Seven Oaks Country Club in Beaver. In Class 3A, Norwin senior Adalena Robb paced county competitors with a round of 82, which was tied for sixth and 13 strokes behind leader Mya Morgan of Elizabeth Forward. Additionally, Hempfield Area senior Kat Devito carded an 87, Athena Neuschwander, a senior from Franklin Regional, shot an 89, and FR classmate Gianna Johnson fired a round of 99. In Class 2A, Greensburg Central Catholic junior Kennedy Kelly shot 85, which is good for fourth place and a dozen strokes off the pace set by Shady Side Academy’s Alyssa Zhang. Another Centurion, senior Alayna Stawovy, totaled 86, Ligonier Valley senior Addy Witcoski carded 96, Morgan Miller, a junior from Mount Pleasant Area, scored 98, Belle Vernon Area junior Sydney Stark shot 100, and Southmoreland’s Kendall Campbell and Kearlyn Fedorko finished with rounds of 109 and 110, respectively. The final round will take place on Wednesday at Sewickley Heights Golf Club, with the top seven scorers in Class 3A and top nine finishers in Class 2A qualifying for the state tournament.

Geyer sparks PT boys soccer surge

The Penn-Trafford boys soccer program earned a pair of statement wins last week, claiming 1-0 victories at Franklin Regional and at home against Belle Vernon Area. In the victory in Murrysville last Tuesday, Cooper Geyer tallied the lone goal approximately 10 minutes in the second half on a pass from Yuri Bidochko. Two days later, the Warriors followed the same blueprint, as Geyer scored with just four minutes left in regulation, once again with Bidochko providing the helper. Jose Chavez earned another shutout, making four stops against the Leopards. As a result, PT improved to 4-3-0 in Class 3A Section 3, creating a logjam among the top four teams. The Panthers and Leopards are deadlocked in first with marks of 5-2-0, while Greater Latrobe sits in third at 4-2-0.

PIHL season commences tonight

The high school hockey campaign begins tonight, as Penn-Trafford hosts Norwin in a Class AA clash at the Palmer Imaging Arena in Delmont. Also tonight, Burrell opens the campaign in Division 2, playing on the road against Sewickley Academy at the RMU Island Sports Center on Neville Island. On Tuesday, Franklin Regional travels to play Peters Township at the Printscape Arena at Southpointe in Canonsburg in Class AAA action. On Thursday, Greater Latrobe welcomes Cathedral Prep to the Kirk Nevin Arena in Greensburg for a Class AA battle. Immediately after at Nevin, Greensburg Salem hosts Plum in Class A play. Also that night, the Buccaneers open the home slate with a matchup against Deer Lakes at the Pittsburgh Ice Arena in New Kensington.

Zadecky hired as Pitt-Greensburg AD

Lou Zadecky, a longtime coach and administrator across Western Pennsylvania, began his role as the director of athletics at the University of Pitt-Greensburg last week. Zadecky most recently served in the same position at Carlow University since 2021. During that time, the Celtics shifted from the NAIA to the NCAA ranks, joining the Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference. He will remain in the same conference with the Bobcats, who sponsor 13 sports teams. Prior to his time at Carlow, Zadecky served as the director of athletics at Penn State Fayette, and also was the women’s basketball coach for Penn State Greater Allegheny, where he was recognized as the PSUAC Women’s Basketball Coach of the Year.

Upcoming on WSN

The broadcast schedule for the Westmoreland Sports Network is loaded this week, beginning with a girls soccer clash tonight, as Mount Pleasant Area hosts Deer Lakes in a battle for first place in Class 2A Section 4. The 6-0-0 Vikings hold a one-game lead over the 5-1-0 Lancers, as Mount Pleasant narrowly prevailed 2-1 in the first clash. Tomorrow, the Vikings boys will host county foe Yough in Class 2A Section 4 play. Mount Pleasant Area is 8-1-0 in the section, while the Cougars boast a mark of 7-1-0. Both teams, along with Charleroi, are in contention for section supremacy. On Wednesday, the Greater Latrobe girls welcome Norwin in a Class 4A Section 1 showdown. The Knights sit atop the standings at 6-0-0, while the Wildcats are tied for second, at 4-2-0. Norwin captured a 3-1 victory in the first meeting, as the Knights scored twice in the final 10 minutes. On Friday, WSN will feature a five-game slate of football, headlined by a pair of all-Westmoreland battles, as Norwin hosts Hempfield Area in Class 6A, while Greensburg Central Catholic plays at Jeannette in Class 1A Eastern Conference action.