High school notebook: Norwin, Penn-Trafford girls soccer set for high-stakes rematch

By: HSSN Staff
Sunday, October 14, 2018 | 11:21 PM

There always is something significant on the line when Penn-Trafford and Norwin play in girls soccer.

The teams continue their intense rivalry Monday night when the Warriors (12-3, 10-2) visit Norwin (13-2, 11-0) at Knights Stadium.

No. 1-ranked Norwin won the first game 4-2 as senior Kendyl Kranitz scored two goals. It was the most goals scored in the rivalry in almost two decades. The four goals were the most by a winner since 2003.

The second game will decide the Section 3-AAAA title. Since 1997, Norwin and Penn-Trafford have finished 1-2 in the section 17 times and have three co-section titles. In 2006, Hempfield took second behind Norwin.

Penn-Trafford has 10 outright section titles since ‘97, Norwin has eight.

Norwin is the returning PIAA champion, and Penn-Trafford is the defending WPIAL champion, having defeated Norwin, 2-1, in overtime in the title game.

Norwin lost 2-0 to North Allegheny on Friday. The Knights haven’t lost two nonsection games in a season since 2014.

Records fall

Two longtime soccer scoring records fell Thursday night for a pair of Westmoreland County boys programs.

Senior Markello Apodiakos of Belle Vernon became his school’s career points leader with 202, surpassing Mike Posey’s mark of 200 set from 1986-89.

Apodiakos, who also is Belle Vernon’s all-time leader in goals, scored four times in a 6-1 win at Albert Gallatin. The victory clinched a playoff spot for Belle Vernon (10-5-1) in Class 3A.

Norwin senior Carter Breen, meantime, eclipsed the Knights’ career goals record as he reached 64 after a two-goal night in a 6-0 shutout of rival Penn-Trafford.

Matt Hayden held the previous mark of 63 since 1999.

Breen has nearly half of his goals — 31 — this season for the Section 3-AAAA champion Knights (14-1-1), ranked No. 2 by the Tribune-Review.

All-local tennis

A rare, all-Westmoreland team tennis match will take place Monday when Derry visits Greensburg Salem in a WPIAL Class AA quarterfinal. Derry advanced with a 4-1 win over Neshannock, and the Golden Lions defeated North Catholic, by the same score in the first round.

Recruiting

Norwin junior softball player Leah Yoder will continue her career at Alderson-Broaddus in Philippi, W.Va.

Yoder is a first baseman and could stay at that position, or move to the outfield, in college. She hit .333 with 14 RBIs last season for Norwin. In 37 games for the PA Renegades over the summer, Yoder hit .457 with eight doubles and 29 RBI, while striking out just once.

• Derry senior volleyball player Lauren Enos verbally committed to IUP. She plays libero for the Trojans, who have qualified for the WPIAL Class 2A playoffs.

Sepesky plays

Belle Vernon boys soccer honored its seniors before Tuesday’s game and one of them got the loudest applause.

Jake Sepesky, who had reconstructive surgery on his skull after colliding with a player from Ringgold earlier in the season, was recognized. But there’s more: He was announced as a starter and took to the field and played for a few of minutes.

Jeannette forfeits

Jeannette forfeited a Section 2-A boys soccer game Wednesday due to a shortage of players. The game was rescheduled following a rainout and some players had other commitments; the Jayhawks had only 10 players at the time, athletic director Bill Petko said.

Attendance is not expected to affect the team for the remainder of the season.

Bill Beckner is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Bill at bbeckner@tribweb.com or via Twitter @BillBeckner.