Norwin notebook: Late season surge leads to strong seed for boys soccer team

By: Bill Beckner Jr.
Saturday, October 29, 2022 | 11:01 AM

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The Norwin boys soccer team played some of its best soccer late in the season and it led to a quality seeding in the WPIAL playoffs.

The Knights (11-6) received the No. 3 seed in Class 4A and, since there are only eight teams in the bracket, the Knights earned some needed time off until their playoff opener.

Norwin, which won 11 of its final 13 regular-season games, was set to host No. 6 Pine-Richland (12-4-1) on Oct. 29 at Knights Stadium in the quarterfinals.

On the ice

Norwin hockey moved to 3-0 with a 7-1 victory over Shaler.

Joe Vecchio had three goals and an assist, while Alex Thomas delivered a pair of scores and an assist.

Owen Burmeister made 27 saves for the Knights, who had outscored three opponents, 29-3.

Thomas recently returned from a broken clavicle to boost the offense.

Standing pat

The Norwin girls volleyball team remained in the top 10 of the final Western Pennsylvania Volleyball Coaches Association Coaches’ Poll of the regular season.

The Lady Knights, who had clinched a playoff berth, were ranked No. 9 in Class 4A.

The rest of the top 10 were North Allegheny (1), Pine-Richland (2), Penn-Trafford (3), Seneca Valley (4), Peters Township (5), Canon-McMillan (6), Shaler (7), Bethel Park (8), and Hempfield (10).

Norwin was scheduled to open the WPIAL playoffs Oct. 25 at Bethel Park.

College scene

Updates on former Norwin Knights playing in college:

Football

Allegheny: Junior wide receiver Declan O’Brien had five receptions for 67 yards and a 41-yard touchdown in the Gators’ 52-35 loss to Saint Vincent.

Women’s volleyball

Waynesburg: Sophomore Jordan Stein had a match-best 32 digs in a 3-2 loss to Westminster.

Women’s soccer

Youngstown State: Freshman defender Emma Rigone has an assist in her first season for the Penguins, starting 12 of the 15 games she has played.

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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