Ray Fisher stories, Page 57
Thomas Jefferson softball team aiming high after reaching state semifinals
High expectations. After finishing as the WPIAL Class 5A runner-up and reaching the PIAA final four last season, that’s what the Thomas Jefferson softball team has for 2019. The Jaguars have dropped to 4A this season and lost only one starter to graduation. “Our expectations are always to reach the...
Thomas Jefferson hockey says goodbye to remarkable seniors
The seniors on the Thomas Jefferson hockey team wrung out heralded career numbers in their time. Counting the regular and postseason, the five seniors attained 60 wins in their careers at TJ. “That’s the highest total from any group to graduate from the program in my nine years of coaching,”...
Brentwood girls basketball had history-making season
The reconstruction project continued — and flourished — for the Brentwood girls basketball program. In her first five years at the helm, coach Rachel Thomas guided the Spartans to 15-7, 11-10, 13-9, 17-6 and 18-8 records, advancing to the WPIAL playoffs all five years. This season, Brentwood finished with a...
Baldwin softball ‘bigger and stronger than ever’
Baldwin has won four consecutive section titles in softball. The Highlanders, with new coach Gina Fuchs, expect more of the same in 2019. “Our expectation is to come out and compete every game, and to compete for a section title,” said Fuchs, who has stepped up from her assistant’s role...
Plenty of positives for Baldwin hockey team
Slowly but surely, the Baldwin hockey program is climbing up the ranks in the PIHL. “Last season, when we moved up from A to AA, we missed the playoffs by a point,” coach Justin Glock said. “This year, we made the playoffs and won our first playoff game. “Next season,...
Shaw, Weber cap special careers with Thomas Jefferson wrestling
It sounds like a distinguished law firm: Shaw, Weber & Co. Max Shaw and Alex Weber certainly have enjoyed distinguished seasons and careers with the Thomas Jefferson wrestling program. The two senior matmen advanced to the PIAA Class AAA tournament in Hershey off their performances at the recent WPIAL championships....
Gateway softball looks to maintain momentum after playoff appearance
The Gateway softball team enjoyed a “turnaround season” of sorts in 2018. The Gators finished with a winning record, going 8-7 overall and 8-6 in Section 1-5A, tying for third place with Kiski Area. What can coach Scott Lewis do for an encore in his second year? “There is a...
Trio of senior letterman lead Gateway baseball into ’19 season
The Gateway baseball team is seeking a quadfecta, as the Gators are looking to qualify for the WPIAL playoffs for a fourth consecutive season. Gateway ended up 12-6 overall and finished third in Section 3-5A last year. The 12 victories were the most in a season since the 2009 squad...
Brentwood resident Daly to be part of basketball trip to Spain
With the Carlow women’s basketball season completed, Seton LaSalle graduate Delaney Daly has her sights on her summer schedule. Daly, a 5-foot-7 junior and NAIA All-American guard for the Celtics, averaged 11.5 points, 3.5 assists and 3.5 steals this season. Her focus now is on her impending trip to Europe....
Thomas Jefferson boys volleyball hopes to battle for section title
Thomas Jefferson’s senior-laden boys volleyball team ended up 5-5 in section play last season. The Jaguars are aiming to improve on that record in 2019. “Our main goal is to fight for the section championship,” coach Frank Staffen said. “We lost a lot of starters (10) from last year, but...
Brentwood baseball team young but optimistic
Brentwood’s baseball team was hit hard by graduation last spring. Only one senior and two other starters return. “I guess you could say this is a rebuilding year,” coach Greg Perdziola said. “We are very young and inexperienced at the varsity level. With that being said, I still feel we...
Gabe Dominick receives TJ’s Breisinger Award
Gabe Dominick hopes to be a key member of the Thomas Jefferson boys volleyball team this season. A first-year defensive specialist/outside hitter, Dominick also made his mark as a starter on the Jaguars’ football team. The TJ senior recently was presented with the Breisinger Award at the football team’s postseason...
Expectations high for Franklin Regional baseball
Franklin Regional posted a solid 15-5 record last season with a young team. The Panthers lost only two seniors to graduation and have a lot of returning talent this year. Expectations are high. “We have been focusing on pitching and hitting throughout the course of the offseason,” said Bob Saddler,...
