No matter how long the season, a strong start is a good sign for any baseball team at any level.
Norwin won its first two games, carrying over momentum from its run to last year’s WPIAL Class 6A championship game.
Norwin took the season opener, 4-3, over Fox Chapel. Jake Knight, Caden Sivrich and Derek Berger had hits, and Tristyn Tavares drove in two runs.
Matt O’Neil earned the pitching win, striking out eight.
The Knights followed with a 6-1 victory against Central Catholic behind a solid outing from Sivrich, who struck out a career-high 14 and did not issue a walk.
Tavares and Knight doubled for Norwin. The fell short 4-0 at North Allegheny on March 25. O’Neil tookt he loss after allowing two hits in five innings with five strikeouts.
The wins helped the Knights get ready for the start of Section 2-6A play March 30 at Hempfield in the first of a three-game series. Game 2 was set for Norwin, Game at at Hempfield.
All-stars rescheduled
The PIHL rescheduled its annual all-star games for March 29 at Robert Morris Island Sports Center on Neville Island.
The games were set to be played after the Penguins Cup and Pennsylvania Cup playoffs.
Three Norwin players were set to suit up for the Class 2A Gold team: forwards Parker Toth and Brody Boban, and defenseman Zack Katona.
Norwin’s Zayn Zeravica was selected for the 2A Blue team, so he had to play against his teammates.
Girls lax wins
Gia Fernandez had a hat trick, and Karlie Johnson, Kendall Stoughton and Valerie DeMarines scored two goals apiece to lead the Norwin girls lacrosse team to an 11-7 win over Franklin Regional.
Anna Ioannou had four goals for the Panthers.
Soccer rule changes
The National Federation of State High School Associations announced several rule changes for boys and girls soccer, effective this fall.
Among them are updates to carding, penalty kick encroachment, goalkeeper release time and the usage of devices.
• A new process for distributing yellow and red cards has a referee holding a card and indicating the player, coach or bench being flagged. Referees will show a second yellow, and then a red, for an ejection. They will direct any ejected players to leave the field.
Also, referees must tell both coaches and the other officials why the card was issued.
• Players taking a kickoff must be on their side of the field. An indirect free kick will be awarded to the other team if a player who took the kickoff touches the ball before it is touched by the opponent.
• Regarding free kick fouls, “a player shall not charge into or challenge an opposing goalkeeper who is controlling the ball with their hands.”
This does not apply once a keeper leaves the penalty area.
• Goalkeepers will have 8 seconds — instead of 6 — to release the ball. A corner kick will be awarded if the keeper holds the ball past 8 seconds.
• Rule 12-2-3 is interesting because it involves biting. Yes, as in the sinking of one’s teeth into another player. A player is not permitted to bite or spit at anyone, or a free kick will be awarded.
• “Other verbal offenses,” as in foul or derogatory language, will be a foul and also will result in an indirect free kick.
• On indirect free kicks, dangerous plays — “actions preventing a nearby opponent from playing the ball for fear of injury” — will be addressed.
• On penalty kicks, encroachment will be penalized only if “the offense has a clear impact” on the PK.
• Lastly, no player is permitted to wear an audio or video device on the field of play.
College scene
Updates on Norwin athletes playing at the college level.
Baseball
Seton Hill: Senior Jack Whalen had two hits in a 7-3 win in the third game of the four-game series against Slippery Rock.
Game 4 saw Whalen deliver three hits in a 10-8 win.
Whalen became the ninth player in program history to reach 200 career hits.
Washington & Jefferson: Sophomore Keegan Carr, an IUP transfer, went 4 for 5 with an RBI to help power the Presidents to their fifth straight win, 14-2 victory over Marietta.
Men’s track and field
Penn State Behrend: Sophomore Carter Tobin won the 60-meter dash at the All-Atlantic Region Championship in New York City. He posted a personal-best and school-record time of 6.81 seconds.
Tobin also finished fourth in the 200.
Saint Vincent: Freshman Daniel Maddock broke the program record in the 100-meter dash at the Washington & Lee Carnival with a time of 11.08 seconds. He finished 11th.
Another school record also fell in the 400 relay as junior P.J. Neal, Maddock, Campbell and freshman Bailey Simon came in third at 42.67 seconds.
Men’s lacrosse
Washington & Jefferson: Senior captain Braden Petrarco recorded a hat trick and added five ground balls in a 9-8 win over Hiram in overtime.
Petrarco assisted on the golden goal to cap a thrilling PAC opener.
Westminster: Freshman Garrett Henning scored his second college goal in a 29-4 win over Spalding. Seventeen Titans scored in the win.