Westmoreland high school notebook: GCC’s Crosby gets offer from Penn

By: Bill Beckner Jr.
Sunday, January 12, 2025 | 3:56 PM

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Surprisingly, Samir Crosby did not receive all-state recognition this season, but that has not stopped Division I college programs from courting the junior football standout from Greensburg Central Catholic.

College offers continue to roll in.

Crosby, a big-play quarterback and defensive back, grabbed his second opportunity from an Ivy League school as Penn reached out to him.

Penn joins Harvard, which contacted him in July.

Crosby (5-foot-10, 170 pounds), who said he is unsure when he wants to commit, now has seven NCAA Division I offers, the others from Kent State, Fordham, Miami (Ohio), UNLV, and Buffalo.

Crosby passed for 1,483 yards, ran for 1,060, accounted for 38 touchdowns and intercepted five passes this season for the Centurions.

Kovatch chooses UPG

Belle Vernon standout Trevor Kovatch will remain in Westmoreland County to play college soccer.

Kovatch announced Saturday he will join Pitt-Greensburg of the NCAA Division III Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference.

Kovatch is Belle Vernon’s all-time leader in goals with 100 and finished with 230 career points.

This past season, he had 14 goals and three assists.

Kovatch also is quietly one of the top basketball guards in the area for the Leopards.

At UPG, he will join high school teammate and fellow senior Brandon Yeschenko.

Offer for Sinclair 

Former Franklin Regional standout football player Owen Sinclair, who now plays at The Kiski School, has an opportunity to play at the Division I college level.

Sinclair received a preferred walk-on offer from Fordham of the Patriot League.

Sinclair made 64 tackles this season, including 20 for loss, and seven sacks, while also forcing two fumbles.

Streak ends 

The Norwin hockey team snapped an 11-game losing streak while earning its first win of the season. The Knights skated to a 6-5 win in a shootout over Hempfield at Palmer Imaging Arena as Joey Vecchio scored two goals.

Zayn Zeravica and Dom Cerilli also found the net for the Knights (1-10-0-0), and Brody Boban had two assists.

Connor Lovinfosse made 47 saves in the win.

All-star addition 

Add another Franklin Regional hockey player to the PIHL Class 3A All-Star Game.

Joey Casella will join teammates Liam Copeland, Nick Matus and Brandon Yohe in the 3A Gold vs. 3A Blue game set for 7:20 p.m. Jan. 26 at Robert Morris’ Island Sports Center.

Casella has four goals and six assists to put him second on the team with 10 points.

Recruiting 

Norwin baseball player Ethen Culbertson committed to play at Penn State Greater Allegheny.

Culbertson is known for his pitching ability but has played first base and outfielder for his All-American travel team.

• Franklin Regional football kicker and punter Joey Bayne received a Division II offer to play at IUP of the PSAC.

• Three local football players received an offer to play at Division II Clarion of the PSAC: Linebacker Austin Kerns of Franklin Regional and linemen Anthony Scarton of Latrobe and Evan Archer of Norwin.

• Norwin senior Anna Rakuic committed to run cross country at Gannon.

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

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