Westmoreland H.S. notebook: Belle Vernon’s Quinton Martin visits Florida State

By: Bill Beckner Jr.
Sunday, June 26, 2022 | 4:50 PM

Five-star recruit Quinton Martin is beginning to make his rounds as he starts to think about narrowing his expanding list of college choices.

The skillful football standout, who will be a junior at Belle Vernon this fall, made an unofficial visit last week to Florida State, which offered him a scholarship June 12.

He was on vacation with some friends in Panama City and decided to make the two-hour trip east to Tallahassee.

The 6-foot-3, 200-pound Martin, who played running back and defensive back last season, is being recruited for various positions. He has numerous Power 5 offers, including from Pitt, Penn State, West Virginia, Michigan State, Ohio State, Notre Dame, Virginia Tech, Wisconsin, Texas and others.

He is the No. 8 overall prospect from the Class of 2024 — No. 1 in Pennsylvania.

Martin also visited Virginia Tech, West Virginia, Pitt and Michigan, and attended spring games at Ohio State and Penn State.

Legion showcase

The District 31 American Legion baseball player showcase will be at 5 p.m. July 14 at Legion Keener Park in Latrobe.

Players will be tested in a number of drills, including sprinting, throwing and hitting.

College scouts will evaluate the players. Programs already signed up to attend include Seton Hill, Mt. Aloysius, Allegheny and La Roche.

Summer track & field

Ligonier Valley senior Miles Higgins brought home a silver medal from the New Balance Nationals in Philadelphia after he placed second in the javelin.

Higgins, a UNC-Wilmington commit, threw 213 feet, 4 inches to reach the medal stand.

Hempfield rising senior Liz Tapper won a national title in the discus with a throw of 163 feet, 2 inches. She also finished fourth in the shot put.

Hempfield junior Peyton Murray took first in the discus in the Rising Stars Division with a toss of 169-10.

Another Hempfield athlete, Noah Ser, finished fifth in the high jump in the National Elite Division of the Adidas Nationals with a mark of 6 feet, 3/4 inches.

Reese fundraiser

Mt. Pleasant will honor one of its most beloved youth coaches and supporters of Vikings sports, the late Mike Reese, with a fundraiser.

The second annual Mike Reese Memorial Roast Run and Family Fun will be July 3 at Mammoth Park.

The event includes a pair of 5K races, for 21-and-older ($40) and 21-and-younger ($20) divisions.

Proceeds benefit the Mike Reese Memorial Fund.

Reese, a former state representative, died in 2020 after an apparent brain aneurysm. He was 42.

More information is available at runsignup.com/race/pa/mountpleasant/mikereesememorial5k.

Exceptional lax

A trio of Penn-Trafford lacrosse players were selected to play in the Exceptional Senior Lacrosse Game on Tuesday at Highmark Stadium at Station Square.

The all-stars were Carter Green, Bennett Dupilka and Declan Ochendowski.

Recruiting

Jeannette’s Tyler Horn will continue his football career at Saint Vincent.

• Mt. Pleasant soccer player Hannah Gesinski committed to play at Pitt-Greensburg.

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

Tags: Belle Vernon, Hempfield, Jeannette, Ligonier Valley, Mt. Pleasant, Penn-Trafford