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Fox Chapel pitcher Mackenzie Borkovich recently reached the 500-strikeout milestone for her career.
Fox Chapel head coach Chris Olbrich watches from the third base coaching box during a 2020 scrimmage against Baldwin.
A notable regular season is in the books, and the Fox Chapel softball team is set for a WPIAL playoff run.
The Foxes won their first section title since 2015 and the sixth overall in school history with an 8-2 record, tying North Hills for Section 3-5A honors.
Overall, Fox Chapel is 12-3 with a 5-3, extra-inning victory at Butler in a nonsection game last week.
“It was exciting to win a section,” Foxes coach Chris Olbrich said. “That was one of our goals before the season. We had a core of girls coming back after last season, our whole infield plus our starting pitcher. Our whole new outfield did very well.”
Fox Chapel made a run to the WPIAL semifinals last season and qualified for the PIAA tournament for the first time.
Mackenzie Borkovich had another superb season in the circle, reaching the career 500-strikeout milestone recently.
The offensive barrage was led by third baseman Brynn Palmer, who slugged a two-run homer in the top of the eighth to propel the win over Butler. Palmer is batting .481 with an on base percentage of .548.
“I think to all of us, it was kind of a good surprise because we did lose two seniors, Neena (Pietropaolo) and Bella (Krisky),“ Palmer said. “We came together as a team this year. Actually, we’re playing for each other. We had some good wins over hard teams.”
Shortstop Hunter Taylor batted .452 and catcher Amelia Herzer .444.
“I think, as a whole, the team hit better than last year and scored a whole lot more runs,” Olbrich said. “They worked real hard on taking what the pitchers gave them. That part worked out well.”
But Olbrich is, perhaps, most happy with how the new outfielders performed.
“While the whole infielder got better, the outfielders actually stepped up,” Olbrich said. “Mia (Dunleavy), who is a sophomore, we had a freshman Adina Rosen, a lefty, slap-hitting speedster and Alina Stiger has been an anchor in center field for us, filling in for Neena.”
If there was a challenge to overcome, it was the nasty weather this spring that caused a considerable number of postponements and didn’t allow for teams to get into a sort of rhythm.
In Fox Chapel’s case, it was also a week-long spring break for the school district where games were not played.
Said Olbrich: “You throw the spring break in there and we played Shaler, we were on a roll, then didn’t play a softball game for 16 days. That was hard. Now, we’re back in a stride. We’re fortunate to have a turf field, and we got more games in.”
With Palmer and other third basemen in scholastic softball, playing up toward the batter forces an even quicker reaction time.
“I’ve played all around, even pitched, and I never had a solid position, but third base has become my favorite position,” said Palmer, who is planning a career as a registered nurse.
Palmer came to prominence last year in the quarterfinals, blasting a three-run homer in a walk-off win against Franklin Regional.
“We are very ready for the playoffs,” Palmer said.
Said Olbrich: “We’ll see where we wind up. Hopefully, we can go a little farther than last year. The playoffs are a different bird.” | 2022-05-14T15:32:18Z | tribhssn.triblive.com | Fox Chapel softball ready to face playoff field | Trib HSSN | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/fox-chapel-softball-ready-to-face-playoff-field/ | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/fox-chapel-softball-ready-to-face-playoff-field/ |
North Allegheny’s Leyna Rumpler
North Allegheny girls wrestler Leyna Rumpler made an impact on the national scene, winning a pair of matches and advancing to the quarterfinals of the U17 USMC Women’s National Championships in Fort Worth, Texas, earlier this month.
Wrestling at 65 kilograms, Rumpler rolled to a 10-1 technical fall in 1:28 in the first round and won by fall in 58 seconds in the second round.
She fell to eventual champion Lizzie Shunn in the quarters. It was Rumpler’s first national championship appearance.
Falo hits milestone
Senior Bella Falo scored her 100th career goal in North Allegheny’s 16-9 girls lacrosse victory over Hempfield on May 10.
The milestone goal was Falo’s second of the game. Emma Lafayette led the way with four goals and Charlotte Schreiber added three more in the win, which gave the Tigers a 10-5 overall record heading into their season finale against Peters Township.
North Allegheny finished 7-3 in Section 2-3A play, qualifying for the WPIAL playoffs as the fourth-place team.
Rare loss for Tigers
North Allegheny will get a chance to do something in the WPIAL boys volleyball playoffs that it hasn’t done in years — avenge a loss.
The Tigers were defeated, 3-1, by Seneca Valley on May 10, ending a 75-game winning streak. North Allegheny hadn’t lost since a 3-1 setback to Central York in the 2017 state finals.
The loss left North Allegheny tied with Seneca Valley for the top spot in Section 1-3A with 10-1 records heading into the final section match against Pine-Richland.
Tournament action
The North Allegheny boys lacrosse team competed in a late-season tournament, splitting a pair of games at the MSCLA Tournament in Hudson, Ohio on May 6-7.
In the first game, the Tigers routed WPIAL foe Mt. Lebanon, 12-4, avenging a loss earlier in the season. Cole Bordo scored four goals, Marc Bartolomucci scored three and Gavin Banyas and Evan Lyon added two goals apiece.
In the second game, the Tigers lost 10-2 to Wheaton Academy of Illinois. Christian Tedder and Michael Mouganis scored for NA.
North Allegheny clinched a playoff spot and carried a 7-0 record into the section finale against Pine-Richland.
Baseball tune-ups
After finishing as co-champs of Section 1-6A with a 7-3 record, the North Allegheny baseball team promptly won a trio of playoff tune-ups, beating Mars, 5-2, Shaler, 10-9, and Penn-trafford, 2-0.
Against Shaler, Erik Sundgren hit a walk-off single in the bottom of the seventh. Against Penn-trafford, Connor Smith threw a two-hit shutout and Spencer Barnett homered.
Section wrap-up
North Allegheny softball dropped its section finals, 6-0, to Norwin on May 10. It was a significant win for the Knights, who needed it to qualify for the playoffs. The Tigers had already secured their spot in the WPIAL playoffs, ending up tied with Norwin for fourth in Section 2-6A at 4-6. | 2022-05-14T15:32:30Z | tribhssn.triblive.com | North Allegheny notebook: Rumpler wins pair of matches at nationals | Trib HSSN | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/north-allegheny-notebook-rumpler-wins-pair-of-matches-at-nationals/ | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/north-allegheny-notebook-rumpler-wins-pair-of-matches-at-nationals/ |
Norwin pole vaulter Nick Puskar celebrates with a teammate after clearing a personal best 12 feet in a WPIAL Class 3A semifinals May 4 at Norwin.
The Norwin track and field teams advanced to the WPIAL Class 3A championship.
The meet was set for May 11 at West Mifflin.
At the semifinal meet, the girls earned commanding wins over Canon-McMillan (98-52), Bethel Park (124-26) and Belle Vernon (120-30).
The boys topped Connellsville (121-29), Canon-McMillan (97-53) and Baldwin (98-52).
Schmook offered
Aaron Schmook can sling a javelin farther than most in the WPIAL. Colleges are beginning to take notice. The Norwin senior was recently offered a scholarship from Kent State.
Baseball in playoffs
The Norwin baseball team went on a stretch where it won five of six games to clinch a WPIAL playoff spot in Class 6A.
The Knights beat Upper St. Clair, 5-2 and 7-3, then followed with another Section 2 sweep against Hempfield by scores of 15-8 and 3-2.
In the first game against Hempfield, Jack Whalen drove in three runs, EJ Dunn doubled, Chris Slatt went 3 for 3 and Christian Minto went 3 for 4. Slatt added a double and an RBI in the 3-2 victory.
The Knights, who were hovering near the bottom of the section at one point, surged into second place behind Mt. Lebanon.
The WPIAL playoffs were scheduled to begin May 16.
Lacrosse wins
Norwin scored a 10-8 victory over Hempfield as Griffin Bartos scored five goals, including three in the third quarter.
Ryan Charles added two scores, and Jon Columbus, Isaiah Francis and Ryan Frankovic all tallied one goal.
Kyle Gill earned the win in goal.
Norwin’s boys volleyball team picked up a late-season win over Gateway, 3-0.
The Knights won 25-20, 25-16 and 25-23, with Michael Fleming putting down 12 kills on 17 attempts.
Luke Mumpower had 35 assists and three aces, and Lucas Churchfield had a team-best six digs.
Tennis falls
Seeded 11th in the tournament, the Norwin boys tennis team was shut out by No. 6 Fox Chapel — a tough first-round draw — 5-0 in the WPIAL Class 3A playoffs.
Checking in on Norwin graduates playing in college:
• Mercyhurst: Sophomore Aidan Shephard hit his sixth homer of the season in a 12-10 loss to Slippery Rock. His three-run shot cut the deficit to 12-9. Shephard went 2 for 3 with two walks in a 12-3 win over the Rock.
• Youngstown State: Senior Chad Coles moved into second place on the Penguins’ all-time list for appearances with 93. This season, Coles is 3-3 with a 6.67 ERA in 19 appearances, including seven starts. Opponents were hitting .257 against him, and he had 31 strikeouts and 40 walks in 54 innings.
• Saint Vincent: Sophomore left fielder Alex Dillner delivered the winning single in the eighth inning as the Bearcats stayed alive in the Presidents’ Athletic Conference tournament with a 3-2 victory over Bethany.
• Saint Vincent: With a second-half rally, the Bearcats came back to top Westminster, 10-7, in the PAC semifinals to reach the title match. Grad student Tyler Condrasky had three goals and an assist.
• Saint Vincent: The Bearcats’ season came to end in the PAC semifinals with an 18-6 loss to Washington & Jefferson. Sophomore Maggie Edwards had two goals.
• Penn State Altoona: Freshmen Logan Divald (Norwin) and Nathan Graham (Norwin) will join their teammates in the NCAA Division III national championship Tuesday through Friday at Mission Inn Resort and Club in Howey-In-The-Hills, Fla. Divald is the second-leading scorer for the Lions with a 78.8 average in six rounds this spring. Graham averaged 83.17 over six rounds.
• Pitt-Johnstown: Freshman Sal Cerilli came in tied for 61st (230), and UPJ took sixth as a team at the NCAA Division II Atlantic/East Regional in Victor, N.Y.
• Waynesburg: Freshman Megan Barry finished fourth in the javelin at the WVU Last Chance Meet. She threw 32.29 meters. | 2022-05-14T15:32:36Z | tribhssn.triblive.com | Norwin notebook: Track teams surge into WPIAL finals | Trib HSSN | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/norwin-notebook-track-teams-surge-into-wpial-finals/ | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/norwin-notebook-track-teams-surge-into-wpial-finals/ |
Penn-Trafford’s Conlane Greene sacks Imhotep Charter quarterback Mikal Davis next to Joe Enick to end the PIAA Class 5A state championship game in overtime on Friday, Dec. 10, 2021, at Hersheypark Stadium.
Winning can do a lot for a high school football program, not the least of which boost college recruiting and a school’s reputation within that realm.
When teams win championships, college coaches show up. Teams that win must have legitimate talent, they deduce.
That is the case at Penn-Trafford, where the Warriors won WPIAL and PIAA Class 5A titles last fall and have created a must-visit stop for coaches barnstorming for commits.
The Warriors’ current recruiting outlook is like the team’s championship rings: shiny and oversized.
While the number could grow, the team could end up producing a half-dozen Division I-caliber players from the classes of 2022, ‘23 and ‘24.
While the undisputed front man of the Warriors, Cade Yacamelli (RB/DB), is headed to Wisconsin, and lineman Declan Ochendowski will play at Cornell, a number of their younger former teammates are drawing attention from Division I programs.
Juniors Conlan Greene (TE/DE/LB), Joe Enick (C/DL) and Daniel Tarabrella (WR/LB), and sophomore Zach Tomosovich (OL/DL) have received scholarship offers from FCS schools in recent weeks.
“All four of the guys who have received offers at this point are very well deserving, and I believe we have some others who will as well,” Warriors coach John Ruane said. “None of the four miss a workout, a practice or really even a rep. They all put in extra effort outside of what we do as a team … but are team-first guys.”
Many of the players are involved in multiple sports, which the coaching staff appreciates.
Greene (6-foot-4, 250 pounds), who might get a look at quarterback for his senior season as the Warriors aim to replace Carter Green, has offers from St. Francis (Pa.), Central Michigan, Fordham and Maine.
“Conlan is a really good athlete who’s feet are outstanding, which I think basketball has really helped with,” Ruane said. “He makes plays all over the field.”
Green said college coaches say each athlete brings a different skill-set to the field and to the recruiting pool.
“Most of these coaches that have stopped to talk to us have said that the physicality and smarts that we play with are what elevates us from the rest,” Greene said. “Then again, they mention that each one of us has talents and skills different from one another.”
Enick (6-3, 290) also has offers from St. Francis (Pa.), Fordham and Central Michigan, plus ones from Buffalo, Georgetown, Youngstown State and The Citadel.
“Joe is a multi-sport guy who’s film speaks for itself,” Ruane said. “He is the best finisher we’ve had up front and is really competitive. A lot of that comes from his wrestling background.”
Tarabrella (6-3, 210) also has an offer from St. Francis (Pa.), which apparently is trying to throw a net over Penn-Trafford and get multiple Warriors to come to Loretto.
“Daniel is just all-around fantastic on the field, with quickness and physicality,” Ruane said. “He plays volleyball, too, which helps sudden movements. His IQ is through the roof.”
Then there is Tomosovich, who could get the most attention of the bunch, possibly even FBS-wise.
Penn State has inquired about the 6-5, 320-pound two-way tackle. He has an offer from Toledo.
“Tomo” is primed for a big junior season.
“Zach not only looks like a college lineman, he can move like one,” Ruane said. “He can bend, move laterally and move people. He’s going to be great.”
Like Yacamelli, who set the pace for this group of prospects, Ruane believes he is coaching respectable young men.
“The best thing to hear about all of these kids is when each coach who comes in says how classy they are,” Ruane said. “How they shake hands and talk maturely. They all say it’s helped each kid.” | 2022-05-14T22:21:58Z | tribhssn.triblive.com | Penn-Trafford football pipeline to Division I just getting started | Trib HSSN | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/penn-trafford-football-pipeline-to-division-i-just-getting-started/ | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/penn-trafford-football-pipeline-to-division-i-just-getting-started/ |
Hempfield’s Sean Gordon (33) celebrates a three-pointer with Harrison Sowers during their Section 3-6A game against Norwin on Tuesday, Jan. 4, 2022, at Hempfield Area High School.
Basketball season ended months ago, but the Roundball Classic will bring together some of the top talent from the WPIAL this week.
The nine senior all-star games will be Thursday through Saturday at Geneva College in Beaver Falls.
Area boys selected are Nick Crum and Noah Wright of Penn-Trafford, Michael Fleming and Ty Stecko of Norwin, Sean Gordon of Hempfield, and Ben Thomas of Greensburg Salem in 6A; Caden Smith of Franklin Regional, Chase Sickenberger of Latrobe and James Pearson of Kiski Area in 5A; Devin Whitlock and Daniel Gordon of Belle Vernon, Tyson Webb of Derry, and Brandon Coury of Burrell in 4A; Matthew Marinchak and Jacob Hollick of Ligonier Valley in 3A; and Ryan Appleby, Dylan Parsons and Brevan Williams of Greensburg Central Catholic, Anton Good and Nas Thompson of Jeannette, and Kody Kuhns of Monessen in 2A.
Norwin’s Lance Maha will coach the 6A Silver boys team.
Local girls picks are: Brianna Zajicek of Norwin and Maura Suman of Penn-Trafford in 6A; Anna Rafferty and Bailey Watson of Latrobe and Abby Mankins of Greensburg Salem in 5A; Gracie Spadaro and Delaynie Morvosh of Southmoreland, Tiana Moracco of Derry and Allison Fisher of Burrell in 4A; Bailey Kuhns of Greensburg Central Catholic and Mercedes Majors of Monessen in 2A.
The Roundball schedule is as follows:
Thursday: Girls District 10 vs. Class 5A (Silver), 6:30 p.m.; Boys Class A/District 6 vs. Class 4A/3A/2A (Silver), 8 p.m.
Friday: Girls Class A vs. Class 2A/District 6, 6:30 p.m.; Boys Class 5A (Silver) vs. Class 6A (Silver), 8 p.m.
Saturday:: Boys Class 3A (Gold) vs. Class 2A, 1:30 p.m.; Girls Class 4A vs. Class 3A, 3 p.m.; Girls Class 6A vs. Class 5A, 4:30 p.m.; Boys Class 4A (Gold) vs. District 10, 6 p.m.; Boys Class 6A (Gold) vs. Class 5A (Gold), 7:30 p.m.
The Roundball will feature 26 all-state players.
D-I offer for Pons
Norwin sophomore Jackson Pons is up to three Division-I football scholarship offers, the latest coming from Bowling Green.
Pons, a 6-foot-1, 180-pound wide receiver and defensive back, is getting attention playing on the 7-on-7 circuit while also attending national camps.
He led Norwin last season with 33 receptions for 457 yards.
His other offers are from Mississippi State and Gardner-Webb.
Going, going gone
While Westmoreland County is not short on standout freshman softball players, Derry has one of its own to add to the mix.
Quietly, Sophia Doherty has become one of the top power hitters in the Class of 2025. Doherty blasted her seventh and eighth home runs of the season Thursday at Franklin Regional as the Trojans surprised the host Panthers, 19-12.
She finished 5 for 6 with seven RBIs as the teams combined for 34 hits, 21 by Derry.
Fresh throw
It’s good to be a freshman at Derry. While Doherty is making noise on the softball diamond, Sophia Mazzoni is throwing the javelin a long way for the Trojans.
Mazzoni’s throw of 125 feet, 6 inches ranks as the No. 1 throw in WPIAL Class 2A and is No. 8 in the country in among Class of ‘25 throwers.
She will be the No. 1 seed at the WPIAL Class 2A finals.
Dinger record
Southmoreland sophomore softball player Amarah McCutcheon has two-plus years of high school softball remaining in her career, but she already is breaking program records.
“Cutch” recently cranked her 14th career home run to set the school record. The Division I prospect plays shortstop for the playoff-bound Scotties.
Volleyball honors
Three local players shared the Western PA Volleyball Coaches Association Class 3A Player of the Week honor for Week 7 of the season.
All three are outside hitters: Norwin senior Tyler Hussey, Penn-Trafford senior Patrick Schall, and Hempfield junior Owen Kelley.
As for the WPVCA rankings, Hempfield is No. 3, Norwin 5, Penn-Trafford 6 and Latrobe 10.
Derry is No. 10 in Class 2A.
Five Westmoreland teams qualified for the WPIAL boys volleyball playoffs, which begin this week: Penn-Trafford, Norwin, Latrobe and Hempfield in 3A, and Derry in 2A.
Mt. Pleasant senior Aaron Alakson will continue his baseball career at Cal (Pa.). A shortstop, Alakson also did some pitching for the Vikings.
He also has been one of the top running backs in the county.
• Greensburg Central Catholic senior Ryan Appleby will further his basketball career at Seton Hill. A three-sport athlete, he was accepted into the university’s denistry program.
• Belle Vernon senior football player Logan Cunningham announced a commitment to Division III Marietta. Cunningham played defensive back for the Leopards.
Tags: Belle Vernon, Derry Area, Franklin Regional, Greensburg C.C., Greensburg Salem, Hempfield, Jeannette, Latrobe, Ligonier Valley, Monessen, Mt. Pleasant, Norwin, Penn-Trafford, Southmoreland, Yough | 2022-05-14T22:22:04Z | tribhssn.triblive.com | Westmoreland high school notebook: Area players to take part in upcoming Roundball games | Trib HSSN | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/westmoreland-high-school-notebook-area-players-to-take-part-in-upcoming-roundball-games/ | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/westmoreland-high-school-notebook-area-players-to-take-part-in-upcoming-roundball-games/ |
Norwin sophomore Bailey Snowberger
Hempfield’s Chaz Ewer
Bailey Snowberger
School: Norwin
She also made several sure-handed putouts at short in an errorless afternoon by her team.
Snowberger went 3 for 4 with two RBIs in another must-win game Monday, a 9-1 victory over Butler.
Both games were played at the Norwin Middle School field because the outfield on the team’s regular field is unplayable because of standing water.
Snowberger, who has battled back from a dislocated knee injury from basketball season, also plays volleyball and basketball for Norwin.
She was cleared to return to action just before the start of softball season.
What inspired you to play well in these last few games to get into the playoffs?
Obviously, we want to play well every game, but having the slow start to this season and the stop-and-go of canceled games, it definitely inspired me to lay everything I have out there for these last games. Not only for our seniors and our coaches, but for myself and the whole team because deep down, we all knew through those ups and downs … we weren’t even close to touching our potential.
Why are you on a hot streak with your hitting lately?
I have been working on developing the correct mindset in the box, whether it’s leadoff mindset or just a mentally tough mindset. I’ve recently found what has clicked for me.
How have you been able to play shortstop so well with the knee brace?
It’s been a very tough challenge, for sure. I’ve just had to hold myself accountable and not put pity on myself or make excuses due to an injury and push through.
How tough has it been not being able to play on your home field?
It’s definitely been frustrating, traveling nonstop to away games while juggling the duties of a student-athlete. We were exhausted, and just wanting to ‘defend the N’ at our home turf.
It’s also helped shape myself and the team into more mentally tough athletes.
What is it like having parents who work as athletic trainers at Norwin?
A blessing is an understatement. Not only to me, but they are family to everyone. They go above and beyond for all Norwin athletes to make sure we are healthy, getting what we need, and getting back to the sports we love. They are the main reason I was able to play this season after my knee injury due to the nonstop therapy I was able to do with them at home.
Do you want to do what they do?
The job that they have, and growing up as that little girl following my dad around high school practices and seeing him take care of people, definitely got me interested in the medical field. I’m looking to becoming a physician’s assistant.
Which of your three sports is the most fun?
I love all three of the sports I play. Softball would be the most fun. Even though it’s stressful, the stress that comes with it means it matters to me.
What Norwin athlete did you look up to growing up?
Hailee Culbertson, no question. I remember, as if it happened yesterday, watching a home softball game one day. I was maybe in sixth grade, and I watched Hailee dive for a backhand in the 5-6 hole and throw the girl out at first from her knees. From that day, I came to every home game.
Do you have any unique hobbies or talents?
I enjoy drawing and art in general as my safe place away from the craziness of life. Also, enjoying outdoors like taking hikes with my family.
Who is the best pitcher you have faced?
Pine-Richland’s Gabby Aughton.
Favorite school lunch?
Every day, I pack grilled chicken with rice and a banana.
Remote or in-person learning?
I am 100% for in-person learning.
Favorite Twitter follow?
Liberty softball coach Dot Richardson.
Favorite actor/actress, band/artist and comedian?
Jennifer Lawrence, Luke Combs, Robin Williams.
This summer, I can’t wait for _____?
Travel softball season, of course.
Chaz Ewer
Claim to fame: Ewer is a two-sport athlete for the Spartans. He was a second-team all-section basketball player, but his main sport is being a middle hitter on the volleyball team. He’s the top hitter on the team who recorded eight kills as the Spartans clinched the Class 3A Section 3 title with a victory against Latrobe. He will attend Life University in Marietta, Ga., where he plans on playing volleyball.
Do you relish your role as the top scorer on the team? It’s just not me. I’m surrounded by a lot of great players. A lot of credit for our success comes from setter Dom Hipps. Sophomore Josh Riley has stepped up defensively, which has allowed the other hitters more freedom.
What does it mean to win the section title? It means the world. I’m glad we finally got one. It’s good to put up a number on the banner. It means a lot more that we were able to do it for coach (Thomas) Howell.
Do you get enjoyment defeating Penn-Trafford? Beating Penn-Trafford means a lot. They are our crosstown rival. Every time we’ve played them, I’ve had a lot of fun. They have a good student section. It was revenge for our team this season.
What’s the biggest difference from your team this season? Our defense is a lot better. We’re a lot scrappier. We’re covering our players more. It’s fun to demoralize a team when they get a good hit and we pick it up.
Other than qualifying for states, do you have any other goals? We want to win the WPIAL title. That would be awesome. We love playing against the teams in Section 2: North Allegheny and Seneca Valley. We definitely have our eyes on Section 2 and the other sections.
What will it take to win a WPIAL title? We have to serve tough, hit hard and definitely block well. Our block has been very successful this season.
Do you have any special routine you do before a match? I have a warm-up routine. I start getting ready during the second set of the junior varsity. We have to be mentally because it’s your enemy on the other side of the net.
Do you have a special pregame meal or special meal you mom makes you? My pregame meal is definitely pasta. I want to load up on carbs and get a lot of rest. For my favorite meal that my mom makes, it has to be her awesome white chicken chili. She won an award for it at church during a chili cook off.
What music do you like to listen to? I’m definitely a country guy at heart. My favorite song is ‘No shoe, no shirt, no problem’ by Kenny Chesney. | 2022-05-15T01:53:26Z | tribhssn.triblive.com | Westmoreland H.S. athletes of the week: Norwin’s Bailey Snowberger, Hempfield’s Chaz Ewer | Trib HSSN | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/westmoreland-h-s-athletes-of-the-week-norwins-bailey-snowberger-hempfields-chaz-ewer/ | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/westmoreland-h-s-athletes-of-the-week-norwins-bailey-snowberger-hempfields-chaz-ewer/ |
Gateway savors elusive section volleyball title
Gateway senior libero Aiden Colberg warms up before a Section 2-2A match with Plum on May 10.
The 36-year wait to put another number on the boys volleyball section-title banner in the gym at the Gateway Furrie Sports Complex has ended. Head coach Phil Randolph and his players couldn’t be more excited.
Gateway clinched its first section title since 1986 with a 3-0 win over Mars on May 3.
The Gators then capped Section 2-2A play May 10 with a 3-1 victory at Plum where they won the first game, lost the second, and then took games three and four.
“It is something that is legitimately difficult to put into words, just knowing where this program was at and where it is right now,” Randolph said of the section title.
“It’s not by luck or by accident. It came through hard work and discipline and a lot of dedication, both in and out of season. The guys (went) into the playoffs hoping to prove this is not a fluke.”
Gateway hoped to be a top-eight seed when the WPIAL Class 2A pairings were released on Friday.
First-round games were to begin as early as Monday, past the deadline for this week’s edition.
The top three seeds received byes into the quarterfinals.
Randolph said his players were ready to shift their focus from the section title to the playoffs.
Section matches with fellow playoff qualifiers Plum, Deer Lakes, Derry and Mars, he said, helped get the team ready for the playoffs, as well as a couple of nonsection matchups and play in high-level tournaments.
Under normal circumstances, only the top four teams from a section make the playoffs.
In the case of Gateway’s section, five teams qualified.
Deer Lakes and Mars both finished 1-7 and tied for fourth. Because the teams split their season series, both made the field.
“On any given night, any of the teams in the section certainly had the talent to put it all together,” Randolph said. “It usually came down to consistency through a match. Our mentality in matches was taking nothing for granted if we were up in a game or knowing we were not out of any game, no matter the score. So much can change over the course of a game.”
Seniors in setter Ryan Bozicevic, hitter Chris Lewis, libero Aiden Colberg, hitter Will Kromka, and hitter Gabriel Sha formed the nucleus of the varsity lineup throughout the regular season.
“That section title was huge for us. It gives us a lot of confidence going into playoffs,” Colberg said prior to the Gateway win over Plum.
“We worked hard for it, and it means a lot. We went into every section match knowing that if we played our best game, we would get the win.”
Plum was the last line of defense for Gateway on May 10 as the Mustangs hoped to play spoiler and put a blemish on the Gators’ section record.
The Gators had other ideas.
“Plum looked fantastic, clear growth from the last time we played them,” said Randolph, referring to a 3-1 Gators win over the Mustangs at Gateway on April 19.
Lewis was under the weather and didn’t play in the section finale.
“Chris has been one of our best players for years, and not having him magnified the role he plays on our team,” Randolph said.
“With any sport, it’s next man up, and the guys dug a little deeper and worked a little harder. It was awesome to see all of that come to fruition tonight.”
Randolph said an early season nonsection matchup with Seton LaSalle, which the Rebels won 3-2, told him a lot about his team and where they were headed.
Seton LaSalle was highly ranked all season in the Western Pennsylvania Volleyball Coaches Association Class 2A top-10 poll.
The Rebels swept Section 3, including playoff qualifiers Trinity, Thomas Jefferson and Keystone Oaks.
The Gators trailed Seton 2-0 in the April 4 match before battling back to a 2-2 tie.
“We knew we had to play our best against last year’s defending (WPIAL) champs,” Randolph said.
“Going down there, it was pretty much us pre-heating the oven. At first, we kind of psyched ourselves out, believing we were who we once were. As that match went on, we began to realize that we were our own biggest enemy and were getting in our own way. We ended up losing 3-2, but it was a nailbiter down the stretch.
“The final set was very close. We walked out of there with the feeling where you might lose, but it also feels like a win. It was a win for us because we knew we went toe-to-toe and battled with our backs against the wall against a storied program in the WPIAL.”
• Riverview’s Bauer hopes to build on school-record time in 800 at WPIAL meet | 2022-05-15T17:19:07Z | tribhssn.triblive.com | Gateway savors elusive section volleyball title | Trib HSSN | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/gateway-savors-elusive-section-volleyball-title/ | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/gateway-savors-elusive-section-volleyball-title/ |
It has been an up and down season for the Plum softball team, but last Tuesday against Penn Hills, the Mustangs were able to enjoy a victory which clinched a spot in the WPIAL Class 5A playoffs.
Plum controlled its own destiny for the fourth and final spot from Section 1. The Mustangs also eyed up a measure of revenge on their neighborhood rivals after an 18-8 loss to the Indians from April 13.
It was a different story in the rematch as the Penn Hills bats were quelled by the pitching of Makenzie Lang and zero errors from the defense behind her.
In her best outing of the season, Lang surrendered just four hits and walked none while striking out eight.
She got all the support she would need as the Plum bats delivered two runs in the top of the first. The Mustangs added some insurance with two runs in the third and single runs in the fifth and sixth innings.
Plum collected 12 hits on the day with Taylor Lorish delivering the biggest impact. She went 3 for 4 with two RBI.
Jaralyn Kincaid, Dani Pici and Ashley Polakovic each recorded a pair of hits. Kincaid and Polakovic both doubled in the win.
Pici, a freshman, drove in a run, giving her a team-best 18 RBI on the season.
Plum finished the regular season 6-11, and it went 5-7 (fourth) in section play. The Mustangs were to find out their WPIAL-playoff fate last Thursday, past the deadline for this week’s edition.
Penn Hills finished 4-8 in the section, one game behind Plum, and two of the losses were forfeits to Kiski Area as Penn Hills spring teams refused to play the Cavaliers in any sport in the wake of racial taunts allegedly made by fans during a middle school volleyball game in early March.
The Plum baseball team again is in familiar territory as a playoff team in Class 5A.
The Mustangs finished 8-4 in Section 2 and entered the playoffs 12-6 overall.
Plum was no stranger to competitive and close baseball this season, especially in the section where seven of the 12 games were decided by one run.
The Mustangs were 3-4 in those games with wins over Penn Hills, 1-0, Hampton, 2-1, and Fox Chapel, 1-0.
Plum finished one game behind Hampton (9-3) and one game ahead of Fox Chapel (7-5).
The 1-0 home win against Fox Chapel on May 9 went into extra innings.
Plum pitchers Justin Giarusso and Colin Watson combined to limit the Foxes to one hit, and the defense didn’t commit an error.
Giarusso worked seven complete and gave up the hit while walking three and striking out four over 86 pitches.
Watson came on in the eighth and picked up the win with a walk and a strikeout.
The Plum offense was stymied as well, collecting just three hits – singles from Silvio Ionadi, Colin Solinski and Nick Lamia.
Ionadi was hit by a pitch to lead off the bottom of the eighth and was sacrificed to second on a bunt by Brady Dojonovic before advancing to third on a passed ball.
With two outs, Solinski delivered a single to center to score Ionadi with the game winner.
The Plum boys volleyball team hoped to play spoiler and prevent visiting Gateway from finishing its Section 2-2A slate undefeated as the teams met in the section finale at Plum on May 10.
But the Gators, No. 6 in the final Western PA Volleyball Coaches Association Class 2A top-10 poll, had other ideas. They won games one, three and four en route to a 3-1 victory.
“We showed improvement,” Plum coach Fisher Bagiatis said after the match with the Gators (8-0).
“It was the first time we played a team of that caliber in a while, so we got to really see how we sized up. Offensively, we matched up great. Defensively, we were a little limited.”
Plum swept Deer Lakes and Mars and split its season series with Derry.
The WPIAL boys volleyball playoff pairings were to be released last Friday with first-round match as early as Monday, past the deadline for this week’s edition.
Last year, Plum, as the No. 9 seed, outlasted No. 8 Trinity, 3-2, in the first round before falling, 3-0, to top seed Seton La Salle, the eventual WPIAL champion. | 2022-05-15T17:19:33Z | tribhssn.triblive.com | Plum notebook: Softball team grabs final berth, earns trip to Class 5A playoffs | Trib HSSN | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/plum-notebook-softball-team-grabs-final-berth-earns-trip-to-class-5a-playoffs/ | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/plum-notebook-softball-team-grabs-final-berth-earns-trip-to-class-5a-playoffs/ |
Quaker Valley boys lacrosse gears up for playoffs coming off dominant regular season
Quaker Valley’s performance this season in boys lacrosse has been off the charts.
It’s been the case of 12 up and 12 down in games played through May 8.
The perfect 12-0 record vaulted the Quakers into first place in Section 1-2A. They were the only undefeated team in the section and held onto first place ahead of the likes of South Fayette, Sewickley Academy, Franklin Regional and Trinity.
The Quakers also were ranked second in PIAA Class 2A behind Mars, another undefeated team at 14-0.
QV (6-0) took a one-game lead on South Fayette (5-1) after defeating the Lions, 11-5, on May 5.
The Quakers have been led by the team’s four senior co-captains, midfielders Will Campbell and Patrick Cutchember, defender Justin Richey and goalie Callahan Bedard.
“We are moving the ball well on offense and we’re playing with great heart,” QV coach Chip Hansen said. “Our defense is playing with high energy and intensity, and goalie Callahan Bedard is having an outstanding season.
“We have great team chemistry and leadership. The team has a great work ethic, is getting better at every practice and the players are having fun.”
QV’s starting lineup consists of senior Kellen Auth, junior Ben Thomas, junior Kyle Hammond and freshman Marcus Richey at the attack position; Campbell, Cutchember and junior Christian Brown at midfield; senior long stick middle Tim Smith; Justin Richey, senior Maston Diemert and junior Ben Carlson on defense; and Bedard at the goalie position. Another starter coming back from injury is senior midfielder Archer Eubanks, while Logan Richey, a junior attacker, is out with an injury.
“Logan was a starter for the first few games of the season and recently had to have season-ending knee surgery,” said Hansen, who is in his sixth season as head coach.
Top reserves include senior midfielders Henry Wagner, Luca Raymond, Nate Dicks and Brennan Edwards, senior Hayden Earlwine at LSM and junior Dom Floro on defense.
Campbell, a U.S. Military Academy recruit, is a faceoff specialist for the Quakers. As of May 8, he had won 90 faceoffs.
“I am extremely proud of our team and the brotherhood we share,” Campbell said. “Both on offense and defense, our system of quick ball movement and off-ball flow has yet to be outclassed. This is due to outstanding coaching by Chip Hansen, Connor Mangan (a WPIAL champion at QV and a new addition to the offensive staff), Darrell Schmitt and Justin McLiverty. They create a competitive and tough culture which shows up in big ways on game day.
“Personally, I’m very excited with how we have been playing this season. As for myself, like many other players, I have a specific job (taking faceoffs and as a two-way middie) which I take pride in doing well and focus on doing the little things right. I take faceoffs, and with our wings, our faceoff unit is one of the best in the WPIAL.”
Campbell will travel to West Point following his high school graduation.
“I head there this summer,” he said, “where I am excited to take the leadership lessons I learned on this team with me.”
Through 12 games, led by Hammond and Cutchember, QV outscored the opposition by a resounding 172-46 margin and reached double figures 10 times.
The Quakers averaged 14.3 goals per game with their high-powered offensive attack while allowing just 3.8 goals.
“Our defense is led by captain Justin Richie,” Campbell said. “And his younger brother Marcus, a freshman, has stepped up in a big way this year.
“Our strength no doubt comes from the unity and brotherhood we share on the team. Every player works well within our system and has the backs of the boys around him. This value was instilled by our coaching staff, especially when we get into rough matches.
“Another team strength is our gritty and physical style of play; our boys move fast and hit hard.”
Hammond led the way offensively with 38 goals, four assists and four ground balls, followed by Cutchember, a fourth-year starter, with 27 goals, eight assists and nine ground balls.
They were complemented by Thomas with 23 goals, 15 assists and six ground balls, Campbell (19-3-7), Auth (14-24-5) and Marcus Richey (16 goals).
“All the seniors have scored goals this year,” Hansen said. “This is a very balanced team.”
Wagner and Smith were the team leaders in ground balls with 14 and 13.
Quaker Valley lacrosse is flourishing. There are 31 athletes in the program, including 13 seniors, 10 juniors, one sophomore and six freshmen.
“The seniors set goals of winning the section, finishing in the top three of the WPIAL that would qualify the team for states and wining a state playoff game,” Hansen said. “We have four captains and they are all having outstanding seasons.”
The Quakers accomplished their first goal by winning the section championship.
“Before the season even started, the senior leadership and coach Hansen set very specific goals,” Campbell said. “We were able to accomplish one of those goals when we beat South Fayette in a very gritty, physical match. Callahan Bedard had some incredible saves and our defense caused visible frustration.
“Coming up, we hope to make it to the WPIAL finals and be the first team in Quaker Valley boys lacrosse history to win a state playoff game.”
Campell continued.
“I would just like to add how grateful I am to be a part of this team,” he said. “From the bond our players have, to the outstanding mentorship of our coaches, to the support of the parents and boosters who allowed the season to happen, we are very blessed.
“I am excited to see what we can do in the playoffs and hope to help lead this team to a season for the record books.” | 2022-05-15T17:19:39Z | tribhssn.triblive.com | Quaker Valley boys lacrosse gears up for playoffs coming off dominant regular season | Trib HSSN | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/quaker-valley-boys-lacrosse-gears-up-for-playoffs-coming-off-dominant-regular-season/ | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/quaker-valley-boys-lacrosse-gears-up-for-playoffs-coming-off-dominant-regular-season/ |
Riverview’s Bauer hopes to build on school-record time in 800 at WPIAL meet
Riverview junior Amberson Bauer recently broke a 41-year-old school record in the 800-meter run.
Amberson Bauer qualified, along with several of his Riverview track and field teammates, for the WPIAL Class 2A championships at Slippery Rock University.
The junior middle distance and distance specialist built up a great deal of momentum leading up to the meet with times that put him in contention for medals and championship gold.
Bauer finished second overall in the 800-meter run at the Mars Invitational on April 29. He set a school record with a time of 1:58.31, surpassing the previous top mark set by Tom Favo in 1980.
“It feels great to have that (800) record,” Bauer said. “I was thinking about it a little bit before the race. My goal was to break two (minutes), but when I crossed the finish line, I was like, ‘I have it, I have it.’”
The next day, he won the 800 at the Hermitage Invitational at District 10’s Hickory High School.
Bauer went into WPIALs seeded third in the 800 behind Deer Lakes senior Carson McCoy (1:53.20) and Our Lady of the Sacred Heart’s Maxwell Hamilton (1:57.13). He also checked in ninth in the 1,600 (4:38.81).
The top 16 in each Class 2A individual and relay event from regular season meets and invitationals earned berths to the WPIAL championships.
Bauer said leading up to WPIALs was the best he felt all season.
“I finished the basketball season with a little bit of an injury, so I didn’t really run through those two weeks before track,” he said.
Bauer said that in addition to his accomplishments individually and in the relays –- he helped the boys 3,200 relay, with seniors Ty Laughlin and Parker Steele and freshman Chris Barnes, earn the fifth seed for WPIALs -– it was a great feeling to be a part of another Section 4-2A team title.
Both the boys and girls teams showed their depth in capturing team section gold for the third year in a row. Senior members of both teams never lost a section meet in three years. The 2020 season was lost to the covid pandemic.
“After all the work we put in as a group, it was special to see us able to keep winning,” Bauer said.
“The goal each year is to be section champions, and that takes a lot of dedication and focus to be ready for each meet week after week. I am really proud of everyone who came together to make this happen.”
Veteran Riverview coach Dave Illnicki echoed those sentiments as he looked back on another unblemished section slate for both teams.
“We have some really talented kids who were able to consistently earn first-place finishes, and we also took advantage of our depth on both sides,” Illnicki said. “The seniors showed great leadership in all of the meets. They led by example. We also had a number of freshmen come in and earn points. It all came together like we hoped it would.”
Section individual and relay honors were on the line April 28 as the teams met at Shady Side Academy, and several Riverview athletes brought home titles.
Taking home gold on the girls’ side were sophomore Lola Abraham in the 400 dash and long jump, Audrey Myers in the 100 hurdles, Madeline Entwistle in the pole vault, Alex Bibza in the discus, Julia Franciscus in the javelin, and the girls 1,600 relay of Abraham, Myers, Maci Orbin and Katerina Tsambis.
Winners from the Raiders boys’ team were Laughlin in the 1,600 run; John Patsey in the 110 and 300 hurdles and the high jump; Patrick Harvey in the pole vault; the 1,600 relay of Micah Black, Lucas Wilton, Cohen Hoolahan, and Jack Betler; and the 3,200 relay of Wilton, Christian Palochik, Barnes, and Holden Deasy.
Several Riverview athletes took part in a last chance meet at Pine-Richland on May 10 with the hopes of grabbing a WPIAL berth or improving times in events for which they’d already qualified.
Joining Bauer as a No. 3 seed at WPIALs was Patsey in the 300 hurdles (41.97). Steele was seventh in the 3,200 run (10:28.82).
The full list of WPIAL qualifiers was released at WPIAL.org last Friday, past the deadline for this week’s edition.
• Gateway savors elusive section volleyball title | 2022-05-15T17:19:45Z | tribhssn.triblive.com | Riverview’s Bauer hopes to build on school-record time in 800 at WPIAL meet | Trib HSSN | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/riverviews-bauer-hopes-to-build-on-school-record-time-in-800-at-wpial-meet/ | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/riverviews-bauer-hopes-to-build-on-school-record-time-in-800-at-wpial-meet/ |
Softball playoff capsule: Baldwin vs. Norwin, Monday, May 16, 2022
9-Baldwin (4-11) vs. 8-Norwin (5-9)
3 p.m. Monday at West Mifflin
Winner plays: 1-Hempfield (12-3) at 3 p.m. Wednesday at Penn-Trafford
Players to watch: Gabby Jaquay, Fr., Baldwin; Madie Kessler, Jr., Norwin
Last year’s finish: Baldwin — Lost to Bethel Park, 9-1, in first round; Norwin — Lost to Canon-McMillan, 7-4, in semifinals
Extra bases: Baldwin qualified for the playoffs despite winning just one section game. The Highlanders have lost seven of nine. … Norwin won three of its final four games, including a 6-0 win over North Allegheny and an 11-4 triumph against Connellsville as Kessler hit two home runs. | 2022-05-15T20:24:07Z | tribhssn.triblive.com | Softball playoff capsule: Baldwin vs. Norwin, Monday, May 16, 2022 | Trib HSSN | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/softball-playoff-capsule-baldwin-vs-norwin-monday-may-16-2022/ | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/softball-playoff-capsule-baldwin-vs-norwin-monday-may-16-2022/ |
Submitted by Andrew Nesler
Franklin Regional junior Andrew Nesler (center) poses with two-star general T.S. Jones, the founder of Semper Fi Odyssey (left) and Murrysville veteran Tim Florian.
Inspired by what he heard and saw, Andrew Nesler set out to help — a good soldier wanting to pay back an army of them for their service.
A junior football player at Franklin Regional, Nesler formed a fundraiser called “DefenseForDefense” aimed at raising money for disabled war veterans.
The venture is a partnership with Semper Fi Odyssey. Nesler’s public-spirited goal is to raise $30,000 or more for his cause.
He is asking people to pledge and donate based on his defensive statistics in the fall. He is a 6-foot-2, 285-pound lineman.
The categories are: tackles, tackles for loss, sacks and turnovers forced.
Introducing my fundraiser DefenseForDefense! In partnership with Semper Fi Odyssey, I am raising funds for disabled US Veterans
(Pledges based on my 2022 ????Stats)
With your help I hope to raise $30,000 for those who’ve made the ultimate sacrifice ????????
⬇️⬇️https://t.co/h3T2Yysf33 pic.twitter.com/42zJNngRvI
— Andrew Nesler “????????????” ???? (@AndrewNesler) May 11, 2022
This is not a school or team project. Nesler came up with the idea on his own after an experience with a man he calls his mentor, Tim Florian of Murrysville.
A Desert Storm veteran, Florian inspired Nesler. He is the junior’s character coach through Fellowship of Christian Athletes.
“His teachings have taught me that I need to not only work in the best interest of myself, but in the interest of the community,” Nesler said. “I was brought to Semper Fi Odyssey in Boswell by Florian for a leadership experience and was exposed to what they were all about.”
The event was as jaw-dropping as it was eye-opening for Nesler.
“I’ll never forget it,” he said. “I met a man who recently served in the military. He was just relearning how to speak for the first time after sustaining a crippling landmine related injury, his skull completely disfigured from the injury. He was in a deep coma for nine months. He awoke to his whole life flipped upside down: wife left and took the kids, never to be found again. He was relearning how to talk and suffering from the severe PTSD he had acquired from serving us as citizens.
“I thought to myself, ‘How can I help this dude out?’ ”
Nesler was already familiar with what Penn-Trafford lineman Jack Jollie did last year in raising money for bullet-proof vests for local police though his tackles. That also gave him hope the personal project could work.
“I acted on this desire, and here we are,” Nesler said. “My top objective is to give back to those who have given so much for us, to turn the disabled into ‘abled’ citizens again.”
Nesler said his goal is to “smash” the $30,000 goal.
