Westmoreland high school notebook: PIAA berths on line for soccer, volleyball teams

By: Bill Beckner Jr.
Sunday, October 27, 2024 | 6:01 PM

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The WPIAL soccer playoffs are winding into the semifinals, which means PIAA qualifying is imminent.

For boys and girls, only the WPIAL finalists qualify in Class 4A. In the other three classes, the top three finishers move on: the finalists, plus the winner of a third-place consolation game.

The WPIAL finals are Oct. 31-Nov 2 at Highmark Stadium, and the PIAA playoffs begin Nov. 5.

The WPIAL girls volleyball playoffs also are in full swing, with PIAA qualification also on the line.

In all four classes, the top three finishers qualify. There is a third-place game in each tournament to determine the final entry.

The WPIAL finals will be Nov. 2 at AHN Arena in Peters Township. The state brackets also begin Nov. 5.

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Dolinski offered

Katie Dolinski is the latest Hempfield track and field athlete to show up on the Division I college radar.

The senior thrower recently received a scholarship offer from Monmouth.

Dolinski last season won the shot put title at the Westmoreland County Coaches Association and finished fourth in the WPIAL and 17th in the PIAA.

In the discus, she was 12th at the WPIAL meet.

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Winter season

Despite 80-degree weather last week and unseasonably warm days for fall playoffs, the winter sports season is getting closer.

WPIAL teams open practice Nov. 15, and the season begins Nov. 29.

Other winter sports are wrestling, swimming, rifle and gymnastics.

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Recruiting

Erica Gribble, a senior basketball standout at Greensburg Central Catholic, added a 19th Division I offer, from Cornell.

• Latrobe volleyball player Ashley Deniker will continue her playing career at Slippery Rock. Deniker is a 5-foot-10 middle blocker.

• Carson Burgh of Franklin Regional will play volleyball at Point Park.

• Mt. Pleasant’s Gigi Stanek is headed to Pitt-Johnstown to play softball.

• Cooper Basciano of Latrobe will play baseball at West Liberty.

• Norwin baseball player Ben Geissler committed to play at Westminster.

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

Tags: Franklin Regional, Greensburg C.C., Hempfield, Latrobe, Mt. Pleasant, Norwin