Almanac announces finalists for female athlete of the year
Kassie Kesneck Chartiers-Houston senior Softball, volleyball, cheerleading Indiana University of Pennsylvania 4.02 GPA All-section two sports Two-time WPIAL competitive spirit champion
Megan Kraushaar Chartiers Houston senior Softball, basketball University of Pitt-Johnstown 4.07 GPA, NHS Helped hoop team to best showing since 1980s Two-time all-section in softball
Maria Lohman Chartiers Valley senior Diving North Carolina University Three-time PIAA champion and record holder Four-time WPIAL champion Member of U.S. Junior Olympic team
Kyra Murphy Canon-McMillan senior Soccer, football Duquesne University All-American, All-State PIAA and WPIAL runner-up. 28 career shutouts.
Amanda Riesmeyer Mt. Lebanon senior Lacrosse, soccer University of Michigan Academic All-American. Two-time member of lacrosse national team WPIAL champion
Samantha Sanders Seton-La Salle senior Lacrosse, swimming, cross country Ohio University 4.62 GPA Team captain President of NHS
Lauren Waller Canon-McMillan senior Golf Penn State University PIAA runner-up Two-time regional champion Three-time WPIAL champion
Cassidy Walsh Seton-La Salle senior Basketball University of Pittsburgh Two-time PIAA champion. Three-time WPIAL winner All-state, Almanac MVP
Madison KerrPeters Township juniorBasketball, volleyballCaptain, all-section both sports1,000-point scorer in hoopsTops in kills for volleyball4.42 GPA NHS
Sara KomerPeters Township seniorVolleyball, tennisTwo-time WPIAL & PIAA team champion in tennisTwo-time WPIAL and PIAA doubles championHad 118 kills in volleyball.4.55 GPA
Listed below are synopsis for the finalists for The Almanac’s Female Athlete of the Year award. The top 10 will be honored, along with their male counterparts as well as the MVPs in their respective sports, at the 25th annual Premier Performers Banquet. This year’s event will be held at 6:30 p.m. May 31 at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Bethel Park.
Madison Kerr
Just a junior, she has achieved every acclaim and attainable goal imaginable.
In basketball, she already surpassed the 1,000-point plateau. A three-year starter and captain, Kerr has led the team in points, assists, rebounds and steals. This winter her numbers read 16.2 points, 8.8 rebounds, 4 assists and 2.1 steals per game. She ranked among the Top 10 scorers in the Quad-A of the WPIAL. She is a two-time Quad-A, all-section, all-district and all-Almanac performer.
In volleyball, Kerr is a three-year letterwinner and two-year starter. A two-time all-section and an all-WPIAL pick, she was recognized as Player of the Match six times. The team captain earned Terrific 21 laurels. She led the team in kills and aces and ranked second in digs and blocks. With Kerr in the line-up, the Indians advanced to the playoffs the past two seasons and finished runner-up in their section.
Off the courts and in the classroom, Kerr maintains a 4.46 GPA. She plans to pursue a career as a nurse anesthetist. Currently, she participates in a medical mentorship at Washington Hospital.
As she does in her practices, games and studies, Kerr gives 100 percent to her other extra curricular activities. She is an officer in SADD, a member of student council and National Honor Society. She is a school ambassador, assisting at school functions and volunteer activities. Most recently, she organized a food drive.
“Madison is a special, and incredibly humble athlete,” said PT basketball coach Bert Kendall.
“She is a respectful individual who is willing to put others ahead of her and her impressive accomplishments,” added PT athletic director Brian Geyer. “She is exceedingly generous and modest.”
Kassie Kesneck
This Chartiers-Houston senior could be The Almanac’s most enthusiastic Female Athlete of the Year finalist for she is a champion athlete and cheerleader.
In softball, the four-year starter helped the Buccaneers win a WPIAL title in softball. She was voted all-section two years running at two different positions, center field and pitcher. Kesneck is also an all-section performer in volleyball.
According to coach Tricia Alderson, Kesneck is a team player that works hard. “She has done well in her schoolwork and in softball. She switched positions because it was best for the team. She did so without hesitation. She certainly has been an important part of the success we have had,” Alderson said.
In addition to her eight varsity letters, Kesneck earned the C-H moniker for her four successful years as a cheerleader. She helped the Buccanneers to back-to-back WPIAL titles in 2014 and 2015. Plus, the squad placed at the PIAA cheerleading championships. During those seasons, she also served on the Fall Festival Court.
Outside the athletic arena, Kesneck maintains a 4.15 QPA. She is president of the senior class and the National Honor Society. She is involved in the school’s Leo Club, SADD and student government. Plus, she belongs to the newspaper staff and is editor of the yearbook.
