Ray Fisher stories, Page 43
Seniors took Baldwin hockey program to remarkable heights
The seven seniors on the Baldwin hockey team have a combined 87 years of experience on the ice. That experience paid off greatly in 2019-20 and 2020-21 seasons. After skating to a 19-1 record and two PIHL playoff wins, Baldwin saw its 2019-20 season shut down by covid-19 pandemic concerns....
Bethel Park girls lacrosse celebrates 1st section title since ’12
Bethel Park, Mt. Lebanon and Upper St. Clair battled for first place in Section 1-AAA in girls lacrosse all season. So perhaps it was only fitting the three South Hills rivals ended up in a three-way tie atop the standings, all with 9-1 records. The Black Hawks clinched a share...
Mother-daughter duos coach Bethel Park softball to spectacular season
The Bethel Park coaching staff is unique in WPIAL softball. It is made up of a pair of mother-daughter tandems. Heather Semplice-Scott is head coach; her daughter, Geana Scott, is an assistant and statistician. Donna DeCarlo, the team scorekeeper, and Carly Schoenstein, Donna’s daughter, are assistants. “It’s exciting to have...
Thomas Jefferson hockey bids farewell to coach Bill Crousey, welcomes former NHL player
Bill Crousey’s legacy as Thomas Jefferson’s hockey coach is firmly cemented. After 12 fulfilling years behind the bench, Crousey has stepped aside from the coaching ranks. Former TJ hockey player John Zeiler was hired to take over. Zeiler led the Jaguars to three state titles from 1998-2000, then eventually went...
Hurdles a natural fit for Brentwood multi-sport standout Cesia Garcia
Cesia Garcia has hurdled her way to a rewarding career in the Brentwood track and field program. She has been competing in track since the seventh grade and is a top hurdler for the Spartans. “In middle school, we encourage the kids to try every event,” Brentwood coach Mike Cramer...
Bethel Park pole vaulter Nirella continues to raise the bar
Isaac Nirella, a junior at Bethel Park, has made great strides in just his second year of pole vaulting competition. “It’s really his first (outdoor season) since he lost last year,” coach Mark Jacobs said. “Isaac has improved so much from last year — over 3 feet so far —...
Bethel Park’s Malecki, Underwood vaulting to personal best marks
It takes a unique type of high school athlete to compete in the pole vault event. “It does,” said Mark Jacobs, Bethel Park’s pole vaulting coach. “You need that combination of speed, strength and determination that every great athlete needs, but at the same time you need grit and to...
South Hills notebook: Injuries pile up for Baldwin baseball
Baldwin’s baseball team has been stung hard by the injury bug this season. Two top starting pitchers, junior Jon Rauch and sophomore Carson Chapel, both lefties, suffered season-ending injuries in April. “The first half has been really challenging. Rauch and Chapel are done for the season,” coach Steve Bucci said....
Brentwood track and field making ‘huge strides’
The Brentwood track and field athletes, guided by veteran coach Mike Cramer, are a goal-oriented group. “We have been focusing on the positives and the situations that we can control this year,” Cramer said. “The kids have worked their tails off and have made huge strides (pun intended). “All the...
Bethel Park softball pleased with strong start but aims to improve
Bethel Park’s softball team was perfect in the first month of the season. The Black Hawks improved to 10-0 with a 10-7 win at home April 27 against South Fayette. It marked the seventh time in 10 games that the Black Hawks scored in double digits. “I think we are...
Bethel Park boys lacrosse chasing section title
Bethel Park’s boys lacrosse team is trying to make up for lost time. “Missing last season has been difficult for our program to handle,” coach Tim Schreiber said. “We had a loaded class of seniors who were ready for a run at the section and WPIAL championship. It was devastating...
Strong pitching, clutch hitting bolsters Bethel Park baseball
Bethel Park’s baseball squad ended the month of April with an exclamation point. The Black Hawks blanked Upper St. Clair, 6-0; Fox Chapel, 5-0; and Connellsville, 13-0, to improve to 6-0 in Section 4-5A and 10-2 overall. The team’s pitching staff posted a boat-load of zeroes and had a 1.72...
