Scotties football maintains perfect record

Halfway through the WPIAL football regular season, just one team remains unblemished in Westmoreland County - the Southmoreland Scotties. Powered by Jackson Mickens, Southmoreland bested Ringgold 28-7 in a nonconference matchup last Friday. Mickens notched a rushing score, and sealed the win with a 32-yard interception return score for the host Scotties, who moved to 5-0. Averyon Darnell posted 89 yards on the ground for Southmoreland, while Dawson Wolfe threw for 79 yards and rushed for a TD. In a losing effort, Dennis Hawkins went 9-of-20 for 131 yards for the Rams, while Demetri Lowe caught eight passes for 105 yards. The Scotties commence Class 3A Interstate Conference play this week, as they travel to play at Derry Area.

BVA’s Dusi three-peats as WPIAL tennis champ

For the third year in a row, Belle Vernon Area’s Gabby Dusi stood atop the WPIAL tennis landscape. Dusi, a senior for the Leopards, captured her third-consecutive WPIAL Class AA Tennis Singles Championship last week. The top-seeded Dusi edged No. 2 Avery Allen of Quaker Valley 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 in the championship round last Thursday at North Allegheny High School. Dusi earned a first-round bye, and then cruised through the rest bracket to that point, defeating Neshannock’s Madalyn Arrow 10-0, and Veronica Zinski of Winchester Thurston 6-0, 6-2 in the semifinals. In Class 3A, Penn-Trafford’s Mia Williams fell to Meriwether McCargo of Shady Side Academy in the championship, 6-3, 2-6, 6-4. Williams, a senior, captured the crown in her freshman campaign, but McCargo has won the last three titles. Both Dusi and Williams qualify for the state tournament, which begins on Oct. 31.

Norwin girls win first-place clash against PT

With first place on stake in a Westmoreland County girls soccer showdown, Norwin left no doubt. The Knights notched a 3-0 win at Penn-Trafford last Monday to take sole possession atop Class 4A Section 1. Hannah Amantea opened the scoring for Norwin in the 37th minute, while Siena Ali and Nicole Bown tallied in the second half and Rebecca Kostrobala registered the clean sheet. Norwin, which subsequently rolled to an 8-0 victory at home against Woodland Hills last Wednesday, sits at 5-0-0 in the section, and 7-2-0 overall. On the other side, the Warriors rebounded with a 5-1 section win at Armstrong last Wednesday and added an impressive 5-2 triumph at Mount Pleasant Area on Saturday. As a result, PT is 5-3-1 overall, and sits in second in the section at 4-1-0.

Keller resigns from DA girls basketball

After one season guiding the Derry Area girls basketball team, Nathan Keller stepped down from the position last week. Keller’s resignation was approved by the Derry Area School Board last Thursday, retroactive to Sept. 5. In Keller’s lone season at the helm, the Trojans went 4-17 overall, including 1-13 in Class 4A Section 1, failing to qualify for the playoffs. A 2004 Penn-Trafford grad, Keller was an assistant with the Trojans for one year before taking the reins. Keller served under Gene Brisbane, who had guided the team for five years before he stepped down.

Seton Hill announces latest Athletics HOF class

Last week, Seton Hill University announced its Athletic Hall of Fame Class of 2025, a group that features three standout athletes and a legendary coach. The inductees are: Nick McGahagan (Class of 2012 – football); Dontay Jacobs (2019 – track and field); Nathan Davis (2020 – men’s basketball); and Ferne Labati (women’s basketball coach). McGahagan was a three-time All-WVIAC selection at linebacker, and holds the Griffins’ season and career records for unassisted tackles. Jacobs was twice an NCAA National Qualifier in the 400-meter dash, and he was a four-time PSAC Indoor Champion and two-time PSAC Outdoor Champion in the event. Davis was a two-time All-PSAC selection, ranking second in Griffins’ history with 1,712 points, and he also holds the single-game mark of 39 points. Labati guided the Griffins women’s basketball program for seven years, compiling a mark of 117-73, including an NCAA Tournament appearance in 2010. The quartet will be inducted on Oct. 17, and they will be recognized at the Griffins Homecoming football game the following day.