News and notes from the local high school sports scene:
As he begins his third stint as a head basketball coach, Greg Cercone hopes that the third time will be the charm. So does everyone involved with the boys program at Beaver.
Cercone, a 1995 Quigley Catholic graduate, has been chosen to succeed Andy Podbielski, who resigned in March. For years, Cercone has been a fixture on the local hoops scene as either an assistant coach or head coach.
He's served two different stints at Beaver County high schools, although his teams didn't exactly enjoy a lot of success. But that's not an indictment of his coaching ability or his basketball know how.
From 2009-2012, he coached at Quigley, a school that's had minimal basketball success in recent years.
During Cercone's three years as coach, Quigley posted records of 4-18, 10-13 and 9-14. But the Spartans did make the playoffs twice. Before the playoff berth in 2011, they hadn’t been to the playoffs since Cercone was a Quigley senior.
From 2013-2017, Cercone coached at Freedom. In that four-year span, the Bulldogs went 14-73. But Freedom has struggled in basketball for quite a long time. The last time it made the playoffs was 2002.
But now, Cercone has a new opportunity.
He's gone from coaching in Class 1A and 2A to 4A.
Even though Beaver didn't make the playoffs last season — the Bobcats were 3-11 in the section and 5-16 overall — there's a solid nucleus returning including players such as 6-foot-2 sophomore Beckett Connelly, 6-4 Mike Champ and 6-3 Mason Rose.
In his first season, Cercone will have more talent to work with than ever before in his coaching career.
With Beaver Falls playing 3A next year and the likes of Quaker Valley, New Castle and Central Valley each graduating a number of capable seniors, the Bobcats could be playoff contenders.
Beaver isn't exactly the easiest place for a basketball coach to succeed.
During Podbielski’s eight-year run, his teams combined for a 91-88 record. He had the highest winning percentage of any Beaver coach in two decades. Twice during that span, the Bobcats made the playoffs.
But before Podbielski arrived, Beaver had made the playoffs just once in 24 years and had not finished a season above .500 since 1997.
Upsets abound in baseball playoffs
Two weeks ago, I wrote that anything can happen in the upcoming baseball playoffs. Upsets happen all the time. But really, could anyone have predicted that three teams from The Times' coverage area with No. 1 seeds — 5A Moon, 4A Blackhawk and 3A Riverside — would not even make it to the semifinals?
What's especially mind-boggling is that Moon and Blackhawk were one-and-done after losing to No. 8 seeds.
After a first-round bye, Moon lost to Hampton, 9-1, in the quarterfinals. In that game, the Tigers only had four hits.
Blackhawk, which also had a first-round bye, lost to Greensburg Salem, 1-0, in nine innings. In that game, the Cougars only had three hits.
Who knows? Maybe the bye was a curse. Moon and Blackhawk both had 12-day layoffs.
At least in Riverside's case, the Panthers still have a chance to make the state playoffs. After losing 6-5 to fourth-seeded Brownsville, Riverside plays Section 2 rival South Side in the third-place consolation game next week. The winners makes the states.
Quips racking up scholarship offers
Hardly a year goes by that major-college football recruiters aren't checking out a talented player or two from Aliquippa. But this year, there are several Quips already receiving offers.
M.J. Devonshire, a wide receiver/defensive back, is Aliquippa's highest-rated prospect. He's being recruited by the like of Ohio State, West Virginia, Maryland and Indiana and received an offer from Pitt on Thursday. But six of his teammates have already received at least one NCAA Division 1 or 1AA offer.
WR/DB Larry Walker: Columbia, Navy, Albany, Holy Cross, Army.
TE/OLB Zuriah Fisher: Syracuse, Howard.
DE Ahmad Gilbert: Youngstown State, Buffalo, Florida International, Stephen F. Austin.
OT/DT Solvauhn Moreland: Ball State, Howard, Duquesne.
QB/DB Will Gipson: Toledo, Miami of Ohio, Ball State, Duquesne.
WR Deoveon Crute: Buffalo.
In the next several months, the recruitment of those players will heat up. No doubt, more offers will pour in for those Quips.
Obviously, Mike Warfield has have plenty of talent to work with in his first season as coach.