“Kassie is a super sweet young lady. Very positive and involved,” added Alderson. “We appreciate all her efforts. She certainly will be missed next year.”
Kesneck will attend Indiana University of Pennsylvania. She plans to major in secondary English and special education.
Sara Komer
After winning state championships in tennis, this Peters Township senior returned to the volleyball courts with equal success.
According to coach Ashley Green, Komer finished last season with impressive stats. She contributed nine aces with an 89.6 percent in rate. She led the Indians with 118 offensive kills and had a .280 hitting percentage. On a 3.0 max scale, her passing average was 2.24. She also averaged 6.5 blocks and one set assist per match to go along with 35 defensive digs.
She has played volleyball at the AAU level and currently performs on the Pittsburgh Elite 18s P1 team. She also was named to the Terrific 21 all-star team.
On a different court, the United States Tennis Association ranks Komer in the Top 20 in Middle States. At Peters Township, she helped the Indians capture two WPIAL and PIAA championships. She also is a two-time district and state doubles champion.
Off the courts, Komer excels. She maintains a 4.55 GPA. She is an AP scholar and a member of the National Honor Society.
She will compete in tennis at University of Delaware while pursuing a career in either business or broadcasting.
Megan Kraushaar
This senior isn’t just a talented two-sport athlete at Chartiers-Houston. She excels in many things away from the court and diamond.
First though, let’s consider the athletics. Kraushaar is a two-time all-section performer in softball. A four-year starter, she played on the Bucs’ 2012 WPIAL championship club. According to her coach, Tricia Alderson, she is a solid infielder and hitter not to mention a hard worker. “She has done a tremendous job for us over her softball career and has played a huge part in our success,” Alderson said.
She also was a member of the Buccaneers’ successful basketball team, which reached the quarterfinals in the PIAA playoffs for the first time since the early 1980s.
In the classroom, she maintains a 4.07 GPA. A National Honor Society member, she also participates at the Westinghouse Science Honors Institute. She belongs to the school’s concert and marching bands. In addition to delivering announcements and serving as an editor of the yearbook, Kraushaar is a member of student government, SADD, SEC, Peer Jury and Foreign Language Club.
She volunteers at Horses With Hope, which incorporates therapeutic riding while working with youth with mental and physical disabilities, and Washington County Health Center. Plus, she helps students with schoolwork and activities in Life Skills class.
Caring defines Kraushaar. “She is a very kind person,” Alderson said. “She is the type of player that every coach would love to have. She is very positive and has the ability to bring people together to work toward a common goal.”
Kraushaar will attend the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown. She hopes to become an occupational therapist.
Maria Lohman
This Chartiers Valley senior is the golden girl of diving. She owns three PIAA titles and four WPIAL championships. Not only does she hold state records, she shattered pool records, including those around the district as well as Bucknell University.
This winter, she just missed the WPIAL record by two points. She scored 603.5 points to win the crown, outdistancing the competition by almost 200 points.
Lohman dives for the Pitt Aquatics Club. She has participated at USA Diving ATT Senior National Diving Championships and at Junior Nationals, finishing in the top 16 in all her events. She has been a member of the USA Diving Junior Elite Performance Squad, which consisted of the top 55 boys and girls hoping to qualify for the Olympics. She has also trained at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs.
The All-America and All-State diver takes her talents to the University of North Carolina next fall. She targets a degree in business as her major.
Kyra Murphy
Nominated for the Gatorade Player of the Year, this senior is the first Canon-McMillan player named as a two-time NSCAA All-Region player. She is only the second named as an All-American. She is also a two-time all-state selection as well as a three-time all-WPIAL and all-section pick.
A two-year captain, Murphy also guided the Lady Macs to their first appearance ever in a state and district final. C-M finished as the WPIAL and PIAA runner-up, losing the final in overtime. As a goalie, she tied the school record with 28 career shutouts. She had 13 last fall and recorded 124 saves for a .947 percentage. Her goals against average was 0.543.
“Since her sophomore year,” said C-M coach Dave Derrico, “it was immediately obvious that Kyra was a leader. She led by example, arriving early for practice and games. She worked harder and longer than anyone else and took time to train the younger goalies down through the youth association. When the team was down, Kyra was the one who encouraged and raised us up. Serious, focused, friendly, reliable and positive are all terms to describe Kyra’s character.”
In addition to playing for the Beadling Soccer Club and placekicking for the high school football team, Murphy participates in the Youth Group at St. Mary’s Church in Cecil Township. She is involved in student government, ski club and the mentor programs at Canon-Mac. She also volunteers as a youth goalkeeper trainer and in the high school athletic department.
Murphy, who holds a 3.7 GPA, will play soccer at Duquesne University while pursuing a doctor of pharmacy degree.
