Best of Sports - June 28, 2024

Logan

St. John Kletter

Year of the

Never-give-up attitude wins big in 2023-24

Another high school sports year has drawn to a close. In less than two months we will move to the fall sports seasons – when last year’s backups come to the forefront – complete with the excitement of high school football Friday nights.

Before moving ahead, however, we take one final look back at 2023-24, with “Best of Sports,” a joint publication of the Observer-Reporter and The Almanac . The sports staffs of the O-R and Almanac have combined to pick a comprehensive list of the top athletes and teams from the past year, that included a landmark football season – three area teams won WPIAL championships and advanced to

the PIAA title game with one, Belle Vernon, winning a state title – and individual and team championships on the district and state level, breakout performers and plenty of fantastic finishes.

There was a boys golf team that defeated – well, routed, that might be a more accurate word – every team it played in a high-level section and won a state title, while the school’s girls team matched the accomplishment. That’s known as par for the course at Peters Township. But how will 2023-24 be best remembered?

Attitude

Continued from Page 2

In this line of work, we love to write about the accomplishments and championships of local athletes and teams. What we hear too often, however, is people telling us why the local teams and athletes can’t win. You’ve likely heard them, too. They go something like this: “The other schools have way more kids than we do.” “The private schools can recruit.”

“We’re a rural school.” “The other schools have better facilities.” The reasons/excuses go on and on.

In Washington County this year, one school’s athletes heard all those reasons they couldn’t win and simply ignored them, brushed them aside and concentrated, with a laser-like focus, on getting better, sticking to the coach’s game plan and playing with confidence and poise.

And it was a rural school. And the results were impressive.

Fort Cherry had a sports year that was both amazing. The Rangers won a WPIAL football championship and made it to the state finals, the boys basketball team advanced to the WPIAL and PIAA semifinals, losing only to the eventual state champion. The girls track

team was the WPIAL runner-up. The girls basketball team advanced to the state tournament. The baseball team won a section title with possibly the youngest starting lineup in the WPIAL. And the boys track team proved that guys in the country can indeed run fast as the Rangers’ 400-meter relay team sprinted to WPIAL and PIAA championships.

And Fort Cherry doesn’t even have a track. That is how we will remember 2023-24 -Fort Cherry’s can-do spirit and the Rangers’ belief in themselves.

There were other impressive performers, especially on the track and cross country courses, where no girl was faster over the long haul than Mt. Lebanon’s Logan St. John Kletter, who won gold medals at the state level in track and cross country.

St. John Kletter was part of a banner year for Mt. Lebanon. Counting individual events and team sports, Lebo won eight WPIAL championships.

With that in mind, it should come as no surprise that our Male and Female Athletes of the Year come from Fort Cherry and Mt. Lebanon.

Observer-Reporter sports editor Chris Dugan can be reached at [email protected]

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Team of the Year

Peters

Township Boys Golf

Girls soccer

MVP Sierra Dupre

Upper St. Clair

Sierra Dupre dominates the pitch on the local, state, regional and international level.

The sophomore garnered all-section, all-WPIAL, all-region and all-state accolades in leading Upper St. Clair to a section championship with a 13-1 record and a WPIAL Class 3A semifinal appearance. The Panthers finished 16-2 overall after falling to Fox Chapel, 5-2, in the district playoffs. A midfielder, Dupre was the team’s top scorer with more than two dozen goals.

This spring, Dupre was called up to the United States Under-16 Women’s National Team to compete at the UEFA Friendship Tournament in Riva, Turkey. The U.S. played four matches, with Pool A play pitting them against the host nation, Vietnam and Botswana. The tournament ended with placement matches on the final day against teams from Pool B — China, Paraguay, Uganda and Wales. Playing left back, she helped the defense hold the opposition to no goals while rolling up a 4-0 record. The team won the tournament title, edging Paraguay on penalty kicks in the final.

This was the second time Dupre represented the United States in overseas competition.

In 2023, she traveled with the U.S. Under-15 team for friendly matches in Germany and The Netherlands, and she scored in the win against the Dutch team.

She was called into camp as an Under-16 player for the first time in February, when she took part in training camp in Chula Vista, Calif. Her performance there helped secure her spot on the 20-player roster for the Friendship Tournament, selected by U.S. coach Patchy Toledo.

In addition to playing for the Panthers and the U.S. squad, Dupre represents the Riverhounds Academy. Playing a year up, she competes on the Hounds’ 2007 Elite Clubs National League Girls team.

A decade ago, she began training with the Riverhounds in the club’s Futures Program. She has played for the Hounds throughout her youth career.

Ranked No. 1 among state players in the class of 2026, by TopDrawer, Dupre is a multi-sport athlete at USC, also excelling in basketball and track. Recently, she received the school’s Tri-Athlete award.

Dupre is also an honors student. She maintains a 4.0 GPA.

Honorees

Amelia Brose sophomore Chartiers-Houston

McKenna DeUnger senior Charleroi

Natalia DiSora sophomore Upper St. Clair

Casey Gorman senior Mt. Lebanon

Camryn Klein junior Peters Township

Maeryn Mannix senior Upper St. Clair

Ruby Morgan senior Trinity

Abbigal Rosser senior South Fayette

Emilee Tonkavich junior Canon-McMillan

Ella Neupaver senior Peters Township

Lacrosse

Boys MVP Miles Halter

Mt.

Lebanon

Everybody knew Miles Halter was an extraordinary player coming into the 2024 high school lacrosse season. After all, he was a returning All-American from Mt. Lebanon’s WPIAL championship club from a year ago.

Halter, however, proved himself an incredible individual, not to mention a teammate, this spring.

He played through a herniated disc and lingering issues from injuring his back from a ski crash two years ago. Additionally, he declined a nomination for another All-America distinction.

“When I approached Miles as he was coming out of one of his physical therapy sessions, he said to me, ‘Coach, let someone else have it.’ All he cared about was helping the team win,” said Lebo coach Mike Ermer. “Miles is just a special kid.”

Halter had a special night when he led the Blue Devils to their sixth WPIAL title in program history. In Lebo’s 15-10 victory over

North Allegheny in the Class 3A championship game played May 23 at Joe Walton Stadium on the Robert Morris University campus, Halter scored six goals. He also dished up three assists.

“The kid is lights out,” Ermer said. “He’s very difficult to manage for the other teams. He’s a smart player. Crafty around the net.

“He’s an absolute pleasure to coach. He cares about his teammates, spending time with the guys, and helping them achieve their goals.”

Halter also helped the Blue Devils capture an undefeated section title. Lebo advanced to the quarterfinals of the PIAA tournament, where they succumbed to Garnet Valley at Panzer Stadium on the Penn State University campus. The Blue Devils finished with a 17-5 record.

Halter will continue his playing career at Loyola University in Maryland.

Girls MVP Addison Murdoch Mt. Lebanon

Addison Murdoch did not score any goals in the WPIAL championship game, but that didn’t mean the senior midfielder had no role in Mt. Lebanon’s victory, 16-11, against Pine-Richland. In that Class 3A title match played May 23 at Joe Walton Stadium, all Murdoch did was dominate the faceoffs and shut down the Rams’ offensive attack.

“We knew they would shut Addie off,” said Lebo head coach Brian Kattan. “But she finds other ways to impact a game. She was great on the faceoffs and her defense was tremendous.

“Addie is one of the most talented players we have ever had at Mt. Lebanon,” Kattan continued. “She can control the game so many different ways, not just with goals or assists, but draw controls. She plays great defense and just has the ability to know when to slow things down or play fast and take advantage of things on offense.”

In her fourth and final season as a Blue Devil, Murdoch took her game to a new level and the results were tremendous.

“She really had a great season,” Kattan said.

