Westmoreland H.S. notebook: Local players dot rosters for Roundball Classic

By: Bill Beckner Jr.
Saturday, April 2, 2022 | 3:06 PM

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The Roundball Classic basketball games return this year, and a number of local players made the all-star rosters.

Nine all-senior games will be played May 19-21 at Geneva College in Beaver Falls.

Norwin’s Lance Maha will coach the 6A Silver boys team.

Area boys selected include Nick Crum and Noah Wright of Penn-Trafford, Michael Fleming and Ty Stecko of Norwin, Sean Gordon of Hempfield, and Ben Thomas of Greensburg Salem in 6A; Caden Smith of Franklin Regional, Chase Sickenberger of Latrobe and James Pearson of Kiski Area in 5A; Devin Whitlock and Daniel Gordon of Belle Vernon, Tyson Webb of Derry, and Brandon Coury of Burrell in 4A; Matthew Marinchak and Jacob Hollick of Ligonier Valley in 3A; and Ryan Appleby, Dylan Parsons and Brevan Williams of Greensburg Central Catholic, Anton Good and Nas Thompson of Jeannette, and Kody Kuhns of Monessen in 2A.

Thomas and Marinchak are Pitt-Greensburg commits.

Girls picks include: Brianna Zajicek of Norwin and Maura Suman of Penn-Trafford in 6A; Anna Rafferty and Bailey Watson of Latrobe and Abby Mankins of Greensburg Salem in 5A; Gracie Spadaro and Delaynie Morvosh of Southmoreland, Tiana Moracco of Derry and Allison Fisher of Burrell in 4A; Bailey Kuhns of Greensburg Central Catholic and Mercedes Majors of Monessen in 2A.

Five of those players are Division II recruits.

Zajicek will play at Alderson Broaddus, while Rafferty (IUP), Spadaro (IUP), Kuhns (Mercyhurst) and Mankins (Seton Hill) are all primed to play in the PSAC.

The schedule is as follows:

Thursday, May 19: Girls District 10 vs. Class 5A (Silver), 6:30 p.m.; Boys Class A/District 6 vs. Class 4A/3A/2A (Silver), 8 p.m.

Friday, May 20: Girls Class A vs. Class 2A/District 6, 6:30 p.m.; Boys Class 5A (Silver) vs. Class 6A (Silver), 8 p.m.

Saturday, May 21: Boys Class 3A (Gold) vs. Class 2A, 1:30 p.m.; Girls Class 4A vs. Class 3A, 3 p.m.; Girls Class 6A vs. Class 5A, 4:30 p.m.; Boys Class 4A (Gold) vs. District 10, 6 p.m.; Boys Class 6A (Gold) vs. Class 5A (Gold), 7:30 p.m.

Records fall

Throwers are making their marks early in the WPIAL track and field season.

Two from Westmoreland are already record-breakers.

Hempfield junior Liz Tapper, who had a sensational indoor season, broke the school record in the shot put on Wednesday with a toss of 46 feet, 11.5 inches.

The previous mark was 46-7.5 set by Mackenna Orie, who is now throwing at Arizona.

At Norwin, meanwhile, senior Aaron Schmook used his season-opening meet to break the program javelin record with a throw of 185-1. The mark broke Justin Moose’s toss of 180-1 from 2004. Moose now competes on the golf world long-drive circuit.

Enick offered

Penn-Trafford junior two-way lineman picked up two Division I FCS scholarship offers, from St. Francis (Pa.) and The Citadel.

Enick (6-foot-3, 290 pounds), a center and defensive lineman, was a first-team all-conference player who helped the Warriors win WPIAL and PIAA Class 5A championships last fall.

Best wishes

Mt. Pleasant and Southmoreland raised money for a worthy cause at its “Swishes for Wishes” basketball event March 25.

The event, where the schools’ cheerleaders play basketball while male athletes cheer them on, raised $7,600 for the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

The boys kept the crowd entertained by putting on a halftime routine.

Additional fundraising efforts included a Chinese auction and raffles.

Net gains

A pair of local volleyball players were recognized by the Western PA Volleyball Coaches Association.

Hempfield senior outside hitter Chaz Ewer and Norwin senior setter Luke Mumpower were selected as Class 3A co-players of the week.

The association’s latest rankings had Hempfield at No. 4, Norwin 5, Penn-Trafford 6 and Latrobe 10 in 3A.

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

Tags: Belle Vernon, Franklin Regional, Greensburg C.C., Greensburg Salem, Hempfield, Jeannette, Latrobe, Monessen, Mt. Pleasant, Norwin, Penn-Trafford, Southmoreland