“But if that doesn’t happen, I’m glad I provided awareness to veterans that rehabilitation services such as Semper Fi Odyssey exist and want to help them.” | 2022-05-15T23:11:42Z | tribhssn.triblive.com | Franklin Regional lineman Nesler takes up cause of disabled veterans | Trib HSSN | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/franklin-regional-lineman-nesler-takes-up-cause-of-disabled-veterans/ | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/franklin-regional-lineman-nesler-takes-up-cause-of-disabled-veterans/ |
West Allegheny’s Cam Davis (2) celebrates next to Nate Nolan after scoring against Hopewell on May 9.
A year after key injuries helped keep the district’s preseason top-ranked team in Class 5A baseball from reaching its potential, most of those key players were returning for what looked like a potentially dominant spring for West Allegheny.
However, it didn’t take long for injuries to mount and take a big bite of talent out of the Indians lineup.
Virginia Commonwealth recruit Devan Zirwas had a setback in his recovery in February and had to make the difficult decision to not play his senior season.
Then two games in, Auburn recruit Gavin Miller was lost for the season.
The team is also without starting outfielder/pitch Nick Longo and outfielder Parker Brown, who continues his battle with cancer.
“It felt as if the season was over before it even started,” West Allegheny coach Bryan Cornell said. “The kids adjusted by playing really good baseball all season. We have had kids step up time after time and make huge plays at critical moments to pick up a huge series sweep against North Hills, South Fayette and Chartiers Valley and pick up big wins against Shaler and Moon. It seems as if each game there is someone new stepping up and making big plays to help us win.”
The Indians closed out a 15-4 season with three wins last week.
On Monday, there was a playoff feel in the air as West Allegheny edged old rival and the No. 1 seed in the 3A tournament, Hopewell, 3-1.
“Hopewell is a very good program and we were fortunate to come away with a victory,” Cornell said. “Anthony Pass pitched a great game and was able to keep us in the game long enough for us to have a few balls bounce our way and for us to get key hits when it mattered.”
The next day, in a very late addition to the Indians schedule, West A took care of business against host South Side, 16-1.
“The kids didn’t even know that morning that they would be playing a game,” Cornell said. “With the weather not cooperating for much of the season, we have had games canceled and rescheduled daily. We are constantly looking to find teams to play throughout the year because our goal is to get to play 20 games per season. South Side had a last-minute cancellation and sent a WPIAL-wide email asking for a game. We started slow, but we got good pitching from Cole Egan and our lineup from top to bottom hit the ball hard giving us the victory.”
Joseph Pustover, Brady Miller, Colin Marinpetro, Anthony Raineri and Wil Gubba all had multiple hits for the Indians.
On Wednesday, West A went up in classification to take on 6A playoff-bound Norwin. The Indians edged the visiting Knights, 4-3.
“We knew coming in that Norwin would be good and that we had to play good sound fundamental baseball to win,” Cornell said. “They had a leadoff home run to start the game and scored another in the first, so we were down early. Again, we had great pitching as Nathan Nolan struck out 13 for the win and Austin Buzza got the save.”
On offense, Colin Marinpetro hit a solo home run and had two hits while Anthony Raineri had multiple hits. Defensively, Joseph Pustover made a highlight-reel catch in the last inning to help preserve the win.
Last spring, West Allegheny finished in a three-way tie for the Section 3-5A crown with Shaler and South Fayette. This season, the Indians were outright section champs, finishing one game ahead of both the Titans and Lions.
“It was a testament to our kids and their belief in each other,” Cornell said. “With all of the adversity, they could have quit when things didn’t look good in games. We have come from behind and played in close games all year and somehow we find a way to get it done. Shaler and South Fayette are loaded with talent and are very well coached, so for us to win the section outright with all of our setbacks speaks volumes about the character of our team.”
West Allegheny is the No. 3 seed in the upcoming WPIAL 5A baseball playoff and will face Fox Chapel in the first round on Tuesday.
“I know that traditionally Fox Chapel has a very good program and they will be tough to beat,” Cornell said. “Class 5A has a number of teams that could potentially win it. Not sure how so many of those potential teams ended up on the same side of the bracket, but in order to hold the trophy at the end of the season, you have to beat the best. So time will tell. It should be fun.” | 2022-05-15T23:12:00Z | tribhssn.triblive.com | Trib HSSN Baseball Team of the Week for May 15, 2022 | Trib HSSN | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/trib-hssn-baseball-team-of-the-week-for-may-15-2022/ | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/trib-hssn-baseball-team-of-the-week-for-may-15-2022/ |
Alle-Kiski Valley well represented at WPIAL track and field championships
Riverview junior Amberson Bauer is the third seed in the Class 2A boys 800 at the WPIAL championships.
Greg Klingensmith owns the Apollo-Ridge boys school record in the discus at 156 feet 9 inches recorded in placing third at last year’s WPIAL Class 2A track and field championships at Slippery Rock University.
The William & Mary football recruit has his sights set on improving both numbers as he returns to Slippery Rock on Wednesday.
He is a part of a large contingent of Alle-Kiski Valley athletes — both individuals and relays — who have earned berths to the WPIAL finals in both Class 2A and 3A.
“I am very excited for Wednesday,” said Klingensmith, who is seeded second in the discus with a season-best throw of 156-2 recorded April 30 at the Indiana County Invitational.
“The weather isn’t looking too great, but it’s going to be fun to share the experience with Nick. We’re both optimistic we can do very well.”
The Nick that Klingensmith speaks of is Apollo-Ridge junior Nick Curci, who is seeded sixth in the discus with a 143-4 distance also recorded at the Indiana meet.
The field in the Class 2A boys discus is looking up at defending champion Will Patton, a senior from Shenango who owns the top distance this season of 176-8.
“I saw him throw last year, and he’s improved drastically since then,” Klingensmith said.
Five of the top six in the event are from either Shenango or Apollo-Ridge.
Klingensmith also will throw the shot put at WPIALs for the first time. He is seeded seventh (45-11½).
Events on the track and in the field for both Class 3A and Class 2A Wednesday begin at 11 a.m.
Carson McCoy also has his sights set on big things as he is the top seed in both the Class 2A boys 800- and 1,600-meter runs.
The Deer Lakes senior gained a large measure of momentum May 6 at the prestigious Baldwin Invitational with a personal-best and winning 800 time of 1 minute, 53.20 seconds.
McCoy clocked a season-best of 4:13.19 in the 1,600 and hopes to bring home the title after placing second in the event at WPIALs last year (4:18.96).
Riverview middle distance and distance specialist Amberson Bauer is the third seed in the Class 2A boys 800. He produced a school-record time of 1:58.31 in placing second overall at the Mars Invitational.
“I finished the basketball season with a little bit of an injury so I didn’t really run through those two weeks before track,” Bauer said.
Other A-K Valley top-three seeds include Riverview junior John Patsey (third, 300 hurdles) and the No. 3 Deer Lakes boys 1,600 relay of McCoy, Nate Buechel, Aidan Herman and Fletcher Hammond.
The Alle-Kiski Valley will be well represented overall Wednesday as individuals and relays in both Class 2A and Class 3A will have the opportunity to compete more than 100 times.
Riverview standout sophomore Lola Abraham is the lone entry in either classification who will compete in three individual events.
She is in medal position in the 400 dash (sixth seed) and long jump (seventh seed). She also hopes to make a move in the triple jump, where she is the 15th seed.
Those who qualified for WPIALs did so this spring through dual meets and invitationals. The times and distances were compiled by the WPIAL track and field committee, and a maximum of 16 in each event in Class 2A and 24 in Class 3A earned berths to Wednesday’s championships.
The Riverview boys 3,200 relay is the defending Class 2A champion, and the quartet of Bauer, Ty Laughlin, Parker Steele, and Chris Barnes come in seeded sixth with a top time of 8:39.69.
They will run against a deep field that included fifth-seeded Burrell (Damian Barr, Billy Kowalkowski, Luke Guerrini and Ethan Croushore, 8:37.92). The Bucs distance relay was sixth at WPIALs last year.
Burrell brought home an AK-Valley-best nine WPIAL medals in 2021.
In Class 3A, the top seeds are Plum senior Logan Brooks, fifth in the boys long jump (22-0), and Freeport junior Isaac Wetzel, fifth in the boys 110 hurdles (15.38).
It was a close shave for several A-K Valley individuals and relays as seven in Class 2A are No. 16 seeds, and three in Class 3A are No. 24 seeds.
The top eight finishers in each event will earn WPIAL medals, and the top five finishers in Class 2A and top four in Class 3A automatically will qualify for the PIAA championships at Shippensburg University on May 27-28.
Also, those who place eighth or better in their events at WPIALs will qualify for states if their times, heights or distances meet or exceed the qualifying standards set by the PIAA.
• Westmoreland County throwers looking for gold | 2022-05-17T02:43:56Z | tribhssn.triblive.com | Alle-Kiski Valley well represented at WPIAL track and field championships | Trib HSSN | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/alle-kiski-valley-well-represented-at-wpial-track-and-field-championships/ | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/alle-kiski-valley-well-represented-at-wpial-track-and-field-championships/ |
Hempfield’s Elizabeth Tapper is one of the best throwers in the state.
Other than competing in the PIAA track and field championships, Wednesday is the day many WPIAL runners, throwers and jumpers have had circled all season.
The WPIAL Class 3A and 2A championships will take place at Slippery Rock University beginning at 11 a.m.
There athletes will try to perform at their highest level trying to qualify for a trip to Shippensburg University May 27 and 28.
The top four finishers in Class 3A and top five in Class 2A automatically earn a trip. Any other athlete who finishes on top can qualify for the state meet if they meet state qualifying standards.
Hempfield junior Liz Tapper watched teammate Isabella Gera capture the shot put and discus titles in 2021. Now Tapper is a heavy favorite to claim those two titles this season.
Tapper has come on to be one of the elite throwers in the state. She has thrown 163 feet, 9 inches in the discus but has reached the 170s in practice. Her best throw in the shot put is 48-½. She also has cleared 12-2 in the pole vault.
“I watched Bella win last year. Now it’s my time,” said Tapper, who finished second in both events last season. “To take her place is awesome. I’ve had a good season, and I’ve surpassed my goals.”
Her coach, Dave Murray, said he wouldn’t be surprised if Tapper broke that state record this season.
His son Peyton has the best throw in the WPIAL in the discus, 164-1. Dan Sierk, Murray’s teammate, has thrown 155-9 in the discus and 52-4 1.2 in the shot, which is also second best in the WPIAL.
The top three javelin throwers are from Westmoreland County. Ligonier Valley senior Miles Higgins, the returning Class 2A champion, has thrown 198-6.
Norwin senior Aaron Schmook has the top throw in Class 3A with a throw of 198-3, and teammate Cody Scherle has thrown 178-2.
“I’ve prepared myself well for the season,” Higgins said. “I’m more confident.”
Schmook is looking for redemption after failing to compete at a high level. He was seeded No. 1 as a junior and failed to reach the top eight.
“I definitely learned from my mistakes last year,” Schmook said. “My first two throws were out of sector, and my third was only 140. I’ll be more focused.”
Another local athlete hoping to make his mark is Latrobe senior hurdler Brennan Campbell. He had the second-fastest time in the 110-meter hurdles and fourth-best time in the 300 hurdles.
“I’ve been training hard,” Campbell said. “I’m looking forward to the meet. Hopefully, I’ll be able to reach the top.”
Greensburg Central Catholic senior Corinn Brewer is scheduled to have a busy day. The Notre Dame recruit is seeded No. 1 in the Class 2A pole vault, No. 2 in the 100 hurdles, fourth in the 300 hurdles and fourth in the high jump.
Others to watch include:
2A girls: Brownsville junior Jolena Quarzo (1,600 and 3,200), Shenango senior Emma Callahan (shot put and discus).
3A girls: Upper St. Clair junior Dani Prunzik (100 and 200), Moon senior Mia Cochran (1,600 and 3,200), Butler senior Emma Lehman (300 hurdles), South Fayette senior Melana Schumaker (pole vault and long jump) and New Castle senior Maria Owens (long jump and triple jump).
2A boys: South Allegheny senior Eric Anderson (110 hurdles), New Catholic senior Trevor Paschall (100, 200 and 400), South Side senior Dustin Mackall (high jump), Riverside senior Teddy McHale (pole vault) and Shenango senior Will Patton (discus).
3A boys: Butler senior Guinness Brown (100 and 200), Moon sophomore Jacob Puhalla (800), Butler senior C.J. Singleton (3,200) and North Allegheny senior Dwayne Taylor (long jump). | 2022-05-17T02:44:27Z | tribhssn.triblive.com | Westmoreland County throwers looking for gold | Trib HSSN | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/westmoreland-county-throwers-looking-for-gold/ | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/westmoreland-county-throwers-looking-for-gold/ |
On the brink of any postseason, it’s natural to look for trends that might help identify those teams that could make a long run in the playoffs and those that might be exiting quickly.
By virtue of a strong finish to the regular season with seven wins in eight games, including a perfect 4-0 in the final week, Seton LaSalle may have earned dark horse status with its strong finishing kick.
“The fact that we start five freshmen, and to have those four wins, was a huge confidence boost heading into playoffs,” Seton LaSalle coach Cindy Beauregard said.
Leading the way on the perfect finish for the Rebels was senior Casey Barton.
On Monday, Barton was 3 for 4 at the plate with a run and an RBI. She also was the winning pitcher for Seton LaSalle, allowing two runs on three hits with 11 strikeouts in a 4-2 win over Avonworth.
“Casey was confident and determined to take control of the game from the very beginning,” Beauregard said. “She knew if she controlled the circle that her teammates would respond and they did. She dominated the game from the beginning to the end.”
After a 21-5 win over Apollo-Ridge in the Section 2-2A finale that moved the Rebels into a second-place tie with Serra Catholic behind section champ Ligonier Valley, Seton LaSalle picked up one of its most impressive wins of the season, a 10-0 whitewash of defending 6A champion Bethel Park.
“What stood out was that Casey had seven strikeouts against a strong-hitting 6A team and it didn’t faze her,” Beauregard said. “Her attitude is the same against any team. She stays cool, calm and collected and knows her role on the team. She is a true leader.”
Barton had two more hits against the Black Hawks and wrapped up her big week going 1 for 2 with a run and two RBIs as Seton LaSalle rolled past Greensburg Central Catholic, 12-2.
“Casey knows how important the role of a pitcher is,” Beauregard said. “Casey played outfield, but every inning she came in high-fiving freshman pitcher Gianna Ferrieri and giving her advice. She has confidence not only in herself, but also in her younger teammates.”
Beauregard has been pleased when Barton has been in the circle for the Rebels. She has a 1.94 ERA with 109 strikeouts.
“Overall, Casey took control on the mound,” Beauregard said. “I would say she is having a great season. She always rises to the occasion when there is a tough matchup.”
As mentioned, the Rebels are young, with five freshmen in the starting lineup. Beauregard believes Barton’s leadership is right up there with her skillset she brings on game day.
“Casey provides leadership to her younger teammates. She knows the game and her confidence is infectious. She is very kind and knowledgeable of the game and her teammates respect her. Casey is a role model for what a true student athlete is.”
Barton, who is headed to Ursuline College this fall, and the rest of her Rebels teammates now prepare for a return to the postseason after missing out last season.
Seton LaSalle is the No. 7 seed and will battle Carmichaels in the opening round of the 2A playoffs on Wednesday.
“We haven’t seen Carmichaels in three years,” Beauregard said. “Casey was a freshmen pitcher at that time and she is a much stronger pitcher now. So I expect her to take control like she has done all year.”
• Trib HSSN Softball Team of the Week for May 16, 2022 | 2022-05-17T08:39:56Z | tribhssn.triblive.com | Trib HSSN Softball Player of the Week for May 16, 2022 | Trib HSSN | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/trib-hssn-softball-player-of-the-week-for-may-16-2022/ | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/trib-hssn-softball-player-of-the-week-for-may-16-2022/ |
What to watch for in WPIAL sports on May 16, 2022: Baseball playoffs heat up with 29 clashes
Franklin Regional’s Caden Smith celebrates with teammates after scoring against Kiski Area on May 3.
Tuesday is loaded with spring sports postseason action with something for everyone on the playoff menu.
The busiest day of the 2022 WPIAL baseball playoffs will be Tuesday as the district hosts 29 first-round ballgames.
Three of those 29 games include Franklin Regional, Hopewell and Shenango opening up defense of their 2021 district crowns.
Hopewell is the top seed in 3A and will be heavy favorites when it plays South Allegheny at the Washington & Jefferson Complex in Washington at 2 p.m.
The Gladiators finished 8-10 this season but are in the playoffs for a second straight year after missing out on the postseason the previous 14 seasons.
Shenango is the No. 3 seed in Class 2A and ended the regular season white hot.
The Wildcats were 5-4 after an April 23 loss but have since won nine consecutive games.
Their opponent at Chippewa Park will be Fort Cherry.
The Rangers are 8-5 but lost their final two games of the regular season.
The toughest assignment of the three belongs to last spring’s Class 5A champions, Franklin Regional.
Despite finishing tied for second place with Penn-Trafford, one game behind Latrobe in Section 1-5A, the Panthers are the No. 10 seed and drew South Fayette on Tuesday evening at Burkett Field at 7 p.m.
The Lions also finished tied for second place, with Shaler in Section 3, one game behind West Allegheny.
All opening round games in Class 5A, 3A, 2A and A will be played Tuesday.
Odd softball openers
It might not be as busy as baseball, but the district softball playoffs have 17 first-round playoff games set for Tuesday, with all of the opening-round matchups in Class 5A, 3A and A.
One of the Round 1 games in 5A features two programs that know what it’s like to hoard gold.
No. 5 West Allegheny faces No. 12 Latrobe at North Allegheny at 6 p.m.
The Indians won three straight 5A softball championships from 2017-2019. The Wildcats won their first Class AAAA title 15 years ago in 2007. Latrobe added two more crowns in 2008 and in 2011.
Mt. Pleasant won the district 3A championship last year as the No. 1 seed. This year, the Vikings are in the same quadrant but as the No. 8 seed. To face top-seed Avonworth, the Vikings must first beat North Catholic on Tuesday.
In the 2021 Class A first round, Bishop Canevin beat Jefferson-Morgan in the 8-9 game to earn a spot in the quarterfinals against West Greene.
On Tuesday, the Crusaders are once again in the 8-9 game, this time against Mapletown. If BC wins, it once again will battle five-time defending district champion West Greene in the quarterfinals.
2A boys and 3A girls lax playoffs
The district lacrosse playoffs continue Tuesday in Class 3A girls and Class 2A boys.
There are four first-round matches in the 3A girls playoffs as the top-four seeds earned opening-round byes and await the winners in the quarterfinals.
Of the eight teams participating in Round 1 on Tuesday, seven played in opening-round matches a year ago.
Bethel Park, Canon-McMillan, Fox Chapel, Latrobe, Moon, North Allegheny and Peters Township are trying to earn spots into the quarterfinals for a second straight year.
The only difference is Seneca Valley replacing Pine-Richland after the Rams earned a bye this spring.
Bethel Park, Peters Township, Pine-Richland and North Allegheny earned first-round wins in 2021 with two of the four openers going to overtime.
In 2A boys, three teams that played in the opening round last year all received byes this season. Quaker Valley, Indians and Hampton all await opening-round winners in the quarterfinals.
Defending champion Mars is the top seed and also received a bye.
Shaler at Trinity, Sewickley Academy at South Fayette, North Hills at Franklin Regional and Greensburg Central Catholic at Moon are the four first-round matches Tuesday.
Opening night for volleyball
The curtain goes up on the 2022 WPIAL boys volleyball playoffs Tuesday with 11 first-round matches.
In Class 3A, the big question is will any of the six first-round matches be competitive on opening night.
Last spring, there were seven opening-round contests and only one went beyond three games.
There is one rematch as Hempfield faces Bethel Park in the opening round for the second straight year. The Spartans advanced last season with a 3-0 victory.
While there were three first-round byes in Class 2A, defending champion Seton LaSalle did not get one of them.
The Rebels will be in action Tuesday when they face Mars at Gateway at 6 p.m.
Perennial power Ambridge also is in action as it takes on Deer Lakes at Shaler at 6 p.m.
The Bridgers won nine district 2A titles in a 12-year span from 2008-2019.
The Lancers won boys volleyball gold in 2011. | 2022-05-17T08:40:08Z | tribhssn.triblive.com | What to watch for in WPIAL sports on May 16, 2022: Baseball playoffs heat up with 29 clashes | Trib HSSN | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/what-to-watch-for-in-wpial-sports-on-may-16-2022-baseball-playoffs-heat-up-with-29-clashes/ | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/what-to-watch-for-in-wpial-sports-on-may-16-2022-baseball-playoffs-heat-up-with-29-clashes/ |
Greensburg Central Catholic’s John Tropeano scores against Leechburg in the sixth inning during a WPIAL Class A first-round game Tuesday.
8-Penn-Trafford (14-6) vs. 1-Peters Township (19-1)
4:30 p.m. Thursday at West Mifflin
Winner plays: Winner of Thomas Jefferson (14-6) vs. Chartiers Valley (10-11) on Monday in semifinals (time, site TBD)
Players to watch: Dylan Grabowski, Penn-Trafford; Sam Miller, Penn-Trafford
Extra bases: Penn-Trafford won its sixth one-run game of the season as Grabowski delivered a two-run homer in the sixth inning for a 4-3 win over Hampton. Grabowski also was the winning pitcher. Jake Otto also homered for the Warriors, who lost in the quarterfinals last season, 7-6, to West Allegheny. … Peters Township stretched its winning streak to eight games with a 7-0 victory over Connellsville in the first round at Washington & Jefferson. Miller hits for average and power, while Jack Lutte and Wes Parker is another key bat in the order. The Indians have scored less than five runs in a game once all season.
5-Yough (11-7) vs. 4-Mohawk (14-4)
7 p.m. Thursday at Highlands
Winner plays: Winner of 8-Deer Lakes (10-11) vs. 1-Hopewell (14-6) on Monday in semifinals (time, site TBD)
Players to watch: Allen Novacek, Yough; Jay Wrona, Mohawk
Extra bases: Yough used a walk-off single by Novacek to edge past Mt. Pleasant, 7-6, in the the first round at Hempfield. It was the Cougars’ second walk-off win over the Vikings in seven days. Jack Sampson had two hits and two RBIs, while Kaden Bizzozero, Gavin Roebuck and James Shoman had two hits each. Yough reached the semifinals in 2019 and fell to Beaver Area, 7-2. … Mohawk downed Keystone Oaks in the first round, 7-1, taking command with a six-run fourth inning. It was the team’s first playoff win since 2011. J.C. Voss went 2 for 3 with two doubles, and Jake Werner and Wrona both doubled. Wrona drove in two runs. Vance Cooper earned the pitching win, allowing four hits and recording 13 strikeouts.
8-Greensburg Central Catholic (9-7) vs. 1-Eden Christian Academy (15-0)
Winner plays: Winner of 5-OLSH (10-7) vs. 4-West Greene (12-5) on Monday in semifinals (time, site TBD)
Players to watch: Zach David, Sr., GCC; Brian Feldman, Eden Christian
Extra bases: GCC took down No. 9 Leechburg in the opening round, 9-4, as David started on the mound for the first time since last season after undergoing surgery on his right elbow. David, a Rollins commit, also doubled twice. John Tropeano, Ryan Appleby and Brody Bothell all drove in runs. … Eden Christian is one of only two undefeated teams in the WPIAL. The Warriors, who had a bye in the first round, have seven shutouts and have not allowed just two runs in May. They were supposed to play GCC in March but the game was postponed. Jared Bees is the staff ace.
Tags: Eden Christian, Greensburg C.C., Mohawk, Penn-Trafford, Peters Township, Yough
• Greensburg Central Catholic beats Leechburg for elusive 1st-round win | 2022-05-18T21:10:59Z | tribhssn.triblive.com | Westmoreland County WPIAL baseball playoff preview capsules for May 19, 2022 | Trib HSSN | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/westmoreland-county-wpial-baseball-playoff-preview-capsules-for-may-19-2022/ | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/westmoreland-county-wpial-baseball-playoff-preview-capsules-for-may-19-2022/ |
Deer Lakes pitcher Maddie Kee celebrates with catcher Tia Germanich after defeating Valley on April 28.
3-Deer Lakes (11-4) vs. 6-Waynesburg (13-4)
5 p.m. Thursday at West Mifflin
Winner plays: Winner of 2-South Allegheny (12-3) vs. 10-Keystone Oaks (10-10) on Tuesday in semifinals (site, time TBD)
Players to watch: Reese Hasley, Deer Lakes; Kendall Lemley, Waynesburg
Extra bases: The Lancers were awarded a No. 3 seed and first-round bye after finishing first in Section 1 with an 8-0 record. Nonsection losses to Knoch and Shaler at the end of the season snapped an 11-game winning streak. Reese Hasley (.442), Lydia Guthrie (.405), Maddie Kee (.389, 23 RBIs) and Anna Bokulich (.354) lead the Lancers at the plate along with Tia Germanich (.347), who has added four homers and 22 RBIs, both team highs. Kee is 11-1 in the circle with a 1.66 ERA and 112 strikeouts. … Waynesburg cruised past South Park, 16-3, in the first round. Pitcher Kendall Lemley earned the win and also was 3 for 4 with a home run and two RBIs. Riley Heisenbaugh also homered. Ehralyn Eisiminger had three RBIs, and Kylee Goodman knocked in two runs with a double and triple.
Winner plays: Winner of 7-Jefferson-Morgan (7-7) vs. 2-Union (17-3) on Tuesday in semifinals (site, time TBD)
Extra bases: Leechburg, a perennial playoff team and three-time WPIAL champion, overwhelmed Rochester in the first round 19-0 in three innings. The Blue Devils erupted for 15 runs in the second inning. Pitcher Anna Cibik did not allow a hit and struck out seven. Vozar drove in five runs, and Grace Richards and Fayln Verner had three RBIs each. Nine doubles and a triple kept the base paths moving. Leechburg lost to Union in the semifinals last year 7-2 before advancing to the PIAA tournament. … Greensburg Central Catholic was awarded with a No. 3 seed and a bye after finishing second in Section 2 behind No. 1 seed and three-time defending champion West Greene. There was a sizable gap in the standings after those two teams. GCC won five of its final seven games, four of them via shutout. Henry is a dual threat as a pitcher and hitter.
4-Springdale (10-1) vs. 5-South Side (13-4)
3 p.m. Thursday at Montour
Winner plays: Winner of 1-West Greene (12-3) vs. 9-Mapletown (11-7) on Tuesday in semifinals (site, time TBD)
Players to watch: Alexis Hrivnak, Springdale; Madi Fischer, South Side
Extra bases: Springdale won the Section 3 title at 10-0 and earned a first-round bye. Springdale suffered its lone nonsection loss at Greensburg Central Catholic in the season opener back in March. The Dynamos have outscored opponents 129-8 since. In Springdale’s most recent game, a 3-1 victory over Leechburg on May 11, Alexis Hrivnak tossed a four-hitter with 16 strikeouts and also knocked in a run. … South Side defeated Springdale, 3-2, in the quarterfinals last season, also at Montour. The Rams shut out Northgate, 14-0, in the first round. Madi Fischer threw a one-hitter with 10 strikeouts and also was 3 for 3 with three RBIs. Alison Delong hit a three-run homer.
Tags: Deer Lakes, Greensburg C.C., Leechburg, South Side, Springdale, Waynesburg | 2022-05-19T00:18:22Z | tribhssn.triblive.com | A-K Valley WPIAL playoff softball preview capsules for May 19, 2022 | Trib HSSN | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/a-k-valley-wpial-playoff-softball-preview-capsules-for-may-19-2022/ | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/a-k-valley-wpial-playoff-softball-preview-capsules-for-may-19-2022/ |
Latrobe pitcher Kayla Williams celebrates a strikeout against Thomas Jefferson on April 21.
10-Shaler (16-3) vs. 2-Penn-Trafford (16-2)
Winner plays: Winner of 11-Chartiers Valley (14-4) vs. 3-Trinity (16-2)
Players to watch: Mallor Moran, Shaler; Kylee Picconi, Penn-Trafford
Extra bases: Shaler was a third-place team in a tough Section 2 that was won by No. 4 seed North Hills. The Titans downed Franklin Regional, 14-6, in the first round as Cam Murphy homered and drove in four runs. Bethany Rodman also homered and had three RBIs, while Moran tripled and drove in three. Shaler has eight straight wins and has not lost in May (6-0). … Penn-Trafford run-ruled Plum in the opener, 10-0, thanks to a 14-hit attack. Picconi went 3 for 4 with a home run, Madison Rapp added two hits and four RBIs, and Cam Ponko tripled. Alex Forsythe, a late pinch-hitter, also homered for the Warriors, who lost in the quarterfinals last year to North Hills, 7-1. Almost quietly, pitcher Mia Smith struck out 11 and allowed just two hits.
12-Latrobe (10-4) vs. 4-North Hills (15-3)
5 p.m. Thursday at Fox Chapel
Winner plays: Winner of 8-Thomas Jefferson (11-7) vs. 1-Armstrong (17-4) on Tuesday in the semifinals (time, site TBD)
Players to watch: Josie Straigis, Latrobe; Kassidy Wittig, North Hills
Extra bases: Latrobe pulled an upset with a 10-9 win over West Allegheny in eight innings. Straigis hit a grand slam, and Jenna Tallman went 3 for 5 with a homer and two RBIs. Latrobe led 5-2 before the Indians rallied to force extras. Latrobe outscored them in the eighth, 5-4. Bailey Watson added two hits. The Wildcats lost in the first round last year to Indiana, 7-6. They last played in the semifinals in 2018. … North Hills, the defending WPIAL champion, opened with a 7-3 victory over Upper St. Clair. Maria Chutko is another player to watch for the Indians. Sophia Roncone is a proven winner in the circle. She struck out 116 in the regular season. Last year, the Indians beat Armstrong in the final, 12-2, but lost to the River Hawks in a rematch in the PIAA semifinals, 7-4. Roncone, a Holy Cross commit, is hitting over .300 after not batting once last year.
8-Mt. Pleasant (10-9) vs. 1-Avonworth (14-5)
Winner plays: Winner of 5-Southmoreland (12-3) vs. 4-Ellwood City (11-3) on Tuesday in semifinals (time, site TBD)
Players to watch: Katie Hutter, Mt. Pleasant; Leah Kuban, Avonworth
Extra bases: Mt. Pleasant, the defending WPIAL and PIAA champion, clubbed North Catholic in the first round, 16-2, in five innings. The Vikings scored nine times in the second inning and led 13-2 after three. Sophia Smithnosky, the sister of last year’s playoff ace, Mary Smithnosky, struck out eight, earned the win and went 3 for 4 with a double, triple and two RBIs. Hutter homered and drove in three, while Addison Reese and Abby Swank had two RBIs each. … Section 2 champion Avonworth had a first-round bye and is lacking momentum after losing three straight to end the regular season (4-2 to Seton LaSalle, 2-1 to Belle Vernon and 16-5 to North Hills). The Antelopes also own a 10-0 win over Greensburg Central Catholic, the third seed in Class A. They made the semifinals last season and lost to Mt. Pleasant, 8-0. They then defeated Southmoreland, 3-2, in the third-place game before going 1-1 in the PIAA bracket. Kuban, Layne Shinsky, Meghan Fissore are offensive threats.
5-Southmoreland (12-3) vs. 4-Ellwood City (11-3)
Winner plays: Winner of 8-Mt. Pleasant (10-9) vs. 1-Avonworth (14-5) on Tuesday in semifinals (time, site TBD)
Players to watch: Tyson Martin, Southmoreland; Julia Nardone, Ellwood City
Extra bases: Southmoreland held off No. 12 Derry for a 5-4 win as freshman Makayla Etling delivered a walk-off single in the seventh. Etling leads the team with a .500 average. The Scotties have won four straight following a 6-2 loss to Mt. Pleasant. Madison Brown was sharp in the circle in the first round, allowing just two hits while striking out seven and walking four. Southmoreland’s playoff run ended in the semifinals last year with a 4-2 loss to Ellwood City at Penn-Trafford. The Scotties were then tripped up by Avonworth in the PIAA play-in game, 4-2. … The returning WPIAL runner-up, Ellwood City used a four-run fifth inning to brush past Beaver Falls, 6-2, in the first round. Nardone was the winning pitcher as she allowed two hits and struck out seven. She also drove in two runs. Mollie Street also had two RBIs. Ellwood City produced 10 or more runs eight times. They lost their final regular-season game to Neshannock, 13-3. They were swept by Avonworth in Section 2 play, 7-3 and 8-2. The Wolverines lost to Mt. Pleasant in the WPIAL final last year, 15-0.
Winner plays: Winner of 7-Jefferson-Morgan (7-7) vs. 2-Union (17-3) on Tuesday in semifinals
Extra bases: Leechburg, a perennial playoff team and three-time WPIAL champion, overwhelmed Rochester in the first round, 19-0, in three innings. The Blue Devils erupted for 15 runs in the second inning. Pitcher Anna Cibik did not allow a hit and struck out seven. Vozar drove in five runs, while Grace Richards and Fayln Verner had three RBIs each. Nine doubles and a triple kept the base paths moving. Leechburg lost to Union in the semifinals last year, 7-2, before advancing to the PIAA tournament. … Greensburg Central Catholic was awarded the No. 3 seed and a bye after finishing second in Section 2 behind No. 1 seed and three-time defending champion West Greene. There was a sizable gap in the standings after those two teams. GCC won five of its final seven games, four of them via shutout. Henry is a dual-threat as a pitcher and hitter.
Tags: Avonworth, Greensburg C.C., Latrobe, Leechburg, Mt. Pleasant, North Hills, Penn-Trafford, Southmoreland | 2022-05-19T00:18:28Z | tribhssn.triblive.com | Westmoreland County WPIAL softball playoff preview capsules for May 19, 2022 | Trib HSSN | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/westmoreland-county-wpial-softball-playoff-preview-capsules-for-may-19-2022/ | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/westmoreland-county-wpial-softball-playoff-preview-capsules-for-may-19-2022/ |
Teammates celebrate as Yough’s McKenzie Pritts scores in a WPIAL Class 4A first-round game against Blackhawk on Wednesday, May 18, 2022 at Plum.
Yough’s McKenzie Pritts pops up at second base during a WPIAL Class 4A first-round game against Blackhawk on Wednesday, May 18, 2022 at Plum.
Yough’s Adoria Waldier slides into home during a WPIAL Class 4A first-round game against Blackhawk on Wednesday, May 18, 2022 at Plum.
Yough’s Emma Augustine pitches during a WPIAL Class 4A first-round game against Blackhawk on Wednesday, May 18, 2022 at Plum.
The offensive production of McKenzie Pritts and the right arm of Emma Augustine helped lift Yough into the WPIAL Class 4A quarterfinals Wednesday.
Pritts finished a triple shy of the cycle and drove in a team-high five runs, and Augustine finished with eight strikeouts and kept the opposition at bay in fourth-seeded Yough’s 7-3 triumph over No. 13 Blackhawk in the first round of the WPIAL Class 4A playoffs at Plum High School.
“I thought we were a little undisciplined early, but our girls settled down enough to get the job done,” Yough coach Dutch Harvey said. “I think McKenzie Pritts had the biggest game of her career there. That was unreal. I’ll take that all day from her.”
Pritts turned a 1-0 deficit into a 2-1 lead for Yough (13-3) as she delivered a two-run home run to left field in the second inning. She singled in the first and later added a bases-clearing double in the fifth.
“She just killed the ball. I loved it,” Harvey said. “She’s our best hitter, and when she comes up to bat, I feel confident she’s going to get something going. The girls feed off her energy, and today she demonstrated that.”
Augustine allowed an unearned run in the first inning as Blackhawk (5-9) took an early one-run advantage.
Karma Malcolm reached on an error to start the game and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Zoey Lindner. A single by Raina Johnson plated Malcolm with the game’s first run.
“I think we could have taken advantage more in the first. If we add a run or two more, maybe it’s a different ballgame,” Blackhawk coach Jim Riggio said. “Yough deserves a lot of credit, too. They’re a very good team.”
Malcolm had perhaps the biggest hit of the day for Blackhawk in the seventh inning when she hit a two-run shot off Augustine, who allowed three runs (two earned) on five hits and two walks in the win.
“She made one bad pitch there, but other than that, she got out of some tight situations,” Harvey said of Augustine, who escaped a jam in the fourth in which Blackhawk had runners on first and second with nobody out.
“Her changeup was really nice early on and it kept them off balanced a little bit.”
Peyton Kimberlin struggled with command throughout the day, but the freshman hurler kept Yough’s offense at bay for the most part.
Aside from the runs allowed on hits to Pritts, Kimberlin surrendered runs on an RBI single by Sidney Bergman in the third and on a wild pitch that allowed Adoria Waldier to score following a leadoff double in the fifth.
Kimberlin allowed seven runs (six earned) on seven hits with eight walks and five strikeouts in six innings.
“She’s a freshman and needs to learn to cut down on the number of pitches she throws in a game, but all in all, I thought she was strong,” Riggio said. “We snuck into the playoffs, we played hard and I’m proud of the way we performed today.”
Yough will set its sights on a quarterfinal meeting with No. 5 Montour on Monday at a site and time to be determined. Montour earned an 11-9 win over No. 12 Knoch in the first round Wednesday.
Tags: Blackhawk, Yough | 2022-05-19T03:05:51Z | tribhssn.triblive.com | Pritts powers Yough softball team past Blackhawk | Trib HSSN | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/pritts-powers-yough-softball-team-past-blackhawk/ | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/pritts-powers-yough-softball-team-past-blackhawk/ |
Robert Smith | Mon Valley Independent
Thomas Jefferson’s Elias Lippincott rounds the bases during a WPIAL Class 5A first-round playoff game against Latrobe on Tuesday, May 17, 2022 at Hempfield.
While there were very few upsets in the first round of the WPIAL 5A, 3A, 2A and Class A baseball playoffs, there was one quadrant in the 5A tournament that blew up big time.
No. 4 Mars and No. 5 Latrobe both saw their seasons end early as they were upset Tuesday.
The Fightin’ Planets were knocked off by No. 13 Chartiers Valley while No. 12 Thomas Jefferson KO’d the Wildcats.
It was a rough opening day for both Section 1 and Section 2 in 5A as only one of eight teams advanced.
The lone survivor was Section 1 runner-up Penn-Trafford, which beat Section 2 second place Hampton, 4-3.
Section 3-5A has all four playoff teams into the quarterfinals with Chartiers Valley, West Allegheny, Shaler and South Fayette.
Section 4-5A has three teams left, including Thomas Jefferson, Peters Township and Bethel Park.
The quarterfinals will take place Thursday in 5A, 3A, 2A and A with the top eight seeds squaring off in three lowest classifications with the exception of No. 10 Riverview facing No. 2 Union in a rematch of last year’s district title game after the Raiders beats Bishop Canevin on Tuesday.
From mercy to underdog
The four teams that won Class A first-round games Tuesday did so in very impressive fashion.
They will go from winning with mercy to being an underdog in the quarterfinals Thursday.
Mapletown, South Side, Jefferson-Morgan and Leechburg won their opening-round games by a combined score of 55-1.
Now all four winners will be underdogs when they face opponents who all enjoyed first-round byes.
The Maples play rival West Greene, the Rams battle Springdale, the Rockets go up against Union, and the Blue Devils take on Greensburg Central Catholic.
The WPIAL Class 5A and 3A semifinals are also scheduled for Thursday.
2A boys, 3A girls lax
It’s quarterfinals Thursday in both the boys 2A and girls 3A postseason tournaments.
The boys 2A second round will be the postseason debut for four teams that had opening-round byes in Mars, Quaker Valley, Indiana and Hampton.
Hampton will host South Fayette in the No. 4 vs. 5 contest in a rematch of a second-round battle between the schools a year ago.
The Lions edged the Talbots, 9-8, to advance to the semifinals, where they lost to eventual champion Mars.
Seven of the eight quarterfinalists in girls 3A were also participating in the second round a year ago.
The new kids on the block are from Bethel Park.
The Black Hawks didn’t even qualify for the playoffs in 2021, but beat Seneca Valley, 16-10, in the first round on Tuesday.
The Hawks will have their hands full Thursday as they square off with top-seed and defending champion Shady Side Academy.
Volleyball quarters
Round 2 will mark the 2022 postseason debut for five boys volleyball teams Thursday that were able to enjoy and opening-round bye.
Seneca Valley and North Allegheny will open up the postseason with home quarterfinals matches in 3A.
Our Lady of the Sacred Heart and North Catholic will also host matches in 2A while the first taste of the postseason for Montour will be a match at Our Lady of the Sacred Heart.
Speaking of 2A, a new champion will be crowned after 2021 winner Seton LaSalle lost 3-2 to Mars in the opening round on Tuesday.
Mars was one of three first-round winners who went five games.
Thomas Jefferson beat Plum, 3-2, and Derry knocked off Trinity, 3-2.
Only one 3A first-round match went the distrance as Upper St. Clair defeated Latrobe, 3-2. | 2022-05-19T05:36:09Z | tribhssn.triblive.com | What to watch for in WPIAL sports on May 19, 2022: Upset winners to meet in 5A baseball | Trib HSSN | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/what-to-watch-for-in-wpial-sports-on-may-19-2022-upset-winners-to-meet-in-5a-baseball/ | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/what-to-watch-for-in-wpial-sports-on-may-19-2022-upset-winners-to-meet-in-5a-baseball/ |
A-K Valley High School Athletes of the Week: Brianna Thompson and Will Siegel
Leechburg’s Brianna Thompson
Brianna Thompson
School: Springdale
Report card: The senior catcher had a productive week for the Dynamos as she had a clutch RBI single during a key two-run sixth inning against Leechburg. Springdale won the game 3-1 and earned the section 3-A title outright. In her next game, Thompson had three hits, including with a home run, and five RBIs in a 15-0 win against Ellis.
What is one thing you have to do before every softball game?
One thing I do if we win, which, this year, I mean, we’ve been undefeated so far. I won’t wash my uniform. It’s like a thing of mine. If I win a good game, I won’t be washing my uniform.
How would you say the team fared against Leechburg this past week?
In the sixth inning, Leechburg got that one run, and we all knew that to win a game, you need some runs. We needed to hit because you’re not gonna win a game with a 0-0 score regardless, so everybody really just banded together.
How did it feel to win the Section 3-A title outright?
I’m shaking now just thinking about it. Just watching the program from seventh grade to now and then joining the team and with my class being a very influential part of Springdale softball, it was a great feeling. We all worked really, really hard for it these past four years.
What is your approach every time you step into the batter’s box?
I’m gonna hit the ball. I’m gonna do what I need to do to get on base and help out my team.
Describe the at-bat when you hit your home run against Ellis?
We all had to adjust at the plate. It was difficult most of the time to make that adjustment. Everytime I go up to bat, I just want to go up to bat, spin my bat, tap my head and get in. I just really dug in, and I wanted to put my team first and do what needed to be done.
How was it stepping into a leadership-type role as a senior?
I’m not really new to the whole leadership aspect of athletics. I’ve been the captain of our volleyball team. I was a two-time captain of our basketball team. I feel like I was very prepared.
How do you balance all the sports?
I also run track, too, so that’s another one. I find myself being most comfortable playing sports. That’s where I shine. That’s my thing, so balancing them isn’t very hard. For me. It’s more of like, this is something fun that I want to do, so it’s not anything difficult.
Who would you say is pushed you the hardest?
My dad is my number one all the time. With all my hitting lessons, my catching lessons, he’d always be there. He really pushed me to do the best I can in softball and academics. My other person is Mr. Jack Stout. He was the one who taught me softball, and he’s the one that watched me grow playing the game and I wouldn’t be the player I am today without him.
Will Siegel
School: Fox Chapel
Report card: The tennis team’s No. 1 singles player helped lead the Foxes to the WPIAL championship. Fox Chapel defeated Shady Side Academy, 5-0, and Siegel won his match in the third set, helping the team clinch the victory. The Foxes were the underdogs as the sixth seed, but Siegel overcame the odds when he and the team won the Class 3A title at W & J.
What is one thing you do before every tennis match?
I have to make sure I’m completely zoned in to make sure that I can play the best to my potential. I can’t ever take a match for granted.
How’d it feel to win the WPIAL championships?
Honestly, it felt great because the kids I won it with have been my good friends for years. We’ve known each other since we were really young, and it feels good that we could do something like that together. We’re never gonna forget that.
What do your teammates mean to you?
They’re great teammates. We all support each other, and it’s been a tough road to get here and we never let up on each other.
How did you guys keep the momentum going as the sixth-seeded underdogs?
We all knew that our seeding didn’t mean anything. Our coach told us that seeds are what other people think of you, but the results are what you think about yourself. That’s what motivated us to keep playing hard because we knew that our seed was not as high. It was all about how good we could play, and we wanted it more than the other teams.
What impact have the coaches had on you and the team?
Coach Slezak, he’s been great. He gives us a lot of strategies before the match, and he works with every person. He doesn’t just like let anybody go without being taught. He makes sure he works with you and makes you better.
How was it getting the play at a college like W&J?
I like how the courts were set where you can only see the kids next to you, and you couldn’t see the kids above you. I didn’t know if the kids above me were winning on my team.
Who would you say has pushed you the hardest during your athletic career?
Probably my dad. My dad’s always pushed me. My dad was a great athlete when he was younger, and he’s always motivated me to be better because I knew how good of an athlete he was.
How does it feel to win the WPIAL championship in basketball, too?
It’s great to have two WPIAL championships in my sophomore year. The tennis one feels a lot better. I contributed a lot more to the tennis one, so it definitely felt better to win that one, but the basketball one I will not discount. I’m really happy about winning both of those.
We’re going right back to the WPIAL championship, but that’s for us for next year. For now, we’re gonna focus on states and see how far we can go in states trying to make a run.
Tags: Fox Chapel, Leechburg | 2022-05-19T16:10:49Z | tribhssn.triblive.com | A-K Valley High School Athletes of the Week: Brianna Thompson and Will Siegel | Trib HSSN | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/a-k-valley-high-school-athletes-of-the-week-brianna-thompson-and-will-siegel/ | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/a-k-valley-high-school-athletes-of-the-week-brianna-thompson-and-will-siegel/ |
Seton Hill softball, baseball teams win NCAA regional games
The Seton Hill softball team moved a game closer to qualifying for the NCAA Division II World Series on Thursday by defeating host Kutztown, 7-0, in the Atlantic Super Regional Championship.
