Mar 18, 2026 By Eleanor Bailey 4 min read

Coming into the Special Olympics Pennsylvania’s Interscholastic Unified Bocce Ball Regional Championships at RIZE Sports in Leetsdale, Chartiers Valley had nothing to lose.

The Colts were seeded eighth after eking out a wild card berth in the first round of the playoffs.

So, with little pressure on them, the Colts went out and had a good time and together they brought home the championship trophy and earned a berth in the state championships held March 18 and 19 at the GIANT Center in Hershey.

“We made the most of our second chance,” said Vickie Cushey, who shared coaching duties with Mary Ellen Peduzzi.

“Our expectations for the state championships were to go into the games with the same mindset we had at regionals. Work together and have fun,” Cushey enthused.

During the divisional round of the playoffs held at the end of February, CV defeated Bethel Park but lost to Peters Township in the championship game.

“Luckily we earned a wild card berth and still advanced to the regional round,” explained Cushey, who is an Emotional Support/Learning Support teacher at the high school.

Sixteen teams competed in the regional at RIZE Sports, a state-of-the-art facility opened in 2023 and dedicated to developing youth and scholastic athletic programs throughout Southwestern Pennsylvania.

Approximately 150 high school Special Olympics athletes, Unified partners (student athletes without intellectual disabilities), coaches, volunteers, teachers, parents, and community members come together in friendly competition.

“Sports are about bringing people together, and RIZE Sports is all about empowering young people to excel – so we were proud to once again host the tournament this year,” said Scott Markovich, general manager of RIZE Sports.

“It’s a beautiful sight watching the community rally around these young athletes working hard to reach their fullest potential and showcasing their talent, determination, and sportsmanship.”

The Colts were determined to avenge their loss to Peters Township, which was the No. 1 seed. They upset the Indians, 9-3, in the quarterfinals.

Chartiers Valley went on to defeat Knoch, 7-4, in the semifinals. The Colts beat Somerset, 6-4, in the finals.

Cushey and Peduzzi concurred that the team’s secret to success was “camaraderie, commitment to having fun and hard work.”

The Colts started practicing in early winter and showed marked improvement as the regular season progressed.

The Chartiers Valley bocce team consists of two smaller units – CV 1 and CV 2. Both squads experienced success. CV 1 posted a 7-3 record and earned the No. 3 seed heading into the playoffs. CV 2 finished 6-4 overall and just missed out of a playoff berth because of tiebreaker rules.

“We stayed consistently around 3rd and 4th place within our division and improved with each game we played as we started playing really well down the stretch and went on a roll once playoffs started,” Cushey noted.

During the regular season, Chartiers Valley competed against high school teams from Bethel Park, Upper St. Clair, Peters Township, Carlnton, South Fayette and Montour.

During the regional tournament, CV competed in the afternoon session with Somerset Area, Richland, Knoch, Peters Township, Mt. Lebanon, Pine-Richland and Gateway.

The morning session featured teams from Blackhawk, Albert Gallatin, Fort Cherry, Greensburg Salem, Penn-Trafford, Sto-Rox, Western Beaver and Aliquippa.

Blackhawk, which won the state title last year, placed first in its session and qualified along with the Colts for the state championships.

“It was an incredible day of competition, and we are thrilled to have a partner in RIZE who had really embraced this event over the past few years and has given our athletes and unified partners the chance to compete in high class facilities,” said Andrew Fee.

“Together, we’re building inclusive communities where every student can compete and shine,” added the vice president for strategic partnerships for Special Olympics Pennsylvania.

Special Olympics Pennsylvania provides year-round training and competition in 21 Olympic-type sports to more than 15,000 children and adults with intellectual disabilities or closely related developmental disabilities.

Members of the Chartiers Valley team included: Tony Montana, Ben Heinzl, Logan Vaites, Luke Waldron, Babu Sagdullayev, Katie Daley and Amanda Wyandt.