Westmoreland girls soccer notes: County well represented on Moe Rosensteel award watch list

By: Bill Beckner Jr.
Tuesday, August 27, 2024 | 3:18 PM

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Twelve of the 49 players on the Moe Rosensteel Most Outstanding Player Award watch list play for Westmoreland County teams.

The award, named after the late Katelyn “Moe” Rosensteel, is in its sixth season and goes to the best player in the WPIAL, according to a committee of voters.

Latrobe leads the local players on the list. The Wildcats have four nominees, including Maddy Petruzzi, Robin Reilly, Ava Yurko and Annalyse Bauer.

The other locals include Julia Bursick of Norwin, Rease Solomon of Penn-Trafford, Grace West of Belle Vernon, Miley Kariotis of Burrell, Riley Kerr of Greensburg Central Catholic, Rylin Bugosh of Mt. Pleasant, Abby Paterline of Franklin Regional and Kendalyn Umbel of Yough, who is not playing this season.

Three finalists will be announced around the time of the WPIAL championships. The winner traditionally is announced the day after the PIAA finals.

Past winners include: Ellie Coffield of Mars, Sarah Schupansky of North Allegheny, Kelsey Salopek of Steel Valley, Hailey Longwell of Moon and Lola Abraham of Riverview.

Top performers

The season opened with the Moe Rosensteel Kickoff Classic last weekend at Ringgold.

Latrobe and Avonworth tied 2-2, with Bauer of the Wildcats earning her team’s player of the match.

Abby Paterline of Franklin Regional won the award for the Panthers after their 3-1 loss to Thomas Jefferson.

Ringgold beat Hickory, 6-0, and the Ringgold boys edged past Elizabeth Forward, 4-3, in the other games.

Sister act

Three sets of sisters are no longer a part of local soccer programs.

Penn-Trafford lost two sets of siblings.

Juniors Hanna and Olivia Weishaar opted to give up soccer so they can train for basketball and track.

The Osloskys — juniors Ava and Emilie — transferred to The Kiski School in Saltsburg.

Greensburg Central Catholic senior Jillian Botti and junior Lexie Botti also left to play at The Kiski School.

“We’re both very excited to join the Oslosky sisters both on and off the field,” said Jillian Botti, a Seton Hill commit who has been slowed by medial patellofemoral ligament surgery and is out for a couple of months as she rehabs.

Jeannette still short-handed

Jeannette is down to eight players and has yet to take the field for a game.

Coach Bill Bryant pleaded to parents and potential players via social media for help in increasing roster size.

At this point, Bryant just wants to fill out a lineup.

“Please encourage your children to ask friends if they’re interested in playing this year,” Bryant posted on Facebook.

Umbel not playing

For the second straight year, Kendalyn Umbel decided to not play high school soccer. A senior at Yough, Umbel is a talented player who has committed to Youngstown State.

She spent some of her time away from the high school game working to achieve a black belt in karate, which she earned.

This fall, Umbel, a Century United club player, plans to continue training to get ready for the next cup season and beyond.

Ranking ’em

Four local teams began the season ranked by TribLive HSSN.

In the preseason rankings, Latrobe was No. 5 in its new classification of 4A. Mt. Pleasant was No. 2 and Burrell No. 5 in 2A, and Greensburg Central Catholic was No. 3 in Class A.

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

Tags: Franklin Regional, Greensburg C.C., Latrobe, Mt. Pleasant, Penn-Trafford, Yough