Westmoreland athletes of the week: Greensburg Central Catholic’s Mya Morgan and Latrobe’s Vinny Kilkeary

By: Bill Beckner Jr.
Saturday, March 18, 2023 | 7:00 PM

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Mya Morgan

School: Greensburg Central Catholic

Sport: Basketball

Class: Junior

Claim to fame: Morgan, a shooting guard, scored 17 of her career-high 33 points in the fourth quarter Tuesday in a 61-48 victory over Maplewood in the second round of the PIAA Class 2A playoffs.

She added 11 points in the quarterfinals Friday when GCC beat WPIAL champion Shenango, 53-35, to advance to the state semifinals for the first time in 17 years.

What was going through your mind heading into the fourth quarter against Maplewood?

The only thing was that we needed to win the game, and I believed in myself as well as the team to get that done.

What is motivating you to keep playing?

Knowing how far we can make it in the PIAA tournament after a tough loss in the WPIAL playoffs is what is motivating me the most.

What is motivating the team?

Knowing how much hard work we have put in throughout the season, as well as the offseason. We want to show everyone what we know we are capable of doing.

What has been a noticeable difference between the WPIAL and PIAA playoffs?

I do not notice much of a difference, other than the fact we have not played these other teams before.

Before every game, I __________?

Listen to music and shoot to prepare myself.

Did you know much about GCC’s state playoff history?

I did not know much about the history of the state playoffs.

What did your team get better at as the season wore on?

We began to get closer to one another off the court, which translated to playing better as a whole.

If you were a coach, would you work from the far end of the bench like coach Chris Skatell does?

I probably wouldn’t coach from the far end of the bench, but even if I did, it wouldn’t make much of a difference as long as I’m getting the job done.

Favorite pro sports team and athlete?

Sabrina Ionescu is my favorite athlete, and New York Liberty is my favorite team.

Who is the best team you’ve played this year?

Either Neshannock or McKeesport.

If someone made a movie about your team, what would be the title and what would it be about?

The title would be something along the lines of being the underdogs. It would be about all the work we have put in to make it as far as we have now, when nobody believed we could do it.

Vinny Kilkeary

School: Latrobe

Sport: Wrestling

Class: Senior

Claim to fame: Kilkeary became a three-time PIAA Class 3A champion, the second in school history, by defeating Canon-McMillan junior Andrew Binni to win the 127-pound title March 11. He also won three consecutive WPIAL titles. The Ohio State commit finished second in the WPIAL in 2020 and third in the PIAA in 2021. He was selected to the Pennsylvania squad for the Pittsburgh Classic on March 25 at Peters Township.

How old were you when you started to wrestle?

I was 5, and my dad, Brad, got me started. I loved it from the start. I started wrestling with the Latrobe Junior Olympic program, and the first club was Flex-Appeal.

What was the first move you learned?

They taught the basics, but the first move I mastered was a mean double-leg takedown. It’s my favorite move.

You won your third PIAA title last week. Was one better than the other?

No, they’re all pretty special. The first was crazy because no one expected me to win. The second was good to get it back after missing it one year, and the third was sweet to become one of few to be three-time winner.

You and Rocco Welsh (also an Ohio State commit) are wrestling in the Classic and facing Penn State commits. Are you excited about the matchup?

I’m super excited to go against the Penn State commit. I actually beat him when I won Super 32s. It was a great match. (Kilkeary faces Braeden Davis (155-6) of Dundee High School in Belleville, Mich., at 127, and Welsh battles Joshua Barr (132-1) of Davison, Mich., at 172.)

What does it mean to be on the wall with the likes of three-time PIAA champion Luke Pletcher and Zack Zavatsky?

It’s crazy to think that I’m on the wall with them. I looked up to them when I was growing up. It’s really a special feeling. It’s crazy to think about.

What’s your reaction to Spencer Lee’s stunning defeat at NCAAs?

I was speechless. I couldn’t believe it. I sat at home and didn’t move for 20 minutes.

As you watch the NCAAs, do you realize that could be you next year? Are you ready for that challenge?

Most definitely. I know it won’t be easy. Everyone is talented, and the matches will be more physical. I know you have to be ready to wrestle at least seven minutes or more a match. I’m excited to get started.

Do you have a dream ride?

I’d like to get a lime green Porsche GT3 RS. I’m driving a GMC AT4 now.

Is there a place you’d like to go to some day?

I’d like to visit Greece. It just looks crazy.

Where is your favorite vacation spot?

My family likes to go to Deep Creek, Md. I like to wake board. It’s a nice place in the summer.

Is there a place you’d like to return to because of wrestling?

I want to go back to the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs. It’s a neat place.

If you could have lunch or dinner with someone famous, who would it be and what would you talk about?

David Goggins is a retired ex Navy Seal and I’d like to talk to him about his mindset and pick his brain.

Where is your go to place for snacks after a practice or meet?

We go to Dino’s for their sweet and hot wings.

What is your favorite meal your mom makes?

I love her homemade spaghetti.

What’s your favorite hobby?

I like to hunt. I’ve bagged my share of deer. I’m not into fishing. It’s too boring.

What type of music to you like to listen to before a match or riding around in your car?

I like country music. I like to listen to Zach Bryan.

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

Tags: Greensburg C.C.