Morgan Ryan, the Notre Dame transfer who played at Hempfield, threw a six-hit shutout and helped her cause with an RBI hit. She walked none and struck out five. It was her 17th win of the season and her sixth shutout.
Game 2 of the best-of-three series is 1 p.m. Friday at Kutztown.
Seton Hill (40-10) scored seven runs in the fourth inning to take command.
Brooke Clelland (Penn-Trafford) started the rally with a single. After Grace Paredes walked, both runners were sacrificed up a base by Nina Grandey.
Mackenzie Zang then delivered a two-run single. Jenna Osikowicz (Hempfield) reached on an error, and Ryan singled home Zang for a 3-0 lead. Brooklyn Fukuhima had a two-run hit, and Clelland and Paredes later added RBI hits.
Osikowicz and Clelland had two hits apiece.
It was Seton Hill’s first game in the Super Regional.
Seton Hill baseball rolls
During the regular season, Slippery Rock defeated Seton Hill all four times.
The Rock started the NCAA Division II Atlantic Regional at West Chester by opening a 2-0 lead. They wouldn’t score again as the Griffins (32-17-1) rolled to a 10-2 victory.
Seton Hill will play at 11 a.m. Friday against either West Chester or Slippery Rock.
The Griffins scored five times in the third inning, added single tallies in the fourth and fifth innings and iced the win with a three-run seventh.
Seton Hill recorded 19 hits, including four by Neal McDermott (Greensburg Central Catholic) and three each by Braden Durham and Vincenzo Rauso. McDermott, Rauso, Owen Sabol (Norwin) and Jack Oberdorf (Greensburg Salem) had two RBIs each. Oberdorf had two hits, including a double, and Sabol homered.
A trio of pitchers, Brandon Bergert, Marshall McGraw and Ian Korn, limited Slippery Rock to eight hits.
Pitcher Nash Bryan and Oberdorf were named to the All-Atlantic Region team. Bryan was named to the first team and Oberdorf to the second team.
Tags: Greensburg C.C., Greensburg Salem, Hempfield, Norwin, Penn-Trafford | 2022-05-19T23:25:29Z | tribhssn.triblive.com | Seton Hill softball, baseball teams win NCAA regional games | Trib HSSN | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/seton-hill-softball-baseball-teams-win-ncaa-regional-games/ | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/seton-hill-softball-baseball-teams-win-ncaa-regional-games/ |
Mt. Pleasant’s Krista Brunson fouls off a bunt attempt in a WPIAL Class 3A quarterfinal against Avonworth on Thursday, May 19, 2022 at Plum.
Mt. Pleasant’s Sophia Smithnosky delivers a pitch in a WPIAL Class 3A quarterfinal against Avonworth on Thursday, May 19, 2022 at Plum.
Mt. Pleasant’s Ally Jones (2) gloves a throw to record an out at first base on Avonworth’s Alivia Lantzy in a WPIAL Class 3A quarterfinal Thursday, May 19, 2022 at Plum.
During the 2021 softball season, the Mt. Pleasant and Avonworth softball teams met twice in the playoffs, with the Vikings knocking off the Antelopes in both the Class 3A WPIAL semifinals and PIAA quarterfinals on their way to WPIAL and state championships.
But this year Avonworth, with the help of sophomore pitcher Alivia Lantzy, got a little bit of redemption.
Lantzy racked up 16 strikeouts, gave up just five hits and also belted a solo homer to lead the top-seeded Antelopes to a 5-2 victory over the eighth-seeded Vikings in a WPIAL Class 3A quarterfinal Thursday at Plum.
Coming into the game, Mt. Pleasant coach Chris Brunson knew his team would be in for a tough challenge against Lantzy and the Antelopes (15-5).
“We knew we were running into a really good pitcher,” Brunson said, explaining that Lantzy was impressive against the Vikings, even as a freshman last year. “She was one of the few pitchers that kind of held us down last year and now she is a year older and better. She utilized east-west (in the strike zone) and we didn’t make adjustments until late in the game and it was a little too late.”
Right from the start, it was clear that Lantzy was going to be a problem for the Vikings (10-10). After getting a groundout to start the game, Lantzy struck out the next eight hitters she faced.
Lantzy also delivered at the plate.
In the bottom of the first, she connected on the first pitch she saw from Mt. Pleasant pitcher Sophia Smithnosky. Lantzy’s drive sailed over the fence in right-center, giving the Antelopes a 1-0 lead.
“She was absolutely outstanding,” Avonworth coach Jenna Muncie said of Lantzy. “Sixteen strikeouts and a home run, you can’t ask for more than that.”
Following the home run, Avonworth tacked on another run in the first as Meg Fissore double and scored on an error to make it 2-0.
But in the fourth inning, the Vikings finally found a bit of offense. Katie Hutter led off with a double and Abby Swank followed with a bunt single to put two runners on. A sacrifice bunt by Smithnosky also went for an RBI as Hutter alertly scored on a play at first, cutting Avonworth’s lead to 2-1.
However, Lantzy picked up two key strikeouts to end the threat. Then in the bottom of the fourth, the Antelopes seized control with a three-run frame as Cat Barie, Cassie Heinauer and Emma Obersteiner recorded three straight singles, with Obersteiner picking up an RBI to make it 3-1. And with two outs, Syd Savatt delivered a clutch two-run single to extend the Avonworth lead to 5-1.
With a four-run lead on her side, Lantzy responded by tossing scoreless innings in the fifth and sixth. Mt. Pleasant’s Krista Brunson belted a solo homer to left field in the seventh, but Lantzy finished the game with yet another strikeout to send the Antelopes into the semifinals.
“This was probably one of our biggest hurdles because (Mt. Pleasant) has such a great legacy and they’ve been through it before,” Muncie said. “But our kids just had the attitude that they were going to buckle down and get after it.”
The loss ends the season and any chance of defending a WPIAL and/or state title for Mt. Pleasant. However, Chris Brunson noted that the experience may be a positive one for his team down the road.
“We probably only have four girls that really had varsity experience from last year’s team,” Chris Brunson said. “We went through some struggles early on defensively, but we got better. For most of the season, our bats carried us through, but Lantzy got the best of us today. We got Avonworth twice last year and hopefully this year, it’s their turn. They have a great opportunity.”
Tags: Avonworth, Mt. Pleasant | 2022-05-20T01:31:37Z | tribhssn.triblive.com | Avonworth gets its revenge, beats Mt. Pleasant in 3A softball quarterfinals | Trib HSSN | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/avonworth-gets-its-revenge-beats-mt-pleasant-in-3a-softball-quarterfinals/ | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/avonworth-gets-its-revenge-beats-mt-pleasant-in-3a-softball-quarterfinals/ |
Peters Township escapes Penn-Trafford upset bid with walk-off single
Peters Twp.’s Sam Miller celebrates his double in the bottom of the seventh inning against Penn-Trafford during their WPIAL Class 5A quarterfinal on Thursday, May 17, 2022, at West Mifflin High School.
Peters Twp.’s Sam Miller celebrates next to Penn-Trafford third baseman Peyton Bigler in the bottom of the seventh inning of their WPIAL Class 5A quarterfinal on Thursday, May 19, 2022, at West Mifflin High School.
Penn-Trafford’s Jacob Otto slides into third base next to Peters Twp.’s Drew Ripepi during their WPIAL Class 5A quarterfinal on Thursday, May 17, 2022, at West Mifflin High School.
Penn-Trafford’s Jason Sabol scores during a WPIAL Class 5A quarterfinal against Peters Twp. on Thursday, May 19, 2022, at West Mifflin High School.
Penn-Trafford coach Dan Miller congratulates Peters Twp. coach Rocky Plassio after their WPIAL Class 5A quarterfinal on Thursday, May 19, 2022, at West Mifflin High School.
Wes Parker said he didn’t pay too much attention to Penn-Trafford reliever Evan Del Signore as he was warming up with the winning run on third.
That’s because he already had his mind set on what he was going to do when he stepped into the batter’s box.
“I knew I was going to get three strikes to play with, so if he wasted one, I’d still have two more. I was swinging no matter what,” Parker said.
Sure enough, Parker swung at the first pitch and hit it up the middle for a walk-off single in a 6-5 victory for top-seeded Peters Township, capping a wild seventh inning in a WPIAL Class 5A quarterfinal Thursday at West Mifflin.
The Indians (20-1) advanced to play Section 4 rival Thomas Jefferson in the semifinals Monday and clinched a berth in the PIAA tournament.
With Kennywood only a few blocks away, a roller coaster of events took place in the seventh inning.
Before his walk-off hit, Parker, a Toledo recruit, surrendered two runs in the top of the seventh while trying to nail down a save.
Dylan Grabowski, who homered to lift Penn-Trafford past Hampton in the first round, singled home Jacob Otto and Brady Lane to give the Warriors a 5-4 lead.
“In the regular season, I was kind of untouched, so it was new to get hit around like that,” Parker said. “Getting three straight strikeouts to end the inning, I knew would fire the boys up. Then I knew we had Jack Kail, Sam Miller and myself due up. That’s three Division I players. That put me in a good spot.”
Kail led off the seventh with a double and was driven in by a double from Miller.
Miller moved to third on an errant throw, setting up Parker for the walk-off single.
Penn-Trafford starter Nolan Marasti hit the 100-pitch limit on Miller’s double, forcing a move to the bullpen. He started the inning with 93 pitches.
“When we took the lead, the goal was for Marasti to get the first out and then go to my next guy, Del Signore,” Penn-Trafford coach Dan Miller said. “It was just timely hitting on their part, and I give them credit for that.”
The Warriors scored two runs on three Peters Township errors in the top of the first to take an early lead and led 3-1 until Bryce Thompson cracked a three-run homer with two outs in the bottom of the fifth. All three runs were unearned because of an error with two outs.
It’s now two consecutive seasons Penn-Trafford nearly pulled off an upset in the quarterfinals. Last year, the Warriors had West Allegheny on the ropes before falling 7-6 in walk-off fashion.
“After that loss last year, our goal was to get this team over that hump into the semifinals and take our chances after that,” Miller said. “We were close. I thought this was a great opportunity for us to get there.”
Marasti pitched six-plus and only allowed three runs. He finished with three strikeouts. Lane had an RBI single in the fourth. Jack Lutte plated a run with a double in the bottom of the fourth.
Penn-Trafford finished 14-7. The Warriors graduate only two seniors, Owen Rain and Matt Lichota, and return eight players who started Thursday’s game.
“I’m already excited about next year,” Miller said. “We have pretty much have the entire roster back.”
Tags: Penn-Trafford, Peters Township | 2022-05-20T01:31:44Z | tribhssn.triblive.com | Peters Township escapes Penn-Trafford upset bid with walk-off single | Trib HSSN | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/peters-township-escapes-penn-trafford-upset-bid-with-walk-off-single/ | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/peters-township-escapes-penn-trafford-upset-bid-with-walk-off-single/ |
Smith’s pitching, pair of homers lead Penn-Trafford softball past Shaler
Penn-Trafford players trade high-fives with Shaler after the Warriors blanked the Titans, 5-0, in a WPIAL Class 5A quarterfinal playoff game Thursday at Plum.
Mia Smith was concerned she might not pitch well Thursday because she had a shaky warmup session on an adjacent field at Plum.
When game time arrived, though, the Penn-Trafford senior was practically unhittable.
Funny how the best ones can lock in on the biggest stages.
“Watch out when she gets that look in her eye,” Penn-Trafford coach Denny Little said. “She had that look in her eye today.”
Smith, a hard-throwing right-hander, struck out 13, walked one and allowed just three hits as No. 2 seed Penn-Trafford cruised to a 5-0 victory over No. 10 Shaler in a WPIAL Class 5A softball quarterfinal playoff game.
The Warriors (17-2) advance to play No. 11 Chartiers Valley (15-4), which upset No. 3 Trinity, 6-5, in Tuesday’s semifinal at a time and site to be announced. Penn-Trafford also qualified for the PIAA playoffs.
It will be the second semifinal appearance in three seasons for the 2019 PIAA champions.
Smith’s 40th career victory was backlit by home runs from junior Kylee Piconi and senior Hannah Allen, who helped give her a cushion with early offense.
Senior catcher Maddie Rapp’s glove was popping as Smith threw heat at the Titans.
“I was hitting my spots,” said Smith, a Pitt-Johnstown commit who improved to 17-2 this season and 40-6 for her three-year career. “I didn’t care about speed. I wholeheartedly believe defense and pitching is what wins games.”
Smith had her high-ball working and was painting the outside corner with regularity as she caught five Shaler (16-4) hitters looking.
She has 50 strikeouts looking this season.
“That is a lot of backwards K’s,” Little said. “I have been very blessed to have her for four years. She works hard and deserves everything she gets. She has been great for us.”
Piconi, the second hitter of the game for the Warriors, hit a solo home run to open the scoring.
Another long ball left the short field at Plum in the second when Allen cleared the fence for a two-run shot and a 3-0 lead. Freshman Cam Ponko led off the inning with a single.
“We played a scrimmage here earlier in the year, and we hit seven home runs,” said Piconi, who also homered in the Warriors’ 10-0 first-round win over Plum at Norwin. “We wanted to give Mia room to do her work. We want to keep winning for the seniors.”
Penn-Trafford, which has three straight shutouts — nine for the season — added to its lead with two more runs in the third.
Piconi, who went 3 for 3, bunted for a single, and sophomore Mack Keenan followed with a infield hit that took a high bounce off the turf. Two batters later, Ponko ripped a two-run double for a 5-0 advantage.
Ponko was 2 for 3 for the Warriors, who had nine hits.
Smith retired the first 11 batters before scattering three harmless singles. Shaler never got a runner to third.
“Seeding doesn’t mean anything,” Smith said. “Shaler was the 10, but it didn’t matter. We knew we still had to be on top of our game.”
Tags: Penn-Trafford, Shaler | 2022-05-20T01:31:50Z | tribhssn.triblive.com | Smith’s pitching, pair of homers lead Penn-Trafford softball past Shaler | Trib HSSN | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/smiths-pitching-pair-of-homers-lead-penn-trafford-softball-past-shaler/ | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/smiths-pitching-pair-of-homers-lead-penn-trafford-softball-past-shaler/ |
Greensburg Central Catholic celebrates with Isabella Marquez after driving in the the winning run to beat Leechburg during a WPIAL Class A quarterfinal Thursday, May 19, 2022, at North Allegheny High School.
Leechburg’s Ava Richards makes an over-the-shoulder catch on a ball hit by Greensburg Central Catholic’s Emma Henry during a WPIAL Class A quarterfinal Thursday, May 19, 2022, at North Allegheny High School.
Leechburg celebrates with Anna Cibik after her grand slam against Greensburg Central Catholic in the second inning during a WPIAL Class A quarterfinal Thursday, May 19, 2022, at North Allegheny High School.
Greensburg Central Catholic starting pitcher Emma Henry throws against Leechburg during a WPIAL Class A quarterfinal Thursday, May 19, 2022, at North Allegheny High School.
Leechburg starting pitcher Anna Cibik throws against Greensburg Central Catholic during a WPIAL Class A quarterfinal Thursday, May 19, 2022, at North Allegheny High School.
Greensburg Central Catholic’s Isabella Marquez beats the tag by Leechburg’s Bella Vozar in the first inning during a WPIAL Class A quarterfinal Thursday, May 19, 2022, at North Allegheny High School.
The Greensburg Central Catholic softball team will play in a WPIAL semifinal game for the first time in 10 years.
The Centurions got back-to-back run-scoring doubles from sophomore Macee Magill and junior Isabella Marquez in the bottom of the eighth to rally past No. 6 Leechburg, 9-8, in a Class A quarterfinal Thursday at North Allegheny.
“This is awesome. This just feels so good,” said Magill, who doubled twice and scored three runs in the victory for No. 3 GCC (12-5).
“We work every day for hours to be ready for games like these. Through all the ups and downs of the game, we had hope. We just needed to keep doing what we’ve been doing all season.”
GCC knows it will play its semifinal game Tuesday, almost 10 years to the day from its last WPIAL semifinal game: May 23, 2012 against Riverside.
But the Centurions will have to wait one day to find out who they will play. Thursday’s game between No. 2 Union and No. 7 Jefferson-Morgan was postponed to 5 p.m. Friday because of unplayable field conditions.
It was a game of momentum swings as GCC had an early lead, fell behind by four runs and tied it before Leechburg broke through with a run in the top of the eighth. Blue Devils cleanup hitter Bella Vozar was hit by a pitch from Centurions relief pitcher Makenzee Kinney and later raced home from third on a grounder to short off the bat of Falyn Verner.
“We’ve been in this situation before against some good teams,” GCC coach Mike Gaffney said. “When we were down four runs, we felt we were still OK. We had some mistakes, errors and walks we don’t normally make, but the girls never gave up. They fought and fought. Even in the eighth, we knew that if we got the leadoff on, we would be OK.”
Leechburg finishes its season at 9-6. The Blue Devils, who routed Rochester, 19-0, in the first round Tuesday, was attempting to qualify for the WPIAL semifinals for the fifth straight season.
“The girls gave all you could ask for,” Leechburg coach Debbie Young said. “We wish it would’ve tipped our way, but I am really proud of the girls. After the game Tuesday, I told the girls that I knew they would come in here today and play a full game against a really good team, and they did that. They played hard right to the final play.”
GCC jumped out to an early lead with three runs in the bottom of the first.
McGill led off with a walk and came around to score on an Emma Henry single.
Bailey Kuhns reached on a fielder’s choice, and she and Henry were driven home on a two-out single by Grace Kindel.
Leechburg responded in the top of the second, loading the bases with one out on walks drawn by Laney Aul and Ava Richards and a single from Grace Richards.
Henry, GCC’s starter, continued to struggle with control, walking Karli Mazak and Tatum Verner to bring in a pair of runs and draw Leechburg to within 3-2.
Henry’s issues in the circle prompted Gaffney to bring in Kinney with the bases loaded.
Leechburg pitcher Anna Cibik greeted Kinney with a shot high over the left-field fence. The grand slam surged the Blue Devils into the lead at 6-3.
Vozar then walked and came around to score on a fielding error.
GCC got a run back in the bottom of the second as Erica Rodriguez doubled with one out and later scored on a wild pitch to make it 7-4.
The Centurions closed to within 7-6 in the bottom of the fourth as Rodriguez singled, Magill doubled, and both came in on a one-out error. It then became 7-7 on an RBI double from Kinney.
Kinney surrendered just one hit over the final six-plus innings after giving up the grand slam. She walked seven and struck out eight.
Leechburg had several scoring chances after GCC tied the game. The Blue Devils hit into a double play to end the fifth, stranded two in the sixth and left the bases loaded in the seventh.
“One of the best pitchers in the WPIAL was struggling and we brought in a sophomore, and she did a nice job,” Gaffney said. “She made some great pitches when she needed them.”
Cibik went the whole way in the circle for the Blue Devils. She gave up 10 hits and issued two walks while striking out six. Of the nine GCC runs, five were earned. | 2022-05-20T03:25:02Z | tribhssn.triblive.com | Greensburg CC gets past Leechburg to make 1st semifinal trip in a decade | Trib HSSN | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/greensburg-cc-gets-past-leechburg-to-make-1st-semifinal-trip-in-a-decade/ | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/greensburg-cc-gets-past-leechburg-to-make-1st-semifinal-trip-in-a-decade/ |
You couldn’t have asked for a better volleyball match than the one between No. 6 Penn-Trafford and No. 3 Hempfield in the WPIAL Class 3A quarterfinals Thursday.
It was a classic battle between Section 3 rivals that went five games before the Warriors stunned the Spartans, 3-2, by scores of 19-25, 25-12, 25-18, 23-25 and 15-13.
In the fifth game, the Warriors rallied from an early deficit to pull it out.
“It was a great match,” Penn-Trafford coach Jim Schall said. “We got hot and played well as a team. It was a great effort.”
Hempfield built a 4-1 lead in the final game and held a 7-4 edge when Penn-Trafford got kills from Patrick Schall and Bryce Little to cut the lead to 7-6. A block by Noah Davis tied the score, and the Warriors took the lead for good 10-9 on a kill by Alex Rugh. It was part of a five-point run that saw the Warriors grab a 13-9 lead.
Andrew Kessler finished it off with a return that sent the Warriors team and fans into a frenzy.
“They played a perfect game,” Hempfield coach John Howell said. “We had a couple unforced errors that cost us. But they are much improved.”
Hempfield defeated Penn-Trafford in both meetings this season, 3-1.
Hempfield won Game 1, 25-19, behind the strong front-line play of Lane Harry, Sean Gordon and Chaz Ewer. Patrick Schall and Rugh were a force for Penn-Trafford.
But Penn-Trafford, behind the efforts of Kessler, Schall, Rugh and Brad Heinbaugh, blitzed Hempfield in Game 2, winning 25-12.
The Spartans had no answer for the 6-foot-5 Kessler. He had five kills.
“Andrew is capable of making things happen,” Schall said. “I put him in late in Game 1, and he had a big hit so I kept him in there. He definitely sparked the others around him.
“Daniel (Tarabrella) also played a great game. We had a lot of players step up.”
Hempfield, the third seed, was out of whack from the start when Penn-Trafford raced out to an 11-2 lead.
Penn-Trafford’s momentum carried into Game 3, and again the Spartans had problems with Kessler’s presence in the middle. Tarabrella chipped in with some big kills as the Warrior won 25-18.
Hempfield never led in Game 2 or 3.
Playing for their playoff lives, the Spartans grabbed a 25-23 win in Game 4. It was Gordon scoring the final three points to rally the Spartans from a 23-22 deficit. Gordon had seven kills during the game.
Schall, Rugh and Tarabrella had big points for the Warriors.
Penn-Trafford will play North Allegheny in Monday’s semifinals.
Shaler tops Norwin
Shaler coach Paul Stadelman called his team’s Class 3A quarterfinal win against Norwin “a team effort.”
The Titans edged the Knights, 3-1, by the scores of 25-22, 25-27, 25-20 and 25-21.
Zach Miller led the way with 30 digs. Logan Peterson had 18 kills, and Dante Palombo had 11.
“Norwin is a good team,” Stadelman said. “We didn’t know much about them because we had never seen them.”
Shaler moves on to the semifinals on Monday, when it will face Seneca Valley. | 2022-05-20T03:25:08Z | tribhssn.triblive.com | Penn-Trafford knocks off Hempfield in Class 3A playoff volleyball classic | Trib HSSN | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/penn-trafford-knocks-off-hempfield-in-class-3a-playoff-volleyball-classic/ | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/penn-trafford-knocks-off-hempfield-in-class-3a-playoff-volleyball-classic/ |
Facing an early deficit against Ellwood City in a WPIAL Class 3A quarterfinal Thursday at North Allegheny, the Southmoreland softball team responded in a big way.
The No. 5 Scotties scored nine runs in the top of the fourth to surge into the lead. They added on the rest of the way to finish off a 14-4 victory in a game halted after six innings because of the 10-run rule.
Southmoreland, which fell to Ellwood City, 4-2, in last year’s Class 3A semifinals at Penn-Trafford, improved to 13-3 on the season and will take on No. 1 Avonworth on Tuesday at a site and time to be determined.
“Ellwood City is a really good team. They are well-coached,” Scotties coach Todd Bunner said of the No. 4 Wolverines (11-4). “They always have really good players. But you know what? So do we, and we came to play.”
The matchup with Avonworth will be another rematch from last year as the Antelopes edged the Scotties, 3-2, in the third-place game for the right to enter the PIAA playoffs.
Southmoreland collected 14 hits off of Ellwood City starter Julia Nardone and reliever Sara Schwartz.
Nardone took the loss, giving up six hits and seven earned runs while walking four and striking out three in three-plus innings.
Amarah McCutcheon got Southmoreland on the board with a solo home run in the top of the first, and she added an RBI single in the fourth.
Gabrielle Grabiak tripled and drove in three runs, while Brynn Charnesky doubled and also collected three RBI.
Kaylee Dopplehauer knocked in a pair of runs for the Scotties.
Maddy Cyphert went the distance for the Scotties. She gave up nine hits and four earned runs against a potent Wolverines lineup. She walked none and struck out two.
“Maddy was a late entry,” Bunner said. “Maddie Brown was going to be the starter. She couldn’t go because of a back/neck spasm. We tried and worked her out. In the end, she just couldn’t go. Maddy Cyphert said, ‘I’m ready.’ She stepped in and did very well against a great hitting lineup.”
Aliya Garroway doubled and knocked in two runs to lead Ellwood City. Nardone and Keira Rozanski both doubled and added an RBI.
Tags: Ellwood City, Southmoreland | 2022-05-20T03:25:14Z | tribhssn.triblive.com | Southmoreland surges past Ellwood City into WPIAL Class 3A semifinals | Trib HSSN | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/southmoreland-surges-past-ellwood-city-into-wpial-class-3a-semifinals/ | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/southmoreland-surges-past-ellwood-city-into-wpial-class-3a-semifinals/ |
Union baseball ousts Riverview in title-game rematch
Thursday’s Riverview-Union Class A baseball quarterfinal was a rematch of last year’s championship game.
While Union didn’t get a no-hitter like it did last season from Jake Vitale, Tyler Straub tossed a gem for the Scotties.
Straub only struck out one, but Union picked up three early runs and Straub put matters into his defense’s hands as the Scotties sailed to a 5-1 victory at Shaler’s Matulevic Field.
Shortstop Anthony Roper handled six chances flawlessly, and catcher Nick Vitale had two hits and drove in two runs as defending champion Union (10-4) will move to the semifinals Monday against Rochester or Sewickley Academy.
Riverview (7-9) managed two hits off Straub and drew five walks, but they couldn’t put enough offense together against the senior right-hander.
“Tyler threw well today. He’s typically a high-strikeout pitcher,” Scotties coach Bill Sanders said. “We’re working on him on just being efficient and not getting his pitch count up. He pitched to a lot of contact today.”
Said Riverview coach Bill Gras: “We didn’t play well defensively. You’ve got to play defense in the playoffs. We didn’t hit the ball well, either. It just came down to defense.”
A couple of misjudged fly balls in the outfield enabled Union to take a lead in the first inning.
Mike Gunn’s double scored Staub, who reached on an error. Vitale’s single found a hole up the middle, and Gunn came racing home to make it 2-0.
Union tacked on another run in the second as Staub’s double drove home Shane Roper, who opened the inning with a double.
Riverview got on the scoreboard in the third when Luke Migley beat out an infield grounder, stole second, stole third and came home on a wild pitch. Migley collided with Staub at the plate, and the Union pitcher was shaken up.
“When he went down there, he hit the ground that was pretty hard back there,” Sanders said. “There was a little bit of a concern that he was hurt when he stayed sown. But he’s not going to let you take him out of a game unless his arm falls off or he’s going to the hospital or something.”
Staub soon resumed his mound duties and continued benefiting from fine defensive play. After a walk to Jack Loughren, John Patsey hit a grounder to first baseman Shane Roper right beside the bag. Roper spun around and threw a strike to his brother, Anthony, at shortstop to tag Loughren and end the inning.
Union scored two more runs in the fifth on a double by Vitale and a single to right by Mark Stanley to chase Raiders starter Vince Shook.
“Vince did a valiant job,” Gras said. “He ran out of gas. We debated whether to pull him. He’s a senior, so we wanted to give him the opportunity.”
Riverview had two runners on for the first time in the game in the sixth. Enzo Lio hit a chopper to the right of Anthony Roper, who threw to third to barely force out Patsey. After the umpires conferred, the original call at third stood.
The Raiders, who had high hopes before the season, couldn’t get enough consistency and finished 6-10.
Gras characterized the season as “disappointing.”
He added: “I thought we had a team here that could have gone all the way. We didn’t play well during the season, only four section wins. We just couldn’t get it done.”
Riverview will advance to Class 2A for at least the next two seasons.
Tags: Riverview, Union | 2022-05-20T03:25:20Z | tribhssn.triblive.com | Union baseball ousts Riverview in title-game rematch | Trib HSSN | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/union-baseball-ousts-riverview-in-title-game-rematch/ | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/union-baseball-ousts-riverview-in-title-game-rematch/ |
Penn-Trafford’s Brad Heinbaugh (15), Logan Swartz (gray shirt), Daniel Tarabrella (28), Andrew Kessler (32) and Patrick Schall (17) celebrate a point while Hempfield’s Chaz Ewer (15) and Joshua Reilly (19) look on during a WPIAL Class 3A quarterfinal May 19, 2022, at Hempfield.
Penn-Trafford senior Alex Rugh returns a serve from Hempfield during a WPIAL Class 3A volleyball quarterfinal May 19, 2022, at Hempfield.
Penn-Trafford players Brad Heinbaugh (15), Logan Swartz (gray shirt), Daniel Tarabrella (28), Andrew Kessler (32) and Patrick Schall (far right) celebrate a point during a WPIAL Class 3A quarterfinal match May 19, 2022, at Hempfield.
The Penn-Trafford volleyball team is picking a good time to play its best.
After finishing third behind Hempfield and Norwin in the difficult WPIAL Class 3A Section 3, the Warriors have put together two solid performances in the WPIAL playoffs.
The Warriors defeated Fox Chapel, 3-1, in the opening round and then stunned No. 3 Hempfield, 3-2, in the quarterfinals. Game scores were 22-25, 25-12, 25-18, 23-25 and 15-13.
Penn-Trafford (12-5) will face No. 2 North Allegheny in the semifinals at 6 p.m. Monday at Fox Chapel.
The Warriors looked nearly flawless in defeating the Spartans, who won both matches during the regular season, 3-1.
“It took us a little longer than expected to start to jell,” Penn-Trafford coach Jim Schall said. “Hempfield and Norwin had great teams, but we’ve become one. We played a great game against Hempfield.”
After dropping a 25-19 decision to the Spartans in Game 1, Schall inserted 6-foot-5 junior Andrew Kessler on the front line. His presence made an immediate impact, and the Warriors started playing with confidence.
They dominated Games 2 and 3 and never allowed Hempfield to play with the lead. Every time the Warriors scored a big point, the energy showed.
Leading the celebration were juniors Daniel Tarabrella and Patrick Schall. Tarabrella was one of the key leaders on the football team, which won PIAA and WPIAL Class 5A titles. He was the leading tackler.
“Andrew always plays well. He does his job,” Tarabrella said. “This was a big win for us. The key was the way we practiced and how motivated we were. We believed in each other.”
Different players stepped up for the Warrior. Unofficially, Kessler ended up with 19 kills, Schall 14, Alex Rugh 12 and Brad Heinbaugh nine.
“Andrew is capable of making those types of plays,” Jim Schall said. “I put him in late in Game 1, and he had a kill. I went with him, and he performed well. Everyone played well, especially Daniel. He was a leader on the court.”
Hempfield coach John Howell said Penn-Trafford was much improved and played a perfect game.
“They played really well, and we had too many unforced mistakes and it cost us. You can’t do that this time of the year.”
Schall said he couldn’t be prouder of his team.
“It was a great team effort,” Schall said. “Honestly, I didn’t think it would take us so long to get good. They beat us twice during the regular season, but we beat them when it counted.”
And now the Warriors are the lone team left from the section playing in the semifinals.
• Penn-Trafford knocks off Hempfield in Class 3A playoff volleyball classic | 2022-05-20T22:31:30Z | tribhssn.triblive.com | Penn-Trafford boys volleyball peaking at perfect time | Trib HSSN | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/penn-trafford-boys-volleyball-peaking-at-perfect-time/ | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/penn-trafford-boys-volleyball-peaking-at-perfect-time/ |
Chartiers Valley boys tennis team scratches out playoff spot
For the second straight spring, the Chartiers Valley boys tennis team finished fourth in rugged Section 4-3A.
“We had a pretty good season,” Colts coach Bobby Mack said. “We are in a tough section, and for us to make it in the playoffs is great.”
The Colts lost to North Allegheny, 5-0, in the first round of the WPIAL team playoffs.
The WPIAL championship banners hanging at some of the section competitions is impressive.
Mt. Lebanon has won 18 WPIAL boys team tennis titles and was a semifinalist this season. Upper St. Clair has 15 championships, and Peters Township has one.
“Qualifying for the playoffs is important for the program so the students see that we are competitive,” Mack said.
“We have made some positive steps, and the boys are willing to work in the offseason to get better.”
One of the highlights for Chartiers Valley this spring was a section victory over another tough rival. The Colts’ win over Bethel Park turned out to be the difference between fourth place and a playoff spot and fifth place and missing the postseason.
“Beating Bethel Park was a highlight,” Mack said. “They are usually a challenge for us, and beating them was a great feeling. This got us into the playoffs.”
While Chartiers Valley did not have any players qualify for the WPIAL singles championships, it did have a dynamic duo make the Class 3A doubles postseason tournament.
“Ethan Estatico and Derek Ferrer are two great tennis players,” Mack said. “These boys are great to have on the team to inspire the others to get better. During practice, they did a great job with helping everyone get better.
The two seniors will be hard to replace.
“They will be missed,” Mack said.
While Estatico and Ferrer stood out this spring, they weren’t the only bright spots for the Colts. Among the players Mack mentioned were Ajay Ohmnathan, Derek Armfield, Brendan Hallisey, Liam Pederson and Brandon Gallo.
As the offseason begins, a big change is on the horizon as the team will move from Class 3A to 2A.
“This will put us in a greater position to be at the top of our section,” Mack said. | 2022-05-21T21:18:34Z | tribhssn.triblive.com | Chartiers Valley boys tennis team scratches out playoff spot | Trib HSSN | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/chartiers-valley-boys-tennis-team-scratches-out-playoff-spot/ | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/chartiers-valley-boys-tennis-team-scratches-out-playoff-spot/ |
Seton Hill’s Morgan Ryan, a Hempfield graduate, brings four years of Division I experience to the Griffins softball team. Ryan pitched at Notre Dame.
Morgan Ryan and Jenna Osikowicz are no strangers to the big stage.
In Little League, they helped West Point win a Junior League World Series title in 2014. They helped Hempfield win consecutive PIAA Class 6A titles and now they’ve helped the Seton Hill softball team reach the NCAA Division II World Series.
Seton Hill (41-10) won the Atlantic Super Regional title Saturday by defeating Kutztown, 9-5, to win the best-of-three series, 2-0. Seton Hill won Game 1, 7-0. They led Game 2, 4-3, before the game was suspended in the third inning Friday because of severe weather.
When Game 2 resumed, Seton Hill coach Jessica Strong decided to pitch Game 1 winner Morgan Ryan to close things out. Ryan held Kutztown, the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference champion, scoreless until two outs in the top of the seventh inning when Jenna Lipowski hit a two-run home run.
Grace Paredes drove in three runs, and Morgan Toal and Ryan each had two RBIs for the Griffins, who will next head to the World Series in Denver.
“I knew the potential this team had,” Osikowicz said in a broadcast interview with Westmoreland Sports Network after the game. “It was a win-win situation for me to come back for a fifth season.
“We emphasized to the underclassmen do your best every day at practice and it paid off. The leadership from the seniors really helped.”
It also didn’t hurt that Ryan decided to play her final year at Seton Hill.
“I was so excited when I found Morgan was coming back,” Osikowicz said. “We won the Little League World Series in 2014 and now we’re going back, which is pretty neat.”
Seton Hill coach Jessica Strong said despite the delay, the team was ready to close things out.
“The plan was just to get them food.” Strong said. “Food makes me happy and food made them happy. You come out and deal with what you are dealt. You have to deal with the situations and we did.”
Strong said adding Ryan was a big key along with others.
“Collectively, Morgan is a great communicator,” Strong said. “She probably pitched more than she expected, but she accepted as a challenge.”
Ryan allowed five hits, three in the final inning, and struck out four. | 2022-05-21T21:18:40Z | tribhssn.triblive.com | Former Hempfield teammates help Seton Hill softball reach college World Series | Trib HSSN | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/former-hempfield-teammates-help-seton-hill-softball-reach-college-world-series/ | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/former-hempfield-teammates-help-seton-hill-softball-reach-college-world-series/ |
Fox Chapel baseball, softball teams fall in opening round
Fox Chapel pitcher Jake Patterson delivers against West Allegheny during a WPIAL Class 5A first round playoff game on Tuesday, May 17, 2022, at Burkett Park.
It was a tough day on the diamond as the Fox Chapel baseball and softball teams were ousted in the opening round of the WPIAL playoffs on May 17.
The baseball team fell to West Allegheny, 1-0, in the Class 5A first round. Vinnie Reiber got the only two Foxes’ base hits for the team that finished 7-6. Jacob Patterson pitched a two-hitter and struck out nine for No. 3 West Allegheny (16-4).
The Foxes softball team suffered a disappointing, 11-1 loss to No. 11 Chartiers Valley. The Foxes had high hopes of at least attaining last year’s first-ever PIAA tourney appearance.
Gianna Welsh went 2 for 2 with two home runs and four RBIs to lead No. 11 Chartiers Valley (14-4). No. 6 Fox Chapel finished 13-4 overall.
Boys basketball camp on tap
Fox Chapel boys basketball will host a camp for Little Foxes (Pre-K to third grade) and Running Foxes (fourth-ninth graders) this summer at Fox Chapel High School gymnasium.
Session I is June 27-30 and Session II is July 11-14.
Little Foxes will be from 9:30-10:30 a.m. Running Foxes will be from 9:30 a.m.-noon.
Cost is $100 for Little Foxes and $125 for Running Foxes. All campers will receive a 2022 WPIAL champions T-shirt.
For more information or to register, contact coach Zach Skrinjar at 412-519-5957 or zachskrinjar@yahoo.com. | 2022-05-21T21:18:46Z | tribhssn.triblive.com | Fox Chapel baseball, softball teams fall in opening round | Trib HSSN | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/fox-chapel-baseball-softball-teams-fall-in-opening-round/ | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/fox-chapel-baseball-softball-teams-fall-in-opening-round/ |
Fox Chapel boys lacrosse says goodbye to large senior class
Fox Chapel’s Nolan Adams fires a shot against Hampton on April 6, 2022, at Fridley Field in Hampton.
Fox Chapel’s Alex Zatman (4) celebrates with John Tramontina after scoring against Hampton on April 6, 2022, at Fridley Field in Hampton.
Fox Chapel goalie Wilson Runnette works in the rain during a game against Hampton on April 6, 2022, at Fridley Field in Hampton.
Fox Chapel’s Paul Stebbins plays against Hampton on April 6, 2022, at Fridley Field in Hampton.
Fox Chapel’s Jake Siddons celebrates after scoring against Hampton on April 6, 2022, at Fridley Field in Hampton.
Too many injuries and too many close losses.
That’s the 2022 Fox Chapel boys lacrosse season in a nutshell.
The Foxes finished 3-5 in section play, 8-7 overall.
“It’s nice to have a winning season, that’s definitely a positive,” said Kevin Devinney, Fox Chapel’s fifth-year coach.
“I think overall, though, we were a little disappointed. Before the season, we wanted to be one of the top five teams in the WPIAL. Fully healthy, we might have been.”
The Foxes lost five matches by one goal and three of the top six scorers lost time because of injuries.
“We needed one more section victory in order to make the playoffs,” Devinney added. “We lost three section games by one goal. Really, we just needed to win one of those games and we’d still be, potentially, playing.”
Fox Chapel lost 11-10 matches to Butler and Upper St. Clair and dropped 8-7 decisions to Pine-Richland and Seneca Valley.
The coach praised the play of goalie Wilson Runnette, defenseman Will Cooper, midfielder Ethan Napolitan and attacker Tommy Healy.
Healy was one of the top high school hockey players in the area this past season.
“He’s a pretty tremendous athlete,” Devinney said of Healy.
The Foxes will lose 16 players to graduation with an unusually large senior class departing the program. That means Devinney will be looking to fill a number of roster spots in 2023.
The upcoming summer months are considered the offseason for Fox Chapel’s lacrosse squad. Some players will see action with their respective club teams.
Activity will resume in the fall, however, with instruction and open practices.
Top returning players next season would be Andy Scott, Jake Siddons, Owen Cooper, Rocco Didomenico, Kaeden Pekarcik and Nolan Childs.
Said Devinney: “There’s a really nice group of sophomores who will be juniors next year. We’re looking forward to see how those guys step up and compete.”
It was a tough season for Fox Chapel, but Devinney feels Pine-Richland wasn’t expected to be one of the top teams but instead played well.
The Rams finished third in the section behind North Allegheny and Shady Side Academy.
Serving as Fox Chapel assistants this past season were Jacob Zaffuto and Rip Correnti. | 2022-05-21T21:18:52Z | tribhssn.triblive.com | Fox Chapel boys lacrosse says goodbye to large senior class | Trib HSSN | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/fox-chapel-boys-lacrosse-says-goodbye-to-large-senior-class/ | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/fox-chapel-boys-lacrosse-says-goodbye-to-large-senior-class/ |
Fox Chapel tennis team celebrates win over rival in WPIAL finals, PIAA 1st-round victory
Submitted by Will Siegel
Many WPIAL championship teams suffer a letdown in their first PIAA tournament game.
Not Fox Chapel’s boys tennis team, however.
The Foxes, after a convincing, 5-0 victory over Shady Side Academy in the WPIAL Class 3A finals May 11, won their PIAA opener over City League champion Carrick by the identical score.
One reason is the fact that Fox Chapel didn’t take the Raiders lightly.
“It was a good effort by Carrick, but we were prepared,” Foxes coach Alex Slezak said. “We wanted this to be a stepping stone to the next round.”
Fox Chapel then took its 14-1 record on to Hershey Racquet Club for the quarterfinals May 20-21. The Foxes were set to play Conestoga from the Philadelphia suburbs.
“We’re prepared, we know we have a job to do,” Slezak said. “The win over Carrick was a great win, we celebrated and now we’re ready to do the next job that we need done.”
The WPIAL title match victory was surprising to a number of observers, considering that the Foxes lost to Shady Side, 4-1, during the section season, thus denying Fox Chapel a 26th team section title. The Foxes were seeded sixth.
In singles competition at the WPIAL finals, Fox Chapel posted wins over the two players who won WPIAL doubles the week before.
Sophomore Will Siegel defeated Shady Side’s David Mnuskin, 6-2, 4-6, 6-3. Junior Cooper Friday was victorious over Sam Bitzer, 1-6, 6-4, 7-6.
“It’s great to have a rivalry with Shady Side,” Slezak said. “I know many of the Shady Side kids from teaching tennis at the Fox Chapel Golf Club, and I know many of the kids who belong to the golf club. We compete seriously against each other, but we root for each other as well. Having such a rival pushes you to be better.”
Not to be lost in the recap of the finals played at Washington & Jefferson College’s Janet L. Swanson Tennis Center was an impressive win by Ananth Kashyap over the Bulldogs’ Chase Hartman, 7-6, 6-2.
In first doubles, it was sophomore Travis Malone and freshman Mason Friday prevailing. Then junior Jack Delaney and sophomore Ben Hallman won to complete the sweep and give the Foxes their fifth WPIAL team title in the last six seasons.
“We had a plan to execute for the doubles, and they executed it and it worked out really well for us,” Slezak said. “The players all showed up and were ready to play.”
“We all knew that our seeding didn’t mean anything,” Siegel told the Tribune-Review. “Our coach told us that seeds are what other people think of you, but the results are what you think of yourself.”
Siegel also said that the WPIAL title means so much because the team has known each other since “we were really young.” | 2022-05-21T21:18:58Z | tribhssn.triblive.com | Fox Chapel tennis team celebrates win over rival in WPIAL finals, PIAA 1st-round victory | Trib HSSN | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/fox-chapel-tennis-team-celebrates-win-over-rival-in-wpial-finals-piaa-1st-round-victory/ | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/fox-chapel-tennis-team-celebrates-win-over-rival-in-wpial-finals-piaa-1st-round-victory/ |
Franklin Regional softball already looking ahead to 2023
Franklin Regional pitcher Carli Ramchandran delivers against Armstrong on April 20.
It wasn’t the way the Franklin Regional softball team wanted to end the 2022 season after a promising start.
But losing a starting pitcher with two games left in the season is tough to overcome.
That’s what happened to the Panthers when junior pitcher Carli Ramchandran sustained a broken right wrist when she was struck by a line drive during a nonsection game against Seneca Valley. It was a crippling loss.
After a great start, the Panthers ended up losing five of their final six games, including 14-6 to Shaler in the opening round of the Class 5A playoffs to finish with a 13-7 record.
“We were faced with a difficult task of using a freshman pitcher,” Franklin Regional coach Jim Armstrong said. “Sierra (Downs) did OK for being thrust onto the big stage. She held Shaler down until the fifth inning.”
Despite the loss, the future remains bright, maybe even brighter, for the Panthers.
They graduate three starters — left fielder Kam Marcus, third baseman Alisa Kane and corner infielder Erin Hanes — but return a lot of talent, including freshmen Toryn Fulton and Ciara Camacho and juniors Madison Nguyen and Sydney Jackson.
The four combined to hit 29 home runs, eight each by Camacho and Nguyen and seven by Fulton. Nguyen batted .536 and had 36 RBIs and Fulton hit .414 with 30 RBIs.
Ramchandran was 11-4 with an earned run average of 3.458. Armstrong said one of the exciting newcomers may spell Ramchandran on the mound in 2023.
“We have a few holes to fill, but we have a couple nice freshmen and eighth graders coming up,” Armstrong said. “We didn’t have a lot of depth this season, but we should be stronger next year.”
Armstrong couldn’t talk enough about Fulton and Camacho and calls Jackson the heart and soul of the team.
“I was really proud how we played against Shaler,” Armstrong said. “They battled and never gave up. It’s what they showed me at the beginning of the season.
“I don’t think the loss left a bad taste in their mouths. It just showed them what they are capable of being.”
Armstrong said with another year of experience and strong pitching, he feels his team should be a contender in a section that will be much improved with Penn-Trafford, Latrobe and Gateway joining the Panthers, Kiski Area and Armstrong.
“I like the new section,” Armstrong said. “It’s going to be very competitive.”
And Armstrong can’t wait to get started. | 2022-05-21T21:19:05Z | tribhssn.triblive.com | Franklin Regional softball already looking ahead to 2023 | Trib HSSN | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/franklin-regional-softball-already-looking-ahead-to-2023/ | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/franklin-regional-softball-already-looking-ahead-to-2023/ |
Led by emerging talents, North Hills boys lacrosse team on the rise
Just two years on the job and Alex Mueser is seeing some very enjoyable progress.
Mueser, a former Saint Vincent and Vincentian Academy standout, took over a building North Hills boys lacrosse program before last season.
