Ten Westmoreland baseball teams secure playoffs

Entering the final week of section play in WPIAL baseball, 10 Westmoreland County teams have notched playoff berths. Thus far, the Westmoreland squads to clinch are Norwin, Hempfield Area, Greater Latrobe, Penn-Trafford, Franklin Regional, Belle Vernon Area, Greensburg Salem, Derry Area, Mount Pleasant Area, and Greensburg Central Catholic. In Class 6A, the Knights finished in second place in Section 2 with a mark of 8-4, while the Spartans placed fourth at 6-6. In Class 5A Section 1, the Wildcats and Warriors are tied in second place at 8-2, while the Panthers sit in fourth, at 6-4. In Class 4A, the Leopards are tied for second place in Section 2 with a mark of 8-2. Meanwhile in Section 3, the Golden Lions deadlocked for second place, while the Trojans finished in fourth. The Vikings are in from Class 3A Section 3, as they currently sit in first with a record of 8-2. Lastly, the Centurions have secured a berth in Class 1A Section 1, as they currently top the standings at 9-1. Other Westmoreland County teams that remain in contention include Burrell and Ligonier Valley in Class 3A Section 3, along with Jeannette in Class 1A Section 1. The WPIAL baseball playoff brackets will be unveiled on Friday.

Jeannette’s Stein authors consecutive no-hitters

Jeannette softball pitcher Grace Stein added two more highlights to her accomplished career last week, as she spun a perfect game and then followed with a no-hitter. The junior hurler was perfect over three innings in a 19-0 run-rule win at Saint Joseph on Wednesday, striking out five while adding a pair of hits and five RBIs at the plate. Stein followed two days later with a 16-strikeout gem in a 10-0 home triumph in six innings against Leechburg Area. Against the Blue Devils, she issued a pair of walks, surpassing 500 career strikeouts in the victory. The Jayhawks, who have already secured a playoff spot, improved to 9-4 overall, including 8-1 in Class 1A Section 3.

Decorated Mount Pleasant swim coach retires

After more than 40 years as a high school swimming and diving coach, Mount Pleasant Area’s Sandy Felice announced her retirement last month. Felice has guided the Vikings programs since 1986, culminating with a pair of state team titles this past season. Felice led the Mount Pleasant girls to WPIAL crowns in both 2022 and 2023, as well as state titles in each of those seasons, as well as the 2025 campaign, in which the Vikings bested Cathedral Prep for PIAA gold. Additionally, the Vikings boys narrowly edged Indiana Area to capture their first PIAA crown in March. Felice also previously served as the diving coach at Norwin.

Warriors, Panthers girls clinch LAX postseason

As the WPIAL girls lacrosse regular season draws near a conclusion, a couple of Westmoreland County squads have punched their ticket to the playoffs. In Class 3A, Penn-Trafford has clinched, while Franklin Regional has earned a berth from Class 2A. The Warriors have concluded the Section 1 ledger with a record of 7-3, currently residing in fourth place. Meanwhile, the Panthers have achieved a mark of 6-2 in Section 1, placing them in third with two games remaining in section play. Additionally, Norwin currently sits in the sixth and final playoff spot in Class 3A Section 1 at 4-5, although the Knights have not clinched. The playoffs will commence on May 12.

Southmoreland’s Cernuto steps down

After five seasons at the helm of the Southmoreland girls basketball program, Amber Cernuto has stepped down as head coach. Cernuto compiled a mark of 43-67 during her tenure with the Scotties, including a record of 3-18 this past season, as the Scotties failed to qualify for the WPIAL Class 4A playoffs. Cernuto helped guide Southmoreland to section crowns in both 2021 and 2022, but the team has not eclipsed three wins in any of the subsequent campaigns.

Griffins MLAX wins conference title

Seton Hill University men’s lacrosse left no doubt in the Great Midwest Athletic Conference (G-MAC) Championship on Saturday, as the Griffins blasted Walsh University 20-5. With the triumph, Seton Hill captured its fourth G-MAC title, most recently winning in 2022. Seton Hill jumped out to a 7-0 lead after the first quarter, and held a 15-1 edge at the half. Braeden Lockyer-Fagan paced the host Griffins with seven goals and two assists, while Wade Brunelle contributed a goal and five helpers. As a result, SHU improved to 17-1 overall, and garnered the No. 3 seed in the NCAA Division II North Region. The Griffins will welcome No. 6 Wilmington University on Wednesday.