Murdoch joined an elite group of Mt. Lebanon players when she registered her 200th career goal in a playoff

win against North Allegheny. Only two other Blue Devils have entered the 200-goal club. She finished with 207 goals and 96 assists.

For the season, Murdoch notched 55 goals and contributed 32 assists. Again, she earned All-America, All-WPIAL and all-section acclaim.

Murdoch led the Blue Devils to a section title and their fourth appearance in a district final. Lebo’s win against the Rams marked the school’s sixth WPIAL title but first since 2016. The Blue Devils suffered only one loss this spring. They had a 20-1 record after falling to Conestoga in the quarterfinals of the PIAA tournament. Murdoch will continue her career at Pitt. The Panthers are excited about their prized recruit.

“Addie is a strong and smart lacrosse player with an incredible lax IQ,” said her future coach Emily Boissonneault. “She will be an inspiration and influence to all the young girls in Western Pennsylvania.”

Murdoch was an example off the field. In the classroom, she maintained a 4.7 GPA and belonged to the National Honor Society. She will major in economics-statistics with a focus on data sciences.

Football

Jase Banco senior Trinity

MVP Matt Sieg Fort Cherry

There was no sophomore slump for Matt Sieg.

After putting up gaudy numbers as a freshman, the Fort Cherry quarterback/defensive back/punter/kick returner helped lead the Rangers to their first WPIAL championship in the history of the football program and an appearance in the state title game, which also was a first.

Fort Cherry fell short of its goal in a loss to Steelton-Highspire in PIAA Class A title game to finish the season at 15-1 and Sieg’s contributions led to him being named the Observer-Reporter’s Football Player of the Year.

Sieg rushed for 2,387 yards with 41 touchdowns, passed for 1,671 with 20 scores, returned two punts for touchdowns and had 37 tackles and three interceptions, including

Honorees

Geno Calgaro senior Canon-McMillan

Marco Carone senior Upper St. Clair

Carson Crowe senior McGuffey

Nate Deanes senior South Fayette

Nolan DiLucia sophomore Peters Township

Ruben Gordon senior Washington

Braeden Helmkamp senior Trinity

Adam LaCarte senior Belle Vernon

Braden Laux senior Belle Vernon

Jake Layhue senior California

TACKLE HOME RENOVATIONS

CHAMPION!

Quinton Martin senior

one pick-six.

In two years of high school football, Sieg has rushed for 4,372 yards and thrown for 2,892 and scored 76 touchdowns.

Fort Cherry coach Tanner Garry started to hear about Sieg’s potential when the quarterback was in middle school.

“I was coaching at South Fayette when Matt was in sixth grade and the talk had begun,” Garry said. “He was in the seventh grade when I was hired at Fort Cherry and he was impressive on film, but I needed to take a look. There was no question he would start as a freshman.

“Sometimes, kids will wait to stay doing the extra work until their junior year, but Matt has been doing that work since middle school. He really checks off all the boxes when you think about what you want in a player.”

Belle Vernon

Franco Muscatello junior Peters Township

Clancy Orie junior

Ryan Petras junior

Bethel Park

Bethel Park

Lou Ryan senior Fort Cherry

Nate Stohl junior Upper St. Clair

Mickey Vaccarello junior Peters Township

Jonah Williamson sophomore Trinity

Joe Wilson sophomore Washington

Breydon Woods senior Waynesburg

Hockey/Field Hockey

Hockey MVP

Noah Callender

Chartiers

For the first time in 38 years, Chartiers Valley hoisted a Penguins Cup.

Noah Callender was one of the reasons for the Colts’ success.

Only a freshman, he led the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Hockey League’s Class A division with 30 goals during the regular season. He dished up 14 assists. His 44 points ranked fifth in the league.

Callendar was never held without a point in a game during the regular season or the playoffs. A PIHL all-star, Callender registered seven power play and three shorthanded goals. In his first varsity start, Callendar tallied two goals and two assists for four points.

During his final freshman contest, he again scored twice but the Colts could not claim

Valley

the Pennsylvania Cup. Though his two tallies staked Chartiers Valley to a 2-0 advantage, Hershey reeled off four unanswered goals to win the state final, 4-2, played March 23 at the Haverford Skatium.

The Colts rolled up an undefeated regular season record of 17-0 before embarking on their march to the Penguins Cup. After blanking Moon, 4-0, and Indiana, 2-1, the Colts came from behind and defeated Greensburg Salem in overtime, 2-1, in the PIHL Class A final played March 19 at the UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex in Cranberry.

Chartiers Valley finished the season with an overall record of 23-1-0.

Field Hockey MVP Grace Urban Peters Township

June 6 was a sad day for Peters Township field hockey because Grace Urban graduated. Since her sophomore season, she has dominated the action. In fact, this is the third year that the goalie has been recognized as The Almanac & Observer-Reporter’s MVP.

Urban made 52 saves and surrendered nine goals in leading the Indians to the WPIAL finals. She also maintained an 85 save percentage.

An all-section and all-WPIAL performer for three years, Urban captained the team to a 13-5 record that included the district runner-up finish. Peters Township lost, 1-0, in overtime to Pine-Richland in the Class 3A final played Nov. 4 at Washington & Jefferson’s Cameron Stadium.

“Grace led the team with confidence and never shied away from a challenge. This

encouraged her teammates to do the same,” said PT head coach Kelly Meenan.

“Grace was an aggressive but smart player. She put in the work these past four years to make sure she did everything she could to keep the balls out of the back of the cage.”

As a junior, she made 99 saves and permitted 17 goals in leading the Indians to the playoffs. In 2021, she totaled 84 saves and led Peters Township to a final four appearance in the WPIAL tournament.

An environmentalist, Urban has traveled aboard to Copenhagen. In Denmark, she learned about climate change policy and advocacy.

Urban will attend Duquesne University in the fall. She will major in biochemistry and might compete in field hockey on the club level.

David Shields led Mt. Lebanon in every aspect on the baseball diamond.

Spectators saw the statistics. Teammates and coaches witnessed the behind-the-scenes efforts that should make this 6-2, 200-pound southpaw a top choice in July’s MLB amateur draft.

For example, Shields showed up twice a week at 6 a.m. for winter weightlifting in which he would squat 350 pounds. He also demonstrated humanity as well as humility when he slipped and fell attempting to shag a fly ball in center field during an intrasquad game.

“When your best player shows up and busts it every day in practices and games, it’s pretty easy to get the rest of the team on board,” said Lebo coach Patt McCloskey.

“David was the most publicized player that we’ve ever had. Yet, he was also the most humble and down-to-earth kid in our program,” McCloskey continued. “His total commitment to being a great teammate was a huge part of what makes him a special kid.

“It was more important how he did everything, rather than just what he accomplished with stats. Despite all the pressure he had from being scouted, he never put any of that ahead of his team winning. He was a true leader.”

Shields led the Blue Devils to many victories while shattering all but two school records – single-season ERA and wins for a season by Chris Koutsavlis – during his shortened three-year career. Shields reclassified after his sophomore season to graduate one year earlier this June to be eligible for the MLB draft.

Shields, who set the single-season strikeout record with 106 in 2023, struck out 63 in only 35 innings and six games this spring. He had a 5-1 record with a 0.96 ERA. He allowed just 14 hits and walked four.

For 2024, Shields struck out 16.2 batters per nine innings while only allowing 4.9 baserunners.

When not on the mound for the Blue Devils, Shields started in center field. At the plate, he batted .418 with seven doubles and 28 RBI entering the WPIAL final, compiling an OPS of 1.244.

According to McCloskey, those numbers this season produced the greatest offensive output since Ian Happ played for the Blue Devils.

“As a player, the list of Mt. Lebanon players that have been both elite pitchers as well as hitters in the WPIAL is very short,” McCloskey said.

