Norwin notebook: Track teams surge into WPIAL finals

By: Bill Beckner Jr.
Saturday, May 14, 2022 | 11:01 AM

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The Norwin track and field teams advanced to the WPIAL Class 3A championship.

The meet was set for May 11 at West Mifflin.

At the semifinal meet, the girls earned commanding wins over Canon-McMillan (98-52), Bethel Park (124-26) and Belle Vernon (120-30).

The boys topped Connellsville (121-29), Canon-McMillan (97-53) and Baldwin (98-52).

Schmook offered

Aaron Schmook can sling a javelin farther than most in the WPIAL. Colleges are beginning to take notice. The Norwin senior was recently offered a scholarship from Kent State.

Baseball in playoffs

The Norwin baseball team went on a stretch where it won five of six games to clinch a WPIAL playoff spot in Class 6A.

The Knights beat Upper St. Clair, 5-2 and 7-3, then followed with another Section 2 sweep against Hempfield by scores of 15-8 and 3-2.

In the first game against Hempfield, Jack Whalen drove in three runs, EJ Dunn doubled, Chris Slatt went 3 for 3 and Christian Minto went 3 for 4. Slatt added a double and an RBI in the 3-2 victory.

The Knights, who were hovering near the bottom of the section at one point, surged into second place behind Mt. Lebanon.

The WPIAL playoffs were scheduled to begin May 16.

Lacrosse wins

Norwin scored a 10-8 victory over Hempfield as Griffin Bartos scored five goals, including three in the third quarter.

Ryan Charles added two scores, and Jon Columbus, Isaiah Francis and Ryan Frankovic all tallied one goal.

Kyle Gill earned the win in goal.

Net gains

Norwin’s boys volleyball team picked up a late-season win over Gateway, 3-0.

The Knights won 25-20, 25-16 and 25-23, with Michael Fleming putting down 12 kills on 17 attempts.

Luke Mumpower had 35 assists and three aces, and Lucas Churchfield had a team-best six digs.

Tennis falls

Seeded 11th in the tournament, the Norwin boys tennis team was shut out by No. 6 Fox Chapel — a tough first-round draw — 5-0 in the WPIAL Class 3A playoffs.

College scene

Checking in on Norwin graduates playing in college:

Baseball

• Mercyhurst: Sophomore Aidan Shephard hit his sixth homer of the season in a 12-10 loss to Slippery Rock. His three-run shot cut the deficit to 12-9. Shephard went 2 for 3 with two walks in a 12-3 win over the Rock.

• Youngstown State: Senior Chad Coles moved into second place on the Penguins’ all-time list for appearances with 93. This season, Coles is 3-3 with a 6.67 ERA in 19 appearances, including seven starts. Opponents were hitting .257 against him, and he had 31 strikeouts and 40 walks in 54 innings.

Softball

• Saint Vincent: Sophomore left fielder Alex Dillner delivered the winning single in the eighth inning as the Bearcats stayed alive in the Presidents’ Athletic Conference tournament with a 3-2 victory over Bethany.

Men’s lacrosse

• Saint Vincent: With a second-half rally, the Bearcats came back to top Westminster, 10-7, in the PAC semifinals to reach the title match. Grad student Tyler Condrasky had three goals and an assist.

Women’s lacrosse

• Saint Vincent: The Bearcats’ season came to end in the PAC semifinals with an 18-6 loss to Washington & Jefferson. Sophomore Maggie Edwards had two goals.

Men’s golf

• Penn State Altoona: Freshmen Logan Divald (Norwin) and Nathan Graham (Norwin) will join their teammates in the NCAA Division III national championship Tuesday through Friday at Mission Inn Resort and Club in Howey-In-The-Hills, Fla. Divald is the second-leading scorer for the Lions with a 78.8 average in six rounds this spring. Graham averaged 83.17 over six rounds.

• Pitt-Johnstown: Freshman Sal Cerilli came in tied for 61st (230), and UPJ took sixth as a team at the NCAA Division II Atlantic/East Regional in Victor, N.Y.

Women’s track & field

• Waynesburg: Freshman Megan Barry finished fourth in the javelin at the WVU Last Chance Meet. She threw 32.29 meters.

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

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