Ray Fisher stories, Page 2
Thomas Jefferson volleyball shows will to win in another section championship season
There was no second-guessing coach Courtney Frost in her assessment of the Thomas Jefferson girls volleyball team earlier this season. The Jaguars’ second-year coach provided a direct and succinct response. “I expect my team to win our section and make it to the finals of the WPIAL and state playoffs,”...
South Hills Record notebook: Vince Sortino to take over as WPIAL executive director
The WPIAL board accepted executive director Scott Seltzer’s resignation Oct. 21 and voted to promote chief operating officer Vince Sortino to the top spot. Sortino, 62, will become the league’s sixth full-time executive director after Charles “Ace” Heberling (1976-97), Larry Hanley (1997-06), Tim O’Malley (2006-20), Scheuneman (2020-22) and Seltzer. Before...
Sewickley Herald notebook: Sewickley Academy soccer teams fare well in opening round
Senior midfielder Finn Wentz scored a pair of goals as No. 7 Sewickley Academy won a 4-0 decision against No. 10 Trinity Christian (8-10) in the first round of the WPIAL Class A boys soccer playoffs. Senior defender Blake Wilmot and junior midfielder Ben Terrell added a goal apiece for...
With success of boys, girls teams, Sewickley area becomes epicenter of Western Pa. soccer
Welcome to Soccer Shangri-la. The combined regular-season records in 2025 for the two Quaker Valley soccer teams was 28-4-2. “There must be something in the water,” said Sean Ryan, QV’s boys coach, “besides lots of calcium. For the past seven years, I have been witness to the unending talent coming...
Defense holds key for Quaker Valley boys in section championship season
Quaker Valley’s boys soccer team was a defensive dynamo during the regular season. Defense definitely was the name of the game at Chuck Knox Stadium and beyond as the Quakers finished first in Section 2-2A with a 14-1-1 record and 94-9 scoring advantage. QV surrendered just 11 regular-season goals and...
Quaker Valley’s Mia Gartley shows multi-sport skills in cross country, volleyball, track
Mia Gartley is a high jump aficionado in the Quaker Valley girls track and field program. Gartley also knows how to jump smoothly from one season to the next for the Quakers. She is one of the most athletic girls at the high school. “Mia is one of those student-athletes...
Unsung hero Jack Johnson packs punch for Bethel Park defense
An often-overlooked contributor on the Bethel Park football squad in 2025 was Jack Johnson, a junior linebacker. All Johnson did through nine games was lead the Black Hawks in tackles with 40 total stops, including 29 solo hits. “I think our team has done very well thus far,” Johnson said,...
Workhorse David Dennison fuels high-octane Bethel Park offense
Bethel Park senior standout David Dennison was a gem of an athlete among WPIAL football players in 2025, particularly running backs. And behind Dennison & Co., the Black Hawks enjoyed an outstanding season in 2025, posting a 6-3 record with one game to go thanks to in large part a...
Bethel Park savors 3rd straight section title, wants more
Bethel Park’s boys soccer team won its third consecutive section title with a near-perfect 12-0-2 record. The Black Hawks outlasted Thomas Jefferson (11-2-1) and Trinity (10-3-1) at the top of the section standings and took a 12-2-3 overall record and No. 2 seed into the WPIAL Class 3A playoffs. “I...
Strong goaltending helps Quaker Valley hockey get off to solid start
Quaker Valley’s Ian Lorang faced 50 shots in his team’s first two PIHL games this season. The senior goalkeeper didn’t let even one slip past him while playing the full 102 minutes against the Bulldogs and Spartans. The Quakers blanked Meadville, 4-0, and Montour, 5-0, in the first week of...
Excitement for WPIAL title defense builds for section champ Quaker Valley
They almost make it look too easy at times. Oh yes, they work as tediously on the practice pitch, if not moreso, as any WPIAL team. And as the defending WPIAL Class 2A champions, they are talent-driven with three seniors, seven juniors, 12 sophomores plus a small but strong freshman...
‘Never satisfied’ Quaker Valley boys build late-season momentum
Sensational, simply sensational. The answer to the question, “Who has strung together a 15-game unbeaten streak prior to the postseason?” is Quaker Valley’s boys soccer team. After two early season blips on their radar, the Quakers did not lose a game in September (9-0-1) and October (5-0) in ringing up...
