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By Alex Novickoff and Stephen Catanese

Published: Wednesday, September 19, 2012, 1:01 a.m.
Updated: Wednesday, September 19, 2012

Maria Pallone

School: Valley

Class: Senior

Sport: Girls tennis

Claim to fame: Pallone captured second place at Section 4-AA singles last week and qualified for the WPIAL tournament Thursday and Friday. Pallone has lost only twice in Section 4-AA, both to Lucy Bujdos of Indiana.

How much of a challenge has it been moving from No. 3 to No. 1 singles?

There's a lot of pressure and big shoes to fill. No. 1 is always expected to win.

What's your outlook on being the only senior starter?

I had such great examples when I started. Every senior set a good example for me. But I don't look at it as being anything special.

Does being the last in a line of Pallone siblings and cousins to play for Valley carry any extra pressure?

Everyone always refers to me as the youngest. But, if anything, it's always made me work harder, and I've always had someone to look up to.

—Alex Novickoff

Cole Quinio

School: Riverview

Class: Senior

Sport: Boys soccer

Claim to fame: Quinio, a four-year-starter, acts as a midfield playmaker for the resurgent Raiders, who are in second place in Section 2-A. The 17-year-old is garnering interest from Division I schools, including a scholarship offer from Marshall.

Who do you model your game after?

David Beckham (of the Los Angeles Galaxy). I would basically say I base my game off how he plays. I'm not super fast, but I have a pretty hard, accurate shot.

Did you ever consciously decide to become more of a set-up man?

When I was going from 10th grade into 11th, that's when the switch flipped for me. I realized that I'm not much of a goal scorer. I'm much better at putting crosses into the box.

—Stephen Catanese

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