It took a year, but the Indians were able to put together a solid regular season, finishing 8-8 with a 5-4 mark in a very tough Section 2-2A.
“We came hot out of the gate,” Mueser said. “From there, we took our time to learn and develop and play stronger teams and play different levels of competition across the WPIAL. We had our ups, we had our downs, but I think we continued to learn and grow as a team and individuals.”
The Indians qualified for the postseason and earned the No. 10 seed in Class 2A playoffs and a first-round matchup with Franklin Regional.
A big reason for the success has been the growth of the program. Until a few years ago, North Hills did not have lacrosse at youth levels, including middle school.
But the introduction of those teams has allowed the roster to grow from 23 players last season to 41 this year as the first wave of players from the new youth programs hit high school this year.
“Year 2 went a lot smoother,” said Mueser, who also increased his coaching staff from three to eight members this year. “We returned a lot, with a big senior class that has most of our starters.”
Alec Feigel, a junior on attack, led the Indians in scoring in the regular season.
“Very crafty,” Mueser said of Feigel. “He’s small in stature but has a ton of heart and is extremely physical.”
Mueser also credits a pair of midfielders in senior Bram James and junior Landon Tumpa with consistent play.
“If you need the ball to be played somewhere or have control, they’re the two I’d go to,” he said.
But it’s a freshman that perhaps has Mueser most excited. Midfielder Dominic Horton burst onto the scene this year and looks to be a major factor for the Indians for years to come.
“An absolutely wild thing of a kid,” Mueser explained. “Crazy engine, very physical, biggest heart of the team. In my opinion, he’s already better than some college (long stick midfielders) that I’ve played against.
“He definitely pushed not only our seniors, but our middle classmen, who some are still trying to find a groove and a rhythm. He basically sets the tone and it rubs off a lot on his freshmen teammates. They see how successful he is, and they try to join in on what he does.”
North Hills isn’t lacking in talent. Junior defender Sam Coldren is getting some Division I interest. Seniors Matthew Edlinger and Niko Kunsak are committed to Thiel. Senior goalie Conner Radecki will play next year at LaRoche and Tumpa has verbally committed to Alderson Broaddus.
Mueser has been impressed with his team’s physical dodging style and views it as a strength that sets his team apart from others.
But this offseason, he knows that physicality will have to be backed by a unified mentality, focused on consistency.
“Mindset and attitude,” Mueser said. “Next year we move up to 3A. We play Pine-Richland and North Allegheny. Some kids are taking it a little more easy than they should this year. Next year, every game is a battle. It’s win or go home every game.” | 2022-05-21T21:19:11Z | tribhssn.triblive.com | Led by emerging talents, North Hills boys lacrosse team on the rise | Trib HSSN | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/led-by-emerging-talents-north-hills-boys-lacrosse-team-on-the-rise/ | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/led-by-emerging-talents-north-hills-boys-lacrosse-team-on-the-rise/ |
Norwin notebook: Baseball team finishes strong to earn playoff berth
Norwin’s Christian Minto doubles, reaching second ahead of Upper St. Clair’s Jack Shearer during their game on April 26.
The Norwin baseball team rallied to earn a WPIAL Class 6A playoff spot and a decent seed in the bracket.
The fourth-seeded Knights (10-8) were scheduled to take on No. 5 Central Catholic (10-9) in the quarterfinals of the eight-team bracket May 23.
Softball rallies
Norwin softball made a last-minute push to get into the WPIAL Class 6A playoffs, beating North Allegheny, 6-0, in its final Section 2 game to clinch a berth.
Senior pitcher Angelina Pepe pitched a three-hitter, and five Norwin starters had two hits apiece, including sophomores Bailey Snowberger and Josey Michalski with triples.
The Lady Knights were flawless in the field in the season-extending win.
It got better for Norwin as the team took down Baldwin, 11-1, in six innings in the first round of the WPIAL playoffs at West Mifflin.
Pepe homered twice and drove in three runs to help her cause in the circle, where she struck out nine and did not walk a batter.
Norwin entered the WPIAL Class 3A boys volleyball playoffs as the fifth seed.
The Knights hosted No. 12 Fox Chapel on May 17 and rolled to a 25-18, 25-12, 25-15 victory.
Pons offered
Norwin sophomore Jackson Pons picked up another Division I football offer, from Bowling Green.
Pons, a 6-foot-1, 180-pound wide receiver and defensive back, is getting attention playing on the 7-on-7 circuit while also attending national camps. He led Norwin last season with 33 receptions for 457 yards.
Checking in on Norwin athletes playing at the college level:
• Saint Vincent: After a 24-win season and a deep run in the PAC Tournament, several Bearcats players received postseason recognition. Sophomore outfielder Alex Dillner was named to the second team. Dillner hit .447 (46 for 103) with 12 doubles, 28 RBIs and 21 runs scored. She was fifth in the PAC in batting average. She hit safely in 26 of her 30 games played.
• Youngstown State: Senior pitcher Chad Coles tossed 61/3 strong innings to earn his fourth win of the season as the Penguins downed Northern Kentucky, 5-3. Coles allowed eight hits, struck out six and walked two.
• Penn State Altoona: Freshman Nathan Graham shot rounds of 93 and 84, and freshman Logan Divald carded 79 and 93 as the Lions finished 37th out of 43 teams in the second round of the NCAA Division III Championship at Howey-In-The-Hills, Fla. The top 18 teams advanced in the tournament.
• Saint Vincent: Junior attacker Tyler Condrasky was named to the All-PAC Second Team.
• Westminster: Senior attacker Magen Polczynski was an All-PAC honorable mention selection after she scored a career-high 34 goals and added 13 assists.
• Waynesburg: Freshman Megan Barry finished fifth in the javelin at the Harrison Dillard Twilight Meet in Berea, Ohio. | 2022-05-21T21:19:29Z | tribhssn.triblive.com | Norwin notebook: Baseball team finishes strong to earn playoff berth | Trib HSSN | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/norwin-notebook-baseball-team-finishes-strong-to-earn-playoff-berth/ | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/norwin-notebook-baseball-team-finishes-strong-to-earn-playoff-berth/ |
Chartiers Valley coach Tim McConnell yells from the bench during the PIAA Class 5A state championship game against Cardinal O’Hara on March 25.
Chartiers Valley’s Megan McConnell celebrates with her dad, coach Tim McConnell, in the final seconds of the 2020 WPIAL Class 5A championship game.
The district basketball world was stunned earlier this month when one of the most decorated coaches in WPIAL history decided to make a change and leave the school he had been at for nearly three decades.
Tim McConnell resigned from his job as Chartiers Valley girls basketball coach to take the open job as boys basketball coach at Bishop Canevin.
The move came less than a month after Gino Palmosina, who guided the Crusaders to a WPIAL and PIAA championship this past season, took the job as boys basketball coach at Moon.
McConnell had spent 29 years as basketball coach at Chartiers Valley, the first 25 as boys coach and the final four years as the Colts girls coach.
The Seton LaSalle and Waynesburg University alum was 552-146 in his quarter-century of coaching the boys at CV, and was 110-7 in the past four years as the girls coach.
He has won nine WPIAL championships and a state title thanks in part to coaching his three kids, T.J., Matty and his daughter, Megan.
McConnell, 57, will keep his full time job as transportation director in the Chartiers Valley School District.
Q: When you were hired by Chartiers Valley in 1993, did you imagine you would have coach the Colts for nearly three decades?
TM: I never imagined I would be at Chartiers Valley for 29 years.
Q: What are you most proud of when looking back at your 29 years as Chartiers Valley boys and girls basketball coach?
TM: I am proud of the impact that I had on so many boys and girls.
Q: At what point did you realize you wanted to coach boys basketball again?
TM: After the season ended I did some reflecting, and I just thought it was time to coach boys basketball again.
Q: Will longtime assistants Shawn Sherry and Cate Gannon follow you to Bishop Canevin?
TM: Yes, Cate and Shawn are going to Bishop Canevin with me. My son, Matty, is also going with me.
Q: Those two have been with you a long time. What makes the three of you click?
TM: We get along so well with each other.
Q: Will it make it easier still working in the Chartiers Valley School District, or will that make it tougher emotionally come next winter?
TM: I love my job and the people I work with at the bus garage. I will miss the girls though. I think the girls are going to do great things in college.
Q: Why Bishop Canevin?
TM: It’s close to home, plus I attended a Catholic grade school and high school. I thought it was a great fit for me.
Q: Do you expect an adjustment going from a big public school to a smaller private school?
TM: I think there will be an adjustment at first, but once we get to know each other, I think it will be great.
Q: Besides coaching your three children and all the championships your teams have won, what are some of your top memories from the last 29 years?
TM: Wow, there are way too many to list. I have so many great memories from my 29 years at Chartiers Valley.
Q: Did you ever see yourself leaving Chartiers Valley on your own?
TM: Honestly, I thought I would retire from Chartiers Valley. However, I thought Canevin was a great opportunity for me to get back on the boys side.
Q: What continues to drive you to be a great coach?
TM: Just knowing that I have a positive impact on the young people I coach.
• Quaker Valley’s Adou Thiero commits to play basketball at Kentucky | 2022-05-21T21:19:35Z | tribhssn.triblive.com | Q and A with former Chartiers Valley basketball coach Tim McConnell | Trib HSSN | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/q-and-a-with-former-chartiers-valley-basketball-coach-tim-mcconnell/ | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/q-and-a-with-former-chartiers-valley-basketball-coach-tim-mcconnell/ |
Baldwin’s Grace Schumacher is mobbed by teammates after hitting a home run during their WPIAL Class 6A first round playoff game against Norwin on Monday, May 16, 2022, at West Mifflin High School.
Baldwin pitcher Brookelle Holby delivers against Norwin during their WPIAL Class 6A first round playoff game on Monday, May 16, 2022, at West Mifflin High School.
Baldwin’s Grace Schumacher rounds the bases after hitting a home run against Norwin during their WPIAL Class 6A first round playoff game on Monday, May 16, 2022, at West Mifflin High School.
The Baldwin baseball team was an offensive juggernaut this spring.
Baldwin hit .305 for the season with 16 home runs and 25 doubles. The Highlanders finished 10-10 overall.
“The calling card for this team was its offense,” coach Steve Bucci said. “We had a really solid season. We didn’t qualify for the postseason, but we played some really solid baseball.
“I thought going into the season the pitching would have to step up and (do so) early in the season. It struggled in the section opener. But as the season went on, it was much improved. The defense for the most was solid, and it outperformed last season’s defense easily.”
Senior third baseman Liam Gutendorf was the Highlanders’ home run leader with five. Senior first baseman Jon Rauch belted three round trippers, and juniors Christian Forgacs (OF) and Dylan Wise (C) added two apiece.
Carson Chapel, Nick Santillo and Adam Ledbetter hit one home run each.
Gutendorf and Santillo, a senior center fielder, led the club in hitting with .410 and .400 batting averages. In 10 section games, Gutendorf batted .452 with a .486 on-base percentage with two home runs and 12 RBIs.
Rauch racked up a .382 average, followed by Chapel, a junior outfielder, and Ledbetter, a sophomore shortstop, at .298 and .293.
Two other players in the starting lineup this spring were seniors Zack Ingold (INF/OF) and Ashton Nort (OF).
Forgacs was the workhorse on the pitching staff, posting a 4-2 record and 3.00 ERA with 21 strikeouts in 35 innings. He was 2-2 with a 2.24 ERA against section opponents.
Forgacs was complemented on the mound by Ingold (2-1), who logged a 2.33 ERA and fanned 32 batters in 27 innings.
Santillo (one save), Chapel (one save), senior Jake Scarpino (2.05 ERA) and Gutendorf all picked up one win.
Rauch, junior Michael Leonhart and senior Dom Stanziano also saw time on the mound.
Baldwin defeated several playoff teams — Bethel Park, Pine-Richland, Central Catholic, Quaker Valley, Hempfield and Thomas Jefferson — among its 10 wins this season.
“We beat Bethel Park again,” Bucci said. “That’s two years in a row.”
Baldwin opened the season with a spring training trip to Myrtle Beach to participate in the Ripken Experience.
The Highlanders started out 3-1 by defeating Penn Hills, 9-0; Dublin Scioto, 4-3; and Brush (Ohio), 6-0; and losing to Pickerington North (Ohio), 7-5.
They wrapped up their 2022 schedule with consecutive victories against Canon-McMillan, 11-1; Central Catholic, 11-7; Pine-Richland, 8-4; and Bethel Park, 14-8.
Baldwin scored 120 runs this season and averaged 6 runs per game.
Baldwin softball team fights through injuries
The starting lineup for the Baldwin softball team at the end of the regular season consisted of four freshmen, two sophomores, one junior and three seniors.
The Highlanders advanced to the WPIAL Class 6A playoffs with a 1-7 record in Section 1 and a 4-11 overall mark.
“I thought our team fought through some tough adversity this season,” coach Gina Fuchs said. “We were a young squad with three or four freshman starters. And the injury bug hit us pretty hard. Our returning starting senior pitcher, Brookelle Holby, was sidelined most of the season with an arm injury. We also had other season-ending or long-term injuries.
“So with injuries and a young squad it was certainly a challenge for us. I am proud of how we never gave up and continued to improve as the season progressed.”
Baldwin started out 2-4 before experiencing a five-game losing streak.
The Highlanders tied for fourth place in the section with Peters Township.
“My expectations are always the same,” Fuchs said. “For us to come out and compete to the best of our ability, to play tough defense, for the pitchers keep us in the game and to have quality at-bats at the plate.”
Baldwin’s starting lineup consisted of senior Brookelle Holby (P), sophomore Keira Platz (C), freshman Gabby Jaquay (3B), senior Maleah Pacella (SS), freshman Ryley Shaw (2B), sophomore Anna Schumacher (1B), freshman Kaylee Smolko (RF), senior Alexa Flavell (CF), junior Grace Schumacher (LF) and freshman Danielle Mezyk (DH).
“My lineup changed a bunch because of all our injuries,” Fuchs said. “Sometimes, we used senior Lenina Ebert either at flex or the outfield.”
The Highlanders received the No. 9 seed for the WPIAL playoffs and lost May 16 to No. 8 Norwin, 11-1, in the first round at West Mifflin.
Tags: Baldwin | 2022-05-22T04:35:57Z | tribhssn.triblive.com | Baldwin baseball team showed potent offense | Trib HSSN | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/baldwin-baseball-team-showed-potent-offense/ | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/baldwin-baseball-team-showed-potent-offense/ |
George Guido: Alle-Kiski Valley softball teams down to Final 4
We started with 17 baseball and softball teams from the Alle-Kiski Valley to begin the WPIAL playoffs last Tuesday: six baseball and 11 softball.
At the end of the week, we were down to four, all in softball.
Burrell and Freeport will be active Monday in the Class 4A quarterfinals. The Bucs will play Belle Vernon at 5 p.m. at Norwin, and Freeport takes on top-ranked Beaver Area at Mars.
The Bobcats have won 37 consecutive games and are led by Virginia Tech recruit Peyton List, sporting an 0.22 ERA and a .583 batting average.
On Tuesday in the semifinal round, Class A Springdale will square off against No. 1 West Greene, and Class 3A Deer Lakes will face South Allegheny. Both of those games have sites or times determined.
Busy Patsey
It was another busy week for Riverview’s John Patsey.
On Tuesday, the junior was part of the the baseball team’s 13-6 upset over No. 7 Bishop Canevin.
Bishop Canevin was trying to become the first school in WPIAL history to win titles in football, basketball and baseball in the same school year.
At the WPIAL track finals Wednesday, Patsey took third in the 300-meter hurdles with a time of 41.99 seconds. Then, as part of Riverview’s 1,600 relay team with Amberson Bauer, Micah Black and Jack Betler, the 13th-seeded Raiders finished fifth with a time of 3 minutes, 34.78 seconds.
Things didn’t go quite as well though for Riverview in Thursday’s baseball quarterfinals as the Raiders dropped a 5-1 decision to Union.
Facing facial hair
Facial hair has been taboo in high school wrestling for some time, except for moustaches that don’t dip below the lip corners.
Starting next season, however, any facial hair trimmed to a length so that skin is visible for medical examinations will be allowed.
Facial hair that is in the way of a potential examination by a medical professional will be trimmed to conform to the guidelines.
In such cases, the wrestler may not compete until the facial hair is trimmed and the medical examination is completed.
Also, hair control devices and other adornments in the hair that are securely fastened and do not present an increased risk to the wrestler, teammates or opponents will be allowed.
It brings to mind a time in the early 1970s when Freeport was hosting a state American Legion baseball tournament.
The late Sonny Westerman, chair of the tournament, had a barber’s chair stationed behind home plate. At the time, a player’s hair couldn’t touch the top of the uniform collar.
If it did, Sonny was there to do his own barbering until the player satisfied the guidelines.
Coincidence or not, the rule was changed the following season. | 2022-05-22T04:36:03Z | tribhssn.triblive.com | George Guido: Alle-Kiski Valley softball teams down to Final 4 | Trib HSSN | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/george-guido-alle-kiski-valley-softball-teams-down-to-final-4/ | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/george-guido-alle-kiski-valley-softball-teams-down-to-final-4/ |
Westmoreland athletes of the week: GCC’s Corinn Brewer, Penn-Trafford’s Andrew Kessler
Greensburg Central Catholic’s Corinn Brewer is a senior in the 2022 graduating class.
Submitted by Andrew Kessler
Penn-Trafford’s Andrew Kessler is a member of the 2022 boys volleyball team.
Claim to fame: Brewer continues to prove she is one of the elite track and field athletes in the WPIAL. The Notre Dame commit won the pole vault at the WPIAL Class 2A championships at Slippery Rock, while also finishing second in the 300-meter hurdles, third in the 100 hurdles and fourth in the high jump, a new event for her.
Were you pleased with your performance in the WPIAL meet?
Yes. I got a PR in the 100 hurdles and a season best in the 300 hurdles. I just pole vaulted to win because I wanted to focus on the 300 hurdles, so no big height there. I want to do better in the high jump at states. I haven’t practiced high jump once this season, so I’ll focus on that this week and next.
How many WPIAL/PIAA medals do you have now, and where do you keep them?
From cross country and track, I have 14 WPIAL medals and 10 PIAA medals. Hopefully, I can make that 14 PIAA medals after states. All my medals are hanging up on my medal hanger in my room. Some that I am most proud of will be framed in a shadowbox for my graduation party.
What are your goals heading into the PIAA meet?
To get PRs and win as many events as I can. I know I’m in the running for gold for all events, so I’m excited to see how I perform on that day.
Why did you choose Notre Dame, and what other schools did you consider?
I have been in love with Notre Dame since I was a kid. It was my dream to go to there. I think the campus is beautiful, and I love the faith aspect of ND. The track program is also very good, so I know that’ll help me and push me. I also considered Cornell, Yale, Columbia and Virginia Tech.
Who is the most famous athlete to come out of Notre Dame?
I would say Jerome Bettis. At least the most famous around here because he played for the Steelers.
How exciting was it to see your brother do so well at the WPIAL finals?
I am so happy and proud of James. He had worked so hard and ran so well in the 300 hurdle race. He was ahead the whole time, and I was cheering super loud and hoping he would hang on to the win. I was jumping up and down when he won.
Do you and James compete in everything you do?
James and I are not really competitive with each other. He beats me in everything he does now, and that’s OK. I don’t get upset.
What do you like to do to unwind?
I never have much time to unwind. Gymnastics has been yearround for me since I was 2 years old. Along with that, I fit in track and cross country and volunteer coaching in all of these sports. But when I do get time to unwind, I like watching Seinfeld and movies with my family.
Any unique talents outside of track and field?
I am a Level 9 gymnast, so that’s a pretty cool and unique talent. That keeps me strong in every muscle in my body, and I love getting to spend time with the other girls at practice. I also play piano sometimes.
What sport are you secretly good at?
Wrestling. I wrestled when I was very young and placed at the area finals. I had to give it up because it conflicted with gymnastics. I also think I would be good at swimming.
If you played football, what position would you play?
I think I would play wide receiver or running back. I played flag football when I was younger, and I liked playing all the positions.
Do you have any autographs from anyone famous?
Ben Blankenship, an Olympic middle distance runner, and Heather Kampf, a four-time national champion in the 1-mile road race.
Who is your favorite band or artist?
For King and Country. It is a Christian Pop band. I only ever listen to Christian pop and Christian rock music. That’s just what I like.
Favorite breakfast cereal?
Blueberry Morning, Great Grains. I think I eat Honey Nut Cheerios most often though. I tend to eat cereal for more than just breakfast.
Andrew Kessler
Claim to fame: Kessler came off the bench Thursday and helped rally his team to a stunning 3-2 victory against No. 3 Hempfield in the WPIAL Class 3A quarterfinals. Kessler led the Warriors with 19 kills, and his presence helped the other hitters on the team. The Warriors advanced to the semifinals against No. 2 North Allegheny at 6 p.m. Monday at Fox Chapel.
Did you realize you sparked the team when you stepped onto the court?
I did, but it just wasn’t me. Daniel (Tarabrella), Patrick (Schall) and Alex (Rugh) all started making plays.
Was it the best the team has played this season?
I think it was. We played with a lot of momentum, and hopefully, we can keep it going against North Allegheny.I’m excited to play against them.
What went through your mind after those first couple kill shots?
I was just trying to help my team make plays and not let the negative affect me.
Could you feel the momentum switch in Game 2?
I did. I was really focused, and it was a lot of fun. At one point, I quit looking at the scoreboard and focused on the game.
Hempfield had beaten you twice. What was the difference this time?
Our team chemistry is a lot better. Everyone is playing well together.
What’s it like to play for Coach (Jim) Schall?
He’s a great coach. Everyone likes playing for him because it puts us in good position to win. It’s good to have him in your corner.
What other sport to you play? Does it help you?
I play basketball. I like both sports, and they complement each other and prepare you for the different challenges you have on the court.
What’s it like playing alongside of Daniel Tarabrella? What does he bring to the court?
In addition to being a great leader, he’s super encouraging. He gets everyone excited the way he celebrates after a big point. He played a big role on the football team, and he brings that winning attitude to the court
Who are your biggest influences?
My parents (Zach and Julie) both played sports and offer me great advice. My dad played football in high school (Moon) and college (Allegheny). My mom swam and was on the track team. (Zach Kessler is the Franklin Regional athletic Director).
Do you have any pregame rituals?
I don’t do anything super crazy in my pregame routine. I make sure I’m stretched out and warm-up properly.
If you mom was to make you a special meal, what would it be?
I love her lasagna. It’s my favorite meal she makes.
Tags: Greensburg C.C., Penn-Trafford
• Quaker Valley tennis falls in state semifinals | 2022-05-22T04:36:21Z | tribhssn.triblive.com | Westmoreland athletes of the week: GCC’s Corinn Brewer, Penn-Trafford’s Andrew Kessler | Trib HSSN | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/westmoreland-athletes-of-the-week-gccs-corinn-brewer-penn-traffords-andrew-kessler/ | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/westmoreland-athletes-of-the-week-gccs-corinn-brewer-penn-traffords-andrew-kessler/ |
The second Tre Cunningham Memorial Basketball Tournament will take place June 9-11 in Jeannette.
Tre Cunningham’s name and legacy carries on at Jeannette.
The late three-sport star, who was killed in a motorcycle accident in the summer of 2020, was honored through a 3-on-3 basketball tournament last year at Jeannette.
Last week, the Jeannette Educational Foundation presented the Tre Cunningham Memorial BasketballTournament Scholarships to a pair of Jayhawks senior athletes in Tyler Horn and Sydney Shifko.
Each received $1,500.
Horn and Shifko, the foundation said, show the same characteristics as Cunningham: Multisport athletes who balance academics and succeed in both areas.
Cunningham’s father, Steve, and his sister, Tatyana, presented the scholarship awards.
The tournament will now move on to Year 2. The event is set for June 9-11 at Jeannette.
Eight high school-level teams already have signed up. The event could double that number.
Interested teams can contact Tim Carney at 724-989-6793.
It turns out Ligonier Valley senior softball pitcher Maddie Griffin’s injury was worse than first revealed.
Griffin said she broke a bone in her right (throwing) hand, which explains why she did not play in Wednesday’s WPIAL Class 2A first-round game against Bentworth.
The Rams, who finished second in the state last year, lost, 1-0.
Griffin, a Youngstown State commit, said she hoped to be cleared to return June 6 for the PIAA playoffs if Ligonier Valley qualified.
In the genes
Penn-Trafford senior Cade Yacamelli is one of the most talented athletes to play football at the school. He helped bring WPIAL and PIAA Class 5Achampionships to Harrison City last season.
He is a Wisconsin recruit.
But his family has Division I pedigree, and it stretches across the WPIAL.
Yacamelli’s first-cousin, Drew Lafferty, is a standout baseball player at South Park. A pitcher and first baseman, Lafferty has committed to Kentucky.
The boys’ mothers are sisters.
Gribble staying
Greensburg Central Catholic eighth grader Erica Gribble, whom coaches say has the talent to be the best sister yet from her family, has decided to stay at GCC.
Gribble, a 5-foot-8 point guard who is from Irwin, already has a Division I scholarship offer, from St. Joseph’s.
Her parents had considered transferring her to North Catholic, Oakland Catholic or Serra Catholic.
Gribble’s oldest sister, Alayna, is the all-time leading scorer at Norwin and played at Pitt and St. Joseph’s.
Middle sister, Olivia, plays at Division II Marietta.
The youngest Gribble was set to compete in the Michigan May Madness showcase this weekend in Brighton, Mich.
More for Enick
Penn-Trafford junior lineman Joe Enick added Division-I offers from Albany and Miami (Ohio). The 6-foot-3, 290-pounder played center and defensive linemen last year for the Warriors.
Franklin Regional football player Nick Petrucci, an offensive lineman and long snapper, has an offer to play at Division II Clarion.
• Greensburg Salem announced a number of senior college commitments. Among them: Carissa Caldwell (basketball, softball, Penn State Fayette); Taylor Carpellotti (cheerleading, Mercyhurst); Sarah Danley (volleyball, Chatham); Natalie DiCriscio (cross country, Shippensburg); Preston Henry and JC Wallish (football, Washington & Jefferson); Charles Johnson (cross country, Fairmont State); Angela Kobuck (tennis, Pitt-Greensburg); Catherine Martin (lacrosse, Marietta); Dwight Sarver (track, Seton Hill); Kylie Smith (soccer, Pitt-Greensburg) and Trevor Swartz (wrestling, Seton Hill).
• Southmoreland senior Julia Davis will play tennis at Mount Aloysius. Her teammate, Aly Derr, will play at Seton Hill.
Tags: Franklin Regional, Greensburg C.C., Jeannette, Ligonier Valley, Penn-Trafford, Southmoreland | 2022-05-22T04:36:27Z | tribhssn.triblive.com | Westmoreland notebook: Jeannette continues to honor the late Tre Cunningham | Trib HSSN | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/westmoreland-notebook-jeannette-continues-to-honor-the-late-tre-cunningham/ | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/westmoreland-notebook-jeannette-continues-to-honor-the-late-tre-cunningham/ |
Pine-Richland’s Owen Luellen gets past Penn-Trafford’s Dylan Militzer during first-round WPIAL Class 3A boys lacrosse playoff action Monday, May 16, 2022 at Pine-Richland High School.
Pine-Richland’s Cooper Zancosky gets around Penn-Trafford’s Jonny DeMarchis during first-round WPIAL Class 3A boys lacrosse playoff action Monday, May 16, 2022 at Pine-Richland High School.
Pine-Richland’s Luke Hatzimbes plays against Penn-Trafford during first-round WPIAL Class 3A boys lacrosse playoff action Monday, May 16, 2022 at Pine-Richland High School.
Pine-Richland’s Carter Ravotti throws a pass upfield against Penn-Trafford during first-round WPIAL Class 3A boys lacrosse playoff action Monday, May 16, 2022 at Pine-Richland High School.
The Pine-Richland boys lacrosse team clawed out of an early hole after dropping seven of its first eight games to finish third in Section 2-3A and earn the right to host a playoff game.
But the Rams ran out of steam in their postseason opener against a Penn-Trafford team set on making history.
Carter Green scored five times to lead the No. 10 Warriors to their first ever playoff win, 17-8, at No. 7 Pine-Richland in the WPIAL Class 3A first round Monday night.
The Warriors led from start to finish.
It was an abrupt way to end, but it didn’t diminish the gains made from early March to May for the Rams under first-year coach Dave Offner. They finished 7-10 overall.
“It was definitely a slow start to the season, but we strung together six wins in a row,” Offner said. “To make it to the playoffs and host a playoff game was awesome. It showed the resiliency in the group. To come up short with a loss stings because we were starting to get hot at the right moment. We were putting all the pieces together. I’m proud of the effort the boys put in all season.”
Not only did the win make program history for the Warriors, it allowed them to exact a bit of revenge on Pine-Richland, which bounced them from the playoffs last season. The Rams also picked up a tight 13-11 win over Penn-Trafford on March 28.
“Pine-Richland is always a good program and last year the script was flipped for us,” Green said. “This year we came out hungry, and we wanted that first (boys lacrosse) playoff win in Penn-Trafford history.”
The Warriors jumped to a 5-1 lead buoyed by a pair of goals from Braedan Mastine. Then a storm rolled in, forcing a 30-minute lightning delay.
Any worries of the delay being a momentum buster were put to rest when play resumed. Green, Mastine and Bennett Dupilka scored consecutive goals to up the lead to 8-1.
“We talked about it and how we had to come back out like it was a 0-0 game,” Penn-Trafford coach Charlie Hach said. “You’re concerned about losing that intensity after jumping out 5-1 and then sitting for a half hour, but our guys came out sharp. They were focused the entire game. I’m proud of them.”
The Rams made a run late in the first half with a pair of goals from leading scorer Cooper Zancosky and a tally by Owen Luellen, but the Warriors answered with a 3-0 run, including a goal by Gavin Weaver in the final 30 seconds to make it 11-4 going into halftime.
Penn-Trafford used a 5-1 margin in the third quarter to put the game away.
Not only did Green, a Seton Hill recruit, lead the way in the goal department, he consistently won faceoffs, giving the Warriors a huge advantage in time on attack.
“They were playing physical and set the tone early with the efficiency they had on offense,” Offner said. “(Green) did a really good job on faceoffs. Our kids had a really good year at the faceoff x, but they had our number. They won the possessions and valued the ball. We didn’t force many turnovers on the other end. That really hurt us with the time of possession.”
The Rams were without one of their leading scorers, Andrew Mellis, who was out due to injury.
“He’s an impact player,”Offner said of Mellis. “It definitely would’ve helped to have him, but it didn’t change our game plan too much. We we’re ready to go with the guys we had. It was a tough loss to have, but we hoped we could fill it with our depth.” | 2022-05-22T19:44:44Z | tribhssn.triblive.com | First-round playoff loss ends Pine-Richland boys lacrosse season | Trib HSSN | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/first-round-playoff-loss-ends-pine-richland-boys-lacrosse-season/ | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/first-round-playoff-loss-ends-pine-richland-boys-lacrosse-season/ |
Alle-Kiski Valley softball playoff capsules: Games of Tuesday, May 24, 2022
Ashlyn Ferderbar (right) and her Springdale teammates will play No. 1 West Greene in the WPIAL Class A semifinals Tuesday.
1-West Greene (13-3) vs. 4-Springdale (11-1)
6 p.m. at Boyce Mayview Park, Upper St. Clair Township
Winner plays: Winner of 2-Union (18-3) vs. 3-Greensburg Central Catholic (12-5) in championship game June 1 at Lilley Field, Cal (Pa.)
Players to watch: Alexis Hrivnak, Springdale; London Whipkey, West Greene
Extra bases: West Greene rolled in to the semifinals with a 7-0 victory over No. 9 Mapletown in the quarterfinals Thursday at Waynesburg University. The Pioneers had earned a bye past the first round. West Greene won WPIAL Class 1A titles from 2016 to 2019 and again in 2021 after covid wiped out the 2020 season. The Pioneers also made it to last year’s WPIAL title game. West Greene has won 13 games in a row since starting the season with three losses at the Ripken Experience in Myrtle Beach. The Pioneers are paced by Whipkey, a junior, and senior Katie Lampe. Both are hitting better than .450. Whipkey hit a home run, and Kiley Meek went 3 for 4 with four RBIs and threw a four-hit shutout with 12 strikeouts in the victory over the Maples. … Springdale also is on a winning streak as it’s won 11 in a row since a loss to Greensburg Central Catholic in the season opener. Senior pitcher Hrivnak allowed just four hits and struck out 18 as the Dynamos edged No. 5 South Side in the quarterfinals Friday. Hrivnak helped her cause with an RBI single, and senior Autumn Sprouse hit a sacrifice fly to score the winning run. Springdale fell to South Side in the quarterfinals last year.
2-South Allegheny (13-3) vs. 3-Deer Lakes (12-4)
Winner plays: Winner of 1-Avonworth (15-5) vs. 5-Southmoreland (13-3) in championship game June 1 at Lilley Field, Cal (Pa.)
Players to watch: Lydia Guthrie, Deer Lakes; Madison Pikula, South Allegheny
Extra bases: Deer Lakes, the Section 1 champion, snapped a three-game playoff losing streak with a 3-2 victory over Waynesburg Central in the first round. The Lancers got a two-run single from senior Guthrie that turned out to be the winner. Sophomore Maddie Kee struck out eight, and Anna Bokulich went 3 for 3 in the victory. Deer Lakes won WPIAL titles in 2012 and 2015 and reached the championship game in 2017. The Lancers beat Class 5A Armstrong and Class 4A Highlands in the regular season by a combined score of 18-4. They also played Class 4A playoff qualifier Knoch and Class 5A qualifier Shaler to close out the regular season. … South Allegheny’s potent offense paced it to a 10-4 victory over Keystone Oaks in the first round. Breena Komarnisky doubled and drove in three runs and also picked up the pitching win. Pikula and Ava Martorelli added 3-for-4 days at the plate. Five players had at least two hits in the Gladiators’ 15-hit attack. South Allegheny is seeking its first WPIAL title. The Gladiators have lost three straight WPIAL quarterfinal games. The last quarterfinals win came in 2011 before they fell to Burrell in the semifinals … The teams last played in 2018 as section foes. The Gladiators won both games against the Lancers that season.
Tags: Deer Lakes, South Allegheny, Springdale, West Greene | 2022-05-24T03:12:48Z | tribhssn.triblive.com | Alle-Kiski Valley softball playoff capsules: Games of Tuesday, May 24, 2022 | Trib HSSN | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/alle-kiski-valley-softball-playoff-capsules-games-of-tuesday-may-24-2022/ | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/alle-kiski-valley-softball-playoff-capsules-games-of-tuesday-may-24-2022/ |
Burrell’s Rae Seibert lays down the winning bunt against Belle Vernon in the WPIAL Class 4A quarterfinals Monday.
Belle Vernon’s Talia Ross reacts after a strikeout against Burrell in the WPIAL Class 4A quarterfinals Monday, May 23, 2022.
Burrell’s Katie Armstrong pitches against Belle Vernon in the WPIAL Class 4A quarterfinals Monday.
Belle Vernon’s Abby Fabin reacts after losing to Burrell in the WPIAL Class 4A quarterfinals Monday, May 23, 2022.
The Burrell and Belle Vernon softball teams went well beyond regulation to decide their WPIAL Class 4A quarterfinal game Monday at Norwin.
As dusk approached and the teams were locked in a scoreless battle with a trip to the semifinals on the line — Belle Vernon’s Talia Ross and Burrell’s Katie Armstrong were relentless in the pitching circle –—the Bucs were able to push a run across in the bottom of the 11th to score a dramatic 1-0 victory over the Leopards.
“It was simply a game between two very good teams,” said Burrell coach Rick Nealer, whose team improved to 12-1 on the season.
“Both lineups can really hit the ball, but as the game wore on, you could clearly see it was setting up to be a classic pitchers’ duel. Belle Vernon is so well-coached with some really powerful hitters. You hate to see one team lose a game like that. Both teams played really well. That’s what you expect in the playoffs.”
When the teams went to the 10th inning, the international rule — where a runner begins each half inning on second base — went into effect.
Belle Vernon had its runner stranded on third in the 10th and 11th innings.
Burrell junior Abby Larko started the bottom of the 11th on second. Rae Seibert, the No. 9 hitter in the Burrell lineup, laid down a bunt between home plate and the pitcher’s circle that Ross charged to field.
Ross’ throw to first was low, and it skipped into foul territory. Larko raced home with the winning run.
“I was definitely nervous when I came to the plate,” Seibert said. “I wanted to make a play for my team. When I saw the ball get past first base, I was filled with so much excitement and joy because I knew Abby was going to score.”
Burrell, which earned a bye past the first round and played for the first time since May 11, will face No. 2 Elizabeth Forward (15-2) in the semifinals at 3 p.m. Wednesday at Norwin.
The Warriors defeated No. 10 West Mifflin, 4-1, in Monday’s other quarterfinal game at Norwin.
The Bucs snapped a six-game quarterfinal losing streak. The last time Burrell won in the quarterfinals was 2011, when it defeated Bishop Canevin, 5-0, en route to the WPIAL Class 2A title.
For No. 6 Belle Vernon (12-8), the season comes to a sudden end. The Leopards were hoping to reach the WPIAL semifinals for the first time since 2018, when they won the second of back-to-back Class 4A titles.
Burrell defeated Belle Vernon, 3-2, in eight innings in last year’s first round.
“What can you say to the girls after the game? We give up just one unearned run,” Leopards coach Tom Rodriguez said. “Their pitcher did really well against us. We worked on the change-up. But she had an excellent pitch. We struggled there with it. We also struggled to get a couple of bunts down when you have to get them down. It’s critical, especially in the extra innings.
“But both pitchers; what was it, probably close to 40 strikeouts? Wow. One of them had to lose, I guess. That’s tough. But that happens.”
Armstrong gave up just four hits and struck out 21 batters. Maren Metikosh, the No. 3 hitter in the Leopards lineup, was the only one to really get to Armstrong.
She doubled with two outs in the first and tripled with two outs in the sixth. But both times, Armstrong came back to strike out cleanup hitter Ashley Joll to end the threat.
Armstrong struck out three batters in an inning three times. Her 21 strikeouts puts her two shy of 200 for the season.
“Katie is such a gamer, and she was on fire like she’s been all season for us,” Nealer said.
Ross surrendered just two hits, a single to senior Caroline Dynka with two outs in the first and an infield single to Alanna Miller to lead off the fifth.
Miller advanced to second on an error later in the fifth, but Ross struck out three in the inning to quell the threat. She finished the game with 17 strikeouts.
Dynka drew the only walk as she reached to lead off the game. She also was hit by a pitch to lead off the bottom of the sixth.
“We knew going into that it would be a tight game,” Armstrong said. “It’s such a great feeling to be where we are and know what we still can accomplish considering how we started the season with just 10 girls.
“We are a small team in numbers and also a young team, but we believed that we were capable of doing this. I can’t wait to get to Wednesday and see how far we can go.”
Tags: Belle Vernon, Burrell | 2022-05-24T03:12:54Z | tribhssn.triblive.com | Burrell softball advances with grueling 11-inning win vs. Belle Vernon | Trib HSSN | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/burrell-softball-advances-with-grueling-11-inning-win-vs-belle-vernon/ | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/burrell-softball-advances-with-grueling-11-inning-win-vs-belle-vernon/ |
Central Catholic’s Gavin Kelly celebrates his bases-clearing double in the sixth inning against Norwin during their WPIAL Class 6A quarterfinal on Monday, May 23, 2022, at Plum.
Central Catholic’s Brady Koziara scores past Norwin catcher Ty Cupp during the sixth inning of their WPIAL Class 6A quarterfinal on Monday, May 23, 2022, at Plum.
Central Catholic’s Gavin Kelly watches his bases-clearing double in the sixth inning against Norwin during their WPIAL Class 6A quarterfinal on Monday, May 23, 2022, at Plum.
Central Catholic sophomore Gavin Kelly is glad there is a quick turnaround from the WPIAL Class 6A baseball quarterfinals to the semifinals.
Quick as in, be ready to play again in less than 24 hours.
“That’s good. We want to keep playing because we’re hot,” the West Virginia commit said. “We’re like hot butter.”
The fifth-seeded Vikings rallied past No. 4 Norwin, 5-2, for a quarterfinal win Monday afternoon at Plum. Now, they will play top-seeded Mt. Lebanon (14-7) on Tuesday in the semis.
The Vikings overcame a 2-0 deficit to take down the Knights (10-9), who made the semifinals last year.
Junior pitcher Nick Robertson registered a complete game, striking out eight, walking one and allowing five hits.
“This is my first year as the head coach, but I was an assistant (in 2018) the last time we made the semifinals,” Vikings coach John Rende said. “This team reminds me a lot of those guys. They play as a team, as a family.”
Kelly, the leadoff hitter, reached base three times and broke the game open with a three-run, two-out double in the sixth with the score tied, 2-2.
He was the third batter to face Norwin senior reliever Sebastian Rosado-Guindin, who replaced junior starter Ryan Orosz.
“I was sitting on a fast ball, and that is what I got on the first pitch,” Kelly said.
A five-run sixth fueled Central, which lost to Norwin, 8-0, earlier in the season.
Two singles and an error got the Vikings started. A throw to second on a steal attempt allowed their first run to score.
Senior Nick Chirumbolo followed with a run-scoring single to left center to make it 2-2.
After a hit-by-pitch, Orosz was pulled despite solid work early. He earned the win against Central earlier.
Junior David Farrell singled to right past a diving senior EJ Dunn, and, two batters later, Kelly ripped a deep double over Dunn’s head. The ball bounced off the fence, allowing the Vikings to surge ahead 5-2.
“He’s at the top of our order and gets a lot of clean RBIs,” Rende said of Kelly.
Added Kelly: “There is something special brewing here. We have a saying, ‘Kill or be killed.’ We strive to be the best.”
Robertson, who struck out the side in the first — a good sign, Rende said — set down nine of the next 10 hitters after Norwin’s fourth inning.
“He was on the first two innings,” Rende said. “I’d put him up there with any (pitcher) in the WPIAL. We needed to give him some run support, and we did that.”
Norwin scored both of its runs in the fourth. Senior shortstop Jake Kendro singled, and Dunn ripped a shot to right center that one-hopped over the fence for a ground-rule double.
Junior Chris Slatt followed with a sacrifice fly for the first run, and sophomore catcher Tyler Cupp knocked a single into left to make it 2-0.
“I thought we did some good things early,” Norwin coach Mike Liebdzinski said. “Our approach was better. Ryan had a good game and deserved better. They hit a couple bleeders. We didn’t have a strong game defensively.
“My wife asked me, ‘Is (Central) any good?’ I told her, we’re in 6A. They are all good.”
Liebdzinski credited Robertson for how he worked around some of Norwin’s better hitters.
“He is one of the top strikeout pitchers around,” the coach said. “I knew we weren’t going to put a lot of runs up on him. We thought we’d have to hold them to two or less to win.”
Senior Mario Misiti had two hits for Central. Jack Whalen was 2 for 3 for Norwin.
Neither coach said a long layoff affected their team’s play. Because of the smaller, eight-team bracket in 6A, Norwin had not played since May 11, and Central had been off since May 13.
“We didn’t change what we did or who we are,” Rende said. “We tried to stay consistent.”
Tags: Central Catholic, Norwin | 2022-05-24T03:13:06Z | tribhssn.triblive.com | Kelly sparks 5-run inning that carries Central Catholic over Norwin, into Class 6A semis | Trib HSSN | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/kelly-sparks-5-run-inning-that-carries-central-catholic-over-norwin-into-class-6a-semis/ | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/kelly-sparks-5-run-inning-that-carries-central-catholic-over-norwin-into-class-6a-semis/ |
A seventh-inning curveball glanced off Mt. Lebanon catcher Paul Connolly’s mitt and rolled away, causing a moment of panic since there was a runner on third and a one-run lead.
Coach Patt McCloskey immediately wondered if West Mifflin’s baseball field was cursed, at least for his Blue Devils, who were two outs from winning a WPIAL quarterfinal.
“We have never won here,” McCloskey said, “and our season has ended here four times in a row.”
Yet, this time, Connolly chased down the ball and made a timely flip to freshman pitcher David Shields, who applied the tag at the plate, a resilient effort that ultimately let No. 1 Mt. Lebanon escape with a 5-4 victory over No. 8 Seneca Valley in the WPIAL Class 6A playoffs Monday.
“It was good to get a win here and break the curse,” McCloskey said. “Now, I don’t believe in that stuff at all … but it would have been easy to fold as everything kind of went wrong there in a hurry.”
Mt. Lebanon (14-7) advanced to face No. 5 Central Catholic (12-9) in a semifinal at 2 p.m. Tuesday again at West Mifflin.
Shields pitched two scoreless innings in relief to earn the win. But the stress caused by that passed ball fit perfectly in a game where neither team was ever too comfortable. Just a half-inning earlier, Seneca Valley dropped a two-out fly ball that let Mt. Lebanon scored twice for a 5-4 lead.
In all, there were four lead changes.
“There were a lot of 50/50 plays,” Connolly said. “It could have gone one way or another. It was a rough win but the ball dropped our way today.”
Seneca Valley (14-8) was trying to reach the WPIAL semifinals for the first time since winning the title in 2014. Raiders starter Nate Malak allowed six hits in six innings, but two late fielding errors by his defense proved costly.
“We’re not here today if certain plays aren’t made earlier in the year,” Seneca Valley coach Eric Semega said. “Now, when certain plays don’t go in your favor, it all equals out. It’s unfortunate it had to equal out today.”
Seneca Valley had led 1-0 and 4-3, but Mt. Lebanon found a way to rally back both times. That resilience kind of sums up the Blue Devils’ year, said senior Jack Smith, who provided the day’s biggest hit with a three-run homer in the third.
Smith’s opposite-field shot sneaked inside the right-field foul pole to give Mt. Lebanon a 3-1 lead.
“Our season has been up and down, but we keep fighting,” said Smith, a Harvard recruit who started Monday on the mound. “We fight ‘til the end, and that’s what we did today.”
Mt. Lebanon is chasing its first WPIAL title since 2006.
Smith allowed four runs on six hits in 4 1/3 innings, striking out seven and walking two. Evan Rossi earned the final two outs in the fifth, and then gave way to Shields, who pitched the sixth and seventh.