Baseball MVP David Shields Mt. Lebanon

Honorees

Nick D’Orazio

Aidan Crochier

Brodie Kuzior

Meredith

Nopwaskey

Petras

Robaugh

Tierney

Tinneymeyer

Alex VanSickle

Wright

Track

Boys MVP Colton Dean Canon-McMillan

The junior qualified for the state meet in four events and won two gold medals at the WPIAL Track & Field Championships.

Dean didn’t have the experience he would have preferred at Shippensburg University in the PIAA Class 3A Track & Field Championships, but he finished his outdoor season by winning the New Balance Nationals Outdoor Decathlon Championship in Philadelphia.

Dean scored 6,961 points over the 10 events over two days to defeat fellow Pennsylvania athlete Jey Brown by 517 points.

Dean posted personal-best marks in the 100-meter dash (10.58), long jump (23-5.5), high jump (5-9.25), 400-meter dash (50.89), discus (133-6) and javelin (171-7).

The track and field season never ends for Dean, as he also competes during the indoor season, but his solid outdoor campaign started to take notice when he won the 100 dash, 200 dash, 300 hurdles and long jump to earn the overall MVP award in the Washington-Greene Track & Field Championships. The Big Macs won the team championship at the event.

Canon-McMillan won the Class 3A, Section 7 team title before falling to North Allegheny in the team semifinals.

Dean set himself up for the WPIAL individual meet with victories in the 100 and 300 hurdles at the 50th Annual Baldwin Invitational. He crossed the finish line in 10.90 to win the 100 and 38.85 in the 300 hurdles. Dean was third in the long jump (22-4) and seventh in the 200 with a time of 22.89.

The WPIAL individual championships were postponed halfway through the event, but Dean didn’t allow that to hinder him as he won the 300 hurdles and 200 dash. He was second in the 100 and fourth in the long jump.

Dean chose not to compete in the 200 at the state meet.

Girls

MVP Logan St. John Kletter Mt. Lebanon

Despite not being in her finest form because of an injury that has nagged her all spring, Logan St. John Kletter defended her track titles at the district and state level.

During the WPIAL Class 3A Track & Field Championships held in May at the Milhalik-Thompson Stadium Complex at Slippery Rock University, the Mt. Lebanon senior won the 1,600-meter run and came back to capture the gold medal in the 3,200 race.

“Logan battled through the 1,600 but was able to capture the championship even when she was not at 100 percent,” said Lebo girls coach Oscar Shutt. “She had a strong performance in the 3,200, coming through the 1,600 mark at just over five minutes.”

The pace was good enough for St. John Kletter to chase down the WPIAL meet record. She ran 10:19.78, breaking the mark of 10:33.66 set in 2018 by Hannah Schupansky from Oakland Catholic. She ran a 4:52.59 to win the 1,600. The time was 2.37 seconds

ahead of runner-up Grace Fritzman of West Allegheny.

During the PIAA Championships held at Shippensburg University, St. John Kletter capped her scholastic career by winning two gold medals.

On the first day of the competition, St. John Kletter won the 1,600 with a personal-best time of 4:38.54. The mark was also the fastest time ever clocked by a WPIAL athlete. Moon’s Mia Cochran ran a 4:40.79 in 2022.

On the second day of the state finals, St. John Kletter won the two-mile in 10:21.46, some 12 seconds ahead of Morgan Roemer from DuBois. After the state championships, St. John Kletter traveled to St. Louis and competed in the Hoka Festival of Miles. She ran a personal best of 4:37.44, placed fifth and is now ranked seventh in the country.

In June, she raced in the Brooks PR Invitational in Seattle and the New Balance Nationals in Philly.

Golf

Boys MVP Colton Lusk Peters Township

Colton Lusk played a lot of golf on Penn State’s Blue Course one week last fall and he helped make it a landmark experience for Peters Township’s boys golf program.

Lusk, a junior, opened the week playing in the PIAA individual tournament in Class 3A, where he finished in a tie for fourth place after carding a two-day total of 6-under 138 over 36 holes.

He made six birdies in the second round and shot 33 on the back nine.

One day later, Lusk and his teammates won the first team state title in the history of the program.

The Indians had a combined score of 4-under-par 284, which was two shots better than runner-up LaSalle College.

Lusk earned medalist honors among the six teams, shooting a 7-under par 65. Lusk had five birdies on the front nine and three on the back side.

“After playing the course two days in a row, I knew the course pretty well for (the) team tournament and had an idea on where to hit the ball, and where to miss,” Lusk said. “I started my round on the 10th hole, so I was actually finishing on the front nine, which is where I made a lot of my putts. My putter was on fire. That was the best 18-hole round I ever shot.”

Lusk qualified for the PIAA individual tournament by placing sixth at the WPIAL Championships. He shot a 75 in the second and final round, which was held at Valley Brook Country Club. Lusk carded a 78 in the first round, played at Latrobe Country Club, for a two-round total of 153.

Had a nine-hole scoring average of 36.7 and an 18-hole average of 70.83, both tops among the Indians. He was the medalist at the Tri-County Tournament, Morgantown Invitational and Wheeling Park Invitation. Lusk was medalist in seven of Peters Township’s 15 nine-hold matches.

Honorees

Girls MVP Ellie Benson Peters Township

Ellie Benson continues to be one of the top girls golfers, not only in the WPIAL, but the state as well, and in the fall of 2023 she helped Peters Township win both district and PIAA team championships.

Benson, only a sophomore, was the WPIAL Class 3A runner-up at the Individual Championships that were held in two rounds at Diamond Run Golf Club in Sewickley. She shot a 1-over par 73 in the opening round to take the lead and finished second overall after a final round of 85 to easily qualify for the PIAA tournament.

Playing on the Penn State Golf Courses, Benson finished in a tie for ninth place with a two-round score of 152.

In team competition, Benson helped Peters Township repeat as the WPIAL Class 3A champion. Playing on Cedarbrook’s Red Course, Benson shot 77 as the Indians won by 29 strokes and cruised to the sixth team title in school history.

After three consecutive runner-up performances, Peters Township won the PIAA Class 3A team title by shooting a record score of 231 on the 5,201-yard, par 72 Blue Course at Penn State. The Indians edged second-place Manheim by four strokes for the championship trophy.

At the PIAA team event, Benson led the PT girls, carding a 1-over 73, one shot off medalist honors.

Honorees

Boys Wrestling MVP Chris Vargo Bentworth

Bentworth’s Chris Vargo didn’t accomplish his ultimate goal of winning a state championship, but the senior, who attended Charleroi and wrestled for the Bearcats as part of a co-op, won his fourth regional title and third WPIAL gold medal.

Vargo was 41-3 in his final high school season and finished with a career record of 133-12, which included a 13-7 victory over nationally ranked Jax Forrest of Bishop McCort in the PIAA Southwest Regional finals at 127 pounds.

Forrest got the better of Vargo in the state finals the next week.

Vargo represented Team Pennsylvania in the 50th Pittsburgh Wrestling Classic against JJ McComas of Stillwater, Okla.

McComas edged Vargo 2-1 in double overtime at 127 to help lead the United States All-Stars to a 27-12 victory over Team Pennsylvania.

Vargo and McComas wrestled a scoreless first period before McComas scored an escape in the second. Vargo escaped in the third to send the match into sudden victory.

Following a scoreless minute in sudden victory, Vargo took bottom in the first 30-second rideout. McComas didn’t allow an escape or reversal but was given a stalling warning.

McComas escaped with roughly 10 seconds remaining in his portion of the rideout. Vargo pursued McComas and attempted a last-second attempt for the match-winning takedown but McComas held on.

