Westmoreland high school look-ahead: Week of Oct. 9, 2017

By: Bill Beckner Jr.
Sunday, October 8, 2017 | 5:12 PM

Highlights of the week ahead in Westmoreland high school sports:

MONDAY

Boys soccer

A matchup for first place in Section 2-A will be played in Carbon as Greensburg Central Catholic hosts once-beaten Winchester Thurston at 4 p.m.

Girls soccer

Franklin Regional heads to Mars looking to knock off the Section 1-AAA-leading Planets.

Elizabeth Forward at Belle Vernon is the top game in Section 2-AAA.

Norwin has a formidable road test at Kiski Area in Section 4-AAAA.

Girls golf

The team playoffs begin with the Class AAA semifinal round at Lone Pine Country Club in Washington. Penn-Trafford and Franklin Regional are in the nine-team field. The top four finishers advance to the championship Thursday.

The top two teams in each Class AA section go straight to the finals.

Girls tennis

The WPIAL individual postseason starts with section singles tournaments. Norwin's Maria Santilli returns to defend her WPIAL singles title.

TUESDAY

Boys soccer

Franklin Regional is trying to lock up the Section 4-AAAA title, and a sweep over Connellsville would go a long way. The teams play at Connellsville at 7:30 p.m.

In Section 2-A, Greensburg Central Catholic travels to Serra Catholic for a key game.

Boys golf

The WPIAL team postseason opens with boys Class AAA semifinals at two sites: Linden Hall Golf Club in Dawson and Ponderosa Golf Course in Hookstown.

The two Class AA semifinals courses are River Forest Country Club in Allegheny Township and Indian Run Golf Club in Avella. The top three teams at each site advance to the finals.

Latrobe will play at Linden Hall, and Penn-Trafford is at Ponderosa. Greensburg Central Catholic will be at River Forest. Its section foe, Derry, will be at Indian Run.

WEDNESDAY

Girls soccer

All eyes will be on a Section 4-4A rematch between No. 5 Penn-Trafford and No. 2 Norwin at 7:30 p.m. at Norwin Stadium.

Penn-Trafford shook the Knights' season with a 1-0 win Sept. 25. Norwin had been No. 1 in the Top Drawer Soccer national rankings but fell out of the top 50.

In Section 3-AA, No. 4 Yough gets a rematch with first-place and No. 3 Waynesburg on the road.

Mt. Pleasant at Laurel Highlands carries playoff implications in Section 2-AAA.

Greensburg Central at Apollo-Ridge could help decide the Section 1-A title.

THURSDAY

Golf

The WPIAL team championships will be played at Cedarbrook in Rostraver. The girls finals will be on the Red Course and the boys on the Gold Course.

The Greensburg Central Catholic girls will be seeking a third consecutive Class AA title. Mt. Pleasant also is in the five-team field.

Boys soccer

The big Section 4-4A rematch between rivals Penn-Trafford and Norwin takes place in North Huntingdon. Penn-Trafford rallied in the second half to force a 3-3 tie in the teams' first meeting.

Southmoreland plays at Yough in Section 3-AA, and Jeannette visits Greensburg Central in Section 2-A.

Cross country

The Westmoreland County Coaches Association championships will be run at Westmoreland County Community College. The varsity boys race is scheduled for 3 p.m., with varsity girls at 3:40.

FRIDAY

Football

Three future Pitt teammates will square off when No. 1 Thomas Jefferson visits No. 3 Belle Vernon in the Class 4A Big Nine. Thomas Jefferson features tight end/defensive end Noah Palmer (6-foot-4, 225 pounds) and defensive lineman Devin Danielson (6-3, 290), and Belle Vernon has lineman Blake Zubovic (6-5, 310).

Class A No. 1 Jeannette hosts Greensburg Central Catholic for its homecoming night at McKee Stadium.

Yough is at Mt. Pleasant in the Class 3A Interstate.

In the 5A Big East, Armstrong visits Penn-Trafford, and Latrobe goes to Franklin Regional.

SATURDAY

Boys soccer

A good playoff tune-up has Waynesburg playing at Belle Vernon at 2:30 p.m.

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