Seneca Valley had a 4-3 lead before a two-out miscue in the sixth gave Mt. Lebanon new life.
A flyball hit by Shields bounced off right fielder Owen Yarossi’s glove as he and center fielder Brock White converged. Mt. Lebanon’s Tyler Smith and Derrick Shields scored for a 5-4 lead.
The outfield error came one batter after an infield error extended the inning.
“You have two kids who are usually just so aggressive to the ball,” Semega said. “Our right fielder didn’t see it into the glove. That has not happened all year. We’ve never done that. It would be different if they didn’t want to make a play. They were trying to make a play.”
Seneca Valley scored one run in the third inning when Brock White doubled and scored, and added three runs in the fifth with a small-ball approach. The Raiders loaded the bases with a single and two bunts. A.J. Capizzi drove in one run with a sacrifice fly, and Malak followed with a two-run single to lead 4-3. But Mt. Lebanon escaped additional damage with an inning-ending double play.
Mt. Lebanon scored three runs in the third on Smith’s homer, and added two in the sixth on the outfield error.
Seneca Valley still had hope in the seventh with one out and runners on first and third. When the ball got past Connolly, Semega sent runner Tyler Mack from third, but Mack didn’t get a clean break and Connolly’s throw beat him to the plate.
“Obviously, it wasn’t a good decision on my part to send him,” Semega said. “Compounded with what happened the inning before, it wasn’t good.”
David Shields sealed the win with a game-ending strikeout. He struck out three of the seven batters he faced, but his play at the plate will be most remembered.
“It never goes how you want it to go,” Shields said. “In the end, it was an out, and that’s what we needed most. But I almost had a heart attack halfway through the play.”
Tags: Mt. lebanon, Seneca Valley | 2022-05-24T03:13:18Z | tribhssn.triblive.com | No. 1 Mt. Lebanon breaks ‘curse’ with quarterfinal win over Seneca Valley | Trib HSSN | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/no-1-mt-lebanon-breaks-curse-with-quarterfinal-win-over-seneca-valley/ | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/no-1-mt-lebanon-breaks-curse-with-quarterfinal-win-over-seneca-valley/ |
North Allegheny surges past Penn-Trafford to make another trip to WPIAL volleyball finals
North Allegheny’s Jack Birch (10) hits against Penn-Trafford’s Zach Kessler as NA’s Jake Koch (1) looks on during a WPIAL Class 3A semifinal Monday at Fox Chapel.
Penn-Trafford’s Patrick Schall blocks a shot by North Allegheny’s Jake Koch in a WPIAL Class 3A semifinal Monday at Fox Chapel.
Penn-Trafford’s Alex Rugh returns a shot during a WPIAL Class 3A semifinal Monday at Fox Chapel.
North Allegheny senior Caleb Schall (2) attempts to set Varun Kaveti (34) up for a kill against Penn-Trafford in a WPIAL Class 3A volleyball semifinal Monday at Fox Chapel.
It’s back to the WPIAL Class 3A boys volleyball finals for North Allegheny.
The second-seeded Tigers have won 21 titles, including 15 of the past 18 under coach Dan Schall.
They will go after No. 22 Wednesday at Robert Morris after defeating No. 6 Penn-Trafford, 3-0, by scores of 25-14, 25-22 and 25-22.
They will face No. 1 seed Seneca Valley, which they defeated in the 2021 finals.
Penn-Trafford was coming off a 3-2 upset of No. 3 Hempfield and was hoping to ride the momentum from that game.
“Early on we served well,” Schall said. “We were really hot. After that, we weren’t as sharp.”
The game featured a battle of coaching brothers and playing cousins. Jim Schall coached Penn-Trafford, and his son, Patrick, is a solid all-around player.
Dan Schall has coached North Allegheny for 19 seasons. His son, Caleb, was 2021 co-player of the year.
“The first game, their serving was the difference,” Jim Schall said. “They had a couple guys serving well. We knew it was going to be tough to score on them, but they had a few more serves and blocks that we did.”
Things evened out a little in Games 2 and 3. But each game the Tigers found a way to pull out the win.
“We have a lot of offensive weapons,” Dan Schall said. “We do a good job distributing the ball. This was a special win because it puts us back into the finals. You can’t take anything for granted.”
The North Allegheny coach also expected a tough battle from his brother’s team and knew they were playing well.
“They were coming off an emotional win, and we knew they were hot,” Dan Schall said. “They had nothing to lose, and I expected them to play at another level.”
Zach Kessler (12 kills), Alex Rugh (8 kills), Patrick Schall (7 kills) and Carson Good were strong in all three games for the Warriors.
“We were a lot more competitive in Games 2 and 3,” Jim Schall said. “If we play like that against any other team, we’d probably win.
“They’re a great team. We just weren’t able to put together any scoring runs like we did in our other playoff games.”
Penn-Trafford will get the opportunity to qualify for the PIAA tournament against Shaler on Wednesday.
Tags: North Allegheny, Penn-Trafford | 2022-05-24T03:13:24Z | tribhssn.triblive.com | North Allegheny surges past Penn-Trafford to make another trip to WPIAL volleyball finals | Trib HSSN | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/north-allegheny-surges-past-penn-trafford-back-in-the-finals-again/ | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/north-allegheny-surges-past-penn-trafford-back-in-the-finals-again/ |
Penn-Trafford’s Piconi gets her mojo back at plate in time for WPIAL softball playoffs
Penn-Trafford softball player Kylee Piconi
There is a marked difference in Kylee Piconi’s confidence — and her batting average — lately.
As it turns out, the two things are not mutually exclusive.
The Penn-Trafford junior shortstop has sparked the Warriors softball team through two rounds of the WPIAL playoffs, all the while ending a hitting slump that followed her around like her shadow.
Her solo home runs in back-to-back games helped Penn-Trafford (17-2) reach the WPIAL Class 5A semifinals. The Warriors will face No. 11 Chartiers Valley (15-4) for the right to play for a championship.
“She worked on her mechanics, and it is paying off,” Warriors senior pitcher Mia Smith said. “She pepped us up with both home runs. She is hard on herself, even harder than I am on myself.”
Piconi was hitting .441 early in the season as the leadoff hitter.
But over a seven-game stretch that closed the regular season, she was a lean 3 for 21.
“It was bad,” she said. “I was fighting a big slump. I took the initiative to change it.”
But then, with a powerful swing in a first-round game at Norwin, she was back.
How does an .857 average in the playoffs sound?
Piconi launched a homer and went 3 for 4 as the No. 2 seed Warriors routed Plum, 10-0. She followed with a 3-for-3 effort and another homer in Thursday’s 5-0 victory over Shaler at Plum.
Both times, she batted second. She also dabbled with the No. 6 and 7 spots throughout the season.
“I told coach I was feeling the pressure at the top, and I wanted to move down,” Piconi revealed. “It made a big difference.”
Coach Denny Little has a number of productive hitters, but his job is to put them in the right place on the assembly line to produce results.
“She is getting good contact on the ball,” Little said. “She made a few adjustments, and they worked for her.”
During the slump, she had three walks, was hit by a pitch and put down a sacrifice bunt.
“So she was still over a .300 base percentage,” Little said.
But Piconi is doing much more than that now. She has broken out in the postseason.
And to think she grew up a baseball player.
“The Rapp twins (McKenzie and Maddie) talked me into playing softball,” Piconi said. “I got on board.”
Piconi is hitting .375 with four doubles, four homers, 12 RBIs, 21 runs scored and 14 stolen bases.
Little said she is more comfortable with higher stakes.
“She is better against better pitching,” Little said. “Which is why she is hot again. I was never too worried. There are ebbs and flows.” | 2022-05-24T03:13:30Z | tribhssn.triblive.com | Penn-Trafford’s Piconi gets her mojo back at plate in time for WPIAL softball playoffs | Trib HSSN | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/penn-traffords-piconi-gets-her-mojo-back-at-plate-in-time-for-wpial-softball-playoffs/ | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/penn-traffords-piconi-gets-her-mojo-back-at-plate-in-time-for-wpial-softball-playoffs/ |
Penn-Trafford will play Chartiers Valley in the WPIAL Class 5A semifinals Tuesday.
11-Chartiers Valley (15-4) vs. 2-Penn-Trafford (17-2)
Winner plays: Winner of 4-North Hills (16-3) vs. 1-Armstrong (18-4) on June 2 (time TBD) in championship at Cal (Pa.)
Players to watch: Marie Kinchington, Chartiers Valley; Cam Ponko, Penn-Trafford
Extra bases: Chartiers Valley stunned No. 3 Trinity, scoring twice in the top of the seventh for a 6-5 victory. Kinchington went 2 for 3 with a double and two RBIs, Zoe Mangan drove in a pair and Callie Mangan had two hits. Zoe Mangan also was the winning pitcher. The Colts made the semifinals last year and lost to North Hills, 3-0. They won the consolation game for third place and went one-and-done in the PIAA bracket. The team went 5-10 in 2019 and missed the postseason. … Penn-Trafford returned to the semifinals for the second time in three seasons with a 5-0 win over Shaler in the quarterfinals. Senior pitcher Mia Smith (17-2) struck out 13, allowed three hits and walked one to earn her 40th career win. Junior Kylee Piconi hit her second home run of the playoffs, and senior Hannah Allen also homered, her team-leading fifth long ball. Ponko, a freshman third baseman who is hitting .500, had a two-run double. The Warriors won a PIAA title in 2019 when the current seniors were freshmen.
5-Southmoreland (13-3) vs. 1-Avonworth (15-5)
4 p.m. at Boyce-Mayview Park, Upper St. Clair
Winner plays: Winner of 3-Deer Lakes (12-4) vs. 2-South Allegheny (13-3) on June 1 in championship at Cal (Pa.) (time TBD)
Players to watch: Madison Brown, Southmoreland; Alivia Lantzy, Avonworth
Extra bases: Southmoreland avenged last year’s semifinal loss to Ellwood City in runaway fashion, thumping the Wolverines, 14-4, in six innings. Amarah McCutcheon homered — her 15th career blast, adding to the sophomore’s school record — while Brynn Charnesky continued to swing a hot bat in the playoffs with a double and three RBIs, and Taylor Doppleheuer and Gabriella Grabiak had three hits each with the latter also knocking in three runs. The Scotties last made the title game in 2018 when they won their only WPIAL title with a 12-1 win over South Park. … Avonworth picked up a crisp 5-2 win over defending champion Mt. Pleasant as Lantzy owned the circle. She struck out 16 in the win — and also homered — as the Antelopes avenged an 8-0 semifinal loss to the Lady Vikings, who had also beat them in the PIAA quarterfinals 3-0. Also for Avonworth, Meghan Fissore and Leah Kuban doubled, and Sydney Savatt had two hits and two RBIs. The win snapped a three-game losing streak for the ’Lopes. Avonworth clipped Southmoreland in last year’s third place play-in game 3-2, ending the Scotties’ season. The winner qualifies for the PIAA playoffs. The loser will play in the third-place game Thursday (time, site TBD) to get into the state tournament.
3-Greensburg Central Catholic (12-5) vs. 2-Union (18-3)
Winner plays: Winner of 4-Springdale (11-1) vs. 1-West Greene (13-3) June 1 in championship at Cal (Pa.) (time TBD)
Players to watch: Makenzee Kenney, GCC; Mia Preuhs, Union
Extra bases: Union rolled into the semifinals with an 11-0 victory over Jefferson-Morgan, a team from GCC’s section that was swept by the Centurions. The Scotties, who have one senior, are an offensive machine. They have scored 253 runs for an average of 12 per game. They put up run totals of 30, 25, 18, 17 and 16. Their losses are to Ellwood City (8-7), Neshannock (15-0) and Serra Catholic (3-2). Preuhs is a talented freshman. In the quarterfinal win, where Jefferson-Morgan managed just one hit, senior Emily Siddall homered, freshman Addison Nogay had a two-run hit, and Mallory Gorgacz ripped an RBI triple. … Greensburg Central Catholic scored one of its biggest playoff wins — and most exciting — in recent history with a 9-8 victory over Leechburg in eight innings. Isabella Marquez knocked in the winning run. Macee Magill and Marquez matched RBI doubles on the way to the walk-off win. Grace Kindel had two RBIs, Magill had two doubles and scored twice, Makenzee Kenney had two hits and struck out eight as the winning pitcher and Erica Rodriguez added two hits for the Centurions, who last played in the semifinals in 2012 when ace pitcher and Syracuse recruit Anna Marie Gatti was a sophomore.
Tags: Avonworth, Chartiers Valley, Greensburg C.C., Penn-Trafford, Southmoreland | 2022-05-24T03:13:36Z | tribhssn.triblive.com | Westmoreland softball playoff capsules: Games of Tuesday, May 24, 2022 | Trib HSSN | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/westmoreland-softball-playoff-capsules-games-of-tuesday-may-24-2022/ | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/westmoreland-softball-playoff-capsules-games-of-tuesday-may-24-2022/ |
Butler’s Madden Clement delivers against Seneca Valley last season.
Madden Clement threw a complete-game, three-hit shutout, striking out 10, to lead Butler to a 5-0 victory over Pine-Richland in the WPIAL Class 6A baseball quarterfinals Monday.
Clement, the son of longtime major league pitcher Matt Clement, the Butler boys basketball coach, also went 3 for 4 with a home run and two RBIs to send Butler into the semifinals for the second straight season. The Golden Tornado are seeking the school’s first WPIAL baseball title.
Brady Gavuala went 2 for 4 with a two-run homer and Ethan Trettel doubled and brought in a run for No. 6 Butler (14-5), which will meet No. 7 Upper St. Clair in Tuesday’s semifinals. Joseph Connell went 2 for 2 for No. 3 Pine-Richland (11-10).
Eden Christian 6, OLSH 5 – Ray Stierer hit a lead-off single in the bottom of the seventh and came around to score on a wild pitch, giving No. 1 Eden Christian (17-0) a walk-off win in the Class A semifinals. Stierer went 3 for 3, Brian Feldman singled, tripled and drove in a run, and Robert Farfan had a double and two RBIs for the Warriors, who will face No. 2 Union in the WPIAL finals. Michael Lazzaro doubled and drove in a pair and Gino Williams also had a double for No. 5 OLSH (10-8).
Knoch 6, North Catholic 3 – Eli Sutton went 2 for 4 and drove in four runs to lead No. 6 Knoch (13-7) in the Class 4A quarterfinals. Logan Cypher tripled, Brady Wozniak had two hits, and Luke DiSanti drove in a run for the Knights, who will face No. 2 West Mifflin in Tuesday’s semifinals. Angelo DeLeonardis started and allowed three runs in 5.1 innings for Knoch. Jacob Stallsmith pitched 1.2 scoreless innings for the save. Patrick Synan and Andrew Doherty doubled for No. 3 North Catholic (11-8).
Laurel Highlands 3, Beaver 1 – Joe Chambers threw a complete game, allowing one run on five hits and striking out 11, to lead No. 4 Laurel Highlands (14-6) in the Class 4A quarterfinals. Alex McClain had two hits and Tristan McCoy drove in a run for the Mustangs, who scored all three of their runs in the first inning. Laurel Highlands will meet No. 1 Montour in Tuesday’s semifinals. Jack Ray doubled and drove in a run for No. 5 Beaver (13-6).
Mohawk 6, Hopewell 2 – Marc Conti and Cooper Vance each doubled and Jay Wrona singled and drove in two runs to lead No. 4 Mohawk (16-4) past top-seeded Hopewell (15-7) in the Class 3A semifinals. Stephen Slate singled and had an RBI for Hopewell. Mohawk will meet No. 2 South Park in the WPIAL championship game.
Montour 11, Quaker Valley 2 – Mason Sike singled, homered and drove in four runs and Jake Robinson had a triple, home run and two RBIs to lead top-seeded Montour (16-5) in the Class 4A quarterfinals. Matt Luchovick doubled and drove in two runs and Ryan Gallagher also had a pair of RBIs for the Spartans, who will take on No.4 Laurel Highlands in Tuesday’s semifinals. Tommaso Floro and Adam Tanabe had two hits apiece for No. 9 Quaker Valley (9-10).
Neshannock 5, Burgettstown 3 – Luke Glies singled, doubled and drove in two runs and Jacob Walzer pitched 1.2 scoreless innings of relief to lead No. 7 Neshannock (17-6) to a 12-inning win in the Class 2A semifinals. Jake Rynd drove in a pair for the Lancers, who will meet No. 1 Serra Catholic in the WPIAL finals. Brodie Kuzior went 4 for 6 with an RBI and AJ Kuzior drove in a pair of runs for No. 6 Burgettstown (14-4).
Peters Township 11, Thomas Jefferson 1 – Bryce Thompson went 2 for 4 with a home run and three RBIs and Jake Lutte singled, doubled and drove in four runs to lead No. 1 Peters Township in the Class 5A semifinals. Joe Bedillion had two hits and an RBI and Jack Kail and Wes Parker doubled for Peters, which will meet No. 3 West Allegheny in the WPIAL finals. Brady Haberman and Elias Lippincott had two hits apiece for No. 12 Thomas Jefferson (15-7).
Serra Catholic 6, Riverside 5 – Joey DeMoss hit a lead-off double and Max Rocco drove him in with a one-out walk-off RBI single in the bottom of the seventh as No. 1 Serra Catholic (22-0) survived an upset bid in the Class 2A semifinals. DeMoss, Ethan Coddington, Matt Bisceglia and Eli Kite had two hits apiece for Serra, which will face No. 7 Neshannock in the WPIAL finals. Evan Burry doubled twice and Sam Barber had two hits for No. 5 Riverside (15-6).
South Park 3, Avonworth 2 – Winning pitcher Drew Lafferty struck out 11 in six innings, doubled and drove in a run to lead No. 2 South Park (17-5) to a Class 3A semifinal win. Brandon Clifford and Luke Rider singled and plated a run and Austin Lafferty earned the save for the Eagles, who will meet No. 4 Mohawk in the WPIAL finals. Mason Monroe singled and drove in a run for No. 3 Avonworth (15-8).
Union 3, Rochester 2 – Mike Gunn went 2 for 3 with an RBI and Mark Stanley also drove in a run as No. 2 Union (11-4) scored three runs in the third to win in the Class A semifinals. Tyler Staub gave up one earned run on four hits in six innings and Shane Roper worked a scoreless seventh to earn the save for the Scotties, who will meet No. 1 Eden Christian for the WPIAL title. Adam Schurr had two hits and Ethan Blair doubled and drove in a run for No. 3 Rochester (10-8).
Upper St. Clair 5, North Allegheny 1 – Ty Lagoni hit a two-run single and Jack Shearer and Brandon Liokareas drew bases-loaded walks as No. 7 Upper St. Clair (11-8) scored four runs in the top of the eighth to rally for a Class 6A quarterfinal win. Joe Altvater went the distance, allowing one unearned run on six hits with eight strikeouts in eight innings for the Panthers, who will meet No. 6 Butler in Wednesday’s semifinals. Aaron Posey went 2 for 3 with two doubles and starting pitcher Connor Smith went seven innings, giving up one run on two hits with seven strikeouts, for No. 2 North Allegheny (14-6).
West Allegheny 3, Bethel Park 0 – Anthony Pass threw a complete-game, five-hit shutout with seven strikeouts to lead No. 3 West Allegheny (18-4) to a Class 5A semifinal win. Anthony Ranieri singled twice and had an RBI, and Cam Davis and Austin Buzza each singled and drove in a run for West A, which will meet top-seeded Peters Township in the WPIAL championship game. Cody Geddes hit two singles for No. 2 Bethel Park (16-3).
West Mifflin 4, Blackhawk 1 – Jake Walker went 3 for 3 with a single, home run and three RBIs, and Zane Griffaton had two singles and an RBI for No. 2 West Mifflin (16-3) in a Class 4A quarterfinal win. Anthony Malagise went 3 for 4 and Jarrod Malagise and Louis Sebastian each hit two singles for No. 10 Blackhawk (12-8). West Mifflin will meet No. 6 Knoch in the semifinals.
Elizabeth Forward 4, West Mifflin 1 – Brooke Markland tripled and Julia Johnson doubled to lead No. 2 Elizabeth Forward (15-3) to a Class 4A quarterfinal win. Carlee Soukup went 3 for 4 and Lauren Vay drove in a run on a single for EF, which will meet No. 3 Burrell in Wednesday’s semifinals. Abigail Farmer went 2 for 3 with a double for No. 10 West Mifflin (12-9).
Frazier 6, Seton LaSalle 5 – Jensyn Hartman hit a three-run homer, Nicole Palmer drove in two runs, and Delaney Warnick doubled, as No. 2 Frazier (16-0) held on to edge No. 7 Seton LaSalle (13-5) in a Class 2A quarterfinal. Hannah Alonso went 4 for 4 with two RBIs for Seton LaSalle, which scored three runs in the top of the seventh and left a runner on third. Frazier will face No. 14 Bentworth in Wednesday’s semifinals.
Laurel 4, Chartiers-Houston 1 – Addie Deal went 2 for 4 with a home run, Eva Kuth drove in two runs, and Grace Zeppelin doubled for No. 5 Laurel (16-3) in a Class 2A quarterfinal win. Winning pitcher Autumn Boyd gave up one unearned run on three hits with 13 strikeouts for the Spartans, who will face top-seeded Neshannock in Wednesday’s semifinals. Hannah Richey drove in the lone run in for No. 4 Chartiers-Houston (16-4).
Montour 2, Yough 1 – Paytun Wiernik singled and later scored on a Mia Arndt bunt in the top of the ninth inning, leading No. 5 Montour (14-4) to a Class 4A quarterfinal win. Wiernik moved to second on a Kaitlyn Molitoris bunt, third on a Kylie Ross single and scored on Arndt’s bunt. Molitoris allowed one unearned run on eight hits with 11 strikeouts in nine innings. McKenzie Pritts, who went 2 for 5 with a run scored, singled with one out in the bottom of the ninth but was stranded. Emma Augustine went the distance for Yough (13-4), giving up nine hits and fanning 12. Wiernik went 3 for 4 for Montour, which will meet No. 1 Beaver in Wednesday’s semifinals. Arndt had two hits. Giacinta LaBrie singled and doubled.
Neshannock 10, Charleroi 0 – Hunter Newman went 3 for 3 with two doubles and two RBIs, and Gabby Quinn doubled and drove in a pair to lead No. 1 Neshannock (20-0) to a five-inning Class 2A quarterfinal victory over No. 8 Charleroi (11-6). Winning pitcher Addy Frye struck out 10 and doubled and Aaralyn Nogay also had a double to also help Neshannock, which will meet No. 5 Laurel in Wednesday’s semifinals.
OLSH 12, Bentworth 2 – Morgan O’Brien went 3 for 4 with two doubles and six RBIs, and Cassidy Fabiano doubled and had three RBIs to lead No. 6 OLSH (10-3) to a Class 2A quarterfinal win. Ava Ciummo went 2 for 2 with three RBIs, and Kaylee Fabiano hit two singles for the Chargers, who will meet No. 2 Frazier in Wednesday’s semifinals. Jaclyn Tatar doubled for No. 14 Bentworth (5-10).
Mars 24 South Fayette 2 – Josh Seipp scored seven goals and Wes Scurci added five to lead top-seeded Mars in the Class 2A semifinals. Austin Cote had four goals and Enzo Grieco chipped in with three for the Fightin’ Planets, who will meet No. 2 Quaker Valley in Thursday’s WPIAL finals at Robert Morris. Quaker Valley defeated Indiana, 12-8, in the other semifinal. Logan Purdy and Spence Hondru scored for South Fayette.
In the Class 3A semifinals, Mt. Lebanon got past Peters Township, 10-9 in overtime, and Shady Side Academy defeated North Allegheny, 9-7. The top-seeded Blue Devils will meet the No. 3 Bulldogs in the finals Wednesday at Robert Morris.
Mars 13, Hampton 9 – Mya Cote and Kellen Fletcher scored three goals and Charlotte Stamper and Grace Wu had two apiece to lead No. 2 Mars to a Class 2A semifinal victory. Emi DiLiberto scored five goals and Meghan Murray added two for No. 3 Hampton. The Fightin’ Planets will meet No. 5 Chartiers Valley in the WPIAL finals Thursday at Robert Morris. The fifth-seeded Colts knocked off top-seeded Blackhawk, 20-9, in the other 2A semifinal.
In Class 3A, Shady Side Academy handled Upper St. Clair, 13-5, and Mt. Lebanon beat Pine-Richland, 18-7. The top-seeded Bulldogs will meet the second-seeded Blue Devils in Wednesday’s WPIAL finals at Robert Morris.
Class 2A – Top-seeded OLSH advanced to the Wednesday’s WPIAL finals with a 3-0 victory over No. 5 Ambridge. No. 3 Montour knocked off No. 2 North Catholic in four games. The Chargers and Spartans will meet at 6 p.m. Wednesday at Robert Morris.
In the Class 3A final, top-seeded Seneca Valley will take on second-seeded North Allegheny at 8 p.m. Wednesday, also at Robert Morris. | 2022-05-24T09:50:17Z | tribhssn.triblive.com | High school roundup for May 23, 2022: Madden Clement’s shutout sends Butler into semifinals | Trib HSSN | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/high-school-roundup-for-may-23-2022-madden-clements-shutout-sends-butler-into-semifinals/ | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/high-school-roundup-for-may-23-2022-madden-clements-shutout-sends-butler-into-semifinals/ |
What to watch for in WPIAL sports on May 24, 2022: Softball rivalry writes another chapter
Armstrong’s Emma Smerick scores behind North Hills catcher Abigail Scheller during last season’s PIAA Class 5A semifinals.
Some of the best rivalries in sports were born from postseason clashes.
Steelers vs. Raiders in the ’70s and 49ers vs. Cowboys in the ’90s are two examples.
Perhaps a budding district rivalry is blooming in softball as Armstrong and North Hills prepare to face each other for the third time in the last two postseasons.
The first meeting took place in the 2021 WPIAL Class 5A championship game.
No. 8 North Hills completed its improbable run to district gold with a 12-2 win over Armstrong. Hannah Murphy had three hits and three RBI for the Indians, who won their first WPIAL crown in 21 years.
Revenge though was served in the PIAA semifinals as the River Hawks knocked out the Indians, 7-4. Emma Smerick hit two home runs and drove in four as Armstrong reached the state finals for the first time in school history.
The rematch of last year’s title game takes place at 3 p.m. Tuesday at Mars.
The other Class 5A semifinal features Penn-Trafford trying to reach the elusive finals against No. 11 Chartiers Valley.
The Warriors lost in the semifinals in 2019 to Connellsville and as the top seed, fell to North Hills in the 2021 quarterfinals.
The Colts have scored 17 combined runs in upsets of Fox Chapel and Trinity in the first two rounds.
The 5A semifinal will be played at 5 p.m. at West Mifflin.
3A and A softball semifinals
It’s been seven years since the Deer Lakes softball team won a WPIAL championship.
The Lancers are one win from returning to the finals for the second time since winning gold in 2015 and for the first time in five years.
Standing in their way Tuesday will be South Allegheny, a program that has never won a softball title.
The Lancers defeated the Gladiators in the first round of the 2015 playoffs, 4-2.
The other 3A semifinal has former champions colliding as 2018 Class 3A winner Southmoreland takes on 2019 Class 3A champion Avonworth.
Five-time defending Class A champion West Greene faces Springdale while Union takes on Greensburg Central Catholic in the two A semifinals.
All six WPIAL softball semifinals games Tuesday can be heard here on Trib HSSN.
New blood in 6A baseball
With North Allegheny losing in extra innings in the quarterfinals Monday, a new champion will be crowned in Class 6A in 2022.
Whichever of the final four teams wins it all, it will break a long title drought for its program.
Nine of the last 12 baseball champions in the WPIAL’s highest classification have been North Allegheny, Pine-Richland or Seneca Valley. All three of those teams lost in the district quarterfinals.
On Tuesday, top seed Mt. Lebanon battles Central Catholic while Butler faces Upper St. Clair.
Of those four, Central Catholic won it all in 2015, Mt. Lebanon in 2006 and Upper St. Clair’s only crown came in 1992.
While 30 years is a long time, Butler is trying to win its first WPIAL baseball crown.
4A semifinal frays
The 4A baseball final four features two section champions going up against a pair of runners-up Tuesday.
Top seed and Section 2 champion Montour will take on the second-place team from Section 3 in Laurel Highlands.
On the other side of the bracket, Section 3 champion West Mifflin goes up against Knoch, a team that was tied for second place in Section 1.
All four 6A and 4A semifinals games can be seen Tuesday on Trib HSSN.
Tags: Armstrong, North Hills | 2022-05-24T09:50:29Z | tribhssn.triblive.com | What to watch for in WPIAL sports on May 24, 2022: Softball rivalry writes another chapter | Trib HSSN | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/what-to-watch-for-in-wpial-sports-on-may-24-2022-softball-rivalry-writes-another-chapter/ | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/what-to-watch-for-in-wpial-sports-on-may-24-2022-softball-rivalry-writes-another-chapter/ |
Montour’s Mason Sike singles during a 2021 PIAA Class 4A state playoff game.
Mason Sike hit a tie-breaking two-run homer in the bottom of the fifth inning, leading top-seeded Montour to a 4-2 comeback win over Laurel Highlands in the WPIAL Class 4A baseball semifinals Tuesday.
Jake Robinson hit a solo home run to tie it in the fourth for the Spartans (17-5), who will take on No. 2 West Mifflin in the WPIAL finals. Braeden O’Brien singled and doubled for the Mustangs, who took a 2-0 lead in the top of the second. Sike went six innings to earn the win. Ryan Gallagher pitched a scoreless seventh to earn the save.
Upper St. Clair 8, Butler 2 – Christian Wieczenski went 2 for 3, including an RBI single during a three-run first inning that put No. 7 Upper St. Clair (12-8) ahead for good in the Class 6A semifinals. Ty Lagoni doubled and drove in two runs and winning pitcher Brandon Liokareas struck out eight in 6.1 innings for the Panthers, who will meet No. 1 Mt. Lebanon in the WPIAL finals. Colin Patterson singled and homered and Cooper Baxter and Conner McTighe singled and doubled for No. 6 Butler (14-6).
West Mifflin 3, Knoch 1 – Derek Kleinhans had two doubles and two RBIs and winning pitcher Perison Buck gave up an unearned run on three hits in five innings to lead No. 2 West Mifflin (17-3) in the Class 4A semifinals. Zane Griffaton also had two hits for the Titans, who will meet top-seeded Montour in the WPIAL title game. Luke Priester scored on an RBI groundout by Brady Wozniak for No. 6 Knoch (13-8).
Armstrong 6, North Hills 4 – Jessica Pugh hit a three-run home run to break a 2-2 tie in the bottom of the sixth inning, leading top-seeded Armstrong (19-3) in the Class 5A semifinals. Jenna Clontz hit a two-run homer in the third for the River Hawks, who will meet No. 2 Penn-Trafford in the WPIAL finals Thursday at Cal (Pa.). Mackenzie Egley singled and doubled and Bella Atherton had an RBI double in the sixth for Armstrong. Abby Scheller singled, doubled and drove in a pair of runs for No. 4 North Hills (15-4). | 2022-05-25T04:01:20Z | tribhssn.triblive.com | High school roundup for May 24, 2022: Mason Sike’s homer carries top-seeded Montour to comeback win | Trib HSSN | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/high-school-roundup-for-may-24-2022-mason-sikes-homer-carries-top-seeded-montour-to-comeback-win/ | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/high-school-roundup-for-may-24-2022-mason-sikes-homer-carries-top-seeded-montour-to-comeback-win/ |
The West Greene machine just keeps on rolling.
The Pioneers have a chance at an unprecedented sixth consecutive WPIAL softball title after Tuesday’s 5-2 victory over Springdale in a Class A semifinal at Upper St. Clair’s Boyce-Mayview Field.
West Greene (14-3) will play Union on June 1 at Lilley Field at Cal (Pa.) at a time to be determined. Sto-Rox (2000-04) and Hempfield (2015-19) also won five straight WPIAL titles.
The Pioneers scored three runs in the bottom of the second and added single runs in the fourth and sixth innings, making the most of their opportunities.
“We made our opportunities, too,” said West Greene coach Bill Simms. “You have to have a little bit of luck, too, anytime you win. We’re not saying we won because of luck, but it has to be on your side. But I thought we forced the issue, put some pressure on them. We had a couple of unearned runs, but we’ll take them.”
Olivia Kiger led off the Pioneers third with a walk. Freshman Payton Gilbert then slammed a triple to the right-field fence. Taylor Karvan walked.
Gilbert came home on a passed ball and Karvan on a wild pitch.
Kiger reached base on an error in the fourth and scored on Gilbert’s single. In the sixth, Lexi Six reached on an error to start the inning, advanced to second on a bunt by Kiger and scored on BrieAnn Jackson’s base hit.
Springdale (11-2) will play in the consolation game Thursday against GCC, with the winner entering the PIAA tournament that begins June 6. The Dynamos are coming off their first section title since 1998.
“They’re a good team, and they’re coached well,” said Springdale coach Anthony Pototo. “They’ve got some good players, their pitcher’s good and they’re solid defensively. They play smart, and that’s why they’ve won the WPIAL five years in a row. We knew coming in that we’d have to play a flawless game and make the routine plays. They got girls on base and made us pay for it.”
Pioneers senior Kiley Meek gave up five hits, three in the fourth inning. Brianna Thompson led off with the second of her three singles and went to second on Alexis Hrivnak’s single. Maggie Dvorsak followed with a single to right, and Thompson was thrown out at the plate.
The Dynamos scored on a groundout by Autumn Sprouse.
Springdale got on the scoreboard again in the sixth as Thompson came home on Dvorsak’s grounder to second.
Meek struck out 12, including three of the last four batters of the game.
Hrivnak also pitched a strong game, striking out nine and yielding just five hits.
“We ride her arm. She’s solid out there. Her and Brianna are a great 1-2 combination,” Pototo said. “I told the girls our season’s not done. We’ll come out to work Wednesday and find out who we play and see if we can make a run.”
Thompson made a great catch on a foul ball against the backstop in the first inning with her back to home plate.
Tags: Springdale, West Greene | 2022-05-25T04:01:57Z | tribhssn.triblive.com | West Greene softball team downs Springdale, goes for 6th straight WPIAL title | Trib HSSN | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/west-greene-softball-team-downs-springdale-goes-for-6th-straight-wpial-title/ | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/west-greene-softball-team-downs-springdale-goes-for-6th-straight-wpial-title/ |
Shady Side Academy girls lacrosse completes WPIAL 3-peat
Christopher Horner | Tribune-Review Christopher Horner | Tribune-Review
The Shady Side Academy girls lacrosse team celebrates with the WPIAL championship trophy after defeating Mt. Lebanon in the Class 3A final Wednesday at Robert Morris.
In 2019, Shady Side Academy needed two overtimes to beat Upper St Clair for its first girls lacrosse championship. Last season, the Bulldogs needed a goal from Jenny Wooding with 26.8 seconds remaining to best Mt. Lebanon.
There was no such drama Wednesday night at Robert Morris. The Bulldogs shut out the Blue Devils in the second half on their way to 15-7 win in the Class 2A championship game.
“It feels really good,” Shady Side coach Katy Phillips said of the three-peat. “This group started as freshman and became a really strong senior class. You see a lot of it on the field, but even the kids that aren’t getting that many minutes have had a huge impact on this team.”
There was no season in 2020 due the covid pandemic.
Phillips also enjoyed the fact that this title was achieved with less drama.
“It was nicer to be a little bit further ahead and have a little cushion,” she said. “But Mt. Lebanon is a formidable opponent, so you can’t slow down against them.”
The first half went back and forth, but Shady Side took an 8-4 lead before Mt. Lebanon scored the final three goals to pull within one.
Late in the half, Mt. Lebanon senior midfielder Reagan Murdoch, who notched a first half hat trick, injured her wrist, and the American University recruit did not return, which helped change the fortunes for the Blue Devils.
“Obviously, you never want to see someone get injured, but we were able to slow our game down in the second half,” Phillips said. “We rely a lot on three middies, and we did a really good job of all of that in the second half.”
Woodings, who is headed to Florida to play lacrosse, scored five goals on the night to lead the top-seeded Bulldog attack. Molly Walsh added four goals and two assists for Shady Side Academy while Columbia bound senior Ce-Ce Messner scored four goals and added an assist.
Addie Murdoch added a goal and two assists for Mt. Lebanon (17-2) while Lilly Girod finished with a goal and an assist for the Blue Devils. The only two losses this season for Mt. Lebanon have come against Shady Side Academy.
The Bulldogs (17-3) were efficient in the win, scoring 15 goals on 16 shots.
“What we tried to focus on is taking the opportunities to make the best shot and not just shoot,” Phillips said. “We’ve struggled with that this season, and this was about making sure those shots counted.”
Both Mt. Lebanon and Shady Side Academy have qualified for the PIAA playoffs. The Bulldogs will take on the fourth-place team from District 3 next Tuesday, while the Blue Devils are set to face District 6 champion State College. | 2022-05-26T05:12:40Z | tribhssn.triblive.com | Shady Side Academy girls lacrosse completes WPIAL 3-peat | Trib HSSN | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/shady-side-academy-girls-lacrosse-completes-wpial-3-peat/ | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/shady-side-academy-girls-lacrosse-completes-wpial-3-peat/ |
The Mars Fightin’ Planets celebrate their fifth straight WPIAL Class 2A title on May 27, 2021.
Last spring, Mars became the most decorated boys lacrosse program in WPIAL history with a fifth consecutive Class 2A championship.
On Thursday, the Fightin’ Planets hope to start a second hand of title rings.
Top-seeded Mars faces Quaker Valley in the WPIAL 2A boys lacrosse championship at 8 p.m. at Robert Morris.
Mars’ title run a year ago gave the school five district crowns, breaking a tie with Mt. Lebanon and Hampton for most boys lacrosse championships.
The second-seeded Quakers are trying to win their second district title. QV won the 2014 championship by beating Indiana, 13-10.
The Quakers defeated the Little Indians in this year’s semifinals, 12-8.
You can watch the title match only here on Trib HSSN.
Lax consolations
Before the Mars-Quaker Valley title match Thursday night, the district will have a pair of consolation lacrosse matches at RMU.
In girls 3A, Pine-Richland will battle Upper St. Clair at 4 p.m. while South Fayette takes on Indiana in boys 2A at 6 p.m.
The two winners earn a berth into the upcoming PIAA lacrosse state playoffs set to begin on Tuesday.
Softball consolation
While five of the district baseball and four softball consolation games will be played after the holiday weekend, there is one third-place softball game slated for Thursday.
The Class A consolation game takes place at Plum as Springdale and Greensburg Central Catholic hope to continue their season into the state playoffs.
The Section A champion Dynamos had an 11-game winning streak snapped in the semifinals Tuesday when they lost to West Greene, 5-2.
The Centurions finished in second place behind West Greene in Section 2-A and lost to Union in the semifinals, 9-2.
You can watch the game at 4 p.m. on Trib HSSN. | 2022-05-26T05:12:52Z | tribhssn.triblive.com | What to watch for in WPIAL sports on March 26, 2022: Mars lacrosse hunts another title | Trib HSSN | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/what-to-watch-for-in-wpial-sports-on-march-26-2022-mars-lacrosse-hunts-another-title/ | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/what-to-watch-for-in-wpial-sports-on-march-26-2022-mars-lacrosse-hunts-another-title/ |
Shenango’s Emma Callahan swept the discus and shot put at the WPIAL Class 2A championships May 18, 2022, at Slippery Rock University.
From Emma Callahan’s view, she’d just set a WPIAL championship record, but the Shenango shot putter also knew it’s hard to see from the circle.
“I was holding my breath and didn’t want to get excited too soon,” said Callahan, a senior. “I thought I had the record last year, too. It hit right before the 50-foot line, I got excited, and then that wasn’t it.
“Again, it was right near the line.”
Her eyesight proved as sharp as her skills.
Center graduate Allyn Laughlin, who later threw for Florida State, had owned the WPIAL record at 49 feet, 6½ inches since 2006. But once Callahan’s fifth toss was measured last week at Slippery Rock, the WPIAL championship record was officially hers.
With that record-chasing pressure lifted, Callahan then tossed her sixth attempt even farther, clearing 50 feet, 8 inches — a personal-best that ranked her third in the nation this season.
“My goal was to get the record,” she said. “I was ecstatic.”
With another mammoth throw or two this weekend, Callahan might feel that record-breaking suspense again at the PIAA championships in Shippensburg, where she’s heavily favored to win the 2A title.
No girl in the state has a throw this season within six feet of hers, so Callahan’s best measuring stick could be the record book. Laughlin also holds the PIAA record at 50 feet, 10¾ inches.
“I know Emma well enough to say she knows exactly what that record is,” Shenango girls coach John Montgomery said. “I’m sure she’s gunning for that record.”
“To God be the glory if I do,” Callahan said.
Callahan has already established herself as one of the best throwers in WPIAL history, but she’s also bringing attention to a Shenango program that deserves recognition as one of the league’s best.
Consider that since 1990, the Wildcats have won 16 WPIAL shot put or discus titles. That includes one by Montgomery himself, who won WPIAL shot put gold in 1998.
“There were a lot of good throwers at Hickory (in District 10) and there are a lot of good throwers at Hempfield,” Montgomery said. “But around the WPIAL, I think our throwing pedigree is pretty tough to beat.”
This year, Shenango throwers won four WPIAL gold medals. Callahan swept the girls shot put and discus titles in Class 2A, and teammate Will Patton won both events on the boys side.
Like Callahan, Patton also broke a WPIAL championship record. A senior and now a two-time WPIAL discus champion, Patton set the 2A discus record with a throw of 171 feet, 2 inches. The previous mark of 170-4 was set by another Shenango thrower, Dom Westby, in 2005.
“It was always a goal of mine to get the (WPIAL) meet record here,” Patton said on a dreary day at Slippery Rock. “To be able to do it with the rain and everything going on, I was pretty happy.”
Patton enters the state championship seeded second in the discus and eighth in the shot. Callahan is first in the shot and second in the discus.
Yet, the team’s success goes beyond them.
In all, the Lawrence County school is sending six throwers to the state meet this weekend. In fact, Shenango teammates finished first, second and third in the boys shot put at the WPIAL championship, earning them all a trip to Shippensburg.
In high school track, such success can usually be traced to assistants good at motivating and teaching technique. That’s certainly true at Shenango.
“We’ve been blessed with some of the best throwing coaches I’ve ever met,” Montgomery said. “I wish I could take credit for it.”
Shenango’s throwing programs are now under the guidance of assistant Matt Callahan, Emma’s father and a former college decathlete at Slippery Rock. He took over as throwing coach from Brian Cooper, a WPIAL shot put champion at Wilmington in 1988.
Cooper was instrumental in Shenango’s past success and coached Emma Callahan as a freshman before joining Laurel’s staff, where he’s also football coach.
“When Brian said he was going to end things at Shenango and go to Laurel, I never thought we’d be able to replace him,” Montgomery said. “But then Matt came in, and Matt has more energy than any coach I’ve seen in my life.
“He’s running laps with the kids. He’s lifting with the kids. He’s so well organized, and he got the kids to really buy into the offseason workouts.”
Among Shenango’s list of WPIAL champions, Michelle Watson won shot put in 2010 and ’12 and discus in 2011 and ’12. Dom Westbay won boys discus in 2015 and shot in ’14. Stephanie Montgomery won girls discus in ’04. Doug Petrick won boys discus in 2003, and Tony Nocca won the shot put title that year.
Kristen Koprivnak won girls shot and discus in 1999, and Lori Dando won both in 1994.
“We’d like to keep that (tradition) going,” Patton said. “We have two juniors right now who are really good and could have qualified (for WPIALs), but they only let you take three per school.”
Emma Callahan’s younger sister, Rachel, a freshman, also qualified for states in discus and pole vault. Joining them are Shenango throwers Patton (shot and discus), Maria Bryant (shot), Brandon Stuck (shot and discus) and Colton Ferrucci (shot).
“The group of throwers we have are some of the hardest-working people I’ve ever met, and my dad is one of the hardest-working people I know,” Emma Callahan said. “When we’re all pushing each other at practice, it breeds a really good environment for big throws.”
At states last year, Emma Callahan placed second in the shot (48-7½). This year, she’ll likely throw farther than any girl in Class 2A or 3A.
“I’m not surprised by anything Emma does anymore,” Montgomery said. “She’s dominant. You almost just expect to be impressed by her every time.” | 2022-05-27T02:39:40Z | tribhssn.triblive.com | As Emma Callahan chases shot put records, spotlight shines on Shenango’s success | Trib HSSN | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/as-emma-callahan-chases-shot-put-records-spotlight-shines-on-shenangos-success/ | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/as-emma-callahan-chases-shot-put-records-spotlight-shines-on-shenangos-success/ |
Brownsville’s Jolena Quarzo captures PIAA Class 2A gold in 1,600
Brownsville’s Jolena Quarzo wins the girls PIAA Class 2A 1,600-meter run Friday, May 27, 2022, at Shippensburg University.
SHIPPENSBURG — Jolena Quarzo prefers running in the morning.
The Brownsville junior was pleased when the PIAA announced that it was splitting the 1,600- and 3,200-meter events and running the 1,600 final as the first race Friday morning.
Quarzo won her first PIAA Class 2A 1,600 title Friday with a personal best time of 4 minutes, 54.08 seconds. The second-place finisher, Delaney Dumm of Forest Hills, was more than seven seconds behind.
Now Quarzo, the returning champion, can focus on winning her favorite event, the 3,200, on Saturday morning at Shippensburg’s Seth Grove Stadium.
Quarzo took command of the race on the second lap and slowly pulled away from the pack.
“I believe the 3,200 was first last year and to be the first winner of the day was great,” Quarzo said. “Last week I was happy to break 4:59 and to run a 4:54 is great.
“It was my personal record by five seconds. I didn’t feel I’d go quite that low, but to get a 4:54 is like, wow.”
It was the fourth consecutive year that a Quarzo has won a PIAA title. Her older sister, Gionna, was a 3,200-meter winner in 2018 and ‘19.
“My sister set the bar high for me,” Quarzo said. “So I just try to come in and win more gold medals. Neither of us had won the 1,600 before, so it was great.”
Jolena Quarzo has an opportunity to one-up her sister if she wins the 3,200.
“I don’t know, but I hope so,” Quarzo said. “I was super nervous coming into the race, more nervous that I normally am. I normally don’t run the mile. If there is a big invitational, I ran the 3,200.
