Westmoreland high school notebook: County players, coaches set to take part in Roundball all-star games

By: Bill Beckner Jr.
Saturday, April 5, 2025 | 5:03 PM

The 21st Roundball Classic all-star basketball games are set for May 24-25 at North Allegheny.

There will be seven all-senior games over two days, four boys and three girls.

The schedule is as follows:

Saturday, May 24 — Boys – Class 5A (South) vs. District 10, 3 p.m.; Girls – Class 6A vs. Class 5A (West), 4:30 p.m.; Boys – Class 4A vs. Class A/City League, 6 p.m.; Boys – Class 6A vs. Class 5A (North), 7:30 p.m.

Sunday, May 25 — Girls – Class 4A/City League vs. Class 3A/A, 4:30 p.m.; Girls – Class 5A (East) vs. Class 2A/District 10, 6 p.m.; Boys – Class 3A vs. Class 2A, 7:30 p.m.

A number of local boys players were selected. They include: Drew Gordon and Max Williams of Hempfield (6A); Connor Crossey of Franklin Regional (5A); Tyler Anthony and Brayden Stone of Penn-Trafford (5A); Max Butler and John Wetzel of Latrobe (5A); Carson Heinle and Colin Keller of Kiski Area; Tucker Bitar of Burrell (4A); Tommy Davis and Zion Moore of Belle Vernon (4A); Tyler Martin of Greensburg Salem (4A); John Wasnick of Derry (4A); Parker Hollick of Ligonier Valley (3A); Elliot Premus of Southmoreland (3A); Liam Gallagher and Brady O’Rourke of Greensburg Central Catholic (2A); and Devontae Robinson of Monessen (A).

Adrian Batts of Jeannette will coach the 2A boys team, although he won’t have any of his players since most of them are juniors. He will, however, coach Gallagher and O’Rourke from rival GCC, and Lucas Stanley of Union. Jeannette beat Union in the WPIAL championship.

Local girls selections are: Kendall Berger, Averi Brozeski and Bella Furno of Norwin (6A); Carley Berk of Latrobe (5A); Madison DeRiggi, Addison Musto, and Toryn Fulton of Franklin Regional (5A); Blessing Gantt and Regan Kerr of Greensburg Salem (5A); Lauren Marton and Kamryn Pieper of Penn-Trafford (5A); Jane Huss of Derry (4A); and Janelle Norman of Valley (4A).

Coaches Bernie Pucka of Franklin Regional and John Giannikas of Penn-Trafford will lead the 5A East girls.

Unless he returns to the sidelines, it will be the final game for Giannikas, who resigned last week after 19 seasons. He will get two of his best post players one last time in Marton and Pieper.

There also will be undergrad games – the Rising Stars Challenge — on May 19, 20 and 21 at RIZE Sports in Leetsdale. Rosters for those games will be announced later.

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Flag day

Five Westmoreland County schools have teams in the Steelers girls flag football league, which is underway for another season.

Belle Vernon, Latrobe, Burrell, Greensburg Salem and Jeannette have teams with hopes of maintaining them for 2025-26 when the sports becomes fully sanctioned by the PIAA.

There are 50 teams in the league — 10 in each of five divisions — which mostly plays on Sundays at various sites.

This week, the North Division plays at New Castle, the South Division is at Belle Vernon, the East Division at Gateway, the West Division at West Allegheny and the Central Division at Ellis School.

Last week, games were played at Saint Vincent.

Teams plays four games in one day.

The season runs from March 30 to May 14, with the playoffs beginning May 17.

The top three teams in each division qualify.

Coaches for the local teams are Adam Zyski (Belle Vernon), Brian Ferra (Burrell), Jake Hoyle (Greensburg Salem), Rashad Colvin (Jeannette), and Mackenzie Livingston (Latrobe).

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A second for Smitty

Southmoreland freshman quarterback Anthony Smith has a second NCAA Division I scholarship offer.

The second came in last week, and its from a school that has a new local tie. Sacramento State head coach Brennan Marion, a Greensburg Salem grad, likes Smith, a 2,000-yard passer last fall.

Smith (6-foot-2, 190 pounds) already had an offer from Syracuse.

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Offers in line

The offers continue to roll in for Hempfield junior lineman Brock Heisler.

The 6-3, 255-pound two-way tackle added offers from Navy, James Madison and Villanova, raising his number of suitors to 21.

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Owen up to it

Latrobe volleyball player Owen Ward received top billing from the Western Pennsylvania Volleyball Coaches Association.

He was one of four players selected as Class 3A players of the week.

Ward is a senior outside hitter.

He joined the Darius Farrar of Gateway, Jordan Hoover of Seneca Valley and Jack Steele of Canon-McMillan as honorees.

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Hey now, you’re an all-star

Jeannette senior football player Nick Stuchell was added to the West roster for the East-West All-Star Game set for May 18 at Cumberland Valley.

Stuchell will be in the Class A/3A game at noon.

Stuchell, who played left tackle, nose guard and defensive end for the Jayhawks, is a Bethany commit.

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Cat scratch fever

Latrobe girls soccer fans should mark June 11 on their calendar. That is when a pair of local sisters square off at the pre-professional level.

The Reilly sisters, who helped turn Latrobe into a playoff contender in recent years, will be playing on opposite sides.

Robin Reilly, an early graduate who is now enrolled at West Virginia, recently signed with the Pittsburgh Riveters, the new women’s team set to debut in the USL W League.

Regan Reilly, a freshman at Bowling Green, signed last week with Steel City FC, which plays in the same league. Reilly played in 12 games last fall, starting six of them.

Both girls are midfielders.

The Riveters and Steel City will play 7 p.m. June 11 at Founders Field in Cheswick.

Another Latrobe alum, Ella Bulava, also will play for the Riveters. She is a freshman at Maryland.

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Recruiting

Latrobe football player Braden Bronson accepted an appointment to the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy. Bronson played tight end and linebacker for the Wildcats.

• Norwin football lineman Colin Bruno, who decommitted from Saint Francis (Pa.), picked up an offer from Division II West Liberty.

• Hempfield’s Laural Davis committed to run track and cross country at IUP.

• Morgan Shaffer of Hempfield will continue her cheerleading career at Duquesne.

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., Greensburg Salem, Hempfield, Jeannette, Latrobe, Monessen, Mt. Pleasant, Penn-Trafford, Southmoreland, Yough