Ray Fisher stories, Page 10
New-look lineup gives boost to Sewickley Academy girls lacrosse
A significant lineup change on the Sewickley Academy girls lacrosse team this season already has proven beneficial. The Panthers’ top returning players in 2025 include senior Lauren Retzlaff at attack, sophomores Emma Eannarino and Grace Jardini at midfield and senior Brooke Bussatto on defense. “We have moved Lauren from defense...
Sewickley Academy boys tennis faces whole new challenge in Class 3A
Sewickley Academy’s boys tennis team will not be able to retain its WPIAL Class 2A title this season. Neither will senior Severin Harmon, who defeated Jackson Gillespie of Aquinas Academy to win last year’s Class 2A individual championship. That’s because the Panthers are competing in Section 2-3A this year against...
Sewickley Academy coach, players reflect on special season, PIAA runner-up finish
The Sewickley Academy boys basketball team flourished in Mike Iuzzolino’s first year as head coach. Sewickley made its first PIAA appearance since 2019, advancing to the Class 2A championship game March 28 against District 3 runner-up Linville Hill Christian. The Panthers lost a crushing 55-54 decision to Linville Hill at...
Sea Dragons youth swimmers celebrate successful season
The Sewickley Valley YMCA Sea Dragons recently completed the 2024-25 youth swim season with terrific results. “We had a fantastic season,” said Paula Kwalick, aquatic coordinator and head swim coach. “We were the overall winners of the Division III Champs, taking first place in seven age/gender groups and second in...
Season-long growth helped Sewickley Academy reach PIAA championship game
A double-digit first-half deficit is not the ideal situation for any high school team. And especially not when you’re looking to move on to the PIAA championships. But the Sewickley Academy boys basketball squad made its coach and community proud by rallying to a 52-48 win over Greensburg Central Catholic...
Sewickley sports notebook: Depth key to Panthers’ success
The Sewickley Academy boys basketball team has been described as tall and talented this season. The Panthers’ starting five consisted of three juniors, just one senior, and 6-foot-8 freshman F/C Mamadou Kane. Nolan Donnelly, a 6-2 forward, was the lone senior starter and was joined by 6-4 junior Lucas Grimsley...
Quaker Valley boys tennis looks to maintain success despite roster turnover
It’s not an oddity that 2025 is a rebuilding year for the Quaker Valley boys tennis team. “When you look at the last few years for boys varsity tennis, there seems to be a real pattern,” QV coach Christi Hays said. “On the even number years (2022, 2024), we seem...
Quaker Valley diver climbs higher up podium each year at states
Ruby Olliffe enjoyed a gem of a diving career at Quaker Valley. The QV senior capped her brilliant career with a third-place finish at the PIAA Class 2A girls finals at Bucknell’s Kinney Natatorium. Olliffe racked up 392.70 points to end up behind Hampton’s Gabby Elk (433 points) and Upper...
With top scorer, goalkeeper back, Quaker Valley girls lacrosse poised to win
Lucy Roig is a two-sport dynamo at Quaker Valley. The 5-foot-5 Roig was a feisty backcourt player on the girls basketball team in the winter months and begins the spring season as a third-year starter in lacrosse. A junior midfielder, Roig has proven to be a scoring machine on the...
Quaker Valley captain caps swimming career with PIAA medal
Quaker Valley’s Thomas Fuener was highly motivated to secure a spot on the PIAA medal stand. All of his hard work and sacrifice was rewarded at the 2025 PIAA Class 2A boys swimming championships at Bucknell’s Kinney Natatorium. Fuener captured sixth place in the boys 100-yard butterfly event at the...
Fisher’s Files: Defense, home-court advantage go a long way for Sewickley Academy
While the Sewickley Academy boys basketball team was 3-0 in three postseason games held at Peters Township, the Panthers also won 10 of 11 games on their home floor in 2024-25. And most of the victories at Win Palmer Court proved to be lopsided decisions. The only loss at home...
Experienced lineup returns for Thomas Jefferson boys volleyball
The Thomas Jefferson boys volleyball team has eight starters back this season. Considering there are a half-dozen positions on a court, the Jaguars will be in over-haul motion during their matches. Returning players consist of OH/MH Braeden Artman, OH/MH Aiden Dushack, S/RS Brayden Concannon, OH Cole McNeil, libero Jaiden Wadlow,...
