Westmoreland high school notebook: Latrobe’s Blair gets D-I offer

By: Bill Beckner Jr.
Monday, June 27, 2022 | 5:18 PM

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Emma Blair has her first NCAA Division I scholarship offer.

The girls basketball standout from Latrobe was offered over the weekend by South Carolina-Upstate in Valley Falls, S.C.

The 6-foot-1 throwback forward, who is known for her prowess to produce double-doubles, averaged 13.6 points and 12.5 rebounds and shot 56% from the field last season as Latrobe went 18-5 and made the WPIAL Class 5A quarterfinals and PIAA first round.

She had a 20-point, 20- rebound game against Gateway.

Division II programs also are high on Blair. Seton Hill has offered.

Blair has been playing center for the Western PA Bruins 17U National Team.

Kreis shoots and scores

Belle Vernon incoming senior Viva Kreis is in Europe competing with the U.S. Women’s Handball team in the U20 World Handball Championships.

Kreis has scored a pair of goals, with one coming against defending champion Poland and the other versus Hungary.

There are 32 teams in the global event. The U.S. had not qualified for worlds since 1981.

Smith in top 10

Norwin rising senior long snapper Xander Smith recorded a top-10 finish at the HKA Top 40 showcase in Orlando, Fla.

Smith was 10th in his bracket, competing against 49 other high school long snappers.

He charted with a score of 177.37, falling head-to-head to David Bird of Sandra O’Connor High School on Phoenix, Ariz., in the Elite 8.

Miller selected

Incoming Greensburg Central Catholic senior soccer player Kyler Miller was named to the “Best XI” of National League PRO showcase team for the club season. Only 11 players were picked for each age division nationally.

The midfielder plays for the Beadling Soccer Club. He had 18 goals and 16 assists last season to help lead GCC to a WPIAL Class A runner-up finish and a return trip to the PIAA playoffs.

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

Tags: Belle Vernon, Greensburg C.C., Latrobe, Norwin