Lacrosse honorees announced
Several area boys’ lacrosse players and coaches garnered awards for the 2014 season.
US Lacrosse recognized Brian Yates as its Division I Coach of the Year while Jack Flinter gained assistant coach of the year honors. Yates and Flinter guided Upper St. Clair to a runner-up showing in Section 1 behind champion Mt. Lebanon and to the WPIAL Final Four.
Of the 13 US named academic all-Americans, three hailed from the South Hills region. They included Colin Bashaw from Seton-La Salle, along with Peters Township standouts Evan Chernicky and Italo Merante. Both are seniors who helped the Indians to an 11-5 record that featured a playoff berth.
Brian Kelly of Mt. Lebanon gained all-America recognition. The junior led the Blue Devils to the PIAA semifinals, the WPIAL Division I final and the Section 1 title. Kelly produced the most points for Lebo (62). He led in assists with 35 and finished with 27 goals.
Kelly also garnered all-WPIAL honors along with teammates Sam White, Brian Ward and Tim Donoghue. All gained all-Section 1 acclaim as well. Brian McMullan was also recognized as an all-section defender. Ward played in the middle, Donoghue on defense and White on attack, where he led Lebo in goal-scoring.
Cody Sheetz and Christian Coleman gained all-section laurels for Peters Township. A senior, Sheetz led the Indian attack while Coleman excelled on face-offs. Sheetz will play lacrosse at VMI. Coleman is bound for Clemson.
Other PT athletes who plan to play lacrosse in college include: Derek Bacchiocci at Ohio Wesleyan; Connor Buzzelli at Wheeling Jesuit and Andrew Rao as well as Connor Pike at John Carroll.
Additional seniors on the PT roster included: Andrew Grosso, Kenny Ward and Connor Pope.
USC placed several players on the all-section list, including Kyle Page. Despite tearing his ACL, Page ended up leading the team in assists. Bound for Miami of Ohio, Page gained notoriety on attack.
Mac Madson joined him there while David Rice gained honors as a middie. Ben Southorn and Christian Teel were honored for their defensive play. Gavin Keefe was named the top goalie in the section and Braden Kaib earned distinction for his face-offs.
Jake Worcester and Michael Stephenson represented Bethel Park on the all-section squad.
Stephenson was rated one of the top five attack players. Worcester gained acclaim as a long-stick middie. Both helped the Hawks reach the playoffs where they lost a play-in game to Peters Township.
Four players from Seton-La Salle and Chartiers Valley gained all-Section II honors.
Top performers for the Rebels included: Anthony Shoplik and Colin Bashaw in the middle, Kevin Hudson in goal and Jacob Blahut on defense.
For the Colts, the all-stars included: Andreo Coury on face-offs, Noah Zajicek on defense, Nate Collins on attack and Kevin McGoogan in the middle.
On the ladies’ side, four area athletes were selected to the all-WPIAL Division I squad.
Alyssa Battaglia and Megan Gibbons represented Mt. Lebanon, which won its first district championship. Allison Hurley from Peters Township and Toni Torchia from Seton-La Salle were also chosen. All four also earned all-section laurels.
Molly Shure and Sophia Klaber from Lebo, Peters Township’s Lizzie Hill and Rachel Windmueller along with SLS’s Mia Dandrea joined the four on the all-section roster, too.
In Division II, Leighann Warholak from Bethel Park along with Chartiers Valley’s Maria and Haley Stamerra as well as Margo Mason gained all-WPIAL notice and all-section acclaim.
Also on the all-section ballot were BP’s Nicole Coccagno and Stephanie Trazzo as well as CV’s Camille Scumaci and Katie Weiss.