Yough among WPIAL softball teams heading south to open season

By: HSSN Staff
Tuesday, March 20, 2018 | 5:57 PM

Winter's last-inning rally is dumping a fresh heaping of snow on WPIAL territory. But it won't bother the Yough softball team much.

In fact, Yough players were buying sun screen and picking out fresh summer outfits this week for their spring training trip south.

The high school season is scheduled to open Friday, but Yough and several other WPIAL teams won't have to deal with snow-plagued postponements as they escape the clutches of the cold weather.

Yough is headed to Orlando, Fla. — where temperatures aren't expected to dip below 70 while its in town — for a five-day excursion beginning Thursday with practice and a scrimmage.

The Cougars will then play four games in four days at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex at Disney World.

Yough coach Art “Dutch” Harvey has made the out-of-town trips a preseason staple for the program. Yough won a PIAA title two years ago and was a WPIAL runner-up in two of the last three seasons. A talented team returns and Harvey thinks early-season action is critical to attain late-season success.

“We hope to get plenty of game action, which helps us prepare even better for the early section schedule that starts immediately after our return,” Harvey said. “Our freshmen starters will have plenty of experience getting back here which will give us an edge.”

Yough used to go to Myrtle Beach for the “Ripken Experience,” something numerous WPIAL teams have done over the years.

Harvey prefers Disney.

“Disney is a far better facility and the kids get to go to a different park every day after we are done,” he said. “And you get all your games in Florida.”

The Cougars open the season Friday at noon against Seymour (Wisc.). On Saturday, they take on David Douglas (Ore.); Libertyville (Ill.) on Sunday; and James Madison Memorial (Wisc.) on Monday.

The team returns home Tuesday.

Elizabeth Forward joins Yough in Florida. Eight WPIAL teams, meanwhile, will open the season in Myrtle Beach. They are Brownsville, Bentworth, South Allegheny, Seton LaSalle, South Fayette, Avonworth, West Allegheny and Uniontown.

Bill Beckner Jr. is a Tribune-Review staff writer. Reach him at bbeckner@tribweb.com or via Twitter @BillBeckner.

Tags: Yough