Dimidjian, Thomas Jefferson tennis team find success after missed season
Despite having only one senior, the Thomas Jefferson boys tennis squad posted a 6-1 record in Section 1-AA this spring. The Jaguars defeated the likes of Greensburg Central Catholic, Greensburg Salem, Mt. Pleasant, Ringgold, Southmoreland and West Mifflin while losing section champion South Park. “I thought we had potential,” TJ...
Defense, goaltending key Baldwin’s run to state hockey championship
Baldwin’s varsity hockey team recently wrapped up an amazing two-year run with an appearance in the state championship game at the UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex in Cranberry. The Highlanders advanced to the state finals by winning the PIHL Class 2A Penguins Cup with a 2-0 victory over Franklin Regional on...
Bethel Park girls lacrosse trending in championship direction
The Bethel Park girls lacrosse team has all the makings of a powerhouse unit. Through 10 games, the Black Hawks were 10-0, 7-0 in league play, with 195-38 overall scoring advantage — a differential of a 157 goals. “So far, we have done everything I knew we were capable of,”...
Bethel Park’s Psotka sets sights on WPIAL javelin title
Under normal conditions, Bethel Park’s Alexa Psotka would be striving this year for her fourth consecutive appearance at the WPIAL Class AAA track and field finals. “Alexa qualified for the WPIAL championship as a freshman and sophomore, even making the final flight her sophomore year,” coach Mark Jacobs said. “She...
Baldwin basketball trio headed to Chatham as package deal
It’s not uncommon for the best of friends to be teammates in a particular sport. It’s rare that three of them become teammates at the collegiate level. Baldwin seniors and four-year varsity players Lexi Bernotas, Abby Marzina and Kayla Radomsky have committed to Chatham, a member of the NCAA Division...
Baseball, softball coaches suggest changes to improve high school game
The games of baseball and softball have many nuances — many rules and regulations, many intangibles. Each can be a game of inches — a double down the third-base line — or a game of feet — a towering home run over the fence. People who follow the sports as...
Bethel Park’s Westphal looks forward to future at Duquesne
Olivia Westphal is recognized as one of the best Bethel Park basketball players in school history. “My four years at Bethel Park went extremely fast,” she said, “and I was fortunate to have very talented teammates throughout my four years.” A highly talented 5-foot-10 guard known for her deft shooting...
Baldwin beats Haverford, wins Class AA state championship
It was only fitting the two Class AA hockey heavyweights clashed in the state championship game Saturday at the UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex in Cranberry. In one corner was Baldwin, the Penguins Cup and PIHL titlists representing the western part of the state. In the other corner was Haverford, the...
Bethel Park chasing another section baseball title and more
Bethel Park baseball is striving for a banner season in 2021. And with ample reasons. The Black Hawks, section champions and WPIAL semifinalists in 2019, were among the favorites to win the Class 6A title a year ago. “My expectations were pretty high going into this season,” coach Pat Zehnder...
Led by lineup loaded with Division I recruits, Bethel Park off to strong start in Class 6A
The Bethel Park softball team is one of the favorites this year to reach the WPIAL Class 6A championship game. The Black Hawks were ranked No. 2 in their division in the Trib HSSN preseason rankings and have since moved up to No. 1. And through five games, the Black...
Stocked with height, athleticism, Thomas Jefferson volleyball team has high hopes
With seven starters returning from 2019, the Thomas Jefferson boys volleyball team has high hopes for the 2021 season. “We set our expectations high with a lot of returning veterans,” coach Frank Staffen said. “There are still a lot of unknowns since the season was canceled last year. “The team...
Ex-Baldwin AD enjoys new role in WPIAL office
Former Baldwin athletic director Vince Sortino joined the WPIAL staff July 1, 2020, assuming the full-time position of assistant to the executive director. In his new role, Sortino helps run the day-to-day league operations for District 7 and reports to the board of directors. Sortino, 58, worked 28 years at...
Young Baldwin boys volleyball lineup gaining experience
The 2019 boys volleyball season proved to be a true learning experience for then-rookie coach Milan Yekich at Baldwin. “Taking over for Eric Falcione was not only daunting, but filling huge shoes and years of experience that set the standards high at Baldwin,” Yekich said. “I am still trying to...