Vargo was the first wrestler from Bentworth or Charleroi to wrestle in the main event at the Pittsburgh Wrestling Classic. His brother, Jonathan, competed for the WPIAL All-Stars at the Classic in 2019.

The win over Forrest was definitely the signature victory of Vargo’s career, but he had a strong showing in a 5-4 victory over Canon-McMillan’s Andrew Binni in the finals of the Tri-CADA tournament to avenge a loss to Binni the year before. Binni went on to place fourth in Class 3A at 127.

Vargo will continue his wrestling and academic careers at Edinboro.

Honorees

Bodie Morgan senior Trinity

Mason Kernan senior Bethel Park

Andrew Binni senior Canon-McMillan

Jake Conroy junior Ringgold

Gaven Suica senior Burgettstown

Jorden Williams senior Chartiers-Houston

Braedon Welsh junior Fort Cherry

Nicholas McGarrity freshman Peters Township

Joey Baronick senior Burgettstown

Vitali Daniels senior Burgettstown

Ky Szewczyk senior Waynesburg

Geno Calgaro senior Canon-McMillan

Girls Wrestling

MVP Valarie Solorio Canon-McMillan

To say Canon-McMillan senior Valarie Solorio dominated her opponents this season would be a huge understatement.

Solorio, who committed to wrestle for the University of Iowa prior to her senior season, was 16-0 with 14 victories coming by fall, including all four matches at the first girls state championships, held in March at the Giant Center in Hershey. She has the distinction of being the first girls wrestler to win a state title in PIAA competition.

Solorio received a forfeit in a dual meet against Mount Lebanon on Jan. 3 and earned a 16-1 technical fall over Montour’s Kristen Walzer to win the WPIAL championship at 100 pounds.

Solorio pinned Walzer in their next match, at the Southwest Regional, the following week.

Solorio was 21-1 during her junior season and won a state title at 100 pounds in an event that was not sanctioned by the PIAA. Her lone loss was a 7-6 setback to Bensalem’s

Julia Horger.

While Solorio didn’t have any trouble when she stepped on the mat this season, she faced adversity from a partially torn ACL and a strained MCL in a knee, which kept her out of action until January.

Solorio wasn’t able to compete in the Walsh Jesuit Ironwoman and Powerade tournaments because of the injury, but once she came back, no one could stop her.

Solorio was invited to compete at the Pittsburgh Wrestling Classic, but because of to a prior commitment, didn’t wrestle in the all-star event.

The Big Macs won the PIAA Southwest Regional and the state tournament teams titles, and if team scores were tabulated, would have won the WPIAL championship with three individual champions and five finalists.

Canon-McMillan was 14-1 in dual-meet competition, with its lone loss coming to Olentangy Orange, Ohio.

Softball MVP Sydney Gonglik

Bentworth

When it comes to first impressions, few freshmen have had the kind of instant impact that Bentworth pitcher Sydney Gonglik did this spring.

Gonglik was a driving force, both in the circle and at the plate, behind Bentworth’s impressive softball transformation in Class 2A. She led the WPIAL in three statistical categories, two hitting and one pitching, during the regular season.

At the plate, Gonglik had a .733 batting average, which led the WPIAL, and her 43 runs were tops in the district.

In the circle, the hard-throwing righthander had 15 wins in the regular season and her 226 strikeouts led the WPIAL.

Gonglik helped Bentworth go from a 6-9-2 team in 2023 to 18-4 this year without the benefit of a senior on the roster. The Bearcats won the Section 3 championship – its first section title since 2011 – by going undefeated in league play.

In the postseason, Gonglik was outstanding. She pitched

Bentworth to WPIAL playoff wins over Shenango and Laurel, striking out 29 in the process.

That put Bentworth in the championship game but the Bearcats lost to eventual state champion Neshanmnock, 3-0.

Gonglik pitched Bentworth to a 4-1 win over defending state champion Everett in the first round of the PIAA playoffs before losing a rematch with Laurel in the quarterfinals.

In the five postseason games, Gonglik was even better at the plate as she went 9-for-10 and didn’t make an out until the fifth game, a contest in which she hit a three-run homer.

The respect opponents had for Gonglik’s hitting was never more apparent than in the WPIAL semifinals. Laurel had a 1-0 lead over Bentworth with two outs in the bottom of the seventh inning when the Spartans chose to intentionally walk Gonglik, who represented the potential winning run. The Bearcats’ Sofia Gaussa followed with a game-winning two-run double.

Honorees

Bailey Barnyak sophomore Carmichaels

Maddie Cavenaugh junior South Fayette

Makenna Crothers junior McGuffey

Lily Duffill sophomore Chartiers Valley

Meadow Ferri junior Chartiers-Houston

Olivia Ford senior Canon-McMillan

Allie Krenzelak sophomore Trinity

Carys McConnell sophomore Carmichaels

Ella Richey junior Chartiers-Houston

Gracie Sokol senior Belle Vernon

Hanna Suhoski junior Trinity

Gina Tedrow sophomore Waynesburg

Boys MVPs

Ari Plutko & Ronan Gibbons

Upper St. Clair

Vim and vigor equated success on the tennis court for Ari Plutko and Ronan Gibbons.

When they played with enthusiasm, complete with chest bumping on winning points, they held the upper hand, especially during the WPIAL doubles championship match. When they lost their edge, however, the Upper St. Clair duo fell short of the gold.

“We play well when we are energetic,” said Plutko. “When we get hyped, that keeps us in it.”

“We had a lot of energy,” Gibbons said. “We were really excited and it carried us. We do well when we are really hyped up.”

During the Class 3A finals played April 24 at North Allegheny High School, Plutko and Gibbons finished as silver medalist after dropping a three-setter, 4-6, 6-1, 6-4, to Gateway’s Zidaan Hassan and Logan Memije. Plutko and Gibbons had been there before though.

They finished third in last year’s doubles championships.

As the No. 1 and No. 2 singles players, they led USC to an undefeated section championship. The Panthers reached the semifinals in the WPIAL 3A team tournament before ending their season with a 3-2 loss to Gateway. The Gators finished runner-up to North Allegheny in the finals.

Gibbons was a two-sport athlete at USC, pairing tennis with wrestling. He posted a 19-13 record this winter. Undecided about his athletic endeavors because of his college options, his top schools were Bucknell and Gettysburg. He maintained a 4.4 GPA.

A junior, Plutko is a committed tennis player. He has played the game since he was 5. This spring, he won the section singles title, dethroning the former champion, Devin Collier from Bethel Park, in the Section 4 final, 6-1, 6-1. Plutko finished fourth in the WPIAL Class 3A

Girls MVPs Lily Sierka & Cami Fisher

Bethel Park

Bethel Park enjoyed a historic run in girls tennis and Lily Sierka, as well as Cami Fisher, were major contributors towards the success the Lady Hawks experienced.

For starters, they became the first doubles tennis team in school history to win a WPIAL championship when they paired up to beat Elana Sobol and Rachel Nath from Shady Side Academy in the Class 3A final played Oct. 5 at North Allegheny High School.

Though they were thrown together as a team only two weeks before doubles tournament play commenced, the duo was designed for success. They trained together with Tom Gorman at Glen Creek Tennis Club. Gorman’s own daughter, Mia, was a two-time WPIAL singles champion.

In the championship match, Sierka served well and kept rallies going with strong ground strokes while Fisher’s left-handed service kept the Shady Side tandem off balance.

Sierka and Fisher breezed through the tournament.

They opened action with pro set wins, 10-2, against Baldwin’s Gabrielle Moder and Olivia Garofalo and the Moon pairing of Ria Khazanchi and Kiera Wise. Fisher and Sierka reached the finals by sweeping Abby Santora and Mollie Schlicter from Oakland Catholic in straight sets, 6-0, 6-0.

