Apr 16, 2025 5 min read

The WPIAL announced the 2025 James Collins Scholar-Athlete Award winners and three area athletes from The Almanac’s readership area were among the 20 recipients.

In its 34th year, the program recognized 10 males and 10 females from a pool of 158 nominees. Winners earned a $1,000 scholarship to attend the college of their choice.

This year’s group brings the amount of scholarship money given by the WPIAL through its James Collins Scholar-Athlete Award to $759,000 since 1992.

Among the local male award winners were Colton Lusk from Peters Township, Luke Miller from South Fayette and Ryan Petras from Bethel Park.

Lusk was a four-year varsity letter winner in golf at Peters Township High School, serving as captain for three seasons. Last fall, he captured the WPIAL individual title. As a junior, he guided the Indians to district and state team championships.

Lusk garnered all-section, all-WPIAL and all-state accolades three years in a row. Additionally, he owns school records for nine-hole round lowest score, lowest single-season scoring average, and lowest career scoring average.

Lusk is a two-year member of the National Honor Society and an assistant coach at the KJGA Golf Academy. He was selected to attend a leadership summit at the Heinz History Center. Lusk also volunteers at church, the animal shelter and during food and coat drives.

Lusk maintains a 4.7 GPA in the classroom. He will continue his golf career at Siena College.

Miller owns eight varsity letters in track and field, both indoor and outdoor, as well as in cross country. He also holds school records (indoors) 400-meter dash, 4×200-meter relay, 4×400-meter relay, and (outdoor) 4×400-meter relay.

He helped the 4×400 relay to a sixth-place finish at the WPIAL track and field championships last spring. He qualified at that event for the New Balance Indoor Nationals held recently.

Miller maintains a 4.52 QPA and is a member of the National Honor Society. He has participated in the Science Bowl and helped the Quiz Bowl squad win a regional title this school year. The team was a two-time runner-up at regionals previously.

Miller is a talented musician, having played the trumpet in the concert band and with the wind ensemble for two years and

Miller gives of his time to Feed the Starving Children, South Fayette basketball and track camps, Pittsburgh Marathon, NHS tutoring, Stuff-A-Bus Toy Drive, and at the Allegheny County voting polls on Election Days.

Petras claimed eight varsity letters, earning four each in baseball and football. He also participated in indoor track, qualifying for the Adidas indoor Nationals as a sophomore.

A two-year captain of the baseball team, he helped the Black Hawks win a PIAA championship as a freshman and two section crowns. He has played on two WPIAL runner-up clubs.

A captain of the football team his senior year, Petras led the Black Hawks to a conference championship as a junior.

Named all-state in both sports, Petras was designated as the Allegheny Six Offensive Player of the Year in football three times, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review Class 5A Player of the Year and Pittsburgh Post-Gazette All-Area in baseball as a junior, and The Almanac All-Stars in football three time.

In addition to owning school records in football for career catches and receiving yards and baseball for career stolen bases, Petras is a member of the National Honor Society, Student Leadership Committee, and Best Buddies. He devotes time to a yearly clean-up of Lions Park, counseling at youth baseball and football camps, volunteering at the Bethel Park Baseball Association’s concession stand and as an assistant coach for the community’s youth basketball program.

Petras owns a 4.2 GPA and plans to play football at Duquesne University. He will major in business.

The list of male recipients also included: Braiden Sudor from Bishop Canevin, Tyler Biss from Beaver, Milo Chiu from Fox Chapel, Fort Cherry’s Shane Cornali, Mt. Pleasant swimmer David Mutter, Bradley Gompers from Central Catholic and Bradan Lenz from Pine-Richland.

The Top 10 females selected for the scholarship stipend were: Abby Tucker form Canon-McMillan, Alison Chalovich from Thomas Jefferson, Tori Atkins from Laurel, Giona Lavorini from Knoch, Montour’s Joelle Ludwick, Quaker Valley’s Joyce Olawaiye, Springdale’s Briana Ross, Greensburg Central Catholic’s Alexandra Hoffman as well as Serra Catholic’s Cassidy Trahan and Uniontown’s Grace Trimmer.

A host of area athletes were nominated for the scholarship award. Among them were:

• Alexa Ankrum from South Fayette. She played basketball and volleyball for the Lady Lions.

• Addison Evan from Mt. Lebanon. She played field hockey for the Blue Devils.

• Julia Gobbie from Bethel Park. Her sports were tennis and unified bocci.

• Thomas Harrold from Mt. Lebanon. He was a member of the swimming and diving teams.

• Emily Obara from Seton LaSalle. She competed in lacrosse and golf

• Addison Pirosko from Peters Township. She belonged to the soccer squad as well as track and field team.

• Patrick Weldon from Seton LaSalle. He played basketball and golfed for the Rebels.