Norwin notebook: Krevokuch earns walk-on offer from Pitt

By: Bill Beckner Jr.
Sunday, October 25, 2020 | 11:01 AM

Norwin senior tight end and defensive end Tanner Krevokuch has been in contact with Pitt coach Tim Salem of late and the conversation sparked greater interest.

After sending some highlights, Krevokuch (6-foot-4, 220 pounds) received a preferred walk-on opportunity with the Panthers.

Central Michigan had offered him last year, but that program signed two tight ends and subsequently pulled the offer.

“I am beyond thankful for coach Salem to give me this opportunity,” Krevokuch said. “I am going to strongly consider this offer.”

Krevokuch added that Salem told him he would understand and even support him if a better financial package came along elsewhere.

Getting healthier

Norwin had two late-season ties in boys soccer, which caught the eye of opposing teams and the people who draw up the WPIAL rankings.

Both games were at Norwin Knights Stadium.

Allderdice played the high-powered Knights to a 0-0 draw, and three games later improved Latrobe and Norwin played to a 1-1 stalemate.

But coach Scott Schuchert said the Knights were not at 100% for those games.

The team had at least five players out because of injury and other reasons. The lineup is slowly returning to normal.

Senior forward Brendan Ash missed some time with an ankle injury he sustained in the first Penn-Trafford game. He returned and scored five goals against Connellsville but isn’t quite where he was before the injury.

“Ash has been out and (opponents) have been defending with their entire team,” Schuchert said. “We will have him back for the playoffs 100%.”

The Knights also plan to slide junior Caleb Yuricha over from defender to striker.

Schuchert used the word “unleash” when discussing the position switch.

The playoffs were scheduled to start Oct. 22.

Girls volleyball team shut down

The Norwin girls volleyball team had to shut down for 14 days over possible exposure to covid-19.

Norwin had to cancel its last four matches.

If Norwin had qualified for the WPIAL playoffs, based on results of other matches, the team may not have played in the postseason.

The Knights may have had to forfeit their first-round playoff match.

“So much is out of our control as we continue to feel the implications that the ‘covid times’ put upon us,” Norwin coach Mary Ellen Ferragonio said. “Although we knew there was uncertainty in our season, we really believed we would finish on the court.”

Norwin was 5-4 at the time of the stoppage but Ferragonio said the team was showing improvements and had momentum coming down the stretch.

“How we would have finished won’t be known,” she said. “But the girls had really worked hard together to become a better team. They had developed more consistency, more confidence, and a higher volleyball IQ. And we all were looking forward to seeing what they could do.

“As Dr. Seuss said, ‘Don’t cry because it’s over, smile because it happened.’ We have great memories, friendships, and we have loved playing for the time that we had in the gym. We are so grateful that we had a season, even with all the unknowns that came along with it.”

Winter is coming

The first practice date for WPIAL winter sports is Nov. 20. That includes boys and girls basketball, wrestling, boys and girls swimming, gymnastics and rifle.

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

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