Like a bogey-free scorecard, Youngstown State checked all the right boxes for Jack Sacriponte.
The Latrobe senior committed to play NCAA Division I golf for the Penguins.
“Good distance from home, very good golf program and schedule, has what I am looking for academically, and I was looking for somewhere I believe I could play for four years,” Sacriponte said.
Sacriponte had a career season in the fall, placing second in the WPIAL and PIAA Class 3A championships. He shot 7-under-par 137 in the PIAA finals at Penn State.
He was 16th in the WPIAL as a junior and tied for 12th when he was a sophomore.
“My goal has always been to play golf at the highest level possible, and when I started competing in high level tournaments through West Penn Golf Association, Pennsylvania Golf Association, AJGA (etc.),” Sacriponte said, “the competition was top-tier, and when I started to place well in those tournaments I knew I could play at the high level I wanted to.”
Sacriponte also had offers to play at Mercyhurst, Robert Morris, IUP, Gardner Webb, Pitt-Johnstown and Penn State Altoona.
Record breaker
Norwin senior lacrosse player Karlie Johnson became the program’s all-time goals leader with her 160th score.
The record-breaking goal came against Peters Township on March 30 at Yough, pushing Johnson past Ava Wilson, who had 159 goals before graduating in 2024.
Johnson tied the mark March 27 at Penn-Trafford when she scored seven times in a 10-10, double-overtime tie.
Johnson, a Westminster (Utah) commit, has 17 goals this season and 162 for her career.
The Knights took a 3-0-1 record into the Easter break.
Miller time
Latrobe speedster Preston Miller is at it again.
A rare hockey player and sprinter, Miller ran a 10.63-second 100-meter dash last week, announcing to the WPIAL he is a strong contender for district and state gold.
Miller led the hockey team this season with 29 points, including 18 goals.
He began track in middle school and has become proficient in both sports.
Last spring, he finished third in the 100 and fifth in the 200 at the WPIAL Class 3A championships, and took 10th in the 100 at the PIAA meet.
He took 57th in the 60-meter dash earlier this month at the New Balance Nationals Indoor meet in Boston with a time of 6.98 seconds.
Miller holds Latrobe indoor records in the 60 and 100.
Track records fall
Belle Vernon senior Ryan Kent made his presence known at the California Twilight Invitational, grabbing three gold medals, two in record-breaking fashion.
He set program and meet records in the shot put with a throw of 54 feet, 10 inches, and added a school-record toss of 159-1 in the discus.
• Derry sophomore Maizy Mikeska also set a school record with a high jump of 5-3.
East-West addition
Monessen senior Tavian Taylor was added to the PSFCA East-West All-Star football game May 17 at Cumberland Valley’s Chapman Field.
Taylor was a late addition to the West roster. He played running back and strong safety for the Greyhounds but was selected to the all-star game for defense.
Last season, he racked up over 1,500 yards of offense and scored 12 touchdowns, while making 90 tackles and intercepting three passes on defense.
Chaney to Army
Norwin wrestler Lillian Chaney accepted an appointment to Army West Point. The senior was 10-15 competing at 148 pounds this season for the Knights.
Honoring coach
Hempfield girls lacrosse players wore pink ribbons in their hair Thursday night when they played at Latrobe. The ribbons were to honor Latrobe coach Kaytie Costic, who in February was two years out from her last chemotherapy treatment for breast cancer.
Player of the week
Hempfield senior Braden Crowe was named the Western Pennsylvania Volleyball Coaches Association Class 3A Player of the Week.
The WPVCA rankings show Norwin at No. 7, Penn-Trafford at No. 9 and Hempfield No. 10 in 3A, while Derry checks in at No. 8 in the 2A Top 10.
Hockey stars
Penguins Cup and Pennsylvania Cup champion Sean Goodman of Penn-Trafford scored two goals and added an assist to help the Blue Team to a 4-2 win over Gold in the PIHL Class 2A hockey all-star game.
Guerin Gardner added two goals and Jonathan Holtzman had two assists for Gold.
Brendan Yohe had a goal for Franklin Regional in the Gold’s 7-3 loss to Blue in the 3A game.