Westmoreland high school notebook: Jeannette looking to stay on target with turf

By: Bill Beckner Jr.
Saturday, June 22, 2019 | 5:28 PM

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Despite the recent drenching rains, Jeannette’s McKee Stadium is looking to stay on target with its artificial turf project.

This football season, the stadium will not have a natural grass playing surface for the first time in its 82-year history after the new carpet is installed.

Superintendent Matt Jones said 90 percent of the existing grass and dirt has been removed — some chunks of sod were sold to diehards as a fundraiser. The base is nearly ready for stone, and Jones said boards are set, to which the turf itself will be attached. He also said the goal posts are in place.

Stone and drain panels are next, weather permitting. The base could need time to dry.

Turf is scheduled to be delivered Thursday.

Making mom proud

Penn-Trafford had not been to the PIAA softball playoffs since 1990 before the Warriors went on thrilling run to the Class 5A state title earlier this month.

Two mothers and an aunt of current Penn-Trafford players played on the 1990 team. They are Michele (Rudge) Hilty, the mother of junior pitcher Morgan Hilty; Tami (Prady) Burkey, the aunt of sophomore outfielder Allie Prady; and Deanna (Kaczynski) Seruga, whose daughter, Julia, plays on the middle school team.

Michele Hilty also was a pitcher, Deanna Seruga a catcher and Tami Burkey an outfielder, on the ‘90 team.

Seruga went on to a hall of fame career at Westminster in softball and basketball.

The state win was extra special for the moms.

“Morgan is definitely not following in my footsteps. She has created her own path,” Michele Hilty said. “This sport gives opportunity for life-lasting memories. Morgan and her Warrior teammates have surely accomplished that this season.”

WCCA events

The Westmoreland County Coaches Association has two key events coming up on its summer schedule.

The WCCA summer basketball shootout is set for 9 a.m. July 12 at Hempfield.

The annual 7-on-7 football championship will be 9 a.m. July 18 at Latrobe. The championship game is scheduled for about 3 p.m.

There are 16 county teams in the passing tournament.

LV all-conference

The District 6 Heritage Conference announced its all-conference teams for the spring season. Ligonier Valley had 13 athletes recognized.

They are: Tatum Hoffman and Isabelle Saloom (girls track and field); Elliot Rost, Zachary Beitel, Aaron Tutino, Lucas Rashilla, Josh Haines, Kyrie Miller, and Miles Higgins (boys track and field); Abi Cmar and Jane Garver (softball); and John Caldwell and Michael Marinchak (baseball).

Diving stars

A pair of Penn-Trafford divers were named National Interscholastic Swimming Coaches Association All-Americans. Logan Sherwin and Paige Kalik made the national list.

Sherwin, a Chicago recruit, was runner-up at the WPIAL Class AAA championship (556.65 score), and Kalik, who is headed to Akron, won the girls Class AAA title (493.65).

Lacrosse honors

Ainsley Novotney of Latrobe was named to the All-WPIAL Class AAA lacrosse team, and Latrobe’s Kaytie Russo was tabbed coach of the year in the classification.

In Class AA, Franklin Regional’s Noelle Boyd and Kendra Delissio also picked up All-WPIAL honors, and Mitchell DeBiase of Franklin Regional made the list in Class AA.

Recruiting buzz

Former Greensburg Central Catholic basketball player Asa Klimchock, who played the final two years of his high school career at The Kiski School, has his second Division II offer from a PSAC school. Clarion offered recently, joining Seton Hill as a suitor for Klimchock, a 6-footer who averaged 18 points, eight assists and five rebounds a game last season.

• Penn-Trafford junior hockey standout Faith Anthony committed to play at Franklin Pierce, a Division I independent in Rindge, N.H. A defenseman, Anthony plays for the North American Hockey Academy as well as the Pittsburgh Penguins Elite 19-U club.

• Penn-Trafford rising senior Emma Rain committed to play soccer at Seton Hill. Rain, who plays club soccer for the Allegheny Force FC, has returned from a knee injury.

• Ligonier Valley rising senior lineman Christian Jablonski added an offer from Duquesne, and teammate and classmate Michael Petrof was offered by Wofford. The pair have more than 20 Division I offers combined.

• Valparaiso offered Penn-Trafford senior wide receiver/cornerback Noah Allen (6-2, 175). It is his first Division I offer.

Bill Beckner Jr. is a TribLive reporter covering local sports in Westmoreland County. He can be reached at bbeckner@triblive.com.

Tags: Franklin Regional, Greensburg C.C., Hempfield, Jeannette, Latrobe, Ligonier Valley, Penn-Trafford