“This was the first time I did it in a really big meet which is really good. Maybe I’ll concentrate on the 1,600 a little bit more.”
She also is excited to run the 3,200 on a different day. Last year, because of covid concerns, the Class 2A championship was held on Friday and Class 3A on Saturday.
Now, she will attempt to win the 3,200 when the meet begins Saturday.
“Last year, it was kind of bad because I used all my energy in the 3,200,” Quarzo said. “I wasn’t satisfied with my 1,600 and to win it means a lot.” | 2022-05-28T03:55:42Z | tribhssn.triblive.com | Brownsville’s Jolena Quarzo captures PIAA Class 2A gold in 1,600 | Trib HSSN | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/brownsvilles-jolena-quarzo-captures-piaa-class-2a-gold-in-1600/ | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/brownsvilles-jolena-quarzo-captures-piaa-class-2a-gold-in-1600/ |
Deer Lakes’ Carson McCoy defends 1,600-meter title at PIAA championships
Deer Lakes’ Carson McCoy defends his Class 2A state title in the 1,600 meters at the PIAA track championship Friday, May 27, 2022 at Shippensburg University.
Deer Lakes’ Carson McCoy passes the rest of the field down the final stretch of the PIAA boys 3A1600m run Friday, May 27, 2022 at Shippensburg University.
SHIPPENSBURG — Carson McCoy maybe isn’t a front runner, yet the Deer Lakes senior usually crosses the finish line first.
His patient, wait-for-your-moment strategy worked again Friday as he surged down the stretch to defend his PIAA Class 2A title in the boys 1,600 meters at the state track championships at Shippensburg University.
This was the second year in a row that McCoy celebrated at Seth Grove Stadium and each time he came from behind to win.
“I’ve always been a sit-and-kick kind of racer,” he said. “I don’t like to lead races, so I just try to stay as comfortable as I can. I tend to find something with 150 left.”
McCoy edged Schuylkill Valley senior Luke Seymour by less than two seconds, chasing down the same opponent as a year ago.
His winning time Friday (4 minutes, 13.14 seconds) was a personal best by five hundredths of a second. The time also was more than three seconds better than his winning mark here last year.
McCoy came to Shippensburg a year ago with a much lower profile as the WPIAL runner-up. This time, he wore the bright target of a reigning state champion.
“I was expected to win, so I felt a little more pressure,” he said. “Last year, I came in as a lower seed, so I was like, ‘Whatever. Let’s just go give them my best.’”
But winning last year assured him he already had a successful strategy. McCoy was running fifth in his heat after the first lap Friday and was third for the next two. Near the end of his fourth time around the track, McCoy caught and passed Seymour in front of the football stadium’s bleachers.
Last spring, his winning margin was four-hundredths of a second. This time he won by 1.67 seconds.
“My plan was to just hang in the pack,” McCoy said, “stay nice and comfortable and make my move with about 150 or so to go.”
WPIAL runners won three of the four 1,600-meter races. Moon’s Mia Cochran won the Class 3A girls title and Brownsville’s Jolena Quarzo won 2A girls.
Archbishop Wood senior Gary Martin defended his title in the Class 3A boys race and set a PIAA championship record at 4 minutes, 1.56 seconds.
The 1,600 was the only track final run Friday.
With one gold medal around his neck, McCoy hopes to add a couple of more medals Saturday in the 800 meters and 1,600-meter relay.
His relay team finished third in Friday’s preliminaries, earning one of the eight spots in Saturday’s finals. McCoy, Nathan Buechel, Aidan Herman and Fletcher Hammond finished about three seconds behind favorite Imhotep Charter.
McCoy is the top seed in the 800, with a two-second lead over Archbishop Carroll’s Gabriel Cuffey in a 25-person field.
The PIAA changed its championship schedule this year by eliminating all preliminary rounds for the 1,600 and moving that race to 9 a.m. Friday. That lightened workload let McCoy run three events this weekend.
Under the previous championship format, he likely would’ve skipped the relay.
“I’d have to run a 1,600 prelim, an 800 prelim and a 4-by-4 prelim,” he said. “That would be six races in two days. That would be brutal. Four is enough.”
Kiski Area sophomore Eliza Miller placed 22nd in the Class 3A girls 1,600.
Half of the field events were contested Friday. The only WPIAL athlete to win an event was Hempfield’s Liz Tapper in the Class 3A girls shot put.
Apollo-Ridge thrower Greg Klingensmith was seeded fifth in the Class 2A boys discus but faulted on three attempts.
Preliminary races were held Friday in the 100, 200 and 400 meters, the 400- and 1,600-meter relays and both hurdle distances.
Riverview’s John Patsey ran a personal-best 41.78 seconds in the 300 hurdle preliminaries in boys Class 2A but wasn’t among the top eight who advanced to Saturday’s finals. Patsey was 14th.
The meet was suspended for two hours around noon for a weather delay.
Hershey pole vaulter Justin Rogers broke a PIAA championship record by clearing 16 feet, 7 inches and then broke the overall PIAA record with a vault of 17-3. | 2022-05-28T03:55:48Z | tribhssn.triblive.com | Deer Lakes’ Carson McCoy defends 1,600-meter title at PIAA championships | Trib HSSN | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/deer-lakes-carson-mccoy-defends-1600-meter-title-at-piaa-championships/ | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/deer-lakes-carson-mccoy-defends-1600-meter-title-at-piaa-championships/ |
George Guido | For the Tribune-Review
The WPIAL held its 15th hall of fame induction banquet Friday at the Green Tree DoubleTree hotel. Inductees are seated, from left, Sydney Willig, Donna Richey, Ruth Ann Burke Malory Dietrich and Brianna O’Rourke. Standing from left, Ron Tyburski, Chad Salidbury, Chuck Tursky, Dion Bentley, Micah Mason, Jason Nolf, Bob Kalp, Bob Gorinski, Brian Simmons and Blair Gerlach.
Getting girls scholastic sports on the map wasn’t easy at first, but Ruth Ann Burke had faith that female participation would catch on quickly.
Once Burke co-founded the Western Pennsylvania Girls Athletic League in 1971 with Donna Shaver, girls scholastic sports became a reality. In its second year, 51 schools signed up to sponsor girls basketball. Besides that, 26 registered for swimming, 22 for volleyball and 19 for gymnastics.
Soon after, the WPGAL became part of the WPIAL.
“One of the big differences was at first, they only allowed the girls to play on three-quarters of a court, thinking the girls didn’t have the stamina,” said Burke, now 95. “The girls were so excited when they finally got to play on a full court, and they proved they were capable of playing well.”
Burke was one 16 inductees at the 15th WPIAL Hall of Fame banquet Friday night at the Green Tree DoubleTree Hotel.
One of the products of the early WPGAL days was the back-to-back state basketball titles for Aliquippa. The team was inducted Friday, and coach Donna Richey thanked Burke and remembered how “we older ladies fought the battle” to get acceptance for girls sports.
Mallory Dietrich’s career took her from being a record-setting captain of the Oakland Catholic girls swim team to a captain in the U.S. Marine Corps. She now is Deputy Director of Protocol for the Superintendent of the Naval Academy in Annapolis.
Fellow Oakland Catholic graduate Brianna O’Rourke-Kelly lost her junior year with the Eagles because of an ACL injury, but came back stronger than ever and started four seasons for Penn State.
Penn Hills long jump standout Dion Bentley had a tough beginning before he became nationally-known in high school.
“I was uncoordinated and clumsy,” Bentley said, thanking the people who saw his talent early.
Chuck Tursky, owner of 505 career wins as wrestling coach at Kiski Area and Burrell, stressed how he had to become a student of the game while competing against heavyweights of different sizes and shapes.
Kittanning High School’s Jason Nolf, who had a career wrestling record of 176-1 with the Wildcats, winning four WPIAL titles recalled “having so much energy as a kid that his father had to take him to a wrestling camp” to channel that energy.
Highlands sharpshooter Micah Mason, who once scored 64 points in a 2011 game against Valley, shot so often that his father bought him a shooting machine in fourth grade so he could put up as many as 500 shots per day.
Mt. Pleasant’s Bob Gorinski had accepted a football scholarship to Penn State in 1970, but all that changed when the Minnesota Twins drafted him in the first round soon after he played in the last WPIAL baseball game held at Forbes Field in June 1970.
Peters Township’s Brian Simmons thought he was “a little naïve and a raw athlete” when picked by the Baltimore Orioles in the MLB Draft. He went to Michigan and excelled on the collegiate level before turning pro with the White Sox.
Chad Salisbury of Frazier helped change WPIAL football in the 1990s from the three-yards-and-a-cloud-of-dust reputation to today’s modern passing game.
Bob Kalp’s softball teams at Hempfield won 431 games, seven WPIAL titles and four PIAA titles. His secret was “time management” at practices and attention to detail.
Monessen graduate Ron Tyburski starting officiating in rec leagues and ended up becoming one of the most respected officials in the WPIAL and the NCAA.
The 2011 Mars girls soccer team was inducted. The Planets went 25-0-1 and outscored the opposition 193 goals to 8.
Norwin’s Sydney Willig received the Courage Award for overcoming cystic fibrosis to play soccer at Norwin and now at Geneva College.
Connellsville’s Johnny Lujack, the 1947 Heisman Trophy winner while with Notre Dame, was unable to attend the banquet because of a recent hospitalization. | 2022-05-28T03:55:54Z | tribhssn.triblive.com | Female sports pioneers headline 15th WPIAL Hall of Fame class | Trib HSSN | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/female-sports-pioneers-headline-15th-wpial-hall-of-fame-class/ | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/female-sports-pioneers-headline-15th-wpial-hall-of-fame-class/ |
Liz Tapper wins PIAA shot put gold to join list of Hempfield state champs
Hempfield’s Liz Tapper won the PIAA Class 3A shot put title May 27, 2022, at Shippensburg.
Ligonier Valley’s Miles Higgins takes second in the boys PIAA Class 2A javelin throw Friday, May 27, 2022, at Shippensburg University.
Greensburg Central Catholic’s Corin Brewer competes in the girls PIAA Class 2A high jump Friday, May 27, 2022, at Shippensburg University.
SHIPPENSBURG – On the wall in the lobby of the Hempfield field house are pictures of all the school’s PIAA champions.
Hempfield athletic director Brandon Rapp now has to find room for Liz Tapper.
The junior became the ninth thrower in school history to win a PIAA title when she captured the Class 3A shot put Friday at the PIAA Track and Field Championships at Shippensburg University’s Seth Grove Stadium.
She joins Rachel Serafin, Samantha Fetter, Kim Kanala, Beth Obruba, Dan Norris, Max Adams, Weston Banks and Hayden Fox on the wall
On Saturday, she will try to become the fourth thrower to win multiple times, joining Serafin (four-time champion), Adams (two-time winner) and Banks (two-time winner).
Because Tapper was competing in two events at the same time, she hit her best throw, 46 feet, 4.25 inches, in the preliminary round. Her first mark was a 44-4, and then she nailed her second throw.
“I was so fired up after the first two throws that I got too jacked up,” Tapper said. “This was unreal. To be in a position to where McKenna (Orie) and Bella (Gera) are, two people I look up to the most, is unreal and the feeling is absolutely amazing to know all your hard work paid off.”
Tapper received a congratulatory call from Orie after the event.
Hempfield throwing coach Dave Murray said Tapper is a very talented athlete who works ridiculously hard.
“People don’t know what it takes to be a champion,” Murray said. “She would lift after volleyball or any free time she had.”
Murray said he and Tapper mutually agreed to pass on her throw in the finals to allow her to focus on the pole vault.
“If someone got close to her in the finals, we would have called her back,” Murray said. “She had a great week at practice and she might have broken her own record. She competed in both events for the team.”
Tapper didn’t do as well as she planned in the pole vault. She cleared 11 feet and finished 10th with sophomore teammate Grace Iwig.
“It definitely wasn’t my best, but I came here and got the job done,” Tapper said. “I came up a little short in the pole vault. Part was because they we moved from outside to inside.”
Heavy rains moved the pole vault indoor and it delayed the meet for more than two hours.
“I’m definitely really excited about Saturday,” Tapper said. “I love this so much and I think the weather is going to be OK. Hopefully I can get another state title underneath my belt. That would be absolutely amazing.”
Higgins takes 2nd
Ligonier Valley’s Miles Higgins threw a personal best 200 feet, 11 inches and finished second in the Class 2A javelin to Wyoming Area junior Drew Mruk, who won with a throw of 211-9.
Higgins also had two other throws of more than 194 feet (194-4 and 196-4).
“It was a super good day,” Higgins said. “I threw my best and I got beat. Drew is a super athlete and I knew it would be tough to beat him.
“We were actually in a league of our own. No one really challenged us.”
The best throw for Higgins, a North Carolina-Wilmington recruit, was his second toss in the finals.
Brewer earns medal
Greensburg Central Catholic senior Corinn Brewer tied for sixth in the Class 2A high jump. She cleared 5 feet.
The Notre Dame recruit said she was hoping to go higher, but sore shins prevented her from practicing. She said she’s looking forward to the pole vault Saturday.
She also qualified for the finals in the 100- and 300-meter hurdles, so she’s faced with a busy day.
She is seeded sixth in both races after running a 15.87 in the 100 hurdles and 46.27 in the 300 hurdles.
Jacobs, Zelmore place
Southmoreland senior Alexis Jacobs placed fifth in the Class 2A discus with a throw of 118-0 and Mt. Pleasant junior Tiffany Zelmore placed sixth in the Class 2A discus with a throw of 111-9.
Jacobs said she was pleased to earn a medal after failing to her junior season.
“I didn’t throw my best, but it was good enough to get a medal,” said Jacobs, who will be attending Seton Hill. “I’m really pleased that I made the finals.”
Zelmore said she didn’t expect to be in the finals, so placing sixth made her day.
“I was able to get a personal record,” Zelmore said. “Now I’m looking forward to next year.”
Reaching the finals
Greensburg Central Catholic freshman Eva Denis qualified for the 100 finals in girls Class 2A. She ran a 12.79 and is seeded sixth.
The Greensburg Central Catholic 400-meter relay team of Denis, Sasha Hoffman, Sara Felder and Ella Zambruno also reached the finals and is seeded sixth after finishing in 50.50.
The Norwin girls’ 1,600-meter relay team of Bernadette Zukina, Alexandra Walton, Bella Brozeski and Layla Robertson ran a 3:57.69 to qualify for the finals as a seventh seed.
Tags: Greensburg C.C., Hempfield, Ligonier Valley, Mt. Pleasant, Southmoreland | 2022-05-28T03:56:06Z | tribhssn.triblive.com | Liz Tapper wins PIAA shot put gold to join list of Hempfield state champs | Trib HSSN | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/liz-tapper-wins-piaa-shot-put-gold-to-join-list-of-hempfield-state-champs/ | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/liz-tapper-wins-piaa-shot-put-gold-to-join-list-of-hempfield-state-champs/ |
A-K Valley athletes of the week: Deer Lakes’ Carson McCoy, Reese Hasley
Submitted by Reese Hasley
Deer Lakes’ Reese Hasley is a member of the 2022 softball team.
Submitted by Carson McCoy
Deer Lakes’ Carson McCoy is a member of the 2022 track and field team.
Carson McCoy
Report card: Carson McCoy found success at the PIAA track and field championships Friday, winning gold in the 1,600 meters. McCoy also won gold in both the 1,600 and the 800 at the WPIAL championships earlier this month at Slippery Rock.
Nick Chubb.
Who is your favorite sports team?
I’m a Browns fan. I just grew up on them. My parents were born and raised as one, and I didn’t really have much of a choice.
How did it feel to win the state title in back-to-back seasons?
It feels great. It definitely lifts a lot of pressure off of my chest, I guess for the other events I have this weekend. It was nice to get the 4-by-4 (relay) qualified for finals as well.
How is it racing with your teammates during the 1,600 relay?
Just to have a group of guys able to push each other, it’s so much easier to run when you’re running for a team rather than just for yourself. That’s an important part especially since all three of them are my good friends, so it’s really lots of fun.
How much would you say that your teammates have meant to you for the past four years?
Just showing up to practice and just training every day would be so brutal without them.
Last year you were second in the WPIAL in the 1,600. How did you take first at WPIALs this year?
I was just well prepared and had a lot more consistent training this year, so just felt a lot more confident going into the race than I did last year.
What goes into your preparation?
I run about probably 45 miles a week. Having consistent training and staying injury-free are pretty much the two main keys.
What is your mindset like to help prepare for the endurance side of running?
My mindset going into a race is just to run and just trust my training. I don’t try to think too much going into the races. I just tell myself to run.
What has been your defining moment in track and field?
I think probably my state win last year because I wasn’t a very high seed or anything. It was kind of unexpected for me.
What was Friday’s race like?
I just hung around there for like 1,400 meters or so and then just started to make my move with about 150 to go.
Who has pushed you the hardest?
Definitely my dad. He’s just instilled hard work in me from a young age. Without him instilling that in me when I was super young, I probably wouldn’t be here.
How much does your family mean to you?
It means so much. Just traveling to meets for me and just doing anything they can by pretty much just laying out the groundwork for my future, it’s meant so much to me.
I’m heading to Eastern Michigan in the fall, and I’m majoring in exercise science. I’ll be running track and cross country there as well.
Reese Hasley
Report card: Hasley went 3 for 4 in the WPIAL semifinals against South Allegheny, including the game-winning home run. Halsey holds a .458 batting average entering the team’s WPIAL championship game Wednesday against Avonworth at Cal (Pa.).
One thing I have to do is put on eye black. Our whole team puts on eye black. We think it just gives us that edge.
Who is your favorite athlete of all time?
I like Duke’s basketball team, so my favorite athlete was always Christian Laettner because there’s something about that bad-guy mentality.
How would you describe the team’s run through the WPIAL playoffs?
It’s just us working hard and working hard all season. We’ve had some hiccups here and there, but we’re finally putting it all together here in the playoffs, and hard work is paying off.
How did it feel to hit that go-ahead home run in a clutch spot like that?
It was just awesome. That was my first home ever, so to have that happen in a playoff game is just crazy to me. I’ve been working hard and I’ve been getting up and trying to get that bat going and I got a good piece of it.
What went into that at-bat?
My coach just said “base-hit,” so I just tried to get a base hit. As soon as I got a hold of that ball, It came in a little bit high and it was one of those pitches that were perfect. I got a great bat on it and it just flew, which is just awesome. As soon as I hit it, I just knew it was going.
What’s your approach?
I don’t stand too low and I don’t want to stand too tall. I’m just kind of relaxed, but I want to walk up there with some confidence.
How important have your teammates been throughout your high school career?
My teammates are my everything. The first steps to having a successful team or just being on a team, in general, is having connections and having relationships with your teammates on and off the field. This season, our relationships are just awesome, and every one of us brings something different to the plate.
What have your coaches meant to you?
They’re always working just to make sure that we’re successful, but also to make sure that we’re just having fun and just really enjoying ourselves. We play our best is when we’re having fun,. They push us forward and they really want to see us succeed.
My dad for sure. He’s on the coaching staff. He’s an assistant coach on the team. It’s funny sometimes. He’s always on me. He’s pushing me and sometimes gets on me for some stupid things, and he’ll get on me for some good things, but when he gets on me for stupid things the girls all laugh at him sometimes, so we have some fun.
Family is No. 1 to me. They’ve always been my No. 1 supporters and they’ve always been there for me. Even my extended family, my cousins graduated college, and my other cousins and I are graduating high school this year. We went for like a graduation dinner and they were just so happy for me and the team.
What was their reaction to your go-ahead home run?
We watched back the game on the broadcast and after I hit the home run, you can see my brother in the outfield. He jumps up and as soon as he jumps up, he sprints all the way across the fence and he grabs the ball.
How did it feel to score your 1,000th point in basketball this winter?
That was just the definition of just hard work paying off, especially playing our rival Freeport that night. Not only did I get that, but I got the game-winner and scored 1,000 points. I think it just made it that much sweeter.
Why did you decide to go to Grove City?
I chose Grove city because I just got a great feeling. I visited other schools that are looking at me for basketball, but Grove was just one that hit home. I just followed my heart with that one. I made that decision back in November, and I get more and more excited about it every single day. I’m gonna be continuing my basketball career, and I’ll be majoring in marketing. | 2022-05-28T18:30:07Z | tribhssn.triblive.com | A-K Valley athletes of the week: Deer Lakes’ Carson McCoy, Reese Hasley | Trib HSSN | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/a-k-valley-athletes-of-the-week-deer-lakes-carson-mccoy-reese-hasley/ | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/a-k-valley-athletes-of-the-week-deer-lakes-carson-mccoy-reese-hasley/ |
Disputed call haunts Hampton baseball team
Hampton pitcher Cam Marshalwitz delivers against Fox Chapel during the second game of a doubleheader on April 20.
Hampton baseball coach Kellen Wheeler said he “couldn’t even sleep that night” after the Talbots’ controversial WPIAL playoff loss to Penn-Trafford.
Senior left-hander Cam Marshalwitz called it “a terrible way to go out” and “the worst way” to end a game.
A questionable seventh-inning call brought the Talbots’ 2022 season to a sudden and unexpected halt with a 4-3 loss to No. 8 seed Penn-Trafford in the WPIAL Class 5A first-round on May 17 at West Mifflin.
The umpire ruled Hampton pinch-runner Brayden Hussar left second base early in the top of the seventh while trying to advance on a flyout to centerfield. The double play ended the ninth-seeded Talbots’ season and sent the elated Penn-Trafford players sprinting off the field.
Wheeler said “there is no possible way” Hussar left early. Marshalwitz was convinced Hussar didn’t jump the gun and said, “I didn’t think it was even close. I was taken by shock.”
Trailing 4-3, Hampton’s Charlie Schuit and Vinnie Matthews hit consecutive singles to put runners on first and second. With one out, leadoff hitter Luke Staggers drove a deep fly to center. The Penn-Trafford outfielder made the catch and threw to the shortstop as Hussar tagged up and advanced. The P-T shortstop then tossed to ball to second base to challenge the play, and the umpire made the game-ending call.
“The only reason they threw it to second base is because they wanted to keep Vinnie at first,” Wheeler said. “They didn’t even try to throw it to third base. Brayden could have gone for a hard jog and still been able to make it. That’s how deep it was.”
When the ruling was made, Wheeler was in the dugout, shouting to Hussar to stay alert for a possible passed ball during the next at-bat.
“I picked my head up, and Penn-Trafford was running off the field celebrating,” Wheeler said. “I had no clue what even happened. The umpire just ran off the field. I never got an explanation or anything.
“My only comment to the umpire was, ‘You just ruined a game for seven kids that are never going to play a high school baseball game again.’”
Said Marshalwitz, “Everyone was furious. The people that were most upset were the parents. … The umpires made the call, and they did not stick around at all to talk to the coaches or even negotiate. They made the call, and they basically sprinted off the field to their cars. Adam Dembowski’s dad saw them in the parking lot and gave them a piece of his mind.”
The play ended a season that saw the Talbots (10-10) open 8-0 in Section 2-5A, their best start since 2013, and reach the playoffs for the 14th time in the past 16 seasons.
Playing their final high school game were Marshalwitz, outfielders Dembowski and Staggers, catcher Matthews, third baseman Cole Lux, Hussar and Schuit.
“The seniors are who I feel bad for the most,” Wheeler said. “I couldn’t even sleep that night even thinking about it.”
Junior outfielder/pitcher Ryan Apaliski earned first-team all-section honors, and junior second baseman Anthony Bucci and Staggers were named second team.
Marshalwitz, who is considering Youngstown State where his older brother Casey is a junior pitcher, Mercyhurst and Seton Hill, was named honorable mention.
Returning next season are juniors Apaliski, Bucci, Eric Weeks (SS), Braxton Eastly (1B) and Zach Carr (OF), sophomores Matt Erka (P/OF) and Sean Sullivan (IF) and freshman catcher Justin Dubee.
Wheeler said the Talbots gathered in left field after the sudden loss to reflect on the playoff game and the season.
“There was a lot of emotions going on,” he said. “I walked out to the kids, and I was speechless. I usually have things to say after the game. But for the game to end that way, I really didn’t even know what to say at that point.”
Marshalwitz said the bus ride home was “definitely a lot different than last year,” when the Talbots were “humiliated” in a 14-1 loss to West Allegheny in their playoff opener. While the seniors were emotional, the underclassmen, with time, were able to shrug off the stinging loss to Penn-Trafford.
“The kids had pizza on the bus, and by the time we got to about halfway home, everything started to settle and get back to normal,” Wheeler said. “At that point, it’s a high school baseball game. Life moves on.” | 2022-05-28T18:30:26Z | tribhssn.triblive.com | Disputed call haunts Hampton baseball team | Trib HSSN | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/disputed-call-haunts-hampton-baseball-team/ | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/disputed-call-haunts-hampton-baseball-team/ |
Fox Chapel, Shady Side Academy athletes make state meet
Sophomore Mason Miles was the only member of the Fox Chapel track team to move on to the PIAA finals this year at Shippensburg University.
The sophomore finished second in the shot put at the WPIAL meet recently at Slippery Rock University’s N. Kerr Thompson Stadium.
Miles’ recored a throw of 49, feet, 3.5 inches, ahead of teammate Caleb Kulikowski, who finished sixth at 47-6, barely missing the qualification standard.
Miles came to the school district in seventh grade when his family moved in from Florida.
Miles also plays football and basketball for the Foxes and expects to see a larger role in each sport in the coming year.
Kulikowski won a second medal, finishing fifth in the javelin at 158-5.
George Tabor also won two medals with a sixth-place finish in the long jump at 21-3 and in the triple jump at 42-7.
Rowan Gwin secured two medals — one for finishing seventh in the 1,600 at 4:27.75 — and one as part of the Foxes 3,200 relay team that finished sixth as he partnered with Jordan Gwin, Jack Lorence and Damian Blum.
“I was pleased with our overall performance but a bit disappointed with only sending one kid to Shippensburg,” Fox Chapel coach Tom Moul said.
“We had some kids who were close, just missing a berth at the state meet.”
Of the medalists, Kulikowski is the only senior, so Moul is justifiably optimistic about his program over the next several seasons.
SSA sends Hartman
Shady Side Academy sophomore Chelsea Hartman will be headed to the PIAA’s Class 2A finals meet at Shippensburg.
Hartman finished second in the 3,200 with a time of 11:33.06.
Shady Side senior Gabby Hall-Junke medaled in the 200 dash with a 27.40 finish, good enough for eighth place.
Hall-Junke missed qualifying for the state meet by a little more than a half-second.
Last year, then-senior Melissa Riggins brought home PIAA gold in two events, winning the 1,600 and the 800. She ran the 800 in 2:10.62 and the 1,600 in 4:48.91.
Tags: Fox Chapel, Shady Side Academy | 2022-05-28T18:30:44Z | tribhssn.triblive.com | Fox Chapel, Shady Side Academy athletes make state meet | Trib HSSN | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/fox-chapel-shady-side-academy-athletes-make-state-meet/ | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/fox-chapel-shady-side-academy-athletes-make-state-meet/ |
Franklin Regional track teams build foundation for future
Franklin Regional’s Ella Evans takes second during the Westmoreland County Track and Field Championships Saturday, April 30, 2022 at Memorial Stadium in Latrobe.
Franklin Regional’s Ella Evans takes second during the Westmoreland County Track and Field Championships on April 30.
Franklin Regional track and field coach Bob Ralston has been dealing with a sprained ankle, but it didn’t stop him from leading the Panthers at the WPIAL Class 3A Championship meet at Slippery Rock.
The Panthers did not have any PIAA qualifiers, but several athletes performed as well as they could in tough conditions.
It was a growing experience for a young group. Only two seniors competed in the district finals for the Panthers.
“The weather once again was not good,” Ralston said. “Our boys and girls 4-by-8s, boys 4-by-1 and boys 4-by-4 all performed about the same as the last couple weeks.
“It was actually a good run for them to be around their best since it was cold and raining during their races.”
Noah Reese, Nick Rupnik and Eryk Ralston ran personal bests in the relays, Ralston said.
Top finishers for the Panthers included Alexandria Hartman (sixth in 100-meter hurdles), Sierra Todero (seventh, triple jump) and Nick Provenzo (14th, 800).
Jack Silvis tied for 10th in the pole vault, while Andrew Nesler was 14th in the shot put.
“Our high jumpers had a rough day; it’s hard to high jump in rain with slick conditions,” Ralston said. “This is the first year with me as coach that someone didn’t make states, but we never had a team this young before.”
Ralston said Silvis, a freshman, was the biggest surprise.
“He came out of nowhere to make WPIALs,” Ralston said. “I didn’t even know who he was yet halfway through the season. He wasn’t one of our top three vaulters and wasn’t making the early invitationals. He kept working hard at practices and added two feet to his vaults to get into the championships, then he added another six inches at Slippery Rock for a 11-9 personal-best vault.
“The overall performance of the group was positive. About half of our WPIAL competitors were ninth and 10th graders, so they have a few seasons to grow and I expect all of them plus more to make it back next year.”
A bonus for Ralston was getting the opportunity coach his son, Eryk.
“It was nice to watch him grow into our third-highest point scorer this season,” the coach said. “We have a strong 10th grade group, and I’m excited to see how much they develop over the next two years.
“I also like the fact that 17 out of the top 20 point scorers will return for the boys next season. With the girls team, 18 out of our top 20 point scorers are coming back next season.”
A solid incoming freshmen class also could make a fast impact next spring.
“Overall, I anticipate both teams being better than they were this year,” Ralston said. | 2022-05-28T18:30:50Z | tribhssn.triblive.com | Franklin Regional track teams build foundation for future | Trib HSSN | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/franklin-regional-track-teams-build-foundation-for-future/ | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/franklin-regional-track-teams-build-foundation-for-future/ |
Norwin notebook: Strong volleyball season ends in WPIAL quarterfinals
Norwin had a strong regular season but bowed out early in the WPIAL Class 3A boys volleyball playoffs.
The No. 5-seeded Knights dropped a 3-1 decision to No. 4 Shaler in the quarterfinals.
Shaler won 25-22, 25-27, 25-20, 25-21.
Shaler coach Paul Stadelman was pleased to see his team work together down the stretch.
“Norwin is a good team. We didn’t know much about them because we had never seen them.”
Baseball falls
Norwin baseball took a 2-0 lead in the fourth inning, but Central Catholic racked up five runs in the sixth to defeat the Knights, 5-2, in the WPIAL Class 6A semifinals at Plum.
The Knights finished the season 10-9. Only the WPIAL champion and runner-up advance to the PIAA playoffs in Class 6A.
Jake Whalen had two hits, EJ Dunn had a double and Chris Slatt knocked in a run with a sacrifice fly. Tyler Cupp added an RBI single in the loss.
Norwin has made the WPIAL playoffs 13 straight times.
Softball season ends
The Norwin softball team saw its season come to a close in heartbreaking fashion as the Lady Knights fell to top-seeded Hempfield, 5-4, in the WPIAL Class 6A quarterfinals.
Norwin, the No. 8 seed, finished with a record of 6-10.
Norwin rallied from deficits of 2-0, 3-2 and 4-3 to tie it, but could not overtake the Spartans, who intentionally walked Mallory Wensel three times and Emma Novotnak once, loading the bases on three occasions with two outs.
Wensel and Novotnak homered in the loss.
The Norwin trap team, in its fourth year and 42 shooters strong, received a grant from the National Rifle Association. The $6,000 grant will help cover the cost of guns, ammunition and safety equipment for the clay target shooting program.
Checking in on Norwin athletes competing at the college level.
Waynesburg: Freshman Megan Barry continued her upswing in her debut season. She finished fifth in the javelin at the Mount Union Last Chance Meet. Her top throw was 103 feet, 7 inches. | 2022-05-28T18:31:02Z | tribhssn.triblive.com | Norwin notebook: Strong volleyball season ends in WPIAL quarterfinals | Trib HSSN | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/norwin-notebook-strong-volleyball-season-ends-in-wpial-quarterfinals/ | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/norwin-notebook-strong-volleyball-season-ends-in-wpial-quarterfinals/ |
George Guido: Deer Lakes softball seeks 3rd WPIAL title
Deer Lakes’ Shayne Cerra celebrates the first out of the seventh inning against South Allegheny during their WPIAL Class 3A semifinal on Tuesday, May 24, 2022, at West Mifflin High School.
Deer Lakes will try to become the second Alle-Kiski Valley school to win three WPIAL softball titles Wednesday when the Lancers (13-3) face Avonworth (16-4) at noon at Cal (Pa.’s) Lilley Field.
The game will be for Class 3A honors. Deer Lakes previously won WPIAL titles in 2012 and ’15.
Leechburg won WPIAL championships in 1991, ’92 and ’95.
Burrell will play in the Class 3A consolation game Tuesday at 1 p.m. at Mars Centennial Field against Montour at 1 p.m. The winner goes to the PIAA tournament.
Further proof that the Alle-Kiski Valley experienced a stellar basketball season came from the Roundball Classic at Geneva College last weekend.
Fox Chapel’s J.P. Dockey was the MVP for Class 6A Gold in its game against Class 5A Gold.
His Foxes teammate, Russell Fenton, was the MVP for Class 6A silver. In the same games, James Pearson of Kiski Area was the MVP for 5A silver.
Fox Chapel’s Zack Skrinjar was the coach of 6A Gold.
Hall flavor
The 15th WPIAL Hall of Fame induction banquet Friday night had some distinct A-K Valley flavor.
One of the three inductees with local ties was wrestling coach Chuck Tursky, whose teams at Kiski Area and Burrell won 505 dual matches over 36 years.
Tursky recalled that, wrestling as a heavyweight, his teammates “hated me because I could eat whatever I want.”
Tursky added he had to become a student of the game since he had to wrestle heavyweights of all sizes and shapes.
Another wrestler that had a historic career was Kittanning’s Jason Nolf, who posted a 176-1 record and four WPIAL titles with the Wildcats. At Penn State, Nolf went 117-3 over four seasons, though he said he always was nervous before a match.
“I prayed to God that He would turn my nerves into energy,” Nolf said.
Micah Mason of Highlands also was a hall inductee.
Mason gained national recognition with his 64-point performance in a 2011 game against Valley. He was in the Sports Illustrated “Faces in the Crowd” segment three weeks later.
Mason said once his father bought a shooting machine and he’d put up as many as 500 shots a day. It paid off as Mason is 15th all-time in WPIAL scoring with 2,272 points, despite being passed by three players this season.
Shady Side sweeps lacrosse
Shady Side Academy swept the WPIAL lacrosse finals Wednesday with both the boys and girls teams defeating Mt. Lebanon.
The girls won their third straight title with a 15-7 victory at Robert Morris’ Joe Walton Stadium.
The boys had a tougher time at the same site, defeating the Blue Devils in overtime, 11-10.
If you like lacrosse, Shady Side’s Michael Farrell Stadium will be the place to be Tuesday when the Bulldogs host an opening-round PIAA doubleheader.
The girls will play at 5 p.m. against Hempfield – no, not that Hempfield. This Hempfield is from Landisburg, outside of Harrisburg, and finished fourth in District 3.
The boys will play Erie McDowell, the District 10 champ, at 7. | 2022-05-29T00:09:30Z | tribhssn.triblive.com | George Guido: Deer Lakes softball seeks 3rd WPIAL title | Trib HSSN | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/george-guido-deer-lakes-softball-seeks-3rd-wpial-title/ | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/george-guido-deer-lakes-softball-seeks-3rd-wpial-title/ |
Quaker Valley’s Nora Johns defends title in PIAA Class 2A 300 hurdles
Quaker Valley’s Nora Johns wins the PIAA Class 2A girls 300-meter hurdles Saturday, May 28, 2022, at Shippensburg University.
SHIPPENSBURG — Quaker Valley’s Nora Johns shocked herself when she won the Class 2A 300-meter hurdles at last year’s PIAA track and field championships.
Johns said she continued to shock herself by winning her second consecutive title Saturday at Shippensburg University’s Seth Grove Stadium.
The junior edged Bedford sophomore Autumn Becker by less than a hundredth of a second. Johns ran a 44.78 and Becker a 44.87.
Riverside freshman Callie Wetzell placed third, running a 45.73.
“It’s so exciting to win again,” Johns said. “I’m overly thrilled, I can’t believe it.”
Johns also was the WPIAL champion. She said winning again is still surprising, especially since she’s splitting her time with AAU basketball.
“It’s a little surprising anytime you win a state championship,” Johns said. “It wasn’t as surprising as winning last year because I was new to it. It’s still the same feeling.”
Johns said she knew the race would be tight. When she made the final turn, she felt the other girls on her tail.
She did give up playing some basketball, missing a trip to Atlantic City this weekend, and she missed a few practices to stay fresh for states.
“I had to give it my all,” Johns said. “I felt the girls right behind me. I was leading off the turn, and I knew I had to keep going.”
Now she can attempt to win a third title next year. | 2022-05-29T00:09:42Z | tribhssn.triblive.com | Quaker Valley’s Nora Johns defends title in PIAA Class 2A 300 hurdles | Trib HSSN | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/quaker-valleys-nora-johns-defends-title-in-piaa-class-2a-300-hurdles/ | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/quaker-valleys-nora-johns-defends-title-in-piaa-class-2a-300-hurdles/ |
Shenango’s Emma Callahan ties the PIAA Class 2A championship record with a winning throw in the girls shot put Saturday, May 28, 2022 at Shippensburg University.
SHIPPENSBURG — The target distance on Shenango thrower Emma Callahan’s mind was 50 feet, 10¾ inches, which was the state championship record for girls shot put in Class 2A.
On Saturday, she threw that distance.
Exactly that distance.
Callahan won the girls shot put title at the PIAA track championship for her first state gold medal and tied the meet record established by Center graduate Allyn Laughlin in 2006.
“This has been my goal since I started throwing in seventh grade,” Callahan said. “I’ve wanted this record and this gold medal for the longest. To accomplish that today is a really good feeling.”
The Iowa recruit had broken the WPIAL championship record a week earlier with a throw of 50-8, which was her personal-best at the time. But she quickly bettered that number on her first attempt Saturday with a toss of 50-10¼.
That convinced Callahan that the state record was within reach, and energized a standing-room crowd that had gathered around the shot put area.
“I said, ‘I’m not going out being a half-inch off the record,’” said Callahan, who then tied the state championship record on her second throw.
Nobody else in the field came within eight feet of Callahan, so her best competition was the record book. She tried to earn the record outright but fouled on three of her final four throws, including one that was her longest of the day.
So, Callahan’s name will be listed next to Laughlin’s.
“With her and a lot of these great throwers, everything is timing,” said her father Matt Callahan, who coaches Shenango’s throwers. “If something is off a fraction of a second, it can mess everything else up. She had the great push and everything she needed with that, but didn’t have the follow through to save it.”
This was the Callahans’ last meet together as coach and athlete. Emma Callahan said she won’t compete this summer at nationals and instead will start training for college life in the Big Ten.
She’ll graduate as a three-time WPIAL winner and now a state champion.
On Friday, she finished second in the girls discus to Homer-Center’s Justley Sharp. The shot put was a rematch, and this time Sharp finished second at 43-0.5.
“Emma is gifted in many ways,” Matt Callahan said. “She’s done some special things. … She’s put in countless hours in the circle and in the weight room. She’s prepared herself for greatness in the circle and greatness in life.”
Her mission was to have the PIAA championship record outright, but Emma Callahan said she could leave Shippensburg pleased that she’ll share the record with Laughlin, who later threw for Florida State.
“I’m really happy that I’m able to be there (in the record book),” Callahan said. “I did have a foul today that was a little bit farther, but overall, for my last high school meet, I couldn’t be more happy.” | 2022-05-29T00:09:49Z | tribhssn.triblive.com | Shenango thrower Emma Callahan ties shot put record at PIAA championships | Trib HSSN | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/shenango-thrower-emma-callahan-ties-shot-put-record-at-piaa-championships/ | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/shenango-thrower-emma-callahan-ties-shot-put-record-at-piaa-championships/ |
Westmoreland H.S. notebook: Local players shine at Roundball Classic games
Ligonier Valley’s Matthew Marinchak is a Pitt-Greensburg commit.
Westmoreland County was well-represented at last weekend’s Roundball Classic senior all-star games, an event that wraps a bow around another high school basketball season in Western Pa.
Maybe “most valuable” would be a better way to frame their overall showing at Geneva College.
Ligonier Valley’s Matthew Marinchak was named his team’s MVP after he scored 18 points for Class 3A in a 112-103 loss to Class 2A.
Marinchak is a Pitt-Greensburg commit.
Sean Gordon of Hempfield, meanwhile, was the 6A team MVP in a 76-70 win over Class 5A. He had nine points in the victory.
Belle Vernon’s Devin Whitlock was a co-MVP for Class 4A in a 130-89 win over District 10, and two local girls also brought home MVP honors: Anna Rafferty (Latrobe) collected 15 points for Class 5A (Gold) in a 76-53 loss to Class 6A, and Southmoreland’s Gracie Spadaro had 12 points in the Class 4A team’s 64-61 victory over 3A.
Rafferty and Spadaro are IUP commits.
Caden Smith of Franklin Regional had a strong all-around showing for Class 5A with 14 rebounds and nine assists.
No states
For the first time since the 2014 season, no baseball teams from Westmoreland County will play in the PIAA playoffs.
No local team reached the WPIAL semifinals in any classification.
P-T game time
Penn-Trafford will take on Armstrong in its first WPIAL softball championship appearance.
The Class 5A game between the Warriors (18-2) and River Hawks (19-4) is set for 4:30 p.m. Thursday at Cal (Pa.)’s Lilley Field.
A lot for a Little
Penn-Trafford softball’s Denny Little will coach in his first WPIAL championship Thursday at Cal. His team’s 3-2 win over Chartiers Valley last Tuesday made for quite a week for Little, who also serves as a part-time hitting coach at Seton Hill.
Seton Hill, of course, advanced to play in the NCAA Division II World Series in Denver.
“I haven’t been around Seton Hill enough this season to claim them as my team,” Little said. “But it is really cool to see them go, having worked with a lot of those girls.
“One of the coolest things this year was seeing Brooke (Cleland) hit that three-run homer against Bloomsburg, only to have Emma (Little) hit a grand slam the next inning. To see (coach) Jess (Strong) and the girls have so much success is just outstanding.”
Cleland is a freshman at Seton Hill and a Penn-Trafford graduate. Emma Little is Denny’s daughter and another former Warrior.
Cleland’s father, Mike, also is reveling in the postseason fun. After Tuesday’s WPIAL semifinal, he was off to pack for his trip to Denver.
Coaching opening
Southmoreland is seeking candidates to fill its girls head volleyball position.
Heather Meyer resigned after two seasons and two WPIAL playoff appearances.
Duquesne extended football offers for a trio of Penn-Trafford players in juniors Daniel Tarabrella (WR/LB), Joe Enick (C/DL) and Conlan Greene (TE/DE).
Enick picked up a number of offers in recent days, from Bucknell, Maine, Lehigh, Monmouth and Eastern Michigan. He has an official visit planned to Central Michigan in early June.
• Norwin sophomore football player Jackson Pons announced an offer from Toledo. He said the school likes him as a safety.
• A pair of Norwin girls soccer players made college commitments. Natalie Barkley will play at Seton Hill, while Molly Hudson is headed to Saint Vincent.
• Southmoreland three-sport standout Isaac Trout will play football at Waynesburg.
Trout (5-foot-9, 160 pounds) played wide receiver and defensive back for the Scotties.
He also was a key guard on the basketball team and is a long- and triple-jumper in track and field.
• Southmoreland senior Elle Pawlikowsky will continue her tennis career at Pitt-Greensburg.
MVI Summer League returns
Registration is open for the Mon Valley Independent Summer Basketball League. High school boys and girls are eligible to participate.
The league begins play June 13 with the girls division’s opening night, followed by the boys division openers June 14. All games are played at Marx’s Court Time Sports Center in Elizabeth Township.
Registration and important dates can be found at www.mvisbl.com.
Tags: Belle Vernon, Franklin Regional, Latrobe, Ligonier Valley, Penn-Trafford, Southmoreland | 2022-05-29T00:10:01Z | tribhssn.triblive.com | Westmoreland H.S. notebook: Local players shine at Roundball Classic games | Trib HSSN | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/westmoreland-h-s-notebook-local-players-shine-at-roundball-classic-games/ | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/westmoreland-h-s-notebook-local-players-shine-at-roundball-classic-games/ |
North Catholic’s Nicolas Scheller wins state tennis title
North Catholic’s Nicolas Scheller plays in the WPIAL Class 2A singles tennis championship match April 13.
North Catholic senior Nicolas Scheller won a state tennis championship in emphatic fashion Saturday, sweeping past District 1 champion Toby Frantz of Faith Christian Academy, 6-0, 6-0, in the Class 2A finals in Hershey.
Scheller became North Catholic’s first tennis state champion. He’s the first WPIAL player to win a boys singles title since Robby Shymansky of Fox Chapel in 2019 and the first in Class 2A since Luke Ross of Sewickley Academy won back to back in 2015-16.
The title caps an amazing run for Scheller, who never came close to going to three sets in a postseason match. In the WPIAL Section 3-2A tournament, he won 44 of 46 games played. At the WPIAL tournament, he won 44 of 48. At states, he won 48 of 53.
That’s a total of 12 matches with a combined game score of 136-11.
In Class 2A doubles, Scheller’s North Catholic teammates, Brody Golla and Alex Garvey, earned a runner-up finish. They defeated Aravind Turaga and Nathan Kisiel of Fairview, 6-4, 6-1, before falling to District 2 champions Kyle and Tucker Chesman of Dallas, 6-1, 6-1, in the finals.
In Class 3A singles, South Fayette’s Jake Patterson also took silver. He cruised past Justin Xu of Conestoga in the semifinals, 6-1, 6-1, but fell to District 6 champion David Lindsay of Central Mountain in a three-set battle, 4-6, 6-4, 6-3.
In Class 3A doubles, David Mnuskin and Sam Bitzer of Shady Side Academy dropped a pair of matches Saturday and finished fourth. | 2022-05-29T04:56:45Z | tribhssn.triblive.com | North Catholic’s Nicolas Scheller wins state tennis title | Trib HSSN | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/north-catholics-nicolas-scheller-wins-state-tennis-title/ | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/north-catholics-nicolas-scheller-wins-state-tennis-title/ |
Senior Will Kromka is one of Gateway boys volleyball’s four Section 2-2A first-team all-stars.
