High Schools |  Galleries |  Recruiting |  Baseball |  Baseball Stats |  Basketball |  Basketball Stats |  Softball |  Softball Stats |  Football |  Football Stats |  Golf |  Hockey |  Soccer |  Swimming |  Tennis |  Track |  Volleyball |  Wrestling |  Other

By Bill Beckner Jr.

Published: Saturday, November 10, 2012, 12:33 a.m.
Updated: Saturday, November 10, 2012

Wednesday begins the NCAA's early college signing period for several sports, including baseball, softball, volleyball and golf.

Several A-K senior recruits are expected to sign with Division I schools.

Two are from Riverview — Anthony Malky (Akron/ baseball) and Arden Fisher (Robert Morris/volleyball).

Fox Chapel will have three signees: Elly Wagner (North Carolina/softball; Ashley DeMoss (Marshall/golf) and Natalie Bonaroti (Marist/lacrosse).

Teams to watch

Keep an eye on three A-K football teams next season. Apollo-Ridge, Highlands and Kiski Area return a host of starters.

Highlands will lose just three seniors, including one starter, while Apollo-Ridge loses seven seniors and returns nearly its entire offense and Kiski Area returns most of its skill position players.

Apollo-Ridge (Class A) and Kiski Area (Class AAAA) made the WPIAL playoffs, while Highlands (Class AAA) barely missed qualifying by a tiebreaker.

Kiski Area hadn't been to the playoffs since 2006; Apollo-Ridge since 2007.

Record breaker

Burrell senior quarterback James Liput was hoping to help get his team deeper into the WPIAL Class AA playoffs, but the Buccaneers lost to Mt. Pleasant in the first round. In somewhat of a consolation, Liput broke a passing record in the 48-28 loss.

Liput's 23 completions broke the single-game mark set by his head coach, Kevin Horwatt, in 1995. Liput finished 23-for-35 for 226 yards and two touchdowns.

Football recruiting

Burrell standout running back/linebacker Cole Bush could end up in the Ivy League. He recently visited Bucknell and plans to visit Penn on Saturday — both unofficial visits. He has an official visit planned to Brown in December. Bush's 7.8 yards-per-carry average is impressive but so is his grade-point average (4.1).

Kiski Area's Shane Kuhn, who played tight end and linebacker this season, is getting Division I attention as well. Michigan State, Tennessee and Akron have shown interest. Teammates Joey Brungo (WR/DB) and Adam Mitcheson (kicker) also are getting looks from Division I schools. All three players will be seniors next year.

Andrejko transfers

Last year's Valley News Dispatch Girls Basketball Player of the Year, Mary Andrejko, has left St. Vincent College to enroll in nursing school at Community College of Allegheny County. Andrejko, a Riverview grad, has not counted out a return to basketball at a different school in the future. She averaged 21.6 points per game last season to lead WPIAL Class A.

Bill Beckner Jr. is a staff writer for Trib Total Media. He can be reached at 724-224-2696 or bbeckner@tribweb.com.

1. Clairton’s Boyd makes quite an impression in Big 33 victory
2. Cathell joins Pa. Football Coaches Hall of Fame
3. Tri-County all-star football game boasts local flavor
4. Jeter set to represent Gateway at Big 33 Classic all-star game
5. Pennsylvania team set to reignite rivalry with Maryland in annual Big 33 Football Classic
6. Heavy mid-Mon Valley flavor on South squad for all-star football game
7. Two Gateway players nominated for national all-star football game

There are currently no comments for this story.
Subscribe today! Click here for our subscription offers.