Ray Fisher stories, Page 8
Powerful lineup boosts Sewickley Academy softball to top tier of section standings
The Sewickley Academy softball team, minus one short blip, has been hitting the cover off the ball in 2025. The Panthers racked up an 8-1 record in the first half of the season, averaging a staggering 12.2 runs per game — second best in the WPIAL — and hitting a...
New doubles combination advances to WPIALs for Quaker Valley
Two sets of Quaker Valley tennis tandems competed in the Section 3-2A boys doubles tournament April 15-16 at Sewickley Academy’s Nichols Courts. Sophomore Will Meagher and senior Matthew Henry qualified for the WPIAL doubles tournament set for April 22-23 by finishing as the section runner-up. “From preseason, the plan was...
2-sport Quaker Valley standout honored for work in classroom too
The WPIAL recently recognized the recipients of the 34th annual WPIAL James Collins Scholar-Athlete Award with 20 candidates selected from a group of 158 nominees. The girls recipients were Laurel’s Tori Atkins, Thomas Jefferson’s Alison Chalovich, Greensburg Central Catholic’s Alexandra Hoffman, Knoch’s Giona Lavorini, Montour’s Joelle Ludwick, Quaker Valley’s Joyce...
Quaker Valley joins girls flag football revolution
Quaker Valley is one of 14 schools fielding new teams in the Pittsburgh Flag Football League this year. The Quakers, coached by Giuseppe Rosselli, have been joined in the league by fellow newcomers Allderdice, Brentwood, Burrell, Deer Lakes, Latrobe, Mars, Montour, Nazareth Prep, New Castle, Perry Traditional Academy, Steel Valley,...
Eden Christian baseball locked in tight battle for section supremacy
It’s a three-team tussle for first place in the Section 3-A baseball standings. Eden Christian Academy, Serra Catholic and Bishop Canevin were in a virtual tie atop of the standings as of April 17. “We are performing the way a young team would typically perform, very up and down,” Eden...
Fisher’s Files: Quaker Valley coach says Adou Thiero ‘deserving’ of NBA opportunity
One man who has been carefully following Adou Thiero’s college basketball career is Mike Mastroianni, who coached the Arkansas junior in high school during his stellar career at Quaker Valley. Thiero led the Quakers to a WPIAL Class 4A title in 2021-22 and was named the TribLive HSSN Boys Basketball...
Top Sewickley Academy, Quaker Valley players look forward to team tennis playoffs
Severin Harmon has proven to be a top-tier performer in Class 2A throughout his tennis career at Sewickley Academy. The Panthers are competing in Class 3A this season, and Harmon has picked up where he left off in the lower classification. The senior received the No. 2 seed for the...
Maddox Shaw, Bode Marlow leave championships legacy with Thomas Jefferson wrestling
One holds the school record for career wins. The other set the team mark for victories in a season. Together, Thomas Jefferson seniors Maddox Shaw and Bode Marlow proved to be an indominable force throughout their stellar high school wrestling careers. “Both are phenomenal student-athletes who have modeled for the...
South Hills sports notebook: Baldwin’s Ramil Islamov celebrated after setting school record
The Baldwin wrestling program experienced history this season. Ramil Islamov capped a brilliant four-year career at Baldwin with a 47-3 overall mark, giving him a school record 148-24 career mark. Not only did the 145-pound senior break the record for career wins, he shattered it. The only other grapplers in...
Baldwin softball off to strong start by getting ‘1% better each day’
The Baldwin softball team has displayed steady growth in each of coach Ron Santillo’s first three years at the helm. “The credit all goes to the girls and the hard work they put in over the last three years,” Santillo said. “They really push one another in the offseason. “The...
First-year coach helping young Quaker Valley softball players develop through fundamentals
Quaker Valley Middle School softball coach Steve Waffensmith might have a unique name, but he has a one-size-fits-all approach to coaching the sport. Particularly at the middle school level. “I’d like to think that my main focus is trying to get fundamental softball being played on the field, but it...
Bethel Park athletes hitting stride at early-season invitationals
Bethel Park’s track and field program has been riding the momentum displayed by team members during the winter indoor season. “We had a very successful indoor season where we had 11 student-athletes qualify for the Adidas Indoor Nationals,” Bethel Park coach Mark Jacobs said. “So we are hoping to keep...
Bethel Park notebook: Basketball stars set for Roundball Classic
The 21st Roundball Classic all-star weekend will be May 24-25 at North Allegheny. There will be seven all-senior games over two days — four boys and three girls — with players from the WPIAL, City League and District 10. Bethel Park’s Sadie Orie and Ella Sabatos were chosen to the...
Sewickley Herald notebook: Panthers softball, Quaker Valley baseball start strong
Sewickley Academy’s softball team brought out the heavy lumber in its section opener April 4 against visiting Rochester. The Panthers remained undefeated by belting Rochester, 17-2, as Marie Bigi went 4 for 4 with a double, triple and four RBIs and Gabby Edmunds hit two doubles and drove in four...
Scoring Factory set to host basketball skills development program
The Scoring Factory AAU is holding a basketball skills development program from April 26 to June 15 at Sewickley Academy. The program tips off on the weekend of April 26-27 and runs from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. every Saturday and Sunday until June 15. All the action will take...
Experienced coach helps Sewickley Academy girls lacrosse take fast track to success
Mike Scerbo recently celebrated the one-year anniversary of his hiring as Sewickley Academy’s director of athletics. “The best part has been the people,” he said. “Everyone — faculty, staff, students and parents — have all been so warm and welcoming. There is truly a passion here for athletics, and I...
Underclassmen made big impact in Sewickley Academy’s PIAA tournament run
Notes and quotes, etc. from Chocolate Town USA: Two freshmen and a sophomore were Sewickley Academy’s three leading scorers against Linville Hill Christian in the PIAA Class 2A boys basketball championship game March 28 at Hershey’s Giant Center. Freshman guard Drew Steals came off the bench when junior Caiden Battles,...
Quaker Valley athletes off to fast start, with sights set on defending WPIAL championships
Quaker Valley’s track and field program displayed its talent and depth in the season-opening meet March 28 at QV’s home stadium. The Quakers flew past Aquinas Academy, Eden Christian Academy, Sewickley Academy and Sto-Rox in a unique quintet meet. QV racked up 31 first-place finishes, including 17 in the boys...
Sewickley Herald notebook: Versatile athletes lead Quaker Valley girls lacrosse team
One word that would aptly describe the Quaker Valley girls lacrosse team is athletic. The majority (15) of girls on the team are two-sport athletes. Lucy Roig, a junior midfielder and the Quakers’ leading scorer the past two years, along with juniors Mia Floro and Lily Millet, sophomore Anna Campbell...
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...