Amanada Riesmeyer
This senior is a true team player and a big reason why Mt. Lebanon is poised to defend its WPIAL championship in lacrosse.
According to Blue Devil coach Brian Kattan, Riesmeyer always puts the squad ahead of herself. “She will play any position that helps the team win and has played everywhere except in goal.” Riesmeyer moved from midfield to defense last spring and immediately “stabilized” an inexperienced group. “She made everyone around her better,” Kattan said.
While Riesmeyer shies away from attention and deflects praise away from herself and onto her teammates, her talents cannot help but garner her notice and accolades. Twice, she was selected to play on the national team. She gained All-WPIAL and all-section laurels. Plus, she is an academic All-American.
In soccer, Riesmeyer was a two-year starter, captain and all-section performer. According to her coach, Aaron Panczyk, she was asked to play three different positions and excelled at all of them to the betterment of the club. “Amanda was willing to be a part of something bigger than herself. She led by example. Whether it was practice or game day, she was always prepared to compete. Her attention to detail and her work ethic are standards that the girls in our program should strive to live up to.”
Riesmeyer sets the bar high off the field. She owns a 5.1 GPA and is a member of the Cum Laude Society. She belongs to Student Council and the Link Leadership program that mentors incoming high school students. She also volunteers with Tops Soccer, which works with special needs athletes, and at the Downs Syndrome of Pittsburgh Institute.
Riesmeyer will attend the University of Michigan. She plans to major in engineering.
Samantha Sanders
This Seton-La Salle senior multitasks extremely well. Not only is she a three-sport athlete, Sanders participates in a plethora of extracurricular activities while also holding down a 4.62 QPA.
In lacrosse, she runs the offense and calls the plays on the field. Not only can she score, she sets up her teammates for goals as well. A captain, she has propelled the Rebels to the playoffs. In the fall, she competes in cross country and in the winter, she swims, all to remain in condition for lacrosse.
Outside the athletic arena, Sanders is president of the National Honor Society. She sings in the choir and with the school’s award-winning a cappella group, Trebels, which competed in the Varsity Vocal National Competition earlier this spring. She is a member of Rebels For Life, Campus Ministy, stage crew and dance committee. She volunteers at St. Francis of Assisi and with the Washington Humane Society.
According to her lacrosse coach, Brian Klisavage, “Samantha has shown great leadership not just on the field. She is encouraging and helpful to others and spends time with teammates, working with them on their skills on a daily basis.”
Sanders will attend Ohio University and major in industrial engineering.
Lauren Waller
A three-time Almanac MVP, this Canon-McMillan senior reached the pinnacle in girls’ golf this fall. She finished tied for first in the state championships but saw her gold medal slip away during a one-hole playoff. Waller won back-to-back WPIAL titles, making it three for her career. She captured the district crown as a freshman when she played at Shady Side Academy. She also is a two-time regional champion.
Off the greens, Waller aces her classes. Her unweighted GPA is 3.8. She is a member of the National and Latin honor societies.
According to her coach, Justin White, Waller is cognizant that she is a role mode and she recognizes the responsibilities that go along with that distinction. “She places a high value on academics and education. Even though she has a rigorous training schedule, she completes all her studies and tasks and she makes sure the younger student athletes know how hard she works to achieve her goals.
“Lauren displays a genuine humble confidence that is rare among exceptional athletes. She values the opinions of her peers and teammates and the experience of her elders.”
Waller will golf at Penn State University. She plans to major in pre-med.
Cassidy Walsh
The Seton-La Salle senior epitomizes the meaning of champion. In her basketball career, she has won 11 titles at the district and state level. In high school, she compiled a 107-15 record that featured three WPIAL trophies and three appearances in the PIAA finals with two triumphs. In grade school, she compiled a 151-2 record complete with four Diocese of Pittsburgh championships and two state banners.
Walsh surpassed 1,000 points for her scholastic career. This winter, she led the Rebels in scoring with a 14.1 average, and though a guard, managed 10.4 rebounds. She also dished up 4.2 assists per game.
A consistent all-section performer, Walsh garnered back-to-back All-State laurels and all Almanac Elite Eleven honors. She also claimed the distinction of Almanac MVP.
Walsh also competes extensively in the AAU system, playing with and against the best athletes in the state and the nation. That exposure enabled her to gain the attention of many college recruits, including the University of Pittsburgh. While playing for the Panthers, she plans to pursue a nursing career.
Off the courts, Walsh demonstrates that compassion diplomatically. She is vice president of her class, a member of student council, Environmental Club and Fellowship of Christian Athletes. She is also a Junior Achievement volunteer.
Walsh gains the highest praise from coach Spencer Stefko. He pointed out, “Cassidy is a great player but better yet she’s just as great a person.”