Norwin notebook: Track standouts climb medal stand

By: Bill Beckner Jr.
Saturday, April 22, 2023 | 11:01 AM

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The Norwin boys track and field team finished second and the girls were third at the Lady Spartan/Wildcat Invitational at Latrobe.

Ashley Laukus won the high jump with a mark of 5 feet, 3 inches, while Nataiah Robertson-Dutrieuille captured the long jump in 16-11.25, and Hannah Shaw won the pole vault in a personal-best 12-1.

Trey Huha also was a winner for the Knights, finishing first in the 200-meter dash in 22.85 seconds.

The boys and girls 3,200-meter relays ran to a second-place finish.

Baseball making progress

An 0-4 start did not detract Norwin from its playoff goals.

But the baseball team is curbing its enthusiasm with each win.

“It’s a work in progress,” first-year coach Craig Spisak said. “We’re going to keep climbing the ladder. These kids have been great. They didn’t get down on themselves when we started 0-4. They love to play the game, and they want to be here and experience success together.”

After a series win over Baldwin, the Knights (3-7, 3-3) lost two of three games against Canon-McMillan, which had climbed into a first-place tie with Hempfield in Section 2-6A.

The Knights had yet to win two games in a row as they prepared to face Mt. Lebanon in a three-game set.

“We have nine section games left,” Spisak said. “We’re going to do all we can to make a playoff run. These series are tough, but are kids are battling.”

Scholar-athletes

Norwin’s Adam Bilinsky won the 2023 Excellence Award at the Westmoreland County Scholar-Athlete awards dinner April 18.

Bilinsky, the Tribune-Review Westmoreland Boys Basketball Player of the Year, will continue his playing career at Mercyhurst.

Madie Kessler, a softball standout and volleyball player, was Norwin’s girls nominee. Hempfield track star Elizabeth Tapper won the girls Excellence Award.

Serve and volley

The Norwin boys volleyball team put together three straight wins to stay in the section title chase.

Jackson Genicola had 14 kills and Mike Mihalov added six blocks in a 3-1 win over Central Catholic.

Then, Genicola tallied 11 kills and Mihalov blocked eight attempts in a 3-0 shutout of Penn Hills.

A 3-0 win over North Hills followed as Nick Puskaric had eight kills and Ben Tygielski had 21 assists.

Keeping score

Norwin has a familiar face keeping its scorebook in the dugout this season.

Bilinsky is recording hits and outs for the Knights.

“I try to be outside as much as I can,” Bilinsky said.

College scene

Updates on Norwin alums playing in college:

Men’s track & field

Seton Hill: Freshman Cody Scherle (Norwin) won the javelin title at the Thiel Invitational.

Softball

Saint Vincent: Junior Alex Dillner notched her 100th career hits as the Bearcats defeated Westminster, 3-1. She went 2 for 4 in the win.

Westminster: Sophomore Sydney Lokay went 2 for 3 with two RBIs to help Westminster (20-6) to a 9-1 win over Grove City.

Men’s volleyball

Thiel: Sophomore JC Govannucci led with a team-high 10 kills and three blocks as the Tomcats blanked Hiram, 3-0, in the AMCC quarterfinals.

Women’s lacrosse

Grove City: Sophomore midfielder Mara Polczynski had two goals and an assist in a dominant, 22-0 win over Waynesburg.

Saint Vincent: Through 11 games, junior Maggie Edwards was leading the Bearcats in goals with 31. She also had seven assists for 35 points, third-most on the team. Edwards also had 25 ground balls and 13 caused turnovers. She had a six-goal game (8 points) in a 19-5 win over Mt. Aloysius.

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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