The tandem also combined to win a section title. Additionally, they were quarterfinalists in the PIAA state doubles tournament.

Singularly, Fisher, a freshman, was the section runner-up while Sierka, a senior, was the bronze medalist. Both qualified for the WPIAL singles tournament but a loss in the quarterfinals forced them to combine their talents for doubles action.

Fisher and Sierka also helped the Black Hawks to a banner year in team competition. After going undefeated during the regular season (15-0) and winning a section title, Bethel Park captured its first WPIAL team title by sweeping North Allegheny, 5-0, in the Class 3A

Cross Country

Boys MVP Ryan Pajak Ringgold

Prior to finishing his career in high school cross country, Ryan Pajak had already committed to the University of Notre Dame, but the Ringgold senior wanted to leave his mark on the sport before heading to South Bend, Ind.

Pajak had been one of the best runners in the state but a gold medal at the state meet still eluded him.

Pajak took control of the Class 2A cham-

pionship race at the halfway point and never looked back, setting a course record of 15:21. He defeated future Notre Dame teammate Colin Whitaker of Lempeter-Strasburg by 16 seconds.

Pajak had the fastest time in all the races that were contested for the state title, including edging another soon-to-be Fighting Irish runner, Butler’s Drew Griffith, who won the Class 3A race in 15:23.

Girls MVP Logan St. John Kletter Mt. Lebanon

Logan St. John Kletter dominated the cross country scene on the local, regional and national level this school year

Despite a nagging hip injury that kept her out of many early season invitationals this fall, the Mt. Lebanon senior repeated as WPIAL champion in cross country and won the PIAA title.

On Oct. 26 at White Oak Park, the North Carolina recruit breezed to victory in 17:47.40, more than six seconds ahead of WPIAL runner-up Robin Kucler of North Allegheny. Thanks to her showing, Lebo finished

runner-up in the Class 3A team standings during the WPIAL championships, behind North Allegheny.

At the PIAA Championships on Nov. 4, St. John Kletter won her first state crown after finishing runner-up as a sophomore and placing eighth as a junior. She raced a 5:52 pace to finish first with an 18:13 time. The mark was six seconds ahead of runner-up Eva Kinston from North Allegheny and 41 seconds in front of Kucler. The showing helped the Lebo girls to a top-8 finish in the team standings.

Basketball

Boys MVP Tyler Robbins Upper St. Clair

Tyler Robbins of Upper St. Clair had a gigantic season, not because he stands 6-10, but rather because the Upper St. Clair junior led the Panthers to the fourth WPIAL championship in program history. USC has won titles in 2024, 2021, 2005 and 1996.

During the Class 6A championship contest played March 2 at the Petersen Events Center, he fired in 22 points, hauled in 12 rebounds and blocked five shots. He was extremely efficient in that 64-41 triumph against Baldwin, connecting on 9 of 11 from the field and 4 of 6 from the free-throw line.

Robbins led the Panthers to a 22-6 record that included a quarterfinal appearance in the PIAA tournament. He averaged 13.6 points, 11.3 rebounds and 5.5 blocks a game. He was accurate on 61.5 percent of his field goal attempts.

“Tyler is an unbelievable player,” said USC coach Dan Holzer. “He impacts the game on both ends of the floor. He’s very skilled. He’s a hard worker and he loves the game.”

Robbins inherited his love of sports and passion for the game from his parents.

His father, Tim, excelled in football at Pitt before

becoming a physical education teacher and assistant coach at USC.

His mother, Kim Seaver, was a standout performer at Mt. Lebanon and Virginia Tech. She remains the alltime scoring leader in Lebo women’s basketball history with 1,806 career points.

His sister, Kate, was a 1,000-point scorer at USC and a two-time WPIAL finalist. She just completed her freshman season at Marist.

His younger brother, Ryan, was a 6-6 freshman on USC’s varsity this winter. Robbins, along with his brother, however, are the only WPIAL champions among the clan.

“That’s pretty cool,” Robbins said. “It feels great. Awesome. Winning titles, is what you play and live for.”

Robbins is gaining attention from college recruiters. He has added scholarship offers from St. Francis (Pa.) and Loyola (Md.).

Expectations are for an even more impressive senior season in 2025.

“Tyler’s getting better and he’s going to continue to get bigger and stronger,” Holzer said. “I can’t imagine what he’s going to look like next year at this time.”

Girls MVPs

Gemma Walker & Natalie Wetzel

Peters Township

Gemma Walker and Natalie Wetzel went together as well as peanut butter and jelly or cookies and milk.

In other words, on their own they are very good. But when put together, they form an almost unbeatable combination.

They were the perfect combination for Peters Township basketball.

With Walker, a cat-quick guard, and Wetzel, a tall and talented versatile forward, leading the way, Peters Township returned to elite status in Class 6A and gave opponents fits on both ends of the court.

Walker, a senior, is a drive-first penetrator on offense with a knack for getting all the way to the rim. Those times when she didn’t make it to the hoop, Walker often attracted a crowd of defenders and passed off to Wetzel for an open shot and basket.

Wetzel is a different type of player than Walker, which made the combination so difficult for opponents to defend. At 6-3, Wetzel could simply stand in the low post and dominate opponents. However, there is much more to her game. She often played away from the basket, from where she made text-

book jump shots over smaller opponents, even from behind the three-point line. She was as dangerous from 20 feet away as she was from two feet.

“Natalie played around the rim more and outside, while Gemma is a prototypical wing,” PT head coach Steve Limberiou explained. “The assists they had between the two of them is amazing. They really worked well together.”

Wetzel averaged 17.3 points per game during the regular season and Walker 15.7. Together, they helped Peters Township start the season with 20 consecutive wins and finish with a 24-3 overall record and berths in the WPIAL semifinals and PIAA’s second round.

Both players scored their 1,000th career point this season.

“And both had the assist on the other’s 1,000th point,” Limberiou recalled.

“The impressive thing about those two is we needed both of them to be good, and our opponents knew that, too. Yet the analytics showed how amazingly effective they both were. It’s not like they were both taking 25 shots a game.”

Rifle

MVP Riley Dunn McGuffey

Though she fell short of winning her third WPIAL individual championship, McGuffey senior Riley Dunn capped an outstanding high school rifle career by placing third at the district meet that was held in February at the Dormont-Mt. Lebanon Sportsmen’s Club.

Dunn was trying to become only the second three-time WPIAL champion. Avella’s Rob Gagliani won three straight (2007-09). Dunn is one of only three competitors to win multiple WPIAL titles.

At this year’s WPIAL championships, Dunn shot 200-18x (8 CT). She was prevented from three-peating by a mere 1x. She was the highest-placing local shooter.

Waynesburg’s Logan Crouse placed fifth.

Dunn helped McGuffey qualify for the WPIAL Team Championships, at which she shot the best score, 100.1, among the 90 competitors. McGuffey finished in eighth place. Trinity was the runner-up to team champion Butler.

Dunn was the 2023 NRA

Junior Air Rifle Champion, the 2022 NRA Open Indoor Conventional Position Smallbore Rifle Women’s National Champion and winner of the Sea Girt Trophy. She is a three-time Junior Olympic athlete for both smallbore and air rifle, and competed at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs.

Dunn has committed to the University of Nebraska, choosing the Cornhuskers over offers from Akron, Memphis and Mississippi.

“What sold me on Nebraska was the academic major, the coaches and the team,” Dunn said. “It was a good-sized campus and I felt like this is where I will fit in the best.”

Dunn practices yearlong and hones her skills at the Frazier-Simplex Junior Rifle Club in Washington.

“I have learned so much about rifle shooting from the club,” Dunn said. “The club is about 20 minutes from our home and my parents got me involved. I have been working at it since then.” Honorees

Goals are difficult to achieve in Class 4A Section 2 boys soccer. Because the teams are so skilled at ball control and team defense, a three-goal night by a club is considered an offensive explosion.