The Gateway boys volleyball team was on the doorstep of a big victory in a WPIAL Class 2A quarterfinal match against Ambridge on May 19 at North Allegheny.
The Gators, champions of Section 2 and the No. 4 seed, led the No. 5 Bridgers, 2-1, in their best-of-five match.
Game 4 went down to the wire, but Ambridge pulled out the 26-24 victory.
The Bridgers ended up taking the fifth and deciding game, 15-9, to advance to the semifinals. The 10-time WPIAL champions finished third overall and qualified for states.
Gateway’s accomplished season — the team brought home the program’s first section title since 1986 — was suddenly over.
Coach Phil Randolph said there was both pride in the team’s effort against Ambridge and also frustration from everyone about what could’ve been coming out of the quarterfinal loss.
“The pride part absolutely is at the forefront,” Randolph said.
“Knowing where we’ve been, where we are today, and how we got here, it was all about hard work and dedication. It showed with how we battled a perennial power like Ambridge. It also stung so much. There were a couple sleepless nights looking back. It was a good example of how every play, every point matters and there is no point in taking the easy path.
“But being a week or two out from the match, knowing there is nothing we can do to change the outcome, we can start to look back and really take stock in what we accomplished all season. We can also use it to be better tomorrow and down the line into next season.”
Gateway started the playoffs with a convincing 3-0 sweep (25-10, 25-15, 25-17) of Keystone Oaks.
“We were the second match of a doubleheader and saw (No. 11) Mars unseat (No. 6) Seton LaSalle immediately before us,” Randolph said.
“It was a strong and palpable reminder that anything can happen in the playoffs and every team is there for a reason. Keystone Oaks certainly had some great talent on their team. The libero in particular, his defense was tenacious. Knowing going in that anything can happen on any given night, and not being a team that has made regular playoff appearances, there certainly was a little bit of anxiousness going in along with the excitement. It was fantastic the way the guys took a breath to start and took off running from there. It was awesome to see.”
Randolph and the other coaches and team members will bid farewell to the senior class which includes Ryan Bozicevic, Aiden Colberg, Gunnar Hayes, Will Kromka, Chris Lewis and Gabriel Sha.
Bozicevic (setter/right side hitter), Colberg (libero), Lewis (outside/middle hitter) and Kromka (outside/middle hitter) were Section 2 first-team all-star selections. Sha (outside hitter) was a third-team pick.
“The seniors brought so much from a talent standpoint and also from a character standpoint,” Randolph said.
“They were verbal leaders and locker room leaders, just everything on and off the court. One of the seniors who I hadn’t talked a lot about — Gunnar Hayes — was a defensive player who always provided strong depth when he was in matches. He also was someone who was an entire buy-in with this program the whole way along who made sure the team was always prepared with extra work. The different leadership roles the seniors took really resonated with the younger guys who know how critical that mentality is in terms of building a program that will be able to weather some storms.”
Randolph said he is excited for starters and strong contributors coming back, such as sophomore setter/right side hitter Jace Beam, junior outside hitter Noah Passalinqua, sophomore middle hitter Ryan Hoffner and sophomore defensive specialist Keagan Kyper, who are expected to form the core of next year’s team.
Beam and Passalinqua were second-team all-section picks, while Hoffner was a third-team selection.
“This is not a total roster reset or rebuild,” Randolph said.
“We have several starters coming back and pieces in place. It is up to the guys to keep the things that they’ve earned. Nothing will be given to them. There also are other things up for grabs. But with the roster being at 30, right now, as opposed to 14 when I started, there is opportunity for people to step up and be a part of some good competition for time on the court. If they want it, it’s theirs for the taking. They are just going to have to earn it the right way.”
• Gateway Sports Hall of Fame plans to honor Class of 2022 | 2022-05-29T18:03:49Z | tribhssn.triblive.com | Gateway boys volleyball coach reflects after special season | Trib HSSN | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/gateway-boys-volleyball-coach-reflects-after-special-season/ | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/gateway-boys-volleyball-coach-reflects-after-special-season/ |
Pine-Richland notebook: Baseball team stopped by Butler ace
Pine-Richland’s Jacob McGuire was an all-section honorable mention selection.
After sharing the Section 1-6A title with North Allegheny, Pine-Richland baseball ran into a buzzsaw in the first round of the WPIAL playoffs.
Butler pitcher Madden Clement pitched a three-hit shutout, propelling the Golden Tornado to a 5-0 victory over the Rams on May 23 at Seneca Valley.
Clement, the son of former MLB All-Star pitcher and current Butler basketball coach Matt Clement, struck out seven in the win. He also went 3 for 4 at the plate with a home run and a pair of RBIs.
The Rams split with Butler in the regular season, losing the game Clement pitched and taking a 1-0 victory the next day.
Joseph Connell had a pair of hits for the Rams, who finished 10-9 and earned the third seed in the playoffs after a rare postseason miss last year.
Rams girls lacrosse falls
Pine-Richland girls lacrosse fell one game short of playing for a WPIAL title, losing to Mt. Lebanon, 18-7, in the Class 3A semifinals.
However, the Rams still had a chance to extend their season. They played a consolation game against Upper St. Clair at 7 p.m. Thursday at Robert Morris’ Joe Walton Stadium past the deadline for this edition. The winner advanced to the state playoffs.
Pine-Richland was the third seed in the WPIAL tournament and earned a 12-8 victory over No. 6 Peters Township May 19 prior to the loss in the semifinals.
All-Section teams announced
Pine-Richland was well represented on both the baseball and softball All-Section teams, which were announced May 25.
In baseball, freshman outfielder Anthony Mengine was named to the first team in Section 1 and Kurt Wolfe received coach of the year honors.
Tyler Armstrong, Owen Henne and Joey Perry were second teamers, while Joseph Connell, Peyton Ford, Jacob McGuire and Andy Swartout were honorable mentions.
In softball, sophomore Jocelyn Langer and senior Gabriella Aughton were selected for the first team. Marissa DeLuca, Alexia Brown and June McCune made the second team. Mackenzie Gillis was an honorable mention.
The PA Big 56 Conference committee recognized all-section honorees from fall, winter and spring sports with a banquet May 25.
Wollerton selected for national event
Pine-Richland field hockey standout Rylie Wollerton is headed to the USA Field Hockey Nexus Championship on June 23-30 at the Virginia Beach Regional Training Center.
Wollerton, who will play in college at Louisville in the fall, was named an NFHCA All-American in December.
She had more than 100 goals in her high school career and led the Rams to a third consecutive WPIAL title. | 2022-05-29T18:04:13Z | tribhssn.triblive.com | Pine-Richland notebook: Baseball team stopped by Butler ace | Trib HSSN | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/pine-richland-notebook-baseball-team-stopped-by-butler-ace/ | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/pine-richland-notebook-baseball-team-stopped-by-butler-ace/ |
By: Brian Duermeyer
Submitted by Storino family
Tim Storino is the new football coach at Seton LaSalle.
Tim Storino feels at home as the leader of the Seton LaSalle football team.
A 17-year coaching veteran, Storino has his sights set on resurrecting a program that has stumbled due to coaching turnover and inconsistent play.
Storino was hired in March following a tumultuous 2021 season in which Mauro Monz resigned before he coached a game. Monz was facing a one-year suspension for alleged recruiting violations. He was replaced by assistant Chris Siegle, but the Rebels lost six of their first seven contests before finishing with a 3-7 record in Class 2A.
In Storino, the school selected a coach who emphasizes faith and family as well as stability. He has been a believer in the Seton LaSalle program for a long time.
“I have had my eyes on this job for the past 10 years,” he said.
Storino’s enthusiasm is not limited to his work with the football team. He cites the school’s vision as another reason Seton LaSalle was the right fit.
“I am just as excited about the new construction of a chapel on the first floor of the building that will feature 16 stained-glass windows of Catholic saints as I am about the football team,” he said.
Storino’s optimism is connected to the promise that Seton LaSalle will improve the football experience for students and fans, including plans to construct a press box and bleachers so the school can host Friday night football games. If completed, Seton LaSalle would be on of the only private schools in the WPIAL that can play its home games on campus.
“We are already blessed with great facilities,” Storinio said. “Our weight room is top notch. We have a separate locker room for the football team and our own turf field on campus.”
With administrative backing, Storino believes he can lead Seton LaSalle back to prominence. The school owns six WPIAL titles and has produced standouts such as NFL talents Bruce and Gino Gradowski and former Pitt star Bill Stull.
Storino is a former Vincentian Academy coach who has college coaching experience at Delaware, Old Dominion and Robert Morris. He has also served under some of the most successful coaches in WPIAL history, including Jeff Metheny, Terry Totten and Neil Gordon.
“I’ve been extremely blessed to have such wonderful mentors,” Storino said. “I played and coached for Jeff, spent two years learning from a WPIAL Hall of Famer (Gordon) and spent four years as the QB coach for Terry at Central Catholic.”
Storino will rely on his lessons learned as he takes over a program that has won six games in three years. He said Seton LaSalle has everything he looked for in a coaching job.
Seton LaSalle is a private Catholic school located in Mt. Lebanon. It is surrounded by Brookline and Dormont, and its location made the decision easier for Storino, who lives in the Baldwin-Whitehall School District.
“It’s an easy eight-minute drive for summer workouts but, more importantly, I drive past it on the way home from my middle school PE job at Shaler Area,” he said. | 2022-05-29T18:04:25Z | tribhssn.triblive.com | Tim Storino finds right fit in leading Seton LaSalle football | Trib HSSN | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/tim-storino-finds-right-fit-in-leading-seton-lasalle-football/ | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/tim-storino-finds-right-fit-in-leading-seton-lasalle-football/ |
Trib HSSN Baseball Team of the Week: May 29, 2022
There were some highs and some lows for the Upper St. Clair baseball team in the first year with Jeff Donati as head coach.
The Panthers finished 5-5 and tied for third place in Section 1-6A and enjoyed a five-game winning streak in April before losing six of their final nine games.
However, it was at the start of the skid, ironically, that things started to fall into place in Donati’s eyes.
“I think it was the first Norwin game after completely sweeping Baldwin. We didn’t have our top two pitchers available, and Joe (Altvater) stepped up and held Norwin to one run. Granted we lost after he came out, but it proved to the team and the league we had more than two arms.”
Those arms have come alive in the postseason, and are one of the big reasons the No. 7-seeded Panthers remain in the hunt for district gold.
On Monday, Upper St. Clair and North Allegheny battled to a 1-1 tie through seven innings.
With the cat fight in extra innings, Ty Lagoni delivered a two-run single to spark a four-run outburst in the eighth inning as the Panthers pulled away from the Tigers.
“The kids had a great week of preparation; it was helpful we played them 10 days earlier,” Donati said. “We really came alive in the eighth inning.”
Joe Altvater was efficient, pitching all eight innings and picking up the win for USC, allowing six hits and six strikeouts.
“Joe pitched phenomenal,” Donati said. “We really needed him to eat all those innings with Eddie (Albert) out at the time, and we did not have to use Leo (Brandon Liokareas) and could save him for Butler.”
On Tuesday in the semifinals, Liokareas did his part by pitching into the seventh inning with eight strikeouts to pick up the win thanks to timely hitting and some help from Butler in an 8-2 victory.
Christian Wieczenski was 2 for 3 with an RBI and Lagoni doubled and drove home two as the Panthers’ offense took advantage of 11 walks and four hit batters by Golden Tornado pitchers.
“We pitched and played really good defense against Butler,” Donati said. “We were aided by walks and hit-batters. They were a very good team, and we were very fortunate.”
Anytime Upper St. Clair squares off with Mt. Lebanon in anything, it’s a big event between these two South Hills neighbors.
Add the fact there is a WPIAL championship at stake and Donati is now leading the red and black attack after years of bleeding blue and gold as a longtime assistant under Patt McCloskey at Mt. Lebanon, and Tuesday night will be very emotional at Wild Things Park.
“Have a ton of respect for what Patt does,” Donati said. “He is, by far, the hardest working coach in the WPIAL. I’m really excited to play against those kids. I’ve known them their whole life.”
This is the third meeting of the year between the Panthers and Blue Devils, and the next run USC scores will be their first. Mt. Lebanon blanked Upper St. Clair, 7-0, and 2-0, on consecutive days May 2-3.
“I’m so excited to play the kids I have known for years and seeing my nephew Tanner across the dugout again,” Donati said. “Watching my players compete after getting whipped by them twice. Really excited to compete against Patt, he is the best in the business.”
Week 7 – Thomas Jefferson Jaguars
Tags: Upper St. Clair | 2022-05-30T05:31:19Z | tribhssn.triblive.com | Trib HSSN Baseball Team of the Week: May 29, 2022 | Trib HSSN | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/trib-hssn-baseball-team-of-the-week-may-29-2022/ | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/trib-hssn-baseball-team-of-the-week-may-29-2022/ |
Trib HSSN softball team of the week: May 30, 2022
Elizabeth Forward pitcher Shelby Telegdy struck out 12 to get the win as the Warriors clinched the Section 2-4A title with a 5-0 win over Yough on May 11.
The names change, but the Elizabeth Forward softball program just keeps on humming along victory avenue.
In the last four years, the Warriors have reached the district finals three times and the state title game once, winning WPIAL gold in 2019.
So the fact EF finished 16-2 and once again won the tough Section 2-4A championship should surprise nobody, especially coach Harry Rutherford.
“Absolutely, we expected to do well this season even after losing four seniors last year, especially up the middle in the pitcher, catcher, shortstop and center fielder,” he said. “We knew we would move Brooke Markland from second to short and move Grace Smith from first to second. Shelby Telegdy had pitched well for us in the past and felt she would handle the pitching duties. It was an easy move to put Lauren Vay into center and move Carlee Soukup to right. We knew we had a great prospect in Alivia Grimm for the catcher’s position.”
After a first-round bye, the Warriors’ postseason began against a familiar foe in section rival West Mifflin in the 4A quarterfinals.
“I always worry about playing a team three times in the same season, especially after last year when we had beaten West Mifflin twice in section by run-rule and in the consolation game, we barely got through,” Rutherford said. “I expected a good game from them again this year. However, knowing their hitters as well as we do, that made it a little easier to get Shelby to pitch the game that she did.”
Telegdy allowed one run on four hits with a walk and seven strikeouts in the Warriors’ 4-1 win over the Titans. Soukup was 3 for 4 with an RBI to lead EF on offense.
The win moved Elizabeth Forward into a semifinals battle with No. 3 seed Burrell, the Section 1-4A champs with only one loss.
“The big key against Burrell was that we saw what their outfield was like and thought we could take advantage of their outfielders if we could make contact against Katie Armstrong,” Rutherford said. “That is exactly what my seniors did once they got their hits and started running the bases.”
Markland led the hit parade for the Warriors, going 2 for 3 with an RBI double in support of another strong performance in the circle by Telegdy. After Burrell scored 10 runs in its first-round win over Belle Vernon, the Bucs were held to one run on four hits with seven strikeouts.
With Elizabeth Forward getting strong pitching and timely hitting, Rutherford believes defense is a big part of the Warriors’ success heading into the finals.
“Outstanding fielding by the entire team contributed to the success of this team,” he said. “Brooke and Grace up the middle making everything look easy and encouraging the younger players to perform at their level.”
Rutherford was asked if this Warriors team reminds him of the EF squad that brought home the gold three years ago.
“In 2019, we relied on the arm of Kailey Larcinese, but the teams are very similar,” he said. “A good, smart pitcher on both squads. Both teams able to produce the long ball with 17 team home runs for both squads. This team has more hitters over the .300 mark than the 2019 team did and is collecting more hits per game than the 2019 team.”
To be the best again, Elizabeth Forward now must beat the best — defending Class 4A district and state champion Beaver at noon Thursday. The Bobcats have won 39 consecutive games.
“They will be a tough team to beat,” Rutherford said. “List is having another outstanding season. We were having some success against her in last year’s game before they got to Kailey and we made some pitching and fielding mistakes. Hopefully, we can play a clean game and have some success at the plate.”
Week 7 – Bentworth Bearcats
Week 6 – Waynesburg Central Raiders
Tags: Elizabeth Forward | 2022-05-30T20:01:45Z | tribhssn.triblive.com | Trib HSSN softball team of the week: May 30, 2022 | Trib HSSN | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/trib-hssn-softball-team-of-the-week-may-30-2022/ | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/trib-hssn-softball-team-of-the-week-may-30-2022/ |
Fresh faces have Burrell softball team 1 win from PIAA playoffs
Burrell freshman Bella Stewart makes a sliding catch on a ball hit by Freeport’s Natalie King earlier this month.
Bella Stewart said it all was a bit nerve-wracking at first when she jumped in head first as the Burrell softball team began the season.
“We knew that there were spots that needed to be filled,” said Stewart, the team’s starting catcher from Day 1 and one of six freshmen, including four starters, on a team of 13 that is one win away from a spot in the PIAA playoffs.
“We had to do our jobs to help each other. As the season went on, the team, everyone, grew closer and meshed. With all we’ve gone through, from the freshmen all the way up to the juniors and Caroline as the one senior, it doesn’t matter what we are or how long we have played, we’re on the same level and are playing as one.”
The No. 3 Bucs (12-2), who also count freshmen starters in second baseman and cleanup hitter Pyper Ferres, third baseman Bray Jones and left fielder Rae Seibert, hope to play as one Tuesday when they face No. 5 Montour (14-5) in the third-place consolation game at 1 p.m. at Mars.
The winner goes to states, and the losing team will see its season come to an end. Burrell coach Rick Nealer said his players refocused well after last Wednesday’s tough 2-1 semifinal loss to No. 2 Elizabeth Forward at Norwin that dashed their hopes for the program’s first WPIAL title since 2011.
It also was the last time the team qualified for the PIAA tournament as it made it to the Class 2A semifinals before falling to District 6’s Philipsburg-Osceola.
“We had a great practice Thursday,” Nealer said. “We spelled it out for them so they knew just what was at hand for them. Only so many teams are left playing. Burrell hasn’t been to states in 11 years, and I want them to cherish this opportunity, go all out and give it everything they have to win this game.”
Said junior first baseman Cassidy Novak: “We came into practice (Thursday), and coach told us to just flush (the semifinal loss). We went to practice with such good moods and turned it around after that because we knew we still had a chance to make it big.”
Normally, a team banquet is at the end of the season after all the games have concluded. But Burrell’s team banquet Friday at Hill Crest Country Club in Lower Burrell, scheduled awhile ago, Stewart said, was more like a pep rally where parents, family members, coaches and players reflected on the season up to this point and also built added momentum for the game at hand.
“The banquet was a lot of fun,” said Stewart, who singled and scored Burrell’s lone run against Elizabeth Forward.
“We basically joked around and celebrated what we have already accomplished in the middle of some serious preparation. We made sure the air was light. We were all a little bit upset after Wednesday’s loss, but we quickly realized that we have another opportunity in front of us. We got back into practice and are ready to play.”
The Burrell players, Novak said, are ready to match up with a Montour team that outlasted No. 12 Knoch, 11-9, in the first round and edged No. 4 Yough, 2-1, in the quarterfinals before falling to No. 1 and undefeated Beaver, 6-1, in the semifinals.
The Spartans, runners-up to Beaver in Section 3, are similar to Burrell in that it’s been a decade since they made it to states.
In 2012, Montour won the WPIAL Class 3A crown and made the PIAA semifinals.
The Spartans qualified for the Class 5A semifinals in 2017 but lost 10-9 to West Allegheny before falling to Albert Gallatin in the third-place game with a trip to states on the line.
Junior outfielder Mia Arndt is one of a number of offensive threats in the Montour lineup. She went 4 for 5 with a home run and three runs batted in to lead the Spartans to the win over Knoch in the first round. Fellow junior outfielder Avrie Polo also homered and had three hits.
Three of Montour’s five losses came to Beaver.
Novak said the team understands the gravity of the situation at hand.
“We just need to stay focused and play our game,” Novak said. “We have to treat it like any other game and not get too high or hyped up. That’s when mistakes can happen. We want to go in trusting our game and trusting Katie (Armstrong) to do what she’s done all season.”
Armstrong, a junior, has been an MVP-level performer in the pitching circle all season for the Bucs, and she was strong again in last Wednesday’s game with Elizabeth Forward.
She gave up two runs, walked none, scattered four hits and struck out 11 to give her 209 strikeouts for the season.
The two runs Elizabeth Forward scored in the semifinal matchup were unearned, leaving Armstrong with one earned run given up in 14 games.
She owns a 0.071 ERA and a .475 WHIP as she has walked 12 batters all season.
“Katie and Bella have become a really strong battery for us,” Nealer said of his young catcher and star pitcher.
“Katie is pretty difficult to catch because the ball moves everywhere, but Bella is so solid behind the plate and her confidence keeps growing.”
Tags: Burrell | 2022-05-31T03:16:25Z | tribhssn.triblive.com | Fresh faces have Burrell softball team 1 win from PIAA playoffs | Trib HSSN | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/fresh-faces-have-burrell-softball-team-1-win-from-piaa-playoffs/ | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/fresh-faces-have-burrell-softball-team-1-win-from-piaa-playoffs/ |
By: Michael Bullock
Michael Bullock | For the Tribune-Review
Mt. Lebanon players and coaches pose for photos after the Big 33 Football Classic on May 30, 2022, at Bishop McDevitt. Mt. Lebanon was represented by from left, William Harvey (75), Alex Tecza (4), Eli Heidenreich (8), Owen Halter (6) and Joey Daniels (3).
HARRISBURG — For those immersed in Navy’s football program and its remarkably successful spread-option attack, the saying is A’s make plays.
Well, Eli Heidenreich may be a month away from his introduction to life at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Md., but for at least one more day the Mt. Lebanon senior and future Middie A back was busy making plays not for his school — but for his state.
On Memorial Day afternoon, in temperatures registering 90-plus on every nearby thermometer, Heidenreich’s early burst played a leading role in Pennsylvania running its Big 33 winning streak to three games with an impressive 28-7 conquest of Maryland.
Catching a pair of passes on the Keystone State’s opening possession — a 32-yarder from high school teammate Joey Daniels on the first play of scrimmage and a 10-yard slant from Daniels that accounted for the game’s first points — Heidenreich finished with four receptions for 96 yards.
“That was exciting,” Heidenreich said. “I saw the corner lined up at outside leverage, and I had a three-step slant and the rest is history.”
Heidenreich was so impressive throughout the 48-minute encounter at Bishop McDevitt’s sun-splashed Rocco Ortenzio Stadium, he nearly collared Pennsylvania’s most valuable player award. That honor instead went to Imhotep defensive end Keon Wylie, the Penn State recruit who spent plenty of time in Maryland’s backfield.
“They recruited me as an A back, which is like their slot,” Heidenreich said of Navy. “In their offense, that player does everything. They’re lining up in the slot sometimes, they’re in the backfield, they’re moving all over the place.
“They actually have a saying that the A’s make plays.”
Though A’s may make plenty of plays on the flanks for Ken Niumatalolo’s Mids — whether it’s running the ball, catching the ball and even blocking — Navy’s B’s also are counted on for production.
And what other programs refer to as fullback is the high-profile position Mt. Lebanon’s Alex Tecza is projected to play when he checks into Annapolis late next month. While the 195-pounder hopes to add weight once lacrosse season comes to an end so he can absorb the punishment, handling feature back duties won’t be new.
Tecza rushed 18 times for 94 yards and cashed in from 10 yards late in the third quarter for a touchdown that upped Pennsylvania’s lead to 21-0 on Monday. Tecza also caught four passes for 32 yards.
“It was awesome,” Tecza said of his Big 33 experience. “It was awesome.”
A first-half TD run from quarterback Ethan Kohler (Perkiomen Valley) — Kohler and Daniels alternated plays — and a score early in the fourth from wildcat QB Devin Whitlock (Belle Vernon) accounted for Pennsylvania’s other points.
Whitlock carried twice for 3 yards.
Pennsylvania outgained Maryland, 311-132, and Heidenreich and Tecza totaled more yards (222) than Maryland. Daniels (6 of 10) threw for 104 yards, and Central Valley’s Landon Alexander totaled 32 yards running and receiving.
While playing in the Big 33 was a neat finish, Heidenreich and Tecza also had the opportunity to share their final high school football games with Blue Devils classmates and teammates Daniels, Owen Halter and William Harvey.
“It’s one good last game to play with guys like Joey, Owen and Will,” Tecza said. “I’ve been playing with those kids since first grade, second grade, and that’s special. We have such a good bond, and for the season to end like it did was definitely bittersweet.
“State championship was awesome, but I won’t play with those guys again. For Owen to get called up, and for Joey, Eli and Will to be on this team and to be able to play with those guys one last time — it was definitely special.”
Said Heidenreich: “Last time playing with some of my high school teammates in a legendary game, there’s no other way to put it. Coming together and winning one last time to finish out my senior year was a really cool experience.”
Yet if there was something they could change, Heidenreich and Tecza joked about having the U.S. Army patch on the right shoulders of their jerseys disappearing. Of course, the Navy-related patch on their respective left shoulders could remain as-is.
Quite simply, “Go Navy, Beat Army” is already part of their daily jargon.
Wouldn’t expect anything less from soon-to-be A’s and B’s. | 2022-05-31T03:16:31Z | tribhssn.triblive.com | Pennsylvania handles Maryland in Big 33 victory | Trib HSSN | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/pennsylvania-handles-maryland-in-big-33-victory/ | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/pennsylvania-handles-maryland-in-big-33-victory/ |
PIAA votes to keep individual qualifiers in wrestling status quo
Greater Latrobe’s Vinny Kilkeary wrestles Penn-Trafford’s Troy Hohman in the 120-pound final during WPIAL Class 3A championships on Saturday, March 5, 2022, at Canon-McMillan High School.
After months of debate, the PIAA Board of Directors decided to keep the number of qualifiers per region the same as the previous two-year cycle.
The PIAA originally planned to take an individual qualifier away from the WPIAL in Class 3A because seven teams from the district dropped to Class 2A. The new proposal would have given the Class 2A Southwest Regional a seventh qualifier.
The PIAA wrestling steering committee came up with a formula that would reward regions by success in the PIAA tournament. That proposal originally was passed by the committee, 12-3.
The reason for the new proposal, spearheaded by WPIAL wrestling committee chairman Frank Vulcano, was to keep the fourth qualifier for the WPIAL in Class 3A, which has displayed its dominance over the years at the state level in the individual tournament. That proposal would have given the WPIAL five qualifiers in Class 3A and taken two away from the Southeast Region (District 1, Philadelphia suburbs)
But when the wrestling steering committee heard that change would not be approved by the directors, the committee met again and proposed to keep things the same and revisit the success formula for future consideration.
The PIAA Board of Directors approved that proposal, keeping the WPIAL at four qualifiers in Class 3A and reducing the Southwest Region to six qualifiers in Class 2A.
“I’m happy that we’re keeping four qualifiers,” Franklin Regional coach Matt Lebe said. “I hope they consider the formula down the road.”
A couple of coaches in Class 2A expressed questions on social media about why the WPIAL doesn’t get its own regional based on the increase of teams for the two-year cycle.
The board also voted to keep the team tournament to two tournaments. Also passed was the amount of dual matches a team must wrestle to qualify for the team tournament. Teams are required to wrestle in seven duals to be eligible.
Powerade expands
The 56th Annual Powerade Tournament will be held Dec.29 and 30 at Canon-McMillan High School.
The field will expand to 64.
This year’s field will include teams from Florida (Southwest Miami and Lake Highlands Prep), Illinois (Homewood Flossmoor and Lockport), Ohio (Moeller, St. Edwards and Wadsworth), New York (Williamsville North and Starpoint), Maryland (McDonogh and St. Mary’s Ryken), Washington (Orting), Tennessee (Signal Mountain and Dobyns Bennett), New Jersey (Delbarton, Howell, St. Peter’s Prep, Southern Regional and St. Joseph Regional), Virginia (Fauquier) and West Virginia (Parkersburg South).
Other top teams include Erie Prep, Waynesburg, Chestnut Ridge, Wyoming Seminary, Malvern Prep, Norwin, Burrell, Connellsville, Canon-McMillan, Bishop McCort, Reynolds, Norwin and State College.
Young picked for Hall of Fame
Penn-Trafford grad Shane Young, a three-time PIAA champion, has been selected to the Pennsylvania Hall of Fame.
Young won titles in 2007, ‘08 and ‘09. His career record was 153-19. He also was a three-time WPIAL champion.
• Pennsylvania handles Maryland in Big 33 victory | 2022-05-31T03:16:37Z | tribhssn.triblive.com | PIAA votes to keep individual qualifiers in wrestling status quo | Trib HSSN | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/piaa-votes-to-keep-individual-qualifiers-in-wrestling-status-quo/ | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/piaa-votes-to-keep-individual-qualifiers-in-wrestling-status-quo/ |
Bill Beckner | Tribune-Review
Southmoreland softball players stand on the bench after seeing a snake in front of them during a WPIAL Class 3A playoff game against Derry at Norwin on May 17. Southmoreland won, 5-4.
Third-place consolation
Players to watch: Amarah McCutcheon, Southmoreland; Breena Komarnisky, South Allegheny
Extra bases: It’s simple: The winner advances to the state tournament and the loser turns in uniforms. Southmoreland was in this same position last year. After losing in the semifinals, the Scotties met Avonworth in the third-place game and lost, 3-2. This year, they lost to Avonworth in the semis, 3-0, and will have to get past section foe South Allegheny to make the PIAA tournament. The Scotties were limited to just three hits in Tuesday’s semifinal. Their last PIAA berth came in 2018 after they won the WPIAL title. … South Allegheny swept Southmoreland in two section games by scores of 6-4 and 5-3. In Tuesday’s 5-4 semifinal loss to Deer Lakes, Komarnisky went 3 for 4 with three RBIs and struck out seven as the losing pitcher. The Section 3 champion Gladiators have not advanced to the state playoffs since 2011. The state playoffs begin June 6.
— Bill Beckner
Tags: South Allegheny, Southmoreland | 2022-05-31T03:16:49Z | tribhssn.triblive.com | Westmoreland WPIAL softball playoff capsule preview for May 31, 2022 | Trib HSSN | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/westmoreland-wpial-softball-playoff-capsule-preview-for-may-31-2022/ | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/westmoreland-wpial-softball-playoff-capsule-preview-for-may-31-2022/ |
2022 WPIAL Class 3A softball championship preview: Avonworth vs. Deer Lakes
Deer Lakes pitcher Maddie Kee delivers against South Allegheny during their WPIAL Class 3A semifinal on May 24.
1-Avonworth (16-4) vs. 3-Deer Lakes (13-3)
Noon Wednesday at Lilley Field, Cal (Pa.)
Avonworth — When the Antelopes lost their final three games of the regular season, it might have looked like the undefeated Section 2 champions were showing some cracks in their armor. Not quite. Matchups with schools such as North Hills and Belle Vernon were playoff tune-ups, not disappointing setbacks. Once the postseason started, the ‘Lopes were on point. In the quarterfinals, they met No. 8 Mt. Pleasant, the defending WPIAL champ that seemed to find its footing after an up-and-down season. Avonworth sent the Vikings packing, 5-2. In the semifinals, Avonworth blanked Southmoreland, 3-0.
Deer Lakes — The third-seeded Lancers lost their first two games of the year to Greensburg Central Catholic and Chartiers-Houston in March and a couple of playoff tune-ups to larger schools in Knoch and Shaler. In between, they put together 13 straight wins and an 8-0 section record. They had two battles on their hands in the playoffs, however. In the quarterfinals, they scored two in the fourth to get past No. 6 Waynesburg, 3-2, and in the semifinals, they held off a rally from No. 2 South Allegheny and won, 5-4.
Avonworth — Sophomore Alivia Lantzy is a major problem for Avonworth’s opponents. In 14 innings in the playoffs, she has allowed two runs and six hits and struck out 24. She homered against Mt. Pleasant in the quarterfinals and hit a two-run triple against Southmoreland in the semifinals. Shortstop Syd Savatt is a catalyst at the top of the lineup who had two hits against Mt. Pleasant. First baseman Leah Kuban is a power bat in the middle of the lineup who homered against Southmoreland.
Deer Lakes — There are no obvious holes in the Lancers’ game. Their pitching is solid. Sophomore Maddie Kee has 15 strikeouts in 14 postseason innings. Their offense is also formidable. Kee led the team with seven doubles and 24 RBIs this season. Senior outfielder Reese Hasley makes things happen with a team-best .441 batting average and .500 on-base percentage. Sophomore catcher Tia Germanich led the team with four homers to go along with 23 RBIs.
Avonworth — The Antelopes have been prominent in the WPIAL title picture for the last five years. They won a championship in 2019, beating Keystone Oaks, 12-0, in the finals. They also reached the semifinals in 2021 and 2018.
Deer Lakes — The Lancers set the standard in Class 3A softball last decade, making the WPIAL finals four times from 2012-2017 and winning championships in 2012 and 2015. Before this year’s run to the finals, they went three seasons without a playoff win, which must have felt like an eternity for a program so successful in the recent past. | 2022-05-31T22:57:18Z | tribhssn.triblive.com | 2022 WPIAL Class 3A softball championship preview: Avonworth vs. Deer Lakes | Trib HSSN | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/2022-wpial-class-3a-softball-championship-preview-avonworth-vs-deer-lakes/ | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/2022-wpial-class-3a-softball-championship-preview-avonworth-vs-deer-lakes/ |
2022 WPIAL Class A baseball championship preview: Eden Christian vs. Union
The Union baseball team celebrates with the championship trophy after defeating Riverview, 3-0, in the 2021 WPIAL Class A final.
WPIAL Class A baseball championship
1-Eden Christian (17-0) vs. 2-Union (11-4)
Eden Christian – The Section 3 champions earned a first-round bye and then shut out No. 8 Greensburg Central Catholic, 6-0, in the quarterfinals and defeated No. 5 OLSH, 6-5, in the semifinals.
Union – After winning the Section 1 title, Union had a first-round bye, beat No. 10 Riverview, 5-1, in the quarterfinals and then edged No. 3 Rochester, 3-2, in the semifinals.
Eden Christian – With a 17-0 record, a lot has gone right for first-year coach Joe Dougherty and the Warriors this season. Senior Jared Bees, a Marietta recruit, hit .455 during the regular season and went 7-0 on the mound with a 0.53 ERA with 68 strikeouts. Sophomore Caleb Emswiler (4-0, 0.95) and senior Christian Cropper (2-0, 1.87) round out the rotation. Eli Szenyeri (.409, 16 RBIs) and Brian Feldman (.423, 22 RBIs) help bolster the lineup, which has outscored opponents 154-24.
Union – Tyler Staub was a key player in Union’s run to the WPIAL title last season and continued his hot hitting this season, batting .537. He also was the team’s top pitcher at 5-1 with 56 strikeouts in the regular season. He threw a four-hitter with seven strikeouts in the semifinals. Mark Stanley (.488, 24 RBIs) and Nick Vitale (.486) also powered the Scotties lineup. They outscored opponents 125-38.
Eden Christian – Eden lost to Union in the WPIAL semifinals last season but rebounded to defeat Jefferson-Morgan in the third-place consolation game. The Warriors then beat DuBois Central Catholic, Kennedy Catholic and Southern Fulton to reach the PIAA title game before falling to Halifax.
Union – The Scotties captured their first WPIAL championship last season, defeating Riverview, 3-0, in the finals. They then reached the PIAA quarterfinals before losing to Southern Fulton. … This is the fourth straight WPIAL championship appearance for Union. Union lost to Vincentian Academy, 6-1, in the 2018 Class A finals and to California, 9-6, in the 2019 title game.
Tags: Eden Christian, Union | 2022-05-31T22:57:30Z | tribhssn.triblive.com | 2022 WPIAL Class A baseball championship preview: Eden Christian vs. Union | Trib HSSN | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/2022-wpial-class-a-baseball-championship-preview-eden-christian-vs-union/ | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/2022-wpial-class-a-baseball-championship-preview-eden-christian-vs-union/ |
2022 WPIAL Class A softball championship preview: West Greene vs. Union
West Greene defeated Greensburg Central Catholic, 13-3, in a matchup of top-five softball teams in WPIAL Class A.
WPIAL Class A softball championship
1-West Greene (14-3) vs. 2-Union (19-3)
4:30 p.m. Wednesday at Cal (Pa.)
West Greene – After winning the Section 2 title, top-seeded West Greene earned a first-round bye, then defeated No. 9 Mapletown, 7-0, in the quarterfinals and No. 4 Springdale, 5-2, in the semifinals.
Union – Union claimed the Section 1 title at 10-0 and was awarded the No. 2 seed and a first-round bye. The Scotties then beat No. 7 Jefferson-Morgan, 11-0, in the quarterfinals and No. 3 Greensburg Central Catholic, 9-2, in the semifinals.
West Greene – A lot of teams would like to know the Pioneers’ secret. Coach Billy Simms has West Greene in position for a WPIAL record sixth straight title. After a 0-3 start at the Ripken Experience at Myrtle Beach, West Greene has gone 14-0 against WPIAL opponents with a 147-28 scoring advantage. Senior Katie Lampe (.429, 22 RBIs), junior London Whipkey (.467, 21 RBIs) and freshman Payton Gilbert (.459, 13 RBIs) lead a loaded lineup. Gilbert was 3 for 3 with a triple and two RBIs in the semifinal victory. Senior pitcher Kiley Meek (11-3, 2.78 ERA, 97 strikeouts) also has been solid in the circle.
Union – The Scotties have relied on several underclassmen en route to the finals. Freshman Mia Preuhs has made quite an immediate impact, batting .585 with 16 doubles and 27 RBIs. She also is 12-1 in the pitching circle with a 1.79 ERA and 158 strikeouts. Freshman Addy Nogay (.386) has a team-high 28 RBIs. Another younger player, sophomore Mallory Gorgacz, has belted four home runs and is hitting .439 with 18 RBIs.
West Greene – These teams met a year ago in the WPIAL finals as West Greene captured its fifth straight district championship. The Pioneers have defeated Chartiers-Houston, Monessen (twice) and Union (twice) in the last five WPIAL Class A title games by a combined score of 55-9. West Greene won 17-2 last season. The Pioneers then went on to lose in the PIAA title game to Tri-Valley. West Greene can become the first WPIAL team to win six straight WPIAL softball titles.
Union – For the fourth straight contested season (the pandemic wiped out 2020), Union is facing the Pioneers in the playoffs. In addition to last year’s title game loss, Union lost to West Greene, 11-0, in the 2019 finals, and 8-2 in the 2018 semifinals. The Scotties are seeking their first WPIAL title. Union’s baseball team also is playing for a WPIAL championship Wednesday.
Tags: Union, West Greene | 2022-05-31T22:57:36Z | tribhssn.triblive.com | 2022 WPIAL Class A softball championship preview: West Greene vs. Union | Trib HSSN | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/2022-wpial-class-a-softball-championship-preview-west-greene-vs-union/ | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/2022-wpial-class-a-softball-championship-preview-west-greene-vs-union/ |
Katie Armstrong leads Burrell into PIAA softball playoffs for 1st time in 11 years
Burrell catcher Bella Stewart (left) celebrates with starting pitcher Katie Armstrong after beating Montour in the WPIAL Class 4A consolation softball game Tuesday, May 31, 2022, at Mars Area High School.
Burrell’s Caroline Dynka scores behind Montour catcher Payton Wiernik in the first inning during the WPIAL Class 4A consolation softball game Tuesday, May 31, 2022, at Mars Area High School.
Burrell’s Cassidy Novak makes a running catch on a ball hit by Montour’s Angelia Lamarca in the third inning during the WPIAL Class 4A consolation softball game Tuesday, May 31, 2022, at Mars Area High School.
Burrell’s Bella Stewart drives in a run against Montour in the first inning during the WPIAL Class 4A consolation softball game Tuesday, May 31, 2022, at Mars Area High School.
Burrell starting pitcher Katie Armstrong throws against Montour during the WPIAL Class 4A consolation softball game Tuesday, May 31, 2022, at Mars Area High School. Armstrong struck out 16.
Burrell’s Pyper Ferres celebrates with Caroline Dynka after Dynka scored in the first inning against Montour during the WPIAL Class 4A consolation softball game Tuesday, May 31, 2022, at Mars Area High School.
Burrell’s Bella Stewart takes second base ahead of the tag of Montour’s Breanna Pies in the first inning after an RBI single during the WPIAL Class 4A consolation softball game Tuesday, May 31, 2022, at Mars Area High School.
Burrell’s Braelyn Jones tracks down a ball hit by Montour’s Payton Wiernik in the third inning during the WPIAL Class 4A consolation softball game Tuesday, May 31, 2022, at Mars Area High School.
The Burrell infield celebrates after getting out of the sixth inning against Montour during the WPIAL Class 4A consolation softball game Tuesday, May 31, 2022, at Mars Area High School.
For the first time in 11 years, the Burrell softball team will be a part of the PIAA playoffs.
The Bucs scored three times in the first inning of Tuesday’s WPIAL Class 4A third-place game against Montour at Mars. The lead held up behind the pitching of junior Katie Armstrong and the Bucs defense.
The Spartans got a single run in the sixth, but Burrell closed the door on a 3-1 victory that extended its season to states.
“I am just so excited and so blessed to keep playing with my teammates and to have this opportunity at states,” said Armstrong, who scattered four hits, walked one and struck out 16. “I love these girls. We’ve worked so hard for this.”
Burrell, which has given up just three runs in three playoff games, bounced back from a 2-1 semifinal loss to Elizabeth Forward last Wednesday. The Bucs (13-2) open PIAA play Monday against District 10 champion Villa Maria Academy at a site and time to be determined.
“This feels great. We’re moving on,” Burrell coach Rick Nealer said. “It’s a new season now. Everyone is 0-0. It’s one game at a time starting Monday, and let’s see where we go.”
Burrell got all it would need in the bottom of the first in support of Armstrong.
Lone senior Caroline Dynka singled over the first-base bag on the first pitch of the game, and she moved to second on a sacrifice bunt from Armstrong.
Freshman catcher Bella Stewart then singled off of Montour junior starter Kaitlyn Molitoris. Dynka scored on the hit to give Burrell a 1-0 lead.
With two outs, freshman Bray Jones drew a walk.
Stewart was on third, and Jones was on second when junior Alanna Miller hit a ball back to Molitoris. The throw to first was wide and skipped into foul territory. Stewart and Jones scored to extend the Bucs’ lead.
Burrell looked to add on but came up short with runners in scoring position in the third, fourth, and fifth innings.
“We had plenty of chances to add on,” Nealer said. “We didn’t do it, but, luckily, those three runs held up. We had runners on just about every inning. With Katie on the mound, even getting one run, we’re feeling pretty good. With three, we were extremely confident.
“But it’s the playoffs, and the kids get tight in the later innings. We are always looking to keep them loose.”
Montour got on the board as No. 9 hitter Kylie Ross led off the top of the sixth with a walk. It was only the 13th walk Armstrong has given up all season.
Junior Mia Arndt then flew out to left, and Armstrong struck out senior Breanna Pies for out No. 2. But junior Avrie Polo beat out a bunt for a single that scored Ross, who had stolen both second and third.
It was only the second earned run surrendered by Armstrong all season. She was charged with an earned run in the season-opening 6-1 victory over Mt. Pleasant.
The Bucs got out of the inning with no further damage.
Senior Payton Wiernik hit a liner to center to keep Montour alive in the top of the seventh after Armstrong struck out the first two batters. It was the only one of the four Spartans hits to leave the infield.
But Armstrong came back with her 16th and final strikeout of the game, fanning Molitoris to end it.
“It helped just knowing that we had those extra runs to give us a little wiggle room,” Armstrong said.
“However we can get the runs, we’ll take them.
“They had seen me a couple of times before the sixth and kind of had a better approach. But I knew that I had my defense behind me, and I knew they equally wanted to win this game.”
The Burrell defense, in its limited opportunities while Armstrong was piling up the strikeouts, didn’t commit an error.
Molitoris was up to the task for the Spartans. She walked six with five strikeouts but only gave up one hit — a single from Armstrong to lead off the bottom of the fifth — after the two she surrendered in the first.
Montour, with five seniors in its lineup, capped its season at 14-6.
“All year, the girls never got down on themselves and continued to fight, no matter what the circumstances were in a game,” Montour coach Ken Kutchman said. “(Armstrong) is such a good pitcher. We just couldn’t lay off the rise (pitch). We had to be a little more disciplined, and we weren’t. Give Burrell all the credit.”
“As I told the girls earlier, this has been one of my most enjoyable seasons in 15 years. It’s just a great bunch of kids.”
Tuesday’s game marked the return to the lineup of Burrell freshman outfielder Sabrina Hoover. who missed 10 games because of injury.
Hoover, in the starting mix at the beginning of the season, was cleared for game action Tuesday. She finished 0 for 2 with a walk.
“It was such a great feeling to be back and on the field with my teammates,” Hoover said.
“There were a little nerves, but it was mostly excitement. It was a long time being out. I knew if we made it far I was going to be able to come back. Not a lot of teams make it this far, so I am grateful for that.”
Tags: Burrell, Montour | 2022-05-31T22:57:48Z | tribhssn.triblive.com | Katie Armstrong leads Burrell into PIAA softball playoffs for 1st time in 11 years | Trib HSSN | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/katie-armstrong-leads-burrell-into-piaa-softball-playoffs-for-1st-time-in-11-years/ | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/katie-armstrong-leads-burrell-into-piaa-softball-playoffs-for-1st-time-in-11-years/ |
Rapp twins overcome spinal fusion surgeries to help Penn-Trafford softball to WPIAL final
Penn-Trafford’s senior softball twins, McKenzie (left) and Maddie Rapp.
Maddy Rapp thought she might cause a scene when she walked through the metal detectors at Heinz Field in November when she watched her hometown Penn-Trafford Warriors play for a WPIAL football championship.
Her fraternal twin sister, McKenzie, saw a similar outcome passing through the security arch.
They were surprised when the detector did not beep.
“With two steel rods and 16 screws in your back, you never know how things are going to go,” McKenzie Rapp said.
The softball siblings had spinal fusion surgery Sept. 23 at Children’s Hospital to repair gradually worsening scoliosis. Titanium rods and screws helped to realign their spinal columns and improve the curvature in each girl’s back.
“We didn’t want it to progress and get worse, especially with us going to college,” Maddy Rapp said. “They told us it would take six months to get back, but we came back in four. It was more of a mental thing.”
