Westmoreland County high school notebook: Tyler Caterino to lead Belle Vernon boys soccer

By: Bill Beckner Jr.
Saturday, February 22, 2025 | 5:08 PM

Belle Vernon’s new boys soccer coach is a former Mon Valley standout.

Tyler Caterino was hired last week to lead the Leopards. The former Monessen and Westminster standout is just 25. He coached one season in the WPIAL, last year with the California boys, a playoff team.

Caterino is a fourth-grade teacher at California.

He had 26 goals and 12 assists in 86 career games over a five-year college career.

After college, he played in the National Premier Soccer League for two seasons, including a run to the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup.

“Deciding to leave California was a tough decision for me,” Caterino told the Mon Valley Independent. “I’m grateful for everyone that I was involved with during my time there. I left because the opportunity at Belle Vernon was too exciting to pass up.”

Caterino replaces Al Yeschenko, who resigned after four seasons.

Age or light experience is not an issue for the new Leopards coach.

“I’m young and have a lot more to learn, but this past year has taught me more than I could imagine,” Caterino said. “I have a new perspective, not only on soccer but student-athletes. How to interact, what the interests are, motivational things, how they interpret and utilize information. It’s been great to see individuals come together as a unit and execute tactical and technical game plans.”

Rams selected

Three football players from Ligonier Valley were selected to play in the 54th Ken Lantzy All-Star Classic on June 13 at Johnstown High School. The all-stars are John Jablunovsky (RB/DB), Hunter Carr (TE/DE) and Sam Caldwell (OL/DL).

Jablunovsky rushed for 1,243 yards and 16 touchdowns this season and had 38 tackles and three interceptions. Carr had 26 tackles and two sacks, and Caldwell (6-1, 324) was a key run blocker.

New Hempfield coach

Hempfield hired Dakoda Fickes as its boys volleyball coach.

Fickes has also coached at Armstrong and, most recently, Kiski Area with the girls program.

He replaces John Howell, who resigned after a second stint with the Spartans. He coached the team for 18 years, stepped down in 2012 and came back in 2017.

Big meet for Spartans

The Hempfield girls indoor track and field team geared up for the season championship with a strong meet at Youngstown State.

Chesnee Smith broke the indoor school record in the 800-meter run with a time of 2 minutes, 17.47 seconds, good enough for third place.

The 800 relay of Madison Altman, Angelina Overfield, Peyton Leduc and Lauren Howard won with a season-best time of 1:47.19

Allison DeMatt tied for second in the high jump with a height of 5-0, and Mia Bailey placed second in the weight throw 33-11.5.

West side

Grace West of Belle Vernon was the recipient of the Moe Rosensteel Leadership Award, which recognizes outstanding leadership and dedication to soccer.

West received the award during Belle Vernon’s 18th annual Soccer Madness Tournament. West was a TribLive Westmoreland second-team all-star last fall.

She is a Marywood commit.

Recruiting

• Norwin soccer standout Daniel Maddock committed to play in the Division III PAC at Saint Vincent. Maddock finished with 58 goals and 35 assists in his career and helped Norwin win a WPIAL championship.

• Junior Brock Heisler, a two-way football lineman at Hempfield, added another Division I offer, from Kent State.

• Penn-Trafford football player Domenic Smith committed to play at Division III John Carroll. Smith (6-foot-1, 220 pounds) is a tight end/middle linebacker.

• Kellan Taylor (6-1, 255), a tackle and defensive end at Penn-Trafford, will continue his playing career at Grove City, which has opened a pipeline to the Warriors’ program in recent years.

• Latrobe running back and linebacker Brady Prohovic committed to Westminster.

East-West picks

Two local players and a coach were selected to the Pennsylvania Scholastic Football Coaches Association East-West All-Star football game May 18 at Cumberland Valley.

Latrobe safety John Wetzel and Hempfield linebacker Aidan Allison were chosen to play, while Hempfield coach Nick Keefer will be an assistant for the West.

Wetzel, a Marshall commit, had 81 tackles, five for loss, and an interception this season as he earned first-team all-conference honors. He also played quarterback for the Wildcats.

Allison saw time at running back, wide receiver and defensive back. As a senior, he had 12 receptions for 162 yards and four touchdowns and made 57 tackles, five for loss, with two sacks and two forced fumbles.

He is a Division II Millersville commit.

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

Tags: Belle Vernon, Hempfield, Latrobe, Monessen, Norwin, Penn-Trafford