Westmoreland notebook: YWCA to honor Hempfield softball

By: Bill Beckner Jr.
Saturday, March 16, 2019 | 8:07 PM

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When it comes to awards and championships, Hempfield softball wins in bunches.

The Spartans won their fourth straight WPIAL title last season, then followed with a third consecutive PIAA title — a record in the state’s largest classification.

All that winning produced another repeat for the team with the YWCA of Westmoreland County.

Hempfield, set to begin its title defenses Friday, will be named Teen Sports Team of the Year for the second year in a row at the YWCA’s annual Sportswomen of the Year awards banquet April 15 at Ramada Inn in Greensburg.

Two years ago, Hempfield received a committee’s choice award from the YWCA after Yough softball was the Teen Team of the Year.

Hoops rematch

There is only one Westmoreland basketball team left in the PIAA playoffs, and the Monessen boys will get a rematch in the Class A semifinals.

Monessen (18-9) will take on Vincentian Academy (19-8) at 7 p.m. Monday at Mt. Lebanon for the right to go to Hershey for Thursday’s state title game.

Vincentian defeated Monessen in the WPIAL semifinals, 61-49, at Peters Township. Vincentian, the WPIAL runner-up, is coached by Monessen graduate Tim Tyree.

Pisula to W&J

Greensburg Central Catholic senior football player Max Pisula plans to continue his playing career at Washington & Jefferson.

He was recruited as a quarterback. A few other schools liked him as a tight end, including Seton Hill, Mercyhurst and Duquesne as a preferred walk-on. Saint Vincent, now coached by former GCC coach Aaron Smetanka, also was interested.

Pisula, a first-team all-conference defensive end last season, threw for 1,346 yards and 20 touchdowns, and also ran for 657 yards and 10 scores. W&J will have two GCC grads on the roster. The other is rising junior Dom Eisaman.

More recruiting

Hempfield senior track and field athlete Jenna Uncapher will further her career at Clarion. Uncapher recently won the high jump at the TSTCA indoor championships at Edinboro.

• Junior Fintan Brose, Hempfield’s sought-after football lineman, added a scholarship offer from Youngstown State.

• Ligonier Valley junior lineman Michael Petrof grabbed an offer from Lafayette.

• Latrobe football player Caleb Domenick will play at Saint Vincent.

Baseball picks

A couple of area baseball players were selected to the PBR Future Games July 31-Aug. 3 at Lake Point Sporting Community in Cartersville, Ga.

They are sophomore shortstops Alex Gabauer of Norwin and Franklin Regional’s Andrew Muraco.

Both play for Team All-American out of Trafford.

Spring is here

The WPIAL spring sports season is set to open Friday. Boys tennis already is under way but baseball, softball, track, boys volleyball and lacrosse will begin play.

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

Tags: Franklin Regional, Greensburg C.C., Hempfield, Ligonier Valley, Monessen, Norwin