Seven local football players were selected to play in the Pennsylvania Scholastic Football Coaches Association East-West senior all-star games.
The small-school game kicks off at noon May 17 at Cumberland Valley in Mechanicsburg. The big-school game follows at 5.
Hempfield and Norwin each had two players make the big-school game. They will play for the West.
Defensive lineman and Harvard commit Brock Heisler and cornerback Henry Mutschler were chosen from Hempfield, while tight end Josh Lenart and punter Evan Pfeifer made it from Norwin.
Mutschler this season had 35 receptions for 510 yards and two touchdowns and added two interceptions on defense.
Lenart and Pfeifer have signed with Division I programs. Lenart is going to Lehigh, Pfeifer to Buffalo.
Lenart had 56 tackles and six sacks this season for the Knights. Pfeifer averaged 41.1 yards per punt this year.
For the small-school game, Jeannette had two selections in wide receiver Noah Sunder and lineman Wyatt Schaeffer, while Greensburg Central Catholic safety Samir Crosby also made the West roster.
Sunder, a Waynesburg commit, had 14 receptions for 349 yards and three TDs this season.
Crosby is a Georgetown commit. He was one of the most prolific playmakers in Class A during his prep career. This year, he rushed for 1,039 yards and 17 touchdowns, and had 80 tackles.
He also passed for 555 yards and six touchdowns in three games at quarterback.
Hockey playoffs
The PIHL Class 2A playoffs begin Monday and Tuesday with quarterfinal games.
Division champion Hempfield (16-3-0-0) earned the No. 1 seed and will host No. 8 Cathedral Prep (4-13-1-2) at 7:15 p.m. Monday at Nevin Arena.
No. 3 Penn-Trafford (15-5-0-0) will host No. 6 Shaler (8-9-2-0) 7 p.m. Monday at Palmer Imaging Arena, while No. 7 Latrobe (7-10-1-1) travels to play Armstrong (16-3-1-0) at 7:30 Tuesday night at Belmont Ice Complex.
The semifinals are March 10 at Robert Morris Island Sports Center (7 and 9 p.m.).
The 2A championship is set for 6:15 p.m. March 16.
PIAA hoops
The local field for the PIAA basketball playoffs is set.
Boys qualifiers are Ligonier Valley in Class 3A, Jeannette in 2A and Monessen in A.
Girls teams in the state postseason are Norwin in 6A, Penn-Trafford in 5A, Belle Vernon in 4A and Greensburg Central Catholic in 3A.
The state tournaments begin Friday and Saturday.
Josephic commits
Norwin football kicker Tristan Josephic announced a verbal commitment to Division II Glenville State of the Mountain East Conference.
Josephic gave up soccer to concentrate on football and played a role in the Knights’ first playoff season since 2017.
He made 40 of 42 extra points and 6 of 8 field goals this season.
Boss to PSAC
Tyler Boss, a senior football player at Penn-Trafford, committed to Edinboro of the Division II Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference. Boss (5-10, 175) is two-time first-team all-conference defensive back.
Boss had 17 tackles and one interception last season for the Warriors.
Copeland picks IUP
Franklin Regional junior softball player Ceana “CC” Copeland committed to play at IUP. Copeland is a third baseman and utility player for the Panthers.
Last spring, Copeland hit .295 with 27 runs and 18 RBIs. She also had 15 stolen bases.
Football showcase
Hempfield will host a Western PA Football Showcase on May 18.
College coaches will attend to watch prospective players go through drills.
Schools scheduled to attend include Hempfield, Jeannette, Greensburg Salem, Greensburg Central Catholic, Norwin, Latrobe and Derry.
There are three other showcase dates, including May 18 at Gateway, May 19 at Bethel Park and Trinity, May 20 at North Hills and Pine Community Park in Wexford and May 21 at Montour and Beaver.
Recruiting
Franklin Regional senior Austin McClure will continue his football career at Division III Grove City, senior Luca Bertucci will play golf at Carlow, and senior James Templeton is headed to Gannon to play baseball.
• A pair of Jeannette senior linemen will be opponents in the Division III Presidents’ Athletic Conference. Wyatt Schaeffer will continue his football career at Washington & Jefferson, while Carmine DeAnnuntis is headed to Geneva.
Schaeffer (6 foot, 250 pounds) played center, defensive tackle and defensive end for the Jayhawks. DeAnnuntis (6-1, 260), a guard and tackle, had 66 tackles this season for the Jayhawks.
• Penn-Trafford senior lineman Bryce Ruby (6-0, 235), a Class 5A all-conference center, will play at John Carroll.