Sewickley Herald notebook: Stingy goalkeeper leads Sewickley Academy girls
One of the highlights of the Sewickley Academy girl soccer team’s regular season was the effort displayed by sophomore goalkeeper Gabby Edmunds. The 16-year-old Edmunds and the Panthers were 11-0 in Section 3-A and 14-1 overall with nine shutouts with one game remaining in the regular season. “A big thank...
Sewickley Academy plays ‘tougher brand of soccer’ en route to playoffs
Sewickley Academy’s boys soccer team didn’t let a few bumps in the road derail it in its quest to advance to the WPIAL playoffs. For instance, Neshannock edged Sewickley, 3-2, on Oct. 13 to bump the Panthers out of a potential tie for first with Beaver County Christian in Section...
Girls soccer team restores the roar at Sewickley Academy
A tradition continues. With one game remaining, the Sewickley Academy girls soccer team was 14-1 overall, 11-0 in Section 3-A and ranked No. 1 in Class A. The Panthers were hoping to take a 13-game winning streak into the WPIAL playoffs. “The players are focused on what they want to...
Strong WPIAL showing sends Sewickley Academy freshman golfer to states
Sewickley Academy’s Trey Susa has enjoyed an outstanding freshman season on the links. Susa tied for third place at the WPIAL Class 2A boys golf tournament Sept. 30 at Valley Brook Country Club. After carding a first-round 76 score Sept. 22 at Hill Crest Country Club, Susa finished with a...
‘Incredible’ race from Jonah Montagnese leads Quaker Valley runners to MAC title
Jonah Montagnese shifted into cruise control toward the end of the Midwestern Athletic Conference cross country championships to lead Quaker Valley to the 2025 boys team title. The fleet-footed QV junior crossed the finish line in 15:26.9 at Brush Creek Park to defeat runner-up Lucas Bleakney of Ellwood City with...
Quaker Valley star Mimi Thiero excited to grow her game at Maryland
Quaker Valley senior Oumou “Mimi” Thiero celebrated a significant birthday in her life with a major announcement. It was a long and sometimes tedious process, but Thiero finally had an answer about her college commitment. The 6-foot-5 senior who celebrated her 18th birthday Sept. 17 offered a verbal commitment that...
Sewickley Herald notebook: Panthers boys soccer team eyes playoff run
Luca Peluso doesn’t take a break during the school year as a three-sport athlete at Sewickley Academy. Peluso is a four-year varsity starter in boys soccer and also competes in hockey and lacrosse. He has been one of the Panthers’ offensive mainstays on the pitch this season as a 6-foot-1...
Momentum building toward playoffs for Sewickley Academy girls soccer
Gary Weber embraced a strong message for the Sewickley Academy girls soccer team in 2024 in his first year as head coach. His coaching plan included aspects such as teamwork, pride and unity. Sewickley tied for first in Section 3-A last season, advanced to the WPIAL playoffs for the fifth...
Quaker Valley runner serves notice with win at Hershey meet
Quaker Valley’s Jonah Montagnese enjoys running. And winning. Montagnese zeroed in on first place in the 1,600-meter event at the PIAA Class 2A boys track and field championships in the spring. His latest victory was attained Sept. 20 in Hershey at the 19th annual PIAA Foundation XC Invitational. “We are...
Quaker Valley homecoming king, queen are good sports
Quaker Valley’s homecoming royalty is steadfastly entrenched in the athletic realm. Seniors Alexa Westwood and Nicholas Winnowski were named homecoming queen and king for 2025-26 at halftime of the QV-Hopewell football game Sept. 26 at Chuck Knox Stadium. “I was surprised and happy,” Westwood said. “A lot of the little...
Quaker Valley boys soccer sizzles in September
The Quaker Valley boys soccer team did not lose a game in September. QV rang up an 8-0-1 record with the only “blemish” being a 1-1 tie Sept. 25 against Avonworth. The Quakers outcored their eight other opponents 60-2 last month with seven clean sheets. “I am proud of how...
Sewickley Herald notebook: Sewickley Academy’s boys soccer success starts on defense
Sewickley Academy’s boys soccer team in anchored by a pair of top-notch underclassmen this season. The Panthers’ starting goalkeeper is freshman Hayden Haley, who is supported by sophomore goalie Carson D’Antonio, who also plays in the field. “It’s a great feeling to know we have two talented and capable goalies...
Quaker Valley golfers fill leaderboard at section tournament
Five Quaker Valley golfers — yes, five — qualified for the WPIAL Class 2A boys tournament out of Section 9. The section tournament took place Sept. 15 at Rolling Acres Golf Course; the target score for securing a berth in the WPIAL playoffs was 84. Not only did QV’s Will...
