Record number of teams to play in WCCA 7-on-7 passing tournament

By: Bill Beckner Jr.
Saturday, July 13, 2019 | 5:04 PM

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In the eight years the Westmoreland County Coaches Association has hosted a seven-on-seven football passing tournament, Penn-Trafford has captured the championship five times, including last year.

The Warriors will be one of the favorites again Thursday when the ninth annual tournament is played at Latrobe High School’s Rossi and Graham-Sobota fields.

A record 16 teams will compete in the daylong event that starts at 9 a.m.

Competing teams include: Bracket A — Mt. Pleasant, Hempfield, Valley, Kiski Area, Derry, Greensburg Central Catholic, Penn-Trafford and Southmoreland; Bracket B — Yough, Latrobe, Monessen, Norwin, Burrell, Jeannette, Franklin Regional and Greensburg Salem.

The championship game is expected to start about 2:15 p.m. at Rossi Field.

Each game is 25 minutes long and played on a 40-yard field (the 20 is a first down). Teams gets six points for a touchdown, one point for a successful point-after from the 3-yard line and two points for a PAT from the 10.

Defensive stops also are worth a point, and interceptions are three points.

Quarterbacks get four seconds to throw. Penalties can be assessed on both sides of the ball.

Remaley healthy

Hempfield has battled shoulder injuries to quarterbacks in recent seasons, including last year when then-junior Blake Remaley hurt his left, non-throwing shoulder and needed offseason “clean-up” surgery on his labrum.

Remaley played a full football season through the pain but missed all but seven games of basketball season as he healed.

He is healthy now and ready to lead the Spartans — with a smile.

In an early-season home basketball game against Uniontown, Remaley (6-foot-2, 215) butted heads with an opposing player and had one of his front teeth knocked out. The incident required 15 stitches. He could only eat soft foods for a short time.

He since had a partial tooth made that blends in.

Of course, he can’t help but remove it to show his gap-toothed pride.

“I might have surgery when I am like 23,” he said. “It’s OK for now. It doesn’t really bother me that much. I’m used to it now.”

Legion showcase

College scouts will get a close-up look at some of the top baseball players in American Legion District 31 — Westmoreland County — during the league’s player showcase at 5 p.m. Wednesday at Legion Keener Park in Latrobe.

The one-day clinic will have players run through several drills, such as the 60-yard dash and throwing and hitting workouts, and be evaluated by Division II and III scouts.

Last year, 40 players worked out in front of eight scouts.

Players will receive showcase details from their coaches.

Contact Zach Bush at 724-689-5674 for information.

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

Tags: Burrell, Derry Area, Franklin Regional, Greensburg Salem, Hempfield, Jeannette, Latrobe, Monessen, Mt. Pleasant, Norwin, Valley, Yough