High school notebook: Yough softball takes swing at cancer

By: HSSN Staff
Saturday, April 14, 2018 | 10:45 PM

Yough softball has won eight consecutive games and is primed for a another run at WPIAL and PIAA titles in Class 4A. But the second-ranked Cougars are playing with purpose and putting the game in perspective after the program’s brush with cancer.

The team is raising money for two Yough students, Devin Science and JT Waywood, the nephew of Yough assistant coach Keith Waywood and the cousin of ace pitcher Kierra Waywood, both of whom have been diagnosed with cancer.

JT Waywood, Yough coach Dutch Harvey said, has stage 4 cancer in his throat and neck — squaumous cell carcinoma — while Science’s cancer is in his lymph nodes.

“I have pledged 10 percent of my coaching salary this year along with 50 percent of my playoff-round pay to get things started” Harvey said. “We have sold over 400 shirts and it looks to be our biggest event thus far. This year is being handled by our freshman catcher Kaylyn Odelli and her mother, Tracy.”

Yough will host a “Strike Out Cancer” game with Elizabeth Forward on May 1, Harvey said.

The team is rallying behing the slogans, “Banding Together For Joe,” and “Killing Cancer With Science.”

This season we will be supporting Joe Waywood in his fight of cancer! And winning for our fellow Cougar ?⚾️?? pic.twitter.com/3fXGyyw4vw

— Yough Softball (@youghsoftball) April 11, 2018

#NewProfilePic pic.twitter.com/ziQI0rzQ9P

— Yough Softball (@youghsoftball) April 14, 2018

Harvey, too, had a scare with prostate cancer. He said Alona Sleith, a freshman at Saint Vincent, was the ring leader behind drawing charitable donations for the Prostate Cancer Foundation.

Harvey said the selling of shirts and hoodies, as well as pledges for players who get hits, steals and other highlights in games, helped raise more than $1,000 each year of the benefit game.

“This is our way to give back,” Harvey said. “And it helps the girls understand that softball is a part of our lives and that we can use it to benefit others or organizations that need help.”

Another offer for Stone

Former Southmoreland basketball player Brandon Stone added another Division I scholarship offer, from Drake in Des Moines, Iowa.

Stone, who has 15 offers, had narrowed his list to four schools — Pitt, Penn State, Duquesne and South Carolina — but said he is open to other opportunities. Pitt pulled its offer when Kevin Stallings was fired but new coach Jeff Capel has reportedly shown interest in Stone, a 6-foot-11 forward who played this past season at Christ School in Arden, N.C.

Stone is considering leaving Christ School and attending IMD or SPIRE Academy before heading off to college. He is a reclassified junior.

Jeannette to be honored

Jeannette’s football team will go to Harrisburg on Tuesday to be recognized before the Pennsylvania House of Representatives for winning the PIAA Class A championship last season.

The team also will have its banquet April 28 and championship rings finally will be distributed after a lengthy fundraising effort that included a sizable donation from the city’s Elliott Company.

Softball to watch

With so many good softball teams in Westmoreland County, some of the most intriguing matchups are on the nonsection schedule.

There are a few examples this week. On Wednesday, Class 6A No. 1 Hempfield, the three-time defending WPIAL champion and winner of the last two PIAA titles, is scheduled to play at Penn-Trafford, the No. 4-ranked team in Class 5A.

Class 4A No. 1 Mt. Pleasant, the defending PIAA champion, visits Franklin Regional on Friday.

Both games are at 4 p.m.

And at 2 p.m. Saturday, Class 4A No. 2 Yough goes to Class 6A No. 2 Latrobe.

Basketball openings

A number of local basketball coaching positions have become vacant in recent weeks. Boys jobs are open at Yough, Mt. Pleasant and Belle Vernon.

Yough and Mt. Pleasant opened their posts, Yough per its one-year contract policy, while Kyle DiGregorio resigned at Belle Vernon to take the girls job at Baldwin.

Greensburg Central Catholic’s girls job is open after the recent resignation of Joe Eisaman.

Bill Beckner Jr. is a Tribune-Review staff writer. Reach him at bbeckner@tribweb.com or via Twitter @BillBeckner.

Tags: Belle Vernon, Greensburg C.C., Jeannette, Mt. Pleasant, Southmoreland, Yough