Westmoreland County high school notebook: Latrobe out to defend 7-on-7 title

By: Bill Beckner Jr.
Saturday, July 15, 2023 | 12:01 AM

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Route-runners and defensive backs will exchange moves, and quarterbacks will sharpen their downfield throws Thursday when the 12th Westmoreland County Coaches Association Larry Sellitto Memorial 7-on-7 Passing Tournament returns to Greater Latrobe High School.

Sixteen teams will compete for the title beginning at 9 a.m. on four turf fields. Rossi Field will be split, while Graham-­Sobota Field, where baseball and softball are played, also will be converted for football.

The championship is scheduled for 2 p.m. at Rossi Field.

Pool A is Latrobe (A), Yough, Valley, Hempfield, Franklin Regional, Jeannette, Mt. Pleasant and Derry.

Pool B has Penn-Trafford, Southmoreland, Greensburg Central Catholic, Burrell, Norwin, Kiski Area, Greensburg Salem and Latrobe (B).

The 25-minute games are played on 40-yard fields, and the 20-yard line is a first down.

Teams get six points for a touchdown, one point for an extra point from the 3-yard line and two points for a PAT from the 10.

Extra points must be passes. Ball-carriers are stopped by one-hand tags.

Defenses get a point for a turnover on downs and three for an interception.

Quarterbacks are allotted 4 seconds to throw.

Latrobe defeated Penn-­Trafford, 15-9, in last year’s final for its first county passing title.

Penn-Trafford has the most championships with five. Hempfield and Norwin have two apiece, and Greensburg Central Catholic has one.

Penn-Trafford also has finished second four times, and Norwin and Franklin Regional have two runner-up finishes each.

Small world

A few years ago, Penn-­Trafford grad Anthony Sherwin was working out at FSQ Sports Training in Trafford.

A few feet away, another local baseball standout also was putting in some work.

Norwin alum JJ Matijevic was home from the minor leagues.

While established outfits such as FSQ have done the unthinkable and brought together rivals — even those from Penn-Trafford and Norwin — Sherwin had no idea at the time that he soon would have more in common with Matijevic than a weight bench.

“It’s crazy,” said Sherwin, a shortstop at Bucknell. “I’m working out with him, and a few years later, we’re both in the minors.”

Two local standouts in the same farm system is notable.

Sherwin signed last week with the Houston Astros. He intends to sign his free-agent deal and await his assignment, likely in rookie ball.

Matijevic is a home run-hitting presence with the Sugar Land Cowboys, the Astros’ Triple-A affiliate.

He had several call-ups last season and earned a World Series ring as a member of Houston’s taxi squad.

“I just can’t believe this happened,” Sherwin said. “It’s amazing to think where the game can take you.”

On the day he was offered a contract, Sherwin stopped by the American Legion District 31 championship game at Penn-Trafford.

“I wanted to say hey to the guys,” he said, “and thank all the coaches who have helped me get to this point.”

Rosensteel soccer

Matchups are set for the second Moe Rosensteel Memorial Kickoff Classic soccer event set for Sept. 2 at Norwin Knights Stadium.

The three-game set will feature Franklin Regional vs. Thomas Jefferson at 10 a.m., followed by Hickory vs. Ringgold at 11:30 and Latrobe vs. Norwin at 1.

The same three matchups took place in last year’s inaugural event.

Money raised at the event will go to the Kaitlyn “Moe” Rosensteel Scholarship Foundation, which annually awards a scholarship to a senior standout.

Moore offered

Belle Vernon rising junior basketball player Zion Moore received his first scholarship offer.

The standout guard who averaged 25 points as a sophomore after transferring from Ringgold has an opportunity to play at Division II Edinboro.

Moore, who already has more than 1,000 career points, had 55 points in a summer league game and won a slam dunk contest and MVP honors at a recent summer tournament.

Recruiting

Franklin Regional rising senior Shaeley Reichbaum will continue her soccer career at St. John Fisher, a Division III program in the Eastern College Athletic Conference. Reichbaum is a forward for the Panthers.

St. John Fisher, like Saint Vincent to the Pittsburgh Steelers, is the training camp home of the Buffalo Bills.

• Hempfield senior Ethan Minerva committed to play baseball at Cal (Pa.). Minerva is an outfielder for the Spartans. Minerva hit .277 with 13 runs scored this season.

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

Tags: Belle Vernon, Franklin Regional, Latrobe, Norwin