That makes what Ryan Galicic did last fall for Canon-McMillan so impressive.

A Seton Hill recruit, Falicic scored a section-leading 15 goals.

The senior helped Canon-McMillan to a fourthplace finish in the section and a 9-4-1 record, which

Boys soccer MVP Ryan Galicic Canon-McMillan

qualified the Big Macs for the WPIAL playoffs, where they were beaten by second-seeded North Allegheny in the first round.

Galicic’s all-around skill and playmaking ability was impressive on both offense and defense. It was that all-around play that helped him receive several significant postseason honors.

Galicic was named the Class 4A Co-Player of the Year by the Western Pennsylvania Soccer Coaches. He also was selected to the all-state team by the

Honorees

Pennsylvania Soccer Coaches Association. He was one of only two local players on the 4A all-state team, the other being Peters Township midfielder Nathan Froelich.

It was a good year for boys soccer in the local area. Bentworth won its first WPIAL championship, defeating section rival Charleroi in the Class A title match. Charleroi bounced back and reach the PIAA final. South Fayette won the WPIAL Class 3A championship, beating Hampton in the finals.

Ryan Colbert senior Bentworth

Joe Donnelly senior Upper St. Clair

Nathan Froelich senior Peters Township

Blake Gebelhart senior Peters Township

Dylan Klinger sophomore Charleroi

Trevor Kovatch junior Belle Vernon

John Krug senior Chartiers Valley

Arlo McIntyre senior Charleroi

Ryan Moessner sophomore Bentworth

Adam Thompson senior South Fayette

Swimming

Boys MVP Ryan Fran

Mt. Lebanon

Ryan Frank set some lofty goals for his senior season at Mt. Lebanon. During the 2024 campaign, he exceeded them all.

He won a WPIAL title and shattered a pool record. Frank also medaled at the PIAA Championships.

At the beginning of the year, Frank took down a record set by Josh Matheny, who currently swims at Indiana University. An international and Olympic Trials qualifier, Matheny set many breaststroke records while excelling at Upper St. Clair, including the pool mark at Mt. Lebanon.

Frank went on to win the gold medal in the 100yard breaststroke with a 55.98 time during the WPIAL championships held March 1 at the University of Pittsburgh’s Trees Pool. Frank later took third in the race at the PIAA Championships held at Bucknell University.

Additionally, Frank helped the 200 medley relay team set a pool record at Bethel Park. The unit won the bronze medal at the WPIAL Championships and competed in the PIAA meet. He collected all-state honors in the 100 breast and 200 medley relay.

Frank, who led the Blue Devils to a section title as a junior, garnered NISCA All-America accolades as

a senior and U.S. Swimming scholastic All-America recognition as a junior. He also met the national time standards for the U.S. Swimming Speedo Summer Championships and U.S. Swimming Winter Juniors Championships.

Frank also made a splash in the classroom. He compiled a 5.3 GPA and earned admittance into Mt. Lebanon’s prestigious Cum Laude Society. He is a National Honor Society member. He earned a seat on the student athlete council and belongs to LeboSTARS. He serves as president of Lebo’s Future Business Leaders of America.

In his spare time, Frank participates in the high school orchestra as well as the Three Rivers Young Peoples Orchestra. He co-founded Violins for All and Start-Turn Clinic.

A four-year letter winner and two-year captain, Frank was a recipient of a WPIAL James Collins Scholar-Athlete Award. The senior was one of 20 finalists for the 33rd annual scholarship award, selected from a pool of 146 nominees.

Frank plans to pursue a degree in business. He has been accepted at Carnegie Mellon.

Girls MVP Sylvia Roy Mt. Lebanon

Sylvia Roy has been on a tight, but busy swimming schedule. The Mt. Lebanon junior has competed in four major meets in the past four months, accomplishing much from astonishing times to participating in the U.S. Olympic Trials.

During the PIAA Class 3A Championships held in March at Bucknell University, Roy managed a feat that rivaled the achievement of Roger Bannister.

While Bannister was the the first runner to complete a mile run in four minutes or less in 1954, Roy became the first female Pennsylvania scholastic swimmer to complete the 100-yard backstroke in 53 seconds or less. In defending her title, she clocked a 52.90. The time shattered the state record of 53.08 set in 2014 by Hershey’s Meaghan Raab. The mark was also nearly two seconds faster than silver medalist Alexa Conner from Lower Merion.

“We knew that state record was possible but we knew she also had to go 52,” said Lebo coach Tom Donati. “That’s a big barrier. Like the four-minute mile.”

“We saw she was going to win and we knew that she would be close. When she hit the wall, everybody was like ‘Wow, unbelievable,’ when the announcer said

that’s a state record. To hear that is such a rush. It was so emotional but Sylvia’s just like steady Eddie. She just gets ready for her next one.”

Roy’s next race was the 200-meter backstroke. She traveled to Buffalo and earned a qualifying time for the U.S. Olympic Trials. She already met the standard in the 100 for the national competition to select the team to compete in Paris.

During the Olympic Trials, held June 15-23 in Indianapolis, Roy finished 20th overall in the 100-meter back with a personal record time of 1.00.95. She was .24 away from making the semifinals. She also competed in the 200 back.

During the PIAA Championships, Roy just missed being a two-time champion when State College sophomore Molly Workman won the 50 freestyle in 22.67 seconds. Roy took silver for the second year in a row with a 22.90 mark.

She also helped the Blue Devils clean up in the 200 free relay. She combined with Lillyan Evan, Helen Albu and Ellie Rienhart for a sixth-place medal.

During the WPIAL Championships, Roy won two individual gold medals and anchored two medal-win-

Diving

MVP Malcolm Thompson Mt. Lebanon

Since plunging into the pool, Malcolm Thompson has enjoyed more success in diving than football. A few years ago, he gave up the latter in favor of the former.

At age 10, Thompson became enthralled with diving while watching one of the lifeguards at the outdoor swim center where he trained with the Mt. Lebanon Aqua Club. However, he was also enjoying success on the gridiron. As a freshman, he was a wide receiver and cornerback on the team that won WPIAL and PIAA championships in 2021.

However, encouraged by coaches telling him he had “so much potential” in diving because of the spring in his leap, Thompson jumped into diving. He joined both the Pitt Competitive Diving Club and the Mt. Lebanon High School team.

His career took off so quickly that he has been named diving MVP for the second time.

As a sophomore last year, Malcolm finished fifth in the WPIAL, scoring 402.50 points. This year, as a junior, he showed marked improvement.

Thompson won a bronze medal during the WPIAL Class 3A boys championships Feb. 24 at North Allegheny High School with a 473.20 score. A back one-and-one-half dive with a half twist clinched his spot on the podium as well as a berth in the PIAA championships.

“I have been wanting to go to states for a long time,” he said. “So by keeping my dives consistent, I was able to finish third.”

At the state meet held March 13-14 at Bucknell University, that same consistency earned Thompson another spot on the podium. He garnered an eighth-place medal.

“Malcolm had a great year,” said Lebo coach Tom Donati.

The season also included several record-breaking performances. Thompson set pool diving records at Upper St. Clair as well as Mt. Lebanon.

“Malcolm is just a great kid,” Donati said. “He’s worked hard and to think just a couple of years ago he was playing football, but we told him, ‘you can be special here.’ Every meet, he’s just gotten better. When people watch him they remark, ‘Wow. He is talented.’ Malcolm is very athletic.”

Thompson is also a talented musician. He plays the double bass in the high school orchestra. He also performs with a hip-hop orchestra in Oakland.

Oh and he also finds time to run cross country and compete on the track team.