Experienced Franklin Regional softball team eyes more success
Franklin Regional has strung together four consecutive winning seasons in softball. Last year, the Panthers tied for first with rival Penn-Trafford in Section 1-5A, landed the No. 4 seed for the WPIAL playoffs and drew a first-round bye. After an 11-day layoff, Franklin Regional lost on a no-hitter to fifth-seeded...
Thomas Jefferson girls made program history by reaching title game
The Thomas Jefferson and Chartiers Valley basketball teams clashed March 2 in the WPIAL Class 5A championship game at Pitt’s Peterson Events Center. It wasn’t the first time TJ senior guard Shaylor Williams stepped onto the court at The Pete. “When I played AAU in sixth grade for the Bruins,...
Rebounding, scoring struggles prove costly for Thomas Jefferson girls in WPIAL final
The bubble finally burst for the surging Thomas Jefferson girls basketball team. The Jaguars lost to Section 1 rival Chartiers Valley, 64-48, in the WPIAL Class 5A championship game March 2 at Pitt’s Petersen Events Center. Thomas Jefferson (19-7) went into the final confidently riding an eight-game winning streak, and...
Senior class lauded for success by Thomas Jefferson football coach Cherpak
The 60th annual Thomas Jefferson football banquet took place Feb. 24 at Georgetown Centre. The Jaguars’ success over the past four years was duly noted, as coach Bill Cherpak started off the post-dinner program by lauding the efforts of the senior class on and off the field. Over the past...
Team chemistry key for TJ girls basketball
Does winning spark good team chemistry, or does good team chemistry enhance winning? While talent is an integral part of any winning program, team chemistry certainly can be important. Take, for example, the Thomas Jefferson girls basketball team. The Jaguars reached the WPIAL finals this season for the first time...
Chartiers Valley girls celebrate WPIAL championship
The Chartiers Valley girls basketball team held a lovefest March 2 at Pitt’s Petersen Events Center. Actually, it took place spontaneously in front of the CV bench area following the WPIAL Class 5A championship game. The CV girls swarmed to coach Tim McConnell’s side when his name was announced at...
Silver lining for Brentwood girls basketball team
Playing for a WPIAL championship at Pitt’s Petersen Events Center was a dream-come-true for the Brentwood girls basketball team. “It has been my dream forever,” said senior guard Anna Betz, the Spartans’ leading scorer with a 14.8 ppg average. “We talked about playing at the Peterson Events Center since the...
Gateway girls pleased with season despite falling short in title defense
Goal No. 1 was achieved by the Gateway girls basketball team. The Gators won the Section 2-5A championship, squeaking past Franklin Regional atop the standings. “We had good year thus far,” said Curtis Williams, who is in his fourth season as Gateway’s coach. “We did a lot of good things...
Spotlight Q&A with Fox Chapel boys basketball coach Zach Skrinjar
Zach Skrinjar has been coaching at Fox Chapel for a decade. The Foxes have qualified for the WPIAL playoffs seven times in the past 10 seasons, including six of the past seven years. This year’s team is 16-8 and advanced to the Class 6A quarterfinal round. The Foxes are led...
Brentwood girls defeat Laurel, earn long-awaited trip to WPIAL finals
Laurel went into the WPIAL Class 2A semifinals Monday night riding a school-record 14-game winning streak. Brentwood had won 12 games in a row, and 14 of its past 15. Something had to give. Brentwood defeated Laurel, 50-37, at Moon to advance to the Thursday’s WPIAL finals at Petersen Events...
Thomas Jefferson, Galioto celebrate WPIAL gymnastics titles
All they do is win. You name it. They’ve won it. In just three years, Thomas Jefferson has emerged as a powerhouse in girls gymnastics. TJ captured its third consecutive section title this season, and the Jaguars were undefeated all three years. And as a prelude to the WPIAL championships,...
Thomas Jefferson’s Serapiglia looks forward to career at Tulsa
Dom Serapiglia will continue his football career 1,000 miles away from home. Serapiglia, a 6-foot-2, 285-pound senior and four-year varsity lineman for the Jaguars, has committed to play at Tulsa. Tulsa competes in the American Athletic Conference. “I really just fell in love with the campus,” Serapiglia said, “and it’s...
