Westmoreland HS notebook: Jeannette’s Taylor named Class 2A player of year

By: Bill Beckner Jr.
Sunday, October 29, 2023 | 4:26 PM

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Jeannette soccer player Jordan Taylor had a senior season to remember, as he netted a school-record 54 goals to lead the WPIAL.

The forward finished with 162 goals, third-most in WPIAL boys soccer history.

Taylor’s exploits impressed coaches across Class 2A as he was named the classification’s player of the year.

Taylor also made the All-WPIAL list for the third time in his career.

All-WPIAL soccer

Several local players joined Taylor as All-WPIAL selections:

4A — Norwin senior midfielder Owen Christopher, junior forward Daniel Maddock and senior goalkeeper Anthony Scalise; 3A — junior midfielder Roman Agostoni of Latrobe; junior midfielder Joey Bayne and junior forward Danny Christafano of Franklin Regional; 2A — senior midfielder Luke Rivardo and senior midfielder Austin Ulery of Mt. Pleasant; and junior Trevor Kovatch of Belle Vernon; A — senior defender Luke Guerrini, senior forward Jayson Ireland, junior defender Billy Kowalkowski, and senior midfielder Cam Wagner of Burrell.

Golf honors

Penn-Trafford senior Nick Turowski had a terrific senior season as he won his second WPIAL title.

But he had a terrific summer season, as well.

Turowski was named the Western Pennsylvania Golf Association Junior Player of the Year.

Turowski plays out of Hannastown Golf Club.

Another local player, Nolan Shilling, a Franklin Regional alum who belongs to Oakmont Country Club, was the award’s runner-up.

Sonny days

Sonny Bruni is beginning to think he’s a bearer of good luck.

The golf coach of the Seton Hill women’s and Norwin girls teams, Bruni has had two players record a hole-in-one this fall.

The aces were less than a month apart.

At the WPIAL Section 3-3A tournament Sept. 19 at Indiana Country Club, Norwin sophomore Lia Guzzie aced the par-3 17th hole.

Then, on Oct. 16 at the Clarion Invitational, Seton Hill sophomore Jessica Bushik made a hole-in-one on the par-3 12th hole during the second round of the tournament at Pinecrest Country Club in Brookville.

Bushik is a Norwin graduate.

Bruni did not witness Guzzie’s highlight but was there to see Bushik’s.

“Yes, pretty amazing,” Bruni said. “I always talk with my Norwin girls and Seton Hill girls, just pregame talk.

“I was driving around on the cart and decided to stop by the green and watch Jess hit her tee shot. She hit a great hybrid in, pin-high, and it slowly trickled into the cup. I couldn’t believe it.

“I was so happy for her, and I was thinking the same: two girls from the same high school, but now one playing in college.”

Palangio commits

One of the top forwards in WPIAL Class 6A basketball has decided on a college destination.

Norwin 6-foot-2 senior Lauren Palangio will play at Holy Family, an NCAA Division II school in Philadelphia.

Palangio played a key role in Norwin’s run to the WPIAL and PIAA semifinals last season. She averaged 11.9 points and 7.9 rebounds for the Knights.

Norwin will have three college-bound players in the starting lineup this winter. Ava Kobus committed to Allegheny College, while point guard Bailey Snowberger will play Division I softball at Holy Cross.

Price a Gator

Greensburg Salem basketball player Ashlan Price announced she will continue her career at Allegheny College. A senior guard, Price averaged 10 points, 4 rebounds and 4 assists last season for the Golden Lions.

Rare setback

Greensburg Central Catholic’s girls soccer team has put together quite a run in Class A.

It has been dominant since it moved to the smallest classification in 2010.

So, when the fifth-seeded Centurions were upset by No. 12 South Allegheny last week in overtime, 2-1, in the WPIAL first round, it was a stunner. That is because GCC had never lost in the Class A first round.

GCC had not lost in the first round since 2009 when it was in 2A.

Since the Centurions moved to single-A, they have won six WPIAL championships and had four runner-up finishes.

Recruiting

Latrobe junior football player Alex Tatsch, a Power 5 prospect, picked up two more NCAA Division I scholarship offers, from Penn State and Duke. Tatsch now has offers from Penn State, Pitt and West Virginia, among others.

• Yough senior basketball player Austin Matthews, a 6-foot-5 forward, has an offer to play at Muskingum, a Division III program in New Concord, Ohio.

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, Jeannette, Latrobe, Norwin