Westmoreland high school notebook: Pair picked for all-state soccer squad

By: Bill Beckner Jr.
Sunday, November 24, 2024 | 5:21 PM

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Latrobe senior Robin Reilly and Mt. Pleasant junior Morgan Gesinski were finalists for the Moe Rosensteel girls soccer award, but the local pair have something else in common.

Reilly and Gesinski were selected as all-state players by the Pennsylvania Soccer Coaches Association, Reilly as a midfielder, Gesinski as a forward.

Reilly, a West Virginia commit, had 14 goals and 10 assists this season, taking over the top spot as Latrobe’s all-time leader in both categories.

Gesinski, who still has a year of high school soccer to play, led the WPIAL in the regular season with 33 goals.

She has more than 90 career goals.

All-star games

The Western Pennsylvania Soccer Coaches Association boys all-star games will be Saturday at Pine-Richland.

The first game will be Class A vs. Class 2A at 11 a.m., followed by Class 3A vs. 4A at 1 p.m.

Local players set to play in the event are Isaac House of Greensburg Central Catholic (Class A); Burrell’s Billy Kowalkowski, Mt. Pleasant’s Aiden Johnson and Ethan Kenney of Southmoreland (Class 2A); Danny Christafano and Jovan Sankoorikal of Franklin Regional, Roman Agostoni of Latrobe and Trevor Kovatch of Belle Vernon (3A); and Norwin’s Daniel Maddock (4A).

GCC’s Jackson Vacanti was selected but will not be able to play because he will be on a recruiting trip to the United Kingdom.

No finals

When Jeannette lost to eventual champion Fort Cherry in the WPIAL Class A football semifinals, a couple of streaks ended.

A Westmoreland County team had advanced to the WPIAL finals nine straight seasons. Belle Vernon made it the last two years.

In addition, a local team had reached the PIAA finals four straight times: Jeannette (2020), Penn-Trafford (’21) and Belle Vernon (’22, ’23).

Hoop it up

WPIAL basketball season officially opens Friday, but not every local team is playing.

The light schedule has the Belle Vernon boys, who have all of their football players back earlier than usual, play Thomas Jefferson at 3 p.m. in the MVI Shootout Classic at South Allegheny.

Latrobe will host a boys tournament Friday and Saturday. On Friday, it’s Richland vs. Windber at 6 p.m., followed by Mt. Pleasant vs. Latrobe at 8.

The Jeannette boys open against Brashear at the Woodland Hills tournament at 6:15 p.m. Friday.

The Penn-Trafford girls are at the Woodland Hills tournament, while Latrobe, Burrell and Belle Vernon play in the North Allegheny girls tournament.

Most tip-off tournaments will be the following weekend.

A number of teams are starting the season early next week with random nonsection games.

Recruiting

Latrobe senior swimmer Destini Homan signed with IUP.

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

Tags: Franklin Regional, Jeannette, Latrobe, Mt. Pleasant