Westmoreland high school notebook: Southmoreland’s Mickens named conference’s top all-purpose player

By: Bill Beckner Jr.
Saturday, November 29, 2025 | 5:22 PM

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Jackson Mickens demonstrated his versatility this season for Southmoreland, playing running back and outside linebacker and also returning kicks and punts for the Scotties.

The sophomore Division I college prospect was lauded for his efforts as he was named the WPIAL Class 3A Interstate Conference All- Purpose Player of the Year.

Mickens, a self-proclaimed Swiss Army knife on his Hudl highlights, finished with 586 all-purpose yards. He rushed for 442 and seven touchdowns, had six catches for 80 yards and led the team with 11 touchdowns.

On defense, where he was disruptive, he had 47 tackles, a brow- raising 171/2 for loss, and a team-high nine sacks. He also had an interception, two fumble recoveries and a forced fumble.

Mickens has Division I offers from Sacramento State, Miami (Ohio) and Akron.

Basketball rankings

Five teams from Westmoreland County are ranked by TribLive going into the season: Derry boys (No. 3, 4A), Jeannette boys (No. 2, Class 2A); Monessen boys (No. 5, Class A); Penn-Trafford girls (No. 5, 5A); and Greensburg Central Catholic girls (No. 1, Class 3A).

Soccer all-stars

The Western Pennsylvania Soccer Coaches Association held its annual all-star games Saturday at Pine-Richland.

A local coach got to go against his mentor and former fellow staffer.

Franklin Regional coach Nick White led the Class 3A team against 4A and its coach, Erik Ingram of Fox Chapel.

White was Ingram’s assistant for 10 years before he came to Franklin Regional in 2024. Ingram is a former Franklin Regional girls coach.

White also coached one of his top players one last time. Cruise Lamanna made the 3A team.

Other area all-star selections were: Braden Crowe of Hempfield (4A), Logan Metzger of Belle Vernon (3A), Cooper Geyer of Penn-Trafford (3A), Jack Smith of Southmoreland (2A) and Damien Ohler of Mt. Pleasant (2A).

Scarpa to Seton Hill

Greensburg Salem softball pitcher Alle Scarpa is staying local. The standout announced a commitment to Division II Seton Hill.

Last season, Scarpa led the Golden Lions to the WPIAL Class 4A playoffs. She was 10-6 with a 2.11 ERA, five shutouts, 194 strikeouts and a save, and she also hit .417 with seven doubles, two triples, five homers and 22 RBIs.

Hockey fight

The Penn-Trafford and Hempfield hockey teams will play again Dec. 22 at Kirk Nevin Arena, and the matchup could be for first place in PIHL Class 2A.

Penn-Trafford (8-1-0-0), on a seven-game winning streak, was clinging to a one-point lead for first. Hempfield (7-2-0-0) had 23 points.

Penn-Trafford won the first game 6-4, handing the Spartans their first loss.

The Warriors’ lone defeat is to Shaler, 4-2.

Linemen in portal

Two former Belle Vernon football players, sophomore linemen Aiden Johnson and Dane Levi, have interest from other programs after declaring their intention to transfer from Millersville.

Defensive lineman Johnson (6-foot-2, 255 pounds), who recovered the game-clinching fumble in Belle Vernon’s 9-8 win over Neumann-Goretti in the PIAA 3A championship in 2022, picked up Division II offers from Edinboro, Gannon, Ohio Dominican, Northwood and Cal (Pa.).

Levi (6-3, 295) also grabbed a PSAC offer from Lake Erie.

Another Patterson

A local three-sport athlete to watch is freshman James Patterson. He comes with pedigree because he is the brother of Hempfield soccer standout Jiana Patterson.

He also knows plenty about co-operative agreements between schools.

Patterson lives in Hempfield but attends Geibel. He will play football at Southmoreland, which has a co-op with Geibel.

He will wrestle for Connellsville, which co-ops with Geibel.

Then, in the spring, he will play lacrosse for Hempfield because Geibel does not have a team.

A new PIAA rule allows athletes who attend faith-based schools to play sports at their home public school if the faith-based school does not offer a preferred sport.

Recruiting

• Jeannette football players Nick Mendoza and Xavier Odorisio- Farrow and Greensburg Central Catholic’s Jackson Lowden were offered roster spots at Division III Muskingum.

• Hempfield football player Brayden Gerst has Division III opportunities to play at Washington & Jefferson and Saint Vincent, both Presidents’ Athletic Conference teams.

• Penn-Trafford tight end and linebacker Nick Laskey was offered roster spots at Washington & Jefferson and Geneva.

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

Tags: Geibel, Greensburg C.C., Hempfield, Jeannette, Penn-Trafford, Southmoreland