Westmoreland high school notebook: Jeannette prepared to carry on football coaching tradition

By: Bill Beckner Jr.
Tuesday, December 14, 2021 | 4:37 PM

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Jeannette is ready to hire a football coach.

The district will vote on a recommended candidate at a special meeting Monday.

Four finalists — all of whom graduated from Jeannette — were chosen, carrying on a traditional trait for recent hires. One of them will replace Roy Hall, who resigned after 13 seasons as head coach and 37 overall.

The next coach will be the 17th in program history. Jeannette started playing football in 1900 and has amassed 757 wins, the most in the WPIAL.

Jeannette’s coaching lineage is as follows: Francis B. Leinbach, Frank W. Williams, Lloyd Jordan, Joseph Harrick, Blair V. McMillan, C. Arthur Dahl, A. Markley Barnes, Alfred Amann, Joseph Mastro, William Baughman, Thomas Duff, Joseph Mucci, Art Tragesser, Robert Murphy, Ray Reitz, and Hall.

Three of the last four coaches — Tragesser, Reitz and Hall — graduated from Jeannette.

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All-state volleyball

Three local players were named to the Pennsylvania Volleyball Coaches Association All-State teams.

They are: Latrobe junior setter Lilly Fenton and Greensburg Central Catholic seniors Rebecca Hess (outside hitter) and Grace Petnuch (middle hitter).

Fenton made the Class 4A team, and Hess and Petnuch were selected in Class A.

Fenton helped Latrobe (15-3) to the WPIAL quarterfinals. She led the team with 554 assists and had 88 digs and 51 kills.

Hess and Petnuch led the Centurions to a WPIAL runner-up finish.

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Signing day

Penn-Trafford star Cade Yacamelli is set to make his college commitment to Wisconsin official Wednesday when the early signing period begins for NCAA Division I football commits.

Yacamelli’s college future appeared to be as a safety, but those plans could change after he showed what he can do as a running back this season for the WPIAL and PIAA Class 5A champion Warriors.

Yacamelli is the only Westmoreland County player committed to a FBS program.

Two other local players also are expected to sign with FCS schools: Hempfield senior defensive end Daniel Sierk (Bucknell) and Greensburg Central Catholic senior defensive back Joe Blahovec (Youngstown State).

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Barca returns

Dom Barca is back from football, and he is making an immediate impact on the ice for Norwin hockey.

The senior forward had a hat trick and added three assists as the Knights skated past Blackhawk, 12-5. He added a goal and a helper in a 7-4 win over Kiski Area that improved the Knights’ record to 9-1.

Barca, the leading rusher for the football team, has five goals and six assists.

Norwin is 5-1 since Barca rejoined the lineup.

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

Tags: Greensburg C.C., Hempfield, Jeannette, Latrobe, Norwin, Penn-Trafford