Volleyball

Boys MVP Luke Bockius Canon-McMillan

Luke Bockius grew up wanting to play football.

His athleticism, however, works perfectly in volleyball.

During his junior season, Bockius helped the Big Macs make program history by advancing to the WPIAL semifinals and PIAA quarterfinals in Class 3A.

Bockius’ outstanding play was enough to attract the attention of Division I coaches and he committed to Saint Francis University in Loretto last fall, prior to his senior season, but he had to step up in the leadership role for the Big Macs with right-side hitter Owen Ostrowsk, last year’s MVP, lost to graduation.

Bockius dominated play this year by recording 267 kills, 139 digs, 30 aces and 27 blocks and was named the Big Macs’ team MVP.

The outside hitter, who played in both the front and back row for coach Sheila Mitchell at Canon-McMillan, earned honorable mention all-state honors and was on the All-WPIAL

first team and All-Section squad.

Bockius was a four-year starter for Canon-McMillan and played for the A-10 Club volleyball team.

With Bockius leading the way, the Big Macs won the Section 1 championship with a 10-0 record and defeated Central Catholic, 3-2, in the first round of the WPIAL playoffs before losing to North Allegheny in the quarterfinals to finish the season with a 14-3 record.

Bockius will play libero for the Red Flash, but he said when he announced his commitment in October that he could move to the outside if he can increase his vertical jump. He was also impressed with the family environment at Saint Francis and the honesty of the volleyball coach, who has the list of starters on the board in the locker room that allows the players to see where they stand in the depth chart.

Bockius plans to study civil or mechanical engineering in college.

Girls MVP Natalie Carr

Canon-McMillan

The Canon-McMillan girls volleyball team advanced to the WPIAL Class 4A championship match and the PIAA quarterfinals. One reason for the Big Macs’ success was the powerful hitting of Natalie Carr.

The sophomore outside hitter was a force at the net and a strong defensive player. She was an overpowering force for the Big Macs, who finished with a 16-5 record.

Carr garnered All-Section and All-WPIAL honors and joined teammate Abby Tucker, a junior middle hitter, on the all-state team. The duo should make Canon-McMillan a WPIAL title contender again next season.

Canon-McMillan cruised to a section championship and then defeated Penn-Trafford in the quarterfinals and second-seeded Seneca Valley in the semifinals, both by 3-1 scores, to reach the championship match against North Allegheny. The Tigers won in four games.

Against Penn-Trafford, Carr had 22 kills

and 13 digs and followed that with 11 kills against Seneca Valley.

In the PIAA tournament, the Big Macs defeated District 6 champion State College in straight sets as Carr had 16 kills, six digs and two aces.

The Big Macs were eliminated in the state tournament by District 3 winner Hempfield, despite 15 kills by Carr.

Carr is preparing for next season by playing the sport year round. She is in her seventh year of playing for the Pittsburgh Elite volleyball club in Emsworth and has participated in several USA Volleyball National Team Development programs. She is currently ranked the No. 32 player nationally in the Class of 2026 by one scouting service.

“We have tournaments all over the country and can qualify for nationals,” Carr said. “I also play outside hitter for my club team, so I don’t have to worry about switching positions.”

A championship trophy to Meadow Ferri,

the

teammates after Chartiers-

over

Photos

Female Athlete of the Year Logan St. John Kletter Mt. Lebanon

From the moment she joined the Pacer Track Club in fifth grade, Logan St. John Kletter developed a passion for running.

“It’s always been my love,” she said. “I loved the competition with people and improving.”

By her senior year at Mt. Lebanon High School, St. John Kletter had improved so much that she bested all the competition on the local, state, regional and national level.

She was the golden girl on the scholastic level, winning six WPIAL championships and four state titles.

She competed in the Foot Locker National Cross Country Championships, along with the Penn Relays in track, and other prestigious invitationals such as the Hoka Festival of Miles in St. Louis, the Brooks PR in Seattle and the New Balance Nationals in Philadelphia.

Her running successes paved the way for a scholarship to the University of North Carolina as well as accolades such as Gatorade Runner of the Year in Pennsylvania. Additionally, she headlines the Best of Sports 2024 edition. Not only is she the cross country as well as track and field MVP, she has been named The Almanac and Observer-Reporter Female Athlete of the Year.

“I am really honored to win this award my senior year,” St. John Kletter said. “It’s a really cool honor, especially to represent all the women athletes in the WPIAL.”

In the league, there was none better than St. John Kletter this season. She started the school year winning her second straight WPIAL cross country championship then went on to capture the PIAA crown after finishing runner-up as a sophomore and placing eighth as a junior. After those accomplishments, she placed at the regional and national level during the Foot Locker Cross Country Championships. She finished fourth at the Northeast Regional to qualify for the nationals, held in December in San Diego. She was 34th in the national championships.

During the spring track and field season, St. John Kletter repeated as WPIAL champion in the 1,600- and 3,200-meter races with personal best times of 4:47.09 and 10:34.49. She won both events at the state level. Her

time of 4:38.54 stands as the fastest mark by any WPIAL athlete in the 1,600. While she already owned the state record in the 3,200, she lowered her WPIAL PR with a 10:21.46 showing at the state meet.

“Winning the 3,200 and 1,600 to end my high school career on such a high note,” St. John Kletter said, “was the highlight.

“Absolutely amazing senior year. It’s been all that I could ask for.”

Her high school coach, Oscar Shutt, concurred. “Logan completed one of the more remarkable seasons by a distance runner in WPIAL history,” he said.

St. John Kletter wasn’t finished. Immediately after the PIAA meet, she flew to St. Louis to compete in the Hoka Festival of Miles. There she finished fifth in the nation with a 4:37.44 mile time. At the Brooks PR Invitational in Seattle, she finished eighth with a 4:48.06 time. Finally, she set the meet record with her winning time of 9:58.44 in the two-mile race during the New Balance Nationals.

“It is so cool to get a record, whether WPIAL, state or another,” she said. “When you consider just how many great people have come out of those leagues, it’s such a big honor.”

St. John Kletter is preparing for more accolades as she enters into the next leg of her career. She will arrive in Chapel Hill to begin workouts with the Tar Heels on Aug. 11

“I am excited to get with the team and train with the girls. Keep improving and see what role I can play,” St. John Kletter said.

While pursuing a degree in exercise and sports science in anticipation of a career as a physical therapist, St. John Kletter expects to earn All-America accolades in cross country as well as track. She also anticipates turning pro and perhaps compete in a future Olympic Games.

“It will take a little bit of time to get there,” she admitted, “but that’s the end goal.”

Shutt predicts St.John Kletter will get to that finish line.

“While Logan has amazing talent, her work ethic and drive to be excellent have put her in the position to achieve such lofty accomplishments,” he said.

Mt. Lebanon’s Logan St. John Kletter finished her high school running career with six WPIAL gold medals and four state titles. She is a University of

recruit.

Male Athlete of the Year Matt Sieg Fort Cherry

Matt Sieg entered his sophomore year at Fort Cherry with high expectations as a football player.

Sieg and the Rangers exceeded the hype in winning the program’s first WPIAL championship and advancing to the Class A state final before.

Sieg, however, never stopped bringing success to Fort Cherry. He displayed all-around athletic ability in basketball, baseball and track and field.

Sieg’s year provided evidence that he is more than deserving of the Male Athlete of the Year for the Observer-Reporter and The Almanac.

A lightning-quick swingman, Sieg overcame adversity in basketball after spraining his ankle and having to sit out several weeks before returning for the state playoffs and helping the Rangers reach the PIAA Class 2A semifinals.

Sieg doubled up his sports in the spring. He was part of Fort Cherry’s baseball team that won a section title and he finished the track season in style when he chased down Mercyhurst Prep’s Craig Buckner as the anchor leg on the Rangers’ 400-meter relay team that won the Class 2A state championship in 42.43.

