Westmoreland high school notebook: Ex-Southmoreland coach headed to Uniontown

By: Bill Beckner Jr.
Saturday, May 10, 2025 | 6:27 PM

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Uniontown’s new football coach is Tim Bukowski, who was the lead man at Southmoreland for three seasons before resigning in December.

He replaces Keith Jeffries, who stepped down after four seasons and a 15-20 record.

Bukowski spent seven seasons overall with Southmoreland, four as an assistant, and helped the Scotties make four consecutive WPIAL playoff trips after a 40-year postseason drought.

He was 17-16 as coach.

Bukowski was on the staff at Clairton from 2006-12 and won 10 championships as the Bears’ offensive coordinator — six WPIAL and four PIAA.

Player of week

Hempfield’s Gunner Wheaton was named a Class 3A player of the week by the Western Pennsylvania Volleyball Coaches Association. He is a senior outside hitter.

Milestone year

It’s been a year of benchmarks for WPIAL softball pitchers.

Several aces have added to their impressive strikeout totals, including Hempfield’s Riley Miller and Grace Stein of Jeannette, both of whom reached 500 career Ks.

Greensburg Salem’s Alle Scarpa, meantime, hit 400 Ks last week.

Others around the WPIAL with milestones include Lexie Hames of Seneca Valley (900), Meadow Ferri of Chartiers-Houston (700), Bailey Barnyak of Carmichaels (700), Addy Frye of Neshannock (600) and Sydney Sekely of South Park (500).

Undergrad hoops

A few local basketball players, including TribLive Westmoreland girls player of the year Erica Gribble, were selected to play in the Rising Stars Invitational May 20-22 at RIZE Sports in Leetsdale.

Gribble, a junior at Greensburg Central Catholic, will play for Team Gold, which also includes GCC junior Jayla Peterson and will be coached by GCC’s Chris Skatell.

Gold will play White at 6 p.m. on May 22.

Another GCC player, sophomore A.J. Tarpley, will suit up for Team Palmosina against Team Blundo for the 7:30 game that night.

Recruiting

Three Hempfield senior lacrosse players signed with college programs. They are Sammi Reilly (Saint Vincent), Gianna Novotney (Washington & Jefferson) and Heather Harshman (Davis & Elkins).

• Southmoreland junior football player Makel Darnell received a scholarship offer from Division II Lock Haven of the PSA. Darnell, who attends Geibel but plays for the Scotties as part of a co-op, is a wide receiver and defensive back.

• Penn-Trafford football player Jamison Yurt picked up a Division II offer from Carnegie Mellon. Yurt (6-foot-1, 220 pounds) is a fullback and linebacker for the Warriors.

• Franklin Regional soccer player Eden Williams signed to play at Slippery Rock. She initially committed to IUP, but a coaching change prompted her move.

• Shay Morrison, a senior at Southmoreland, will continue her track and field career at Point Park.

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

Tags: Greensburg C.C., Greensburg Salem, Hempfield, Penn-Trafford, Southmoreland