Westmoreland high school notebook: Soccer standout DiFalco believes Duquesne is best fit for him

By: Bill Beckner Jr.
Monday, December 20, 2021 | 5:41 PM

Some were surprised when Anthony DiFalco signed with Duquesne last week, but the soccer star from Franklin Regional believes he has found the perfect fit.

While he had interest from Pitt and Robert Morris, DiFalco went with the Dukes, who finished as the Atlantic 10 runner-up last season.

Franklin Regional’s all-time leading goal scorer (118) was looking for the right fit financially and had been leaning toward staying close to home all along. The gifted forward thinks Duquesne will be an easy place to call home.

“I really liked the coaches and the plans they had for me for coming in next year,” DiFalco said. “I thought in the long run, too, if I were to get hurt, would I ask myself, ‘Would I like to be on their campus and stay there? ’ I absolutely loved their campus, so that was a real nice thing about Duquesne.”

DiFalco, a three-time All-American and the Trib HSSN and Trib Westmoreland Player of the Year, knows his laurels will get him only so far as he begins his college career.

“Nothing is guaranteed,” he said. “I have to come in and put in a ton of work. They were one win away from making the NCAA Tournament last year. They are a really solid team, and I can’t wait to be a part of it.”

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Derry football coach

Derry conducted its first round of interviews for its football coach opening Friday.

Athletic director Brett Miller said the candidates will be pared down to two or three finalists who will be interviewed again Tuesday.

The plan is to have a candidate ready for board vote by Jan. 6.

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Rettger scholarships

A pair of recent Franklin Regional graduates were recipients of the annual Mike Rettger Foundation scholarships, presented by the Franklin Regional Basketball Boosters.

The winners, both college freshmen, were Luke Kimmich and Maria Brush, who received $2,000 each.

Kimmich is a soccer player and golfer at Grove City, and Brush plays basketball at Seton Hill.

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Recruiting

Three Hempfield senior swimmers signed to compete for college programs. Hunter Cooper is headed to John Carroll, and Jake Dzurica and Chloe Fontanazza will stay local and swim at Saint Vincent.

• Greensburg Salem senior Natalie DiCriscio will continue her cross country career at Shippensburg.

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

Tags: Derry Area, Franklin Regional, Greensburg Salem, Hempfield