Sieg teamed with Dylan Wudkwych, Tegan Henke and Shane Cornali to win the gold medal at Shippensburg University’s Seth Grove Stadium.

“It is amazing to say you are a state champion in any sport,” Sieg said. “Everyone in Fort Cherry is really close, and it’s really fun to compete with your buddies. We really didn’t have that (winning a state title) in mind when the season started, but we started popping out some really good times.”

Fort Cherry doesn’t have a home track or a middle-school program, but Sieg’s dad coaches the sprinters and he came out as a freshman and looks forward to adding more events next year.

“My dad always coached track and I would go and watch the meets, and I looked forward to being able to compete in the sport,” Sieg said. “Fort Cherry is just a good place to play sports. They have good coaches and the kids are close. As someone who hopes to play football at the next level, college recruiters will look at your times in the 100 and 200.”

The Rangers’ football team had no problem

putting up points during Seig’s freshman year, but the defense struggled against high-powered offenses. Fort Cherry improved last fall with a bend-but-don’t-break defense that featured Sieg at safety.

“I think a lot of what changed this season was just our mindset and how we approached the game,” Sieg said. “Our coaches put in the work and had great game plans. We showed a lot of mental toughness throughout the year.”

Despite entering the playoffs undefeated, the Rangers were under the radar, which is something the team thrived on, according to Sieg.

“Winning the WPIAL championship was very special, and we had so much community support,” Sieg said.

Fort Cherry fell short of its goal of a state championship in a 42-8 loss to SteeltonHighspire in the final to finish the season at 15-1.

Sieg rushed for 2,387 yards and 41 touchdowns, threw for 1,671 and 20 scores, returned two punts for touchdowns and had 37 tackles and three interceptions, including a pick-six.

College football recruiters have been following Sieg, including several from Power 5 conferences, but he is not going to rush the decision.

In basketball, Sieg’s return in the postseason helped the Rangers, who were eliminated in both the WPIAL and PIAA tournaments by eventual Class 2A state champion Aliquippa.

“We came together once the playoffs started,” Sieg said. “Unfortunately, we fell short in the state playoffs to Aliquippa. I love to play with my friends and it was a fun time. Our coach (Eugene Briggs) does a great job.”

Sieg led the Rangers’ baseball team in batting average (.529), slugging percentage (.902), and RBI (24). He tied Ryan Huey for the team lead in home runs with four. Sieg pitched in six games and went 1-1 with a save while sporting an impressive ERA of 1.91.

“I have played baseball since I was about 7,” Sieg said. “I love baseball and play pretty much all spring and summer.”

Having both parents as teachers doesn’t allow Sieg to let his studies slide, as he sports a 3.9 GPA.

“School comes first in our house,” Sieg said. “There are no excuses.”

Heart Award

Tyler Schepis South Fayette

When life threw him a curve, Tyler Schepis leaned on baseball to conquer childhood cancer. Diagnosed with Stage 3 Hodgkin lymphoma, the South Fayette infielder recovered from the disease enough to be competitive this spring.

“In baseball you need perseverance, mental toughness and a lot of resilience to be successful because it’s a very frustrating sport. There is a lot of failure in baseball. A lot of ups and down,” said Schepis

“So I had to attack my cancer in a similar way to baseball. I had to have a competitive mindset. Be tough and focused. It wasn’t really a question of am I going to get better. It was I am going to beat this because I am going to fight as hard as I can. I was going to be a warrior. Do whatever it takes.”

In 2022, Schepis was doing whatever was necessary for him to excel on the diamond, but in April, he discovered some “odd-shaped lumps” on the left side of his neck. Though medical tests reflected “mostly normal” results, Schepis met with a specialist at the hematology/ oncology center at UPMC-Children’s Hospital. Though a wait-and-see attitude was adopted, Schepis exhibited additional symptoms.

A biopsy revealed stage 3 cancer and it has spread from the left side of his neck through his chest and down to abdominal organs and surrounding areas.

South Fayette baseball coach Ken Morgan recalled hearing the terrible news. “It was a Thursday in early September,” he said with clarity. Morgan was attending the “Backyard Brawl” between football rivals Pitt and West Virginia when his cellphone rang.

“It’s scary to get that call,” he said. “I was so upset I left the game. I didn’t know what to do or what to expect.”

Schepis knew exactly what action the would take. Stay the course.

“At first it’s a shock. There are so many raw emotions,” he said. “You’re wondering what’s going on with my life. Am I going to let this overcome me or am I going to fight back. For me the best thing was to keep things as normal as possible and baseball was that one way to that because it’s always been a part of my life.”

Schepis continued to play. The Saturday after a port was placed into his chest to deliver the first of his 12 chemotherapy treatments into his

veins, Schepis played in a doubleheader against Baldwin.

During the ensuing six months, good days were few and far between. The chemo regiment that was continued every other week through the end of February, took its toll.

Though he continued to attend school, play baseball and maintain a 4.1 GPA, Schepis took every Thursday and Friday off. Depending on he felt after being hooked up to a machine that streamed 10 different types of medicine through his body for up to seven to 10 hours, a Monday absence was also allowed.

“The chemo that I received was very, very intense. Brutal,” Schepis said. “I just tried to persevere, push through and remember all the support I had while I battled through this adversity.”

Of course, Ron and Brenda Schepis advocated most for their son. They never left his side. His baseball coaches held a game in his honor. His teammates and friends created t-shirts and sold them as a fundraiser.

“There was an overwhelming amount of support and that gave me courage, but it’s a really lonely process,” Schepis emphasized. “That was one of my biggest takeaways. You are really alone. You can have so many people cheering for you and rooting you on but, at the end of the day, it really was just me by myself, especially when I was the one getting the treatments. Feeling sick and drained and trying to stay motivated are difficult but the hardest thing to deal with is the loneliness.”

Baseball has been a way for Schepis to socialize.

“When I picked up a ball and bat for the first time, I fell in love with the game ,” he said.

Beyond Little League, Schepis’s passion for the game has spanned six additional years as he played AAU baseball during the summer with the Pittsburgh Titans as well as varsity baseball at South Fayette.

“I love just being out there on the field with all my friends,” he said.

This spring, Schepis had a blast. He anchored the infield at second base for the Lions, who finished runner-up in Section 2 and qualified for the Class 5A playoffs

Playing baseball, a sport in which he excels and that he loves, provides comfort for Schepis.

He says it felt natural to him to be back on the diamond.

“I wasn’t the sick kid anymore. I wasn’t the cancer kid,” he said. “I could be myself and the ball player I always felt that I was. I didn’t have to feel different. Like an outcast. I could keep doing everything I loved to do.”

Through it all, Schepis said that baseball has been his savior. The sport helped him get better. Attitude, desire and dedication also contributed to his comeback, which enabled him to post a .464 on-base plus slugging percentage.

“Tyler is a scrappy, blue-collar player,” said Morgan. “He certainly gets the most out of what God’s blessed him with. He’s always dirty, diving and selling out for balls. He’s a kid who battles at the plate and is willing to do whatever it takes for the team to do well.

“Since he was a freshman, he has always been the first kid at practice. He’s a real example of dedication to always getting better and he’s one of our leaders. A vocal presence,” Morgan continued. “I’m extremely proud of him and how he’s matured into a well-rounded young man. His diagnosis was a huge shocker to everyone but to see him absolutely attack the disease with such a positive attitude is inspiring. It’s a testament to his will to overcome and that’s going to serve him well throughout life.”

In the fall, Schepis will attend the University of South Carolina and major in mechanical engineering, He hopes to play club or intramural baseball. Eventually, he plans to earn a masters degree and work in management for an engineering company.