Back to form, the seniors have helped No. 2 seed Penn-Trafford (18-2) reach the WPIAL Class 5A championship game. The Lady Warriors, who will make their finals debut, will take on No. 1 Armstrong (19-4) at 4:30 p.m. Thursday at California (Pa.)’s Lilley Field.
“They were doing physical therapy as soon as they were allowed out of bed,” Warriors senior pitcher Mia Smith said. “They bounced back quick.”
Maddy is the catcher, and McKenzie is a backup pitcher.
The Rapps will play together at Geneva.
Scoliosis is common, but not everybody has surgery for it. The girls were diagnosed with it around age 8 during a routine checkup.
“We were born two months premature, so maybe that had something to do with it,” McKenzie Rapp said. “High school ball really helped us come back because we were working every day.”
Neither girl has had issues since returning, whether it be throwing, batting or squatting behind the plate.
“My shoulder was out of place before but it’s more aligned now,” Maddy Rapp said. “Our mom (Christine) is a physical therapist, so that really helped.”
Warriors coach Denny Little values the twins’ leadership on and off the field.
“They’re like the mom girls,” Little said. “They’re the nagging mothers watching over the girls. They play extremely important roles on this team. It’s amazing to see them come back like they have. They had major surgery.”
During a practice this week, Maddy Rapp paused during an interview in the dugout to make sure a teammate was all right.
“I have to check on my girls,” she said.
Little remembers the Rapps hanging around a Harrison City Heat youth baseball team he coached.
“They were the little sisters hanging around, playing in the dirt,” Little said. “My daughter, Emma, was there, too. Later, we formed a Heat softball program, and they started playing in that. Their dad, Brian, said he was going to make one a pitcher and one a catcher.
“They all come back together in high school ball.”
Maddy Rapp is hitting .378 with four home runs and 12 RBIs.
“She’s on the same page with Mia,” Little said.
She also is the travel ball catcher for Smith.
“They are, as Justin Timberlake says, simpatico,” Little said. “Maddy bat is a bonus. She works extremely hard.”
Rapp pitched more last year but has accepted a bullpen role with the hard-throwing Smith, a Pitt-Johnstown commit, coming into her high school prime.
“With McKenzie, I know I can go to her,” Little said. “I know she will be ready.”
Little said the Rapps bicker like sisters are expected to do.
“I have to break them up sometimes,” he said. “It’s funny.”
Said McKenzie Rapp: “Sometimes when I am pitching, she will come out to the mound and put me in my place.”
While the Rapps were freshmen and earned medals in 2019 when Penn-Trafford won a PIAA championship, they are focused on doing their part to help the Warriors win their first WPIAL title.
“It’s about being focused when we walk in,” McKenzie Rapp said. “Both teams are good. The team that shows up that day will win.” | 2022-05-31T22:57:54Z | tribhssn.triblive.com | Rapp twins overcome spinal fusion surgeries to help Penn-Trafford softball to WPIAL final | Trib HSSN | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/rapp-twins-overcome-spinal-fusion-surgeries-to-help-penn-trafford-softball-to-wpial-final/ | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/rapp-twins-overcome-spinal-fusion-surgeries-to-help-penn-trafford-softball-to-wpial-final/ |
Unbeaten Serra Catholic captures 4th WPIAL baseball title
The Serra Catholic baseball team celebrates with the WPIAL championship trophy after defeating Neshannock, 8-2, in the Class 2A final on Tuesday, May 31, 2022, at Wild Things Park.
Serra Catholic pitcher Zach Karp delivers against Neshannock during the WPIAL Class 2A championship game on Tuesday, May 31, 2022, at Wild Things Park.
Serra Catholic’s Zach Karp (16) and Joe DeMoss celebrate after defeating Neshannock, 8-2, in the WPIAL Class 2A championship game on Tuesday, May 31, 2022, at Wild Things Park.
Serra Catholic’s Joe DeMoss celebrates his RBI double against Neshannock during the WPIAL Class 2A championship game on Tuesday, May 31, 2022, at Wild Things Park.
Neshannock catcher Nathan Rynd tags out Serra Catholic’s Ethan Coddington at home plate during the WPIAL Class 2A championship game on Tuesday, May 31, 2022, at Wild Things Park.
After near-misses the past four seasons, the Serra Catholic baseball team hoisted a WPIAL championship trophy Tuesday afternoon.
The top-seeded Eagles used a strong pitching performance from junior ace Zach Karp and timely hitting throughout their potent lineup to defeat No. 7 Neshannock, 8-2, in the Class 2A final at Wild Things Park in Washington.
The undefeated Eagles (23-0) took a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning, added a run in the fourth to break a 2-2 tie and put the game away with a five-run outburst in the fifth.
Karp was dominant, throwing a complete-game two-hitter with five strikeouts. Karp said that getting through batters quickly and keeping a low pitch count helped him go the distance.
“It can keep the stress off your arm, just trying to get in and out in four pitches, five pitches,” Karp said. “That’s how I roll with it.”
Karp said trusting his defense was also key in his complete-game performance.
“You just have to throw strikes. You can’t be afraid to keep throwing the ball over the plate,” Karp said. “Just gotta keep getting that across, keep them off-balance, and then let the defense do the work.”
First baseman Joe DeMoss was 2 for 3 with three RBIs, and shortstop Zach Black was 2 for 3 with an RBI. Senior center fielder Eli Kite went 1 for 2 and drove in the winning run in the fifth inning. DH Isiah Petty also had two hits and knocked in a run.
Serra Catholic has now won four WPIAL titles, adding to triumphs in 2009, ‘10 and ‘16. The Eagles lost in the WPIAL semifinals in 2017 and last season and in the finals in 2018 and ‘19. The 2020 season was canceled because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Neshannock fell to 17-7.
Both teams advance to the PIAA tournament, which begins next week.
The Eagles struck first in the game, scoring two runs in the bottom of the first off Neshannock senior starter Sebastian Coiro.
Petty led off with an infield single, which was a bang-bang play at first base. Second baseman Ethan Coddington bunted Petty over, and Black drove in the game’s first run.
Black then stole second base and junior clean-up hitter DeMoss lined a ball into the gap for a double, driving in Black. Coiro retired the next two batters, but Serra Catholic led 2-0.
DeMoss said he made adjustments with two strikes against Coiro during the at-bat.
“It was two strikes, so I widened my base and just tried to stay in my feet and tried to take it wherever he pitched it,” DeMoss said.
Demoss said he knows it’s important to shorten up and to stay balanced when down in the count.
“If you’re striding big and taking a big swing, you’re not gonna hit the ball,” he said.
Neshannock responded by tallying two runs in the third inning on just two hits.
Junior left fielder Luke Glies notched the team’s first hit and senior Joshua Pallerino drew a walk. Senior Joshua Prossen moved the runners to second and third on a sacrifice bunt and senior third baseman Colten Shaffer drove a ball to the warning track for a two-run triple, tying the game 2-2.
In the fourth, junior Michael Schanck walked and then had back-to-back stolen bases. The Lancers had the infield in, and Kite lined a ball past Shaffer for a base hit, giving Serra Catholic a 3-2 lead.
Despite a competitive first four innings of play, Serra Catholic blew the game open in the fifth. The Eagles mustered five runs on just two hits in the inning.
Petty got things going with a single. After the hit, junior Jacob Walzer relieved Coiro. Coddington bunted Petty over and the Lancers intentionally walked Black.
DeMoss had another key hit, lining one into left field for a two-run double.
After a hit by pitch, Shaffer took over pitching duties and walked two consecutive batters. Sophomore Deandre Alberico came in with the bases loaded and finally got out of the inning, but walked a batter and hit a batter, making it 8-2. Neither of the two runs was charged to Alberico.
Karp finished the game for the Eagles, not allowing a hit over the last four innings.
The Eagles had four sacrifice bunts in the game and Coddington’s sacrifices in the second and fifth led to their two biggest innings of the game. DeMoss also bunted in his fourth at-bat, and he believes that their selfless hitting led to many scoring chances.
“We had eight runs here, but there might be games where it’s 3-2 and you’ve got to get insurance runs going into the last inning,” DeMoss said. “You got to be able to get them over and put them in scoring position.”
Coach Brian Dzurenda and the team are taking things easy before they begin to prepare for the state tournament, which begins Monday.
“We’re taking a day off, which we never do,” Dzurenda said. “We’re just going to enjoy the day tomorrow, regroup and we’re going to talk about it on Thursday.” | 2022-05-31T22:58:00Z | tribhssn.triblive.com | Unbeaten Serra Catholic captures 4th WPIAL baseball title | Trib HSSN | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/unbeaten-serra-catholic-captures-4th-wpial-baseball-title/ | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/unbeaten-serra-catholic-captures-4th-wpial-baseball-title/ |
2022 WPIAL Class 2A softball championship preview: Neshannock vs. Frazier
Frazier players celebrate defeating OLSH in the WPIAL Class 2A semifinals May 25.
1-Neshannock (21-0) vs. 2-Frazier (17-0)
2:15 p.m. Thursday at Lilley Field, Cal (Pa.)
Neshannock — The Lancers have been one of the most dominant teams in the WPIAL this season. Heading into the finals, they’re 21-0 and have outscored opponents 245-22. Lest anyone criticize the strength of their schedule, they own a 14-4 nonsection win over Class 5A finalist Armstrong. In the playoffs, Neshannock rolled past Fort Cherry, 11-1, and Charleroi, 10-0, before being tested by No. 5 Laurel in the semifinals. Freshman pitcher Addy Frye’s RBI double in the eighth won it, 1-0.
Frazier — If the Commodores were any less dominant than the Lancers this season, it was only by the slimmest of margins. Coming into the finals, they’re 17-0 and have outscored opponents 196-16. That includes two playoff routs, 10-0 over Apollo-Ridge in the first round and 10-2 over OLSH in the semifinals. The potential roadblock came in the quarterfinals. No. 7 Seton LaSalle scored three runs in the top of the seventh to pull within 6-5 before the Commodores shut the door.
Neshannock — The Lancers dominate when they’re at the plate or in the field. In the playoffs, Frye has given up one unearned run on eight hits with 31 strikeouts in 17 innings. Sophomore catcher Gabby Perod is 5 for 11 and had two homers and eight RBIs against Fort Cherry. Junior first baseman Hunter Newman is 7 for 9 in the postseason with a pair of RBIs.
Frazier — While Nicole Palmer has been brilliant all season – and she didn’t allow an earned run against either Apollo-Ridge or OLSH – the Commodores have probably been more impressive on offense than in the field so far in the playoffs. Senior shortstop Victoria Washinski is 4 for 8 with two home runs and six RBIs. Opponents have been hesitant to pitch to junior first baseman Delaney Warnick, who is 3 for 7 with five RBIs and has been walked four times.
Neshannock — The Lancers have two WPIAL softball championships in their trophy case, having beaten South Side, 8-5, in the 2014 finals and Carmichaels, 10-4, in the 2013 title game. This year’s playoff run snaps a streak of three consecutive seasons that ended in the WPIAL quarterfinals.
Frazier — The Commodores won the school’s first WPIAL softball championship in 2017, beating South Side, 2-0, and have been in contention every year since. In fact, a case could be made that the only thing stopping Frazier from multiple WPIAL titles was Laurel. The Spartans beat the Commodores in the semifinals last year and in the finals in 2019 and 2018. | 2022-06-02T00:24:14Z | tribhssn.triblive.com | 2022 WPIAL Class 2A softball championship preview: Neshannock vs. Frazier | Trib HSSN | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/2022-wpial-class-2a-softball-championship-preview-neshannock-vs-frazier/ | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/2022-wpial-class-2a-softball-championship-preview-neshannock-vs-frazier/ |
2022 WPIAL Class 5A softball championship preview: Armstrong vs. Penn-Trafford
Armstrong’s Cameryn Sprankle smiles after hitting an RBI double against Franklin Regional on April 20 in Murrysville.
Penn-Trafford pitcher Mia Smith delivers against Chartiers Valley during their WPIAL Class 5A semifinal on Tuesday, May 24, 2022, at West Mifflin High School.
1-Armstrong (19-4) vs. 2-Penn-Trafford (18-2)
5:30 p.m. Thursday at Cal (Pa.)
Armstrong – The River Hawks rolled to the Section 1 title at 12-0 and earned the No. 1 seed in the WPIAL playoffs. They beat No. 16 Hampton, 11-5, in the first round; defeated No. 8 Thomas Jefferson, 14-7, in the quarterfinals; and then topped No. 4 North Hills, the defending champion, 6-4, in the semifinals.
Penn-Trafford – Section 2 champion Penn-Trafford beat No. 15 Plum, 10-0, in the first round; defeated No. 10 Shaler, 5-0, in the quarterfinals; and took down No. 11 Chartiers Valley, 3-2, in the semifinals.
Armstrong – The River Hawks returned four first-team all-section players in Isabella Atherton, Mackenzie Egley, Emma Paul and Jenna Clontz. Egley, Paul (.489) and Atherton were joined on the first team by outfielder Emma Smerick (.522, 4 HR, 21 RBIs) and pitcher Cameryn Sprankle this year. Clontz was a second-team pick. Cassidy Adams (.467), Jessie Pugh (7 HR, 29 RBIs) and Shelby Cloak (6 HR) also add pop to the potent lineup. Clontz hit a two-run home run, and Pugh had a three-run homer in the semifinals.
Penn-Trafford – A trio of seniors — pitcher Mia Smith, catcher Maddy Rapp and outfielder Hannah Allen — along with freshman infielder Cameron Ponko and sophomore designated hitter Mackenzie Keenan were named first-team all-section for a team that has outscored its three playoff opponents 18-2. Smith, a Pitt-Johnstown commit, is 18-2 with a 0.98 ERA and 176 strikeouts. Ponko (.491, 20 RBIs), Keenan (.481, 13 RBIs) and Allen (5 HR, 21 RBIs) lead the offensive attack.
Armstrong – Last season, Armstrong finished second in Section 1, took second in the WPIAL after losing to North Hills in the Class 5A finals, and then ended as the PIAA runner-up after falling to Lampeter-Strasburg in the state title game. It was the first time the River Hawks won in the playoffs and their first championship game appearances. Even predecessors Kittanning and Ford City did not appear in a WPIAL softball championship contest.
Penn-Trafford – The Warriors are searching for their first district title but did win a PIAA title in 2019. They reached the WPIAL quarterfinals last season before falling to North Hills. | 2022-06-02T00:24:26Z | tribhssn.triblive.com | 2022 WPIAL Class 5A softball championship preview: Armstrong vs. Penn-Trafford | Trib HSSN | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/2022-wpial-class-5a-softball-championship-preview-armstrong-vs-penn-trafford/ | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/2022-wpial-class-5a-softball-championship-preview-armstrong-vs-penn-trafford/ |
Expect offensive outburst when Armstrong, Penn-Trafford clash for WPIAL 5A title
Penn-Trafford’s Cameron Ponko connects on a pitch to bring in the go-ahead run against Chartiers Valley during their WPIAL Class 5A semifinal on Tuesday, May 24, 2022, at West Mifflin High School.
Armstrong’s Jenna Clontz is greeted at home plate by teammates after hitting a two-run homer against Franklin Regional on Wednesday, April 20, 2022, in Murrysville.
Offense could be on full blast when Penn-Trafford and Armstrong meet Thursday in the WPIAL Class 5A softball championship.
So could the volume coming from at least one of the dugouts.
“If you think you’re going to see a shutout, you’re crazy,” Penn-Trafford coach Denny Little said. “The WPIAL seedings nailed this one.”
Oddsmakers would probably advise to take the over in this matchup of teams seeking their first WPIAL title. Runs are expected to be plentiful.
Top-seeded Armstrong (19-4) has scored 255 runs — 11.1 per game — and has eight players batting .400 or better.
The River Hawks can mash the softball and have an offense geared toward gap-to-gap power. They were the WPIAL and PIAA runners-up last season.
They have 32 home runs.
“We know we have to score runs and minimize their scoring,” Little said. “They have a lot of hoopla. They have the cow bells and the high energy. They’re going to try to knock us off. We have to stick to who we are and be ourselves. We can’t try to out-scream them.”
No offensive slouch, Penn-Trafford averages 7.1 runs and bats .375 as a team with 54 extra-base hits.
“Penn-Trafford has a winning tradition,” Armstrong coach Doug Flanders said. “They are well-coached and have lots of talent. It’s fun to see the top two seeds playing for the title. We have both been at or near the top of the rankings all season.”
Penn-Trafford is led by senior pitcher Mia Smith, who is 17-1 with a 0.98 ERA and 176 strikeouts.
“We are battle-tested,” Flanders said. “We faced top pitchers from Hempfield, Pine-Richland and Neshannock. I believe Mia is similar.”
The Warriors’ top hitters include freshman Cam Ponko (.491), sophomore Mackenzie Keenan (.481), senior Hannah Allen (5 HR, 21 RBIs) and junior Kylee Piconi (22 runs).
The Rapp sisters, seniors Maddy and McKenzie, and junior Alexa Forsythe, are Geneva commits.
Allen will play at Washington & Jefferson.
Junior Emma Smerick has a .513 batting average to pace the River Hawks and also has 29 runs scored and 26 RBIs. Sophomore Emma Paul (.456, 26 runs), senior Mackenizie Egley (.424, 19 RBIs), sophomore Jesse Pugh (.422, 9 HR, 33 RBIs) and junior Jenna Clontz (23 RBIs, 29 runs) are other offensive threats for Armstrong.
Egley is a Carlow commit, while Clontz is headed to Gannon, and senior Nichole Benvenuti is an IUP recruit.
Smerick, junior Isabella Atherton and Sprankle are getting college looks.
Armstrong lost to North Hills in last year’s WPIAL final, 12-2.
“We know what to expect now,” Flanders said. “Our confidence and resiliency will hopefully lead us to the titles.”
Little occasionally sees some similarities, he said, between this team and the 2019 state title team.
The 2020 team could have been the best of the bunch, but covid wiped out the season. The ‘22 team is a fine contender in itself.
“It’s our great pitching and good hitting against their great hitting and good pitching,” Little said. “Whoever performs better that day is going to win it all.” | 2022-06-02T00:24:38Z | tribhssn.triblive.com | Expect offensive outburst when Armstrong, Penn-Trafford clash for WPIAL 5A title | Trib HSSN | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/expect-offensive-outburst-when-armstrong-penn-trafford-clash-for-wpial-5a-title/ | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/expect-offensive-outburst-when-armstrong-penn-trafford-clash-for-wpial-5a-title/ |
Deer Lakes starting pitcher Maddie Kee throws against Avonworth in the WPIAL Class 4A softball championship game Wednesday at Cal (Pa.).
Deer Lakes sophomore pitcher Maddie Kee did all she could to hold off the explosive Avonworth lineup in the WPIAL Class 3A softball championship game Wednesday at Lilley Field at Cal (Pa.).
The Antelopes (17-5) had the bases loaded and none out in the first, but Kee limited the damage to just a sacrifice fly by Leah Kuban that scored Sydney Savatt.
Her pitching opponent, Alivia Lantzy, smashed a double in the second to score Savatt, who reached base on an error.
The Lancers (13-5) scored in the top of the third to cut the Antelopes lead to 2-1.
Avonworth, however, answered in the bottom of the third as Cassandra Heinauer’s single scored courtesy runner Myla Azen. Again, Kee held off a big inning with two runners on and a run in.
She induced a popup to first from Emma Obersteiner and a grounder to second by Layne Shinsky.
But the Avonworth tide could be held back for only so long.
The Antelopes batted around in the fifth inning, sending 13 batters to the plate as Kuban and Rylee Gray started the decisive fifth with back-to-back doubles. Heinauer and Obersteiner followed with run-scoring singles, and Avonworth was on its way to its second WPIAL title in school history.
“Maddie Kee’s the real deal,” said Deer Lakes coach Rick Cerra. “She’s only a sophomore. I’m excited to have her for another two years. She’s only going to get better and better as she matures. I can’t say anything but good things about her.”
Shortstop Meghan Fissore was a freshman starter on Avonworth’s other WPIAL championship team in 2019 and thought there would be a big inning in the offing.
“We’ve been working all season on hitting outside pitches,” Fissore said. “That’s where she (Kee) lives, and that’s what we’ve been prepping for this game in the last week. I knew we were going to have that one big inning, and I’m glad we did.”
Savatt had a two-run single to conclude the rally.
“It was awesome,” Avonworth coach Jenna Muncie said about the big inning. “It was an offensive breakout at the perfect time.”
The Antelopes weren’t daunted by the early innings that didn’t result in a breakout.
“I think what we wanted to do was chip away and put a few runs on the board, one at a time, and that’s kind of our motto,” Muncie said. “If we could put up a few, I thought we’d be pretty good.”
As a senior, Fissore found this year’s gold medal especially satisfying.
“It’s super-exciting because I’ve had all these years of growth as a player,” she said. “Just coming out and help my team means the world to me.”
The Lancers had just three baserunners over the last four innings against sophomore Lantzy.
Cerra said both schools can look forward to similar matchups over the next two seasons as Deer Lakes and Avonworth will be in the same section.
Both schools will be in action Monday to start the PIAA playoffs.
Deer Lakes will travel north to play District 10 champion Corry. Avonworth will play the loser of Friday’s District 6 title game between Westmont Hilltop and Bald Eagle Area. | 2022-06-02T00:24:44Z | tribhssn.triblive.com | One big inning boosts Avonworth, trips up Deer Lakes ace Maddie Kee in 3A title game | Trib HSSN | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/one-big-inning-boosts-avonworth-trips-up-deer-lakes-ace-maddie-kee-in-3a-title-game/ | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/one-big-inning-boosts-avonworth-trips-up-deer-lakes-ace-maddie-kee-in-3a-title-game/ |
Seneca Valley blasts past North Allegheny to win 1st WPIAL softball title since ’99
Seneca Valley celebrates beating North Allegheny in the WPIAL Class 6A softball championship game Wednesday, June 1, 2022 at Cal (Pa.).
Seneca Valley’s Lexie Hames is greeted after a home run against North Allegheny in the WPIAL Class 6A softball championship game Wednesday, June 1, 2022 at Cal (Pa.).
Seneca Valley’s Lily Hicks scores behind North Allegheny catcher Sydni Junker in the WPIAL Class 6A softball championship game Wednesday, June 1, 2022 at Cal (Pa.).
Seneca Valley starting pitcher Lexie Hames throws against North Allegheny in the WPIAL Class 6A softball championship game Wednesday, June 1, 2022 at Cal (Pa.).
Seneca Valley’s Maddie Gross is greeted at home after a two-run homer against North Allegheny in the WPIAL Class 6A softball championship game Wednesday, June 1, 2022 at Cal (Pa.).
Seneca Valley’s Mia Ryan tags out North Allegheny’s Meghan McDonough in the WPIAL Class 6A softball championship game Wednesday, June 1, 2022 at Cal (Pa.).
Seneca Valley catcher Anna Kalkowski tags out North Allegheny’s Annalyn Isaacs in the WPIAL Class 6A softball championship game Wednesday, June 1, 2022 at Cal (Pa.).
North Allegheny starting pitcher Anne Melle throws against Seneca Valley in the WPIAL Class 6A softball championship game Wednesday, June 1, 2022 at Cal (Pa.).
Seneca Valley started partying like it was 1999 — and 1992, for that matter.
The fourth-seeded Raiders upended No. 7 North Allegheny, 9-5, to win their first WPIAL softball championship since ‘99, and third overall, on Wednesday at Lilley Field at Cal (Pa.).
Freshman Lexie Hames and senior first baseman Maddie Gross hit two-run home runs, and Hames pitched a complete game in the Class 6A final for the Raiders (13-6).
Seneca Valley coach Marlesse Hames came for the championship and stayed for the nuance. She was a pitcher and power hitter — like her daughter — on the ‘92 WPIAL championship team for Seneca Valley.
Three decades later, there will be two WPIAL champions at their dinner table.
Marlesse Hames was doused with water and ice moments after her team won. Her daughter felt the wonderful chill.
“It’s so surreal right now,” Lexie Hames said. “I can’t believe it’s over. I feel like we should go out and play another inning. It’s even crazier that I get to share this with my mom.”
The ‘92 team will be inducted into the Seneca Valley sports hall of fame this year.
Freshman third baseman Bella Gross went 2 for 3 with a double and an RBI, while sophomore center fielder Kara Pasquale and senior right fielder Angelina Chardella joined Maddie Gross with two hits apiece.
The Raiders have outscored their opponents 24-7 in their last six games. That included a 7-2 win over No. 1 seed Hempfield.
The district final had all the classic ingredients of a Seneca Valley win: home runs, sound pitching and solid contact up and down the order.
“I never imagined this would happen (in her first season as coach),” Marlesse Hames said. “My husband said at the beginning of the season, ‘What if we win WPIALs?’ Here we are. We knew this game was going to be a battle.”
North Allegheny, seeking its fourth WPIAL title — the first since 2006 — fell to 13-10.
“They got us today,” North Allegheny coach Morgan Vescovi said. “We wanted to put some pressure on (Lexie Hames). She is very talented, and we’re going to be dealing with her a lot in the next three years.”
North Allegheny had a pair of early leads in the third matchup of the season of Section 2 teams. (They split their season series.)
“There are very few weak points in our section,” Vescovi said. “I’d say we were both dark horses coming in. It was cool to see a four and a seven (seed) in the championship.”
But Seneca Valley’s hot lineup stayed hot, even looking stronger as the game went on.
After the Raiders grabbed a 2-1 lead on a two-run homer by Hames, the Tigers scored twice in the third on a two-run single by senior Reagan Deitrick.
Pasquale and junior Mia Ryan opened the bottom of the inning with singles, and Maddie Gross brought them around with a three-run blast to center.
“Our home runs were big again, and Kara and Mia got on to set that up,” Marlesse Hames said.
Gross and Lexie Hames are tied for the team lead with 14 homers apiece.
After a walk and an error, Bella Gross kept the basepaths moving with a two-run double, and Chardella added a run-scoring single to make it 8-3.
That prompted a pitching change for the Tigers as sophomore Anne Melle was replaced by freshman Sammy Plotsko.
“Our girls are hot-hitting right now,” Marlesse Hames said. “They kept it up.”
Four straight singles to start the fifth, though, allowed North Allegheny to push across two more runs and cut it to 8-5.
Junior Annalyn Isaacs and senior Sydni Junker had RBI singles, Junker’s skipping over the first base bag and into right.
But the rally was quashed promptly.
A double play and a terrific diving catch by Pasquale in center highlighted the Raiders’ defensive effort.
Pasquale capped the scoring with a single to left in the fifth.
Lexie Hames settled in after that, retiring six of the final seven batters. She allowed eight hits, struck out six and walked four.
She did not allow an extra-base hit.
“I told her I needed that third gear,” Marlesse Hames said of her pitcher. “Let’s get down to business.”
Deitrick and junior Meghan McDonough had two hits each, with Deitrick driving in two for the Tigers.
Both teams will compete in the PIAA playoffs beginning Monday. | 2022-06-02T00:24:50Z | tribhssn.triblive.com | Seneca Valley blasts past North Allegheny to win 1st WPIAL softball title since ’99 | Trib HSSN | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/seneca-valley-blasts-past-north-allegheny-to-win-1st-wpial-softball-title-since-99/ | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/seneca-valley-blasts-past-north-allegheny-to-win-1st-wpial-softball-title-since-99/ |
High school roundup for June 1, 2022: Laurel Highlands, Rochester earn state playoffs bids
Winning pitcher Joe Chambers struck out 12 in a complete game and had an RBI single during a four-run fourth inning to lead No. 4 Laurel Highlands to a 4-3 victory over No. 6 Knoch in the WPIAL Class 4A baseball third-place game Wednesday.
Ty Sankovich had two hits and an RBI for the Mustangs (15-7), who claimed the third and final state playoff spot out of the WPIAL and will meet District 10 champion Cathedral Prep in a PIAA first-round matchup Monday.
Brady Wozniak had two hits and two RBIs and Eli Sutton had a single and drove in a run for the Knights (13-9).
Rochester 6, OLSH 5 – Winning pitcher Sal Laure hit the game-tying RBI single in the bottom of the sixth and Parker Lyons followed with the go-ahead sacrifice fly as No. Rochester (11-8) claimed the third and final playoff spot from the WPIAL in the Class A third-place game.
The Rams will meet District 9 champion DuBois Central Catholic in the first round of the state playoffs Monday.
Gino Williams went 3 for 4 with two triples and three RBIs and Brady Brazell added two hits and two runs scored for No. 5 OLSH (10-9). | 2022-06-02T04:30:06Z | tribhssn.triblive.com | High school roundup for June 1, 2022: Laurel Highlands, Rochester earn state playoffs bids | Trib HSSN | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/high-school-roundup-for-june-1-2022-laurel-highlands-rochester-earn-state-playoffs-bids/ | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/high-school-roundup-for-june-1-2022-laurel-highlands-rochester-earn-state-playoffs-bids/ |
Armstrong’s Jenna Clontz rounds the bases after hitting a walk-off home run in the bottom of the seventh inning of the WPIAL Class 5A championship game against Penn-Trafford on Friday, June 3, 2022, at Cal (Pa.).
Armstrong’s Emma Paul slides into third base, as the ball gets away from Penn-Trafford’s Cameron Ponko during the WPIAL Class 5A championship game on Friday, June 3, 2022, at California University.
Jenna Clontz belted a 3-2 pitch over the fence in right-center field for a thrilling, walk-off home run as top-seeded Armstrong won its first WPIAL softball championship with a 6-5 victory over No. 2 Penn-Trafford in the Class 5A title game on Friday night at Lilley Field at Cal (Pa.).
The win marks the first district title in school history in any sport for the River Hawks.
Armstrong (20-4) was the WPIAL runner-up last season but finished the job this time in dramatic fashion.
Clontz took Penn-Trafford (18-3) standout pitcher Mia Smith to a full count before sending her fifth homer into the crowd for the thrilling win.
The blast was the 33rd of the season for Armstrong.
Smith, who struck out eight, had held the big-hitting River Hawks to six hits, just one for extra bases, when Clontz led off the seventh.
The River Hawks had one more hit than the Warriors, but it was huge.
Penn-Trafford rallied for a late tie but could not overtake the River Hawks.
Armstrong took a 3-0 lead in the first inning and had a 5-1 advantage in the second before the Warriors came back.
Pinch-hitter Alexa Forsythe knocked in the tying run in the sixth for Penn-Trafford with a one-out single.
Clontz finished 2 for 3 with three RBIs. She added a two-run double.
Mackenzie Egley and Emma Smerick each had two hits in the victory.
Winning pitcher Cam Sprankle only had two strikeouts but limited the Warriors’ top five hitters to a 3 for 16 effort. She walked four.
Hannah Allen had a single, double and two RBIs, while Maddy Rapp had an RBI double, Kylee Piconi knocked in a run, and Cam Ponko tripled for the Warriors.
Penn-Trafford was in the title game for the second time. The 1990 team also was a WPIAL runner-up.
• Neshannock tops Frazier in WPIAL championship clash of undefeated Class 2A teams | 2022-06-04T01:44:00Z | tribhssn.triblive.com | Jenna Clontz belts WPIAL-winning walk-off homer as Armstrong tops Penn-Trafford | Trib HSSN | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/jenna-clontz-belts-wpial-winning-walk-off-homer-as-armstrong-tops-penn-trafford/ | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/jenna-clontz-belts-wpial-winning-walk-off-homer-as-armstrong-tops-penn-trafford/ |
Neshannock tops Frazier in WPIAL championship clash of undefeated Class 2A teams
Neshannock’s Neleh Nogay carries the WPIAL championship trophy through the handshake line after the Class 2A final against Frazier on Friday at Cal (Pa.).
Neshannock’s Gabby Quinn celebrates her RBI double during the WPIAL Class 2A championship game against Frazier on Friday.
Neshannock pitcher Addyson Frye delivers against Frazier during the WPIAL Class 2A championship game on Friday.
Neshannock’s Neleh Nogay celebrates after driving in a run during the WPIAL Class 2A championship game against Frazier on Friday.
Neshannock pitcher Addyson Frye is mobbed by teammates after defeating Frazier in the WPIAL Class 2A championship game on Friday.
Neshannock’s Gabby Quinn slides into third base next to Frazier’s Victoria Washinski during the WPIAL Class 2A championship game on Friday.
Whenever a Neshannock batter stepped into the Lilley Field batter’s box Friday, a peculiar shout often came from the dugout: Smile.
And, no, it wasn’t picture day.
“On the bus today, we were saying, if one of us ever gets down in the dumps, it could take the whole team down with them,” said Gabby Quinn, a freshman third baseman. “You’ve just got to get in the box, have fun and relax. That’s when we play the best softball.”
So, don’t forget to smile.
That became even easier for the Lancers once their afternoon ended with gold medals around their necks. Top-seeded Neshannock collected 14 hits and used another strong outing by freshman pitcher Addy Frye to defeat No. 2 Frazier, 9-1, in the WPIAL Class 2A softball final at Cal (Pa.).
The championship game was a clash of previously undefeated teams.
“We say it all the time,” Neshannock coach Jackie Lash said. “In fact, we had them up on the bleachers on that practice field (beside Lilley Field) before the game and that was one of the last messages to them: ‘No matter what, get up there and smile.’
“And when you get in a batter’s box and you’re smiling, what does it do to the pitcher? It gets in their head a little bit. We just think it’s confidence.”
Neshannock has only one senior on the team, but if any of the underclassmen were nervous for this championship game, it certainly didn’t show. Frye pitched a five-hitter with 10 strikeouts, and the team’s No. 4 and 5 batters — Quinn and junior first baseman Hunter Newman — went 5 for 8 combined with five RBIs and five runs scored.
This was the 16th time in 22 games that Neshannock has scored at least nine runs.
Aaralyn Nogay went 3 for 4 with two runs scored, Gabby Perod had two hits and an RBI, and courtesy runner Aubrie Ragone scored once for Perod. Ali Giordano and Katie DiMuccio each had RBIs. Neleh Nogay, the team’s only senior, also scored a run.
The game was tied 1-1 after three innings before Neshannock scored three runs in the fourth, three more in the fifth and two in the sixth. Combined, they’ve now outscored their four playoff opponents, 31-2.
“There are times when we get down on ourselves, so our main theme is to just go up to the batter’s box with a smile and have fun while you’re in there,” said Newman, who scored three runs.
The WPIAL title was the third overall for Neshannock (22-0) and its first since winning back-to-back championships in 2013-14. This win came a few months after the Lancers also celebrated WPIAL and PIAA basketball titles with some of the same girls.
Frazier (18-1) was seeking its second WPIAL title after winning in 2017.
“They’re a phenomenal team,” Frazier coach Don Hartman said. “I knew coming in, I’m not afraid to say they’re better than us. They have more speed than us. More power than us. They have a pitcher who throws harder than we’ve seen all season long.
“They’re the real deal.”
Both teams advance to the PIAA playoffs that start Monday. If there’s to be a WPIAL championship rematch, it would come in the state semifinals.
Unlike those title-winning Neshannock basketball teams in the winter, this softball group wasn’t a preseason favorite, but they put together a convincing regular season and a dominant postseason run.
A key to that success has been the right arm of Frye, who upped her strikeout total to 41 in 24 playoff innings. On Friday, she walked leadoff batter Jensyn Hartman and surrendered a one-out, RBI triple to Victoria Washinski as Frazier took a 1-0 lead.
But Frye then pitched six scoreless innings, allowing just four singles and no walks the rest of the way. Frye ran into trouble in the sixth when Frazier loaded the bases with a fielding error and two singles, but she then struck out three batters in a row to escape.
“Even though she’s only 14, 15 years old, her maturity as a pitcher is so high,” Lash said. “She’s so fun to work with because she’s just so smart as a pitcher.”
Frye took it upon herself this week to watch video of Frazier batters and draw up her own scouting report. At times Friday, she offered suggestions on what pitches to throw, and Lash agreed.
“In school when I had time, I watched film and took notes on what their hitters struggled with and what they could hit,” Frye said. “I texted Jackie last night and I told her everything. We just kept throwing that.”
Frazier pitcher Nicole Palmer kept Neshannock largely in check through three innings before running into trouble in the fourth. Palmer allowed 14 hits, walked none and struck out two. Four errors by Frazier’s defense contributed to Neshannock’s big innings.
Neshannock forced a 1-1 tie in the second inning when Newman singled and scored.
The Lancers struck again in the fourth when Newman reached base on an error and Quinn followed with an RBI double. Perod and DiMuccio both singled, giving Neshannock a 4-1 lead.
In the fifth, Neshannock strung together five hits and scored three times. Aaralyn Nogay, Newman and Quinn all reached base and scored to lead 6-1.
Quinn went 3 for 4 with two RBI doubles.
In the sixth, Neleh Nogay and Aaralyn Nogay each singled and scored.
“We haven’t won anything big like this since 2014,” Newman said. “It’s been too long. The pride and confidence from this feels awesome.” | 2022-06-04T01:44:01Z | tribhssn.triblive.com | Neshannock tops Frazier in WPIAL championship clash of undefeated Class 2A teams | Trib HSSN | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/neshannock-tops-frazier-in-wpial-championship-clash-of-undefeated-class-2a-teams/ | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/neshannock-tops-frazier-in-wpial-championship-clash-of-undefeated-class-2a-teams/ |
Armstrong’s Jenna Clontz rounds the bases after hitting a walk-off home run in the bottom of the seventh inning of the WPIAL Class 5A championship game against Penn-Trafford on Friday at Cal (Pa.).
After earning a reputation as an aggressive batting aggregation, patience turned out to be a virtue for the Armstrong softball team Friday.
The River Hawks — averaging 11 runs per game — used patience at the plate, and it paid off.
Leading off the bottom of the seventh in a 5-5 game for the WPIAL Class 5A title, junior Jenna Clontz didn’t offer at any of the first five pitches from Penn-Trafford’s Mia Smith. But Clontz clobbered a 3-2 pitch over the right field fence to give Armstrong the first WPIAL championship in the school’s seven-year history, 6-5, at Cal (Pa.’s) Lilley Field.
“I was kind of expecting an intentional walk after the last at-bat,” Clontz said. “I figured if I learned anything at the Seton Hall camps, I was expecting anything from her. But she put one right down the middle and I had to swing as hard as I could.”
After doubling home two runs in the first inning, Clontz flied to right in the second. She was intentionally passed in the fifth to load the bases with two outs, but Smith pitched out of it.
“We’re very disciplined at the plate,” said River Hawks coach Doug Flanders. “Jenna’s job was to just get on base, and she threw a mistake over the plate. Jenna’s my (clean-up) hitter and she crushed it.”
After Armstrong scored five runs in the first two innings, Smith settled in and blanked the powerful River Hawks over the next four innings.
The Warriors chipped away until finally tying the game 5-5 in the sixth,
“I saw the momentum change and swing our way,” said Penn-Trafford coach Denny Little.”In the top of seventh, if we could have made noise there, you would have probably seen something different.”
Winning pitcher Cameryn Sprankle retired the Warriors in order in the seventh, setting up Clontz’s walk-off.
“When we got out of that top of the seventh, I said we need one to win,” Flanders said.
The Armstrong patience was personified by sophomore Emma Paul, the No. 2 hitter in the order. She walked four times but scored a pair of runs.
“They pitched Emma Paul so carefully,” Flanders said, “She’s so dangerous. She wreaks havoc on the bases. She had that steal in the sixth, and she went to third on that single in the third on a close play. That’s what she does. She always takes that next base.”
Penn-Trafford was also chasing its first WPIAL softball crown.
“The girls scratched and clawed their way back into it, and they fought hard,” Little said. “We’ll take a day off then get back at it for Monday.”
One for the county
Armstrong became the second school from Armstrong County to win a WPIAL softball title, joining Leechburg, a winner in 1991, ’92 and ’95.
The Armstrong hockey and bowling teams, two non-school sponsored teams, earlier won titles.
Both teams will be in action Monday to open the PIAA tournament.
Armstrong, last year’s state runner-up, will host WPIAL fourth-place finisher Chartiers Valley. Penn-Trafford will visit District 2 runner-up Twin Valley.
• Neshannock tops Frazier in WPIAL championship clash of undefeated 2A teams | 2022-06-04T05:40:15Z | tribhssn.triblive.com | Patience at plate pays off for Armstrong softball in WPIAL championship win | Trib HSSN | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/patience-at-plate-pays-off-for-armstrong-softball-in-wpial-championship-win/ | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/patience-at-plate-pays-off-for-armstrong-softball-in-wpial-championship-win/ |
North Allegheny notebook: Shannon takes 3rd in PIAA hurdles
North Allegheny’s Kena Shannon (left) was a bronze medalist at the 2022 PIAA championships.
North Allegheny senior Kena Shannon capped her high school career last week by earning a bronze medal in the 300-meter hurdles at the PIAA Class 3A track and field championships in Shippensburg.
Shannon ran a time of 44.38 seconds in the finals, setting a school record.
Neshaminy’s Sanaa Hebron won the event in 41.85, and Haverford Township’s Aubrey Leneweaver was second in 44.37.
She also helped the Tigers’ 1,600-meter relay set a school record (3:53.33) with Mia Tuman, Arianna Tegtmeier and Isabella Costa. The group finished in fifth place.
Central Bucks West won the event in 3:50.83.
North Allegheny senior Dwayne Taylor also earned a medal at the state meet, finishing fourth in the triple jump with a leap of 46 feet, 2.25 inches.
Tigers take down Palmyra in 1st round
The WPIAL Class 3A champion North Allegheny boys volleyball team opened the PIAA tournament with a 3-0 victory over Palmyra on May 31.
Game scores were 25-19, 25-22, 25-18.
The Tigers (15-1) were led by senior Cole Dorn with 15 kills. Senior Caleb Schall had 26 assists.
North Allegheny advanced to face Shaler in the PIAA quarterfinals.
NA lacrosse players honored
North Allegheny senior attack Cole Bordo and junior long-stick middie Marco Pascarella were named All-Americans by U.S. Lacrosse last week.
Both also earned All-WPIAL honors with teammates Gavin Banyas and Matt Miller. All four also were all-section picks for the Section 2 champion Tigers (12-7).
Senior Ryan Barry was named Academic All-American.
Davidson reaches PIAA quarterfinals
North Allegheny sophomore Trey Davidson reached the quarterfinals in the PIAA Class 3A boys singles tennis tournament last week.
The WPIAL runner-up beat Praneel Mallaiah of Abington Heights, 6-1, 6-0. He then lost to Council Rock South’s Mikkel Zinder, 6-3, 6-1. | 2022-06-04T21:55:22Z | tribhssn.triblive.com | North Allegheny notebook: Shannon takes 3rd in PIAA hurdles | Trib HSSN | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/north-allegheny-notebook-shannon-takes-3rd-in-piaa-hurdles/ | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/north-allegheny-notebook-shannon-takes-3rd-in-piaa-hurdles/ |
Shady Side Academy captains reflect on another WPIAL girls lacrosse championship
Shady Side Academy’s Neely Nicholson (left) celebrates with Jenny Woodings after she scored during the WPIAL Class 3A girls lacrosse championship game against Mt. Lebanon on Wednesday, May 25, 2022, at Robert Morris.
Shady Side Academy’s Cecilia Messner (7) celebrates her goal during the WPIAL Class 3A girls lacrosse championship game against Mt. Lebanon on Wednesday, May 25, 2022, at Robert Morris.
Shady Side Academy’s Dylan Green (left) works against Mt. Lebanon’s Kathryn Lamendola during the WPIAL Class 3A girls lacrosse championship game on May 25.
Shady Side Academy’s Molly Walsh drives to the net during the WPIAL Class 3A girls lacrosse championship game against Mt. Lebanon on Wednesday, May 25, 2022, at Robert Morris.
The WPIAL Class 3A title game victory for the Shady Side Academy girls lacrosse team was significant for the seniors who have known nothing but championships.
But it was also significant for their coach.
Coach Katy Phillips, also assistant athletic director for the school, will be leaving for another position after the season at The Tatnall School in Delaware.
She will be the athletic director of the Wilmington private academy.
“This is a nice way to go with the win, so I’ll be moving up,” said the Mt. Lebanon native. Phillips has been coaching the Bulldogs for four seasons.
“It’s a really big accomplishment to do this three years in a row,” senior Dylan Green said. “I think coach put in a lot of work over the last three years and that really speaks to her. Not a lot of coaches have done that. She’s created a culture on this team and we’re really proud of this.”
Shady Side made it three in row with a 15-7 victory over Mt. Lebanon at Robert Morris University.
The Bulldogs had an 8-4 lead before the Blue Devils rallied for three goals. Senior Jenny Woodings had five goals to lead the Shady Side attack.
The Florida recruit scored the game-winner in the 2021 WPIAL title game win over Mt. Lebanon.
“I think it really was a full-team effort from the goalie all the way up to the attackers,” Woodings said. “It took a lot of teamwork, and we were threading the needle through our transition and our attack. It was a challenging game. Closeness is what makes our team successful. We didn’t want to stop showing grit when we had our big lead.”
“I know it sounds cheesy, but we’re really, really close like a family,” CeCe Messner said. “Coach Katy has made this a special, special group. It’s a privilege to play on this team and we take it seriously.”
The Columbia-bound Messner played on the WPIAL champion field hockey team last fall.
Molly Walsh added four goals to the Shady Side cause. She credited the full-team effort for the title-game win.
“I think we’re a team with not just one, two, three players; we’re really a full 12 players and a bench that can go out there and win a game,” Walsh said. “We were really balanced in that game and got it done. It took every single player to get it done.”
Walsh got considerable playing time as a freshman, and she feels the younger Bulldogs this season have taken advantage of runaway games to get experience for the future.
“We want this program to continue when we’re gone,” Walsh added.
Phillips gave credit for the three-peat to her assistants, veteran Brooke Mullin, Robert Morris senior and Shady Side alum Emilie Kim and her father, Bruce Phillips.
‘They help me back to front, keeping me fresh with good ideas,” Katy Phillips said. “It’s been another good year with them.”
Shady Side won its PIAA opener over Hempfield of District 3, 8-5. | 2022-06-04T21:55:40Z | tribhssn.triblive.com | Shady Side Academy captains reflect on another WPIAL girls lacrosse championship | Trib HSSN | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/shady-side-academy-captains-reflect-on-another-wpial-girls-lacrosse-championship/ | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/shady-side-academy-captains-reflect-on-another-wpial-girls-lacrosse-championship/ |
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