Murrysville Star notebook: Local volleyball team headed to nationals

By: Bill Beckner Jr.
Saturday, July 3, 2021 | 10:01 AM

The Westmoreland Elite 17 Black volleyball team qualified for the USA Volleyball Girls Junior National Tournament, which was set to begin Saturday in Las Vegas.

The team, coached by Greg Lockley, consists of Sydney Andrews (Penn-Trafford), Rebecca Hess (Greensburg Central Catholic), Julia Kubera (Franklin Regional), Anna Novak (Burrell), Isabella Panasko (Charleroi), Samaree Perkins (Obama Academy), Haley Stormer (Ligonier Valley), Grace Thompson (Plum), Maura White (Elizabeth Forward), Deanna Perry (Franklin Regional), and Gianna Zamperini (Connellsville).

Another local player, Ella Evans (Franklin Regional) also qualified for nationals with team Renaissance 17 Black.

Local ties

A high school golfer with local ties is a state champion in Colorado.

Katie Lehigh, a junior who plays for Loveland, won Class 5A individual and team titles at City Park Golf Course in Denver.

Lehigh is the cousin of former Franklin Regional basketball player Johnny O’Toole, now at Penn State Behrend.

Lauren Lehigh, Katie’s sister, won the same title in 2019. She is a sophomore at New Mexico and finished second in the Mountain West Conference this season.

The Lehigh girls have family throughout the Pittsburgh area.

WCCA events

The Westmoreland County Coaches Association is getting set for a full slate of events for the summer, fall and winter.

The 7-on-7 football championship will be at 9 a.m. July 15 at Latrobe.

After that, the plan is to have the boys golf championship Sept. 10 at Latrobe Elks; the cross country championships Oct. 13 at Westmoreland County Community College; boys basketball shootout Dec. 18 at Hempfield and Jeannette; wrestling championships Jan. 7-8, 2022 (location to be determined); and swimming and diving championships Jan. 28-29 at Derry.

The girls golf tournament has not been set.

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

Tags: Franklin Regional