Genevieve Cody, Thomas Jefferson swimmers collect medals during memorable postseason
Thomas Jefferson senior Genevieve Cody is a talented high school swimmer. And she’s a coach’s dream. “Genevieve is great,” TJ coach Steve Larkin said. “She works hard in the pool, in the weight room and in the classroom. She does everything she’s asked to do. She rests appropriately, eats appropriately,...
‘Heartbeat’ of Thomas Jefferson defense wins Breisinger Award for character, courage
He led the Thomas Jefferson football team in tackles for three years. Considering the magnitude of the Jaguars football program, it was a magnificent accomplishment. But TJ senior Matt Martinis received as much if not more satisfaction in landing the prestigious Breisinger Award following the 2024 season. Martinis, a 5-foot-10,...
Sewickley Herald notebook: Panthers win school’s 1st home state playoff game
Sewickley Academy’s 64-36 victory March 8 against visiting Windber was significant in that it moved the Panthers into the quarterfinal round of the PIAA Class 2A basketball playoffs. It also proved noteworthy for another reason. “Someone mentioned the game was Sewickley Academy’s first-ever home state playoff game,” Sewickley junior forward...
Sewickley Academy softball ready to raise standards with experienced roster
Seven returning starters provide the Sewickley Academy softball team with hope and optimism for a successful season. Sewickley ended up 2-10 in Section 1-A last year after going 2-4 down the season’s home stretch. The Panthers did not play a nonsection game in 2024. “Last year, with a very inexperienced...
Defense holds key to playoff run for Sewickley Academy
Two of the boys basketball teams that were in the running for a spot in the Class 2A state semifinals made the WPIAL proud. In the PIAA quarterfinal round held March 15: • Sewickley Academy (23-5), the WPIAL’s third-place team, rallied past Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, 42-35. •...
Experienced lineup ready to give Quaker Valley baseball a boost
With a solid core of returning starters, the Quaker Valley baseball team looks to make considerable improvement over last season. A year ago, the Quakers ended up with a 2-10 record in Section 1-3A, 4-13 overall. “The team has been working very hard in the offseason,” QV coach Rich Garbee...
After productive postseason, Eden Christian baseball builds toward encore
Eden Christian Academy’s baseball team enjoyed a banner season in 2024. Eden finished 20-6 overall, 5-2 in the playoffs, 12-0 in Section 3A and almost ran the table in the postseason with WPIAL and PIAA runner-up finishes. “I do not know about carryover (from last season),” coach Mark Feldman said....
Bethel Park boys volleyball focuses on returning program to prominence
Adam Thomas had some specific early season wishes for the Bethel Park boys volleyball team. “Our early expectations are to get our players comfortable in their new positions and build on-court chemistry to help us compete early on,” Thomas said. “We are only returning three starting positions while having two...
Bethel Park softball looks to improve on .500 season
Surely, the Bethel Park softball team anticipates breaking the mold of last year’s performance. The Black Hawks proved to be the definition of a .500 team in 2024. They were 5-5 in section play and finished 10-10 overall. Bethel Park lost to Penn-Trafford, 3-2, in the first round of the...
With roster full of returning starters, Bethel Park baseball sets expectations high
Prior to the start of the pressurized WPIAL season, the Bethel Park baseball team took a trip to the beach. It wasn’t a vacation, per se, but a spring training trip Myrtle Beach, S.C., to compete against the likes of Sussex Tech (scrimmage), Putnam Science Academy, Boys Latin School, Patrick...
Excitement builds for Quaker Valley track season
One of the many talented athletes to watch at Quaker Valley during the outdoor track and field season is senior Thomas Debelak. He finished third in the boys triple jump at the PTFCA indoor championships March 2 at Penn State, hitting a mark of 45 feet, 11 inches. Debelak holds...
Stellar season meets abrupt ending with playoff loss for Quaker Valley hockey
High school hockey teams operate on a lengthy schedule that runs for the better part of a half year. Players must skate on high-octane throughout the fall and winter months. The current PIHL season began Sept. 30 for the Quaker Valley hockey team, which won 17 consecutive games through the...
Long-range shooter leads Sewickley Academy to PIAA win
A 1 p.m. starting time apparently suits Sewickley Academy boys basketball player Lucas Grimsley just fine. Eight minutes later, the Panthers’ 6-foot-4 junior forward had 15 points in his team’s March 8 PIAA Class 2A playoff game against visiting Windber. Grimsley sparked Sewickley to an impressive 64-36 victory against the...
