Westmoreland County boys soccer notebook: Derry’s Gabe Gess a triple-threat

By: Bill Beckner Jr.
Wednesday, October 9, 2024 | 5:16 PM

Derry four-sport athlete Gabe Gess has been showing what he can do juggling three sports in the same season.

Gess, a senior who also kicks for the football team and runs track and cross country, was leading the team with eight goals.

He scored three against Southmoreland, another against Yough, then kicked a pair of extra points, recovered his own onside kick, and recorded a tackle for the football team against Elizabeth Forward.

“Gabe has been a big part of the rebuilding process for Derry soccer,” Trojans coach Scott Shaffer said.

Playoff picture

The WPIAL soccer committee will meet Oct. 16 to draw up and announce playoff brackets.

Local teams headed to the postseason so far are: Norwin in Class 4A; Latrobe, Franklin Regional and Penn-Trafford in 3A; Mt. Pleasant and Southmoreland in 2A; and Greensburg Central Catholic in A.

Southmoreland has not been to the postseason since 2020.

Kovatch breaks record

Belle Vernon senior forward Trevor Kovatch broke his and Daniel Sassak’s school record for career goals with his 100th as the Leopards downed West Mifflin, 2-1, on Tuesday night.

Kovatch tied Sassak at 99 with a goal against Yough on Sept. 30 and broke the mark three games later.

Brandon Yeschenko sent a cross to Kovatch, nicknamed “Goose,” and he finished for the score with 2:20 to play.

On point

Greensburg Central Catholic’s Jackson Vacanti and Grant Brewer combined for 21 points in Tuesday’s 11-2 win over California.

Vacanti had five goals and an assist, while Brewer notched three goals and four assists.

Heavy heart

Latrobe coach Jake Rice told John Massaro he did not have to play in Tuesday night’s game against Franklin Regional, but the junior midfielder insisted he’d be there by halftime.

Massaro lost both of his grandmothers in a matter of five days. He went to the viewing for one of them, Lucille Massaro, on Tuesday and arrived late in the first half and checked into the game.

Some players had her prayer card in their pockets.

“If you want to be here, I can’t tell you no,” Rice said. “John said he wanted to be here for the section title. He’s had a rough few days.”

Latrobe blanked Franklin Regional, 1-0, to win the Section 3-3A title outright with a 10-0 record.

Massaro helped a connected midfield and a back line of five keep the dangerous Panthers off the scoreboard.

Eye of the tiger

Franklin Regional standout Joey Bayne debuted a new look at Latrobe Tuesday.

Instead of his long, curly brown hairdo, Bayne had a blond buzz-cut with black tiger stripes.

“I wanted to do something different,” Bayne said. “It’s more to look a zebra or tiger, but a lot of people are saying leopard (stripes), so I’m really just leaving it up to other people’s interpretation.”

Bayne said he and a friend talked about getting design haircuts. His friend opted out, but Bayne went on to the barber shop.

“I just wanted to go through with it because I thought it would be cool to do before 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, Derry Area, Franklin Regional, Greensburg C.C., Latrobe, Mt. Pleasant, Norwin, Penn-Trafford