Westmoreland H.S. notebook: Penn-Trafford’s Will Mayr picked for Big 33

By: HSSN Staff
Saturday, March 3, 2018 | 4:27 PM

When a player backed out of the Big 33 Football Classic, Will Mayr's phone rang. And the Penn-Trafford senior is glad he answered.

Mayr was picked as a replacement for the state's top all-star game, set for 7 p.m. June 16 at Central Dauphin's Landis Field, near Harrisburg.

Mayr (6-foot-2, 250 pounds), an IUP recruit, said he was selected as a defensive end.

“It's nice to be a part of something that major NFL players have been a part of,” Mayr said.

He was a WPIAL Class 5A Big East Conference first-team pick last season as Penn-Trafford reached the WPIAL championship game.

State hoops

The PIAA basketball playoffs will begin Friday and Saturday, and the local field and matchups are mostly set.

Times and sites have yet to be announced.

Four local boys teams from four classes are in.

Franklin Regional will play section rival Highlands in the Class 5A first round Friday, Ligonier Valley takes on Lancaster Mennonite in 3A on Saturday, and Jeannette meets Purchase Line in 2A on Saturday.

Belle Vernon faces the District 10 runner-up Hickory on Friday.

On the girls side, Belle Vernon plays WPIAL runner-up Beaver, the team it lost to in the district playoffs, on Saturday in 4A.

Greensburg Central Catholic's girls open against Bishop McCort on Friday in 2A.

Handling Carmody

Franklin Regional boys basketball coach Steve Scorpion was pleased with the way his team defended Mars star Robby Carmody, a 6-foot-4 guard who is headed to Notre Dame, in Friday night's WPIAL 5A championship game at The Pete.

Mars won 54-44, but Carmody, albeit dragging some because of flu-like symptoms, scored 11 points and grabbed 14 rebounds.

“Give my kids credit,” Scorpion said. “He is an ACC top-100 kid. I told these guys in the locker room, we went toe-to-toe with him … You're going to watch him on TV next year. You're probably going to watch him play on this floor next year.”

Butler picked

Latrobe junior basketball player Bryce Butler and Kiski School sophomore Asa Klimchock were selected to play in the inaugural IPS Classic charity all-star event March 31 at a site to be determined.

Organizers said there will be three games, two for underclassmen and one for senior players, along with 3-point and dunk contests.

Recruiting buzz

Latrobe senior football lineman Zach Yesho (6-3, 260), who missed most of his senior season with a knee injury, committed to Seton Hill.

• Penn-Trafford senior Matt Wilkie (RB/LB) will continue his football career at Geneva.

• Jeannette's Marcus Barnes, a junior wide receiver/defensive back, received an offer from Air Force. He also has offers from Army and Howard.

Spring break

Official practice opens Monday for WPIAL spring sports. That includes baseball, softball, track & field, boys tennis, boys volleyball, and lacrosse.

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, Latrobe, Ligonier Valley, Penn-Trafford