Almanac announces male finalists for Athlete of the Year
Mike Carr • South Fayette senior • Wrestling • University of Illinois • Two-time PIAA state champion • 161-15 career record • Almanac MVP • Plans to become a doctor
Jake Dixon • Bethel Park senior • Volleyball, basketball, football • Lewis University recruit • 1,000 kills in career • All-conference, all-section • 4.2 GPA • Wants to be an FBI agent
Eddie Jenkins • Mt. Lebanon senior • Football, basketball, baseball • University of Pennsylvania • All-Conference, all-section each sport • Threw for 1,726 yards and 18 TDs Batting over .480 this spring. Team captain each sport
Joey Kazalas • Keystone Oaks senior • Football, wrestling • Will play football in college • Century Club for 100 wrestling wins • WPIAL bronze medalist • Two-time section champion • All-conference guard • Four-year high honor roll
Levi Metheny • Bethel Park senior • Football, basketball • University of Albany • Almanac MVP • All-conference • Passed for nearly 5,000 yards • Team captain both sports
Nico Popa • Seton-La Salle senior • Baseball, football, basketball • Will play baseball at Pitt • Four-year starter • Maintains 4.0 GPA • All-Conference, second team • WPIAL runner-up in two sports
Brian Ramsey • Mt. Lebanon senior • Swimming • University of Pittsburgh • Qualified for Olympic Trials • Set WPIAL record in 100-yard breaststroke • PIAA silver medalist in 100 breast and 200 IM • US Open, Sr. & Jr. National qualifier
Jordan Smith • Canon-McMillan senior • Football, basketball, track • Gannon University • Biomedical engineering • Maintains 4.37 GPA • School recorder holder • VP of NHS
Liam Sweeney • Seton-La Salle senior • Football, baseball • Slippery Rock University • Safety management major • All-Conference linebacker • All-section catcher • Enviromental Club
Andrew Wheeler • Upper St. Clair senior • Baseball, basketball • George Washington University • Almanac & All-section, two sports • Roundball Classic • 4.4 GPA, NHS member • Athletes Taking Action
Mike Carr
Jake Dixon
Joey Kazalas
Levi Metheny
Nico Popa
Brian Ramsey
Jordan Smith
Liam Sweeney
Andrew Wheeler
A synopsis for each finalist for The Almanac Male Athlete of the Year award is listed below. The top 10 will be honored, along with their female counterparts as well as the MVPS in their respective sports, at the 26th annual Premier Performers Sports Banquet. This year’s event will be held at 6:30 p.m. May 31 at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Bethel Park.
Mike Carr
This senior has achieved every acclaim attainable in his wrestling career at South Fayette High School.
Carr set the school record with 161 career victories and won two straight state championships. In addition to those PIAA titles, Carr is a three-time regional, district and sectional winner. For two years in a row, he also won tournament championships at Chartiers-Houston, Allegheny County and Bedford and ended his scholastic career on an 89-match winning streak. Carr capped his career with a victory in the prestigious Dapper Dan Wrestling Classic. Named Almanac Grappler of the Year, he also gained Wrestler of the Year and all-district recognition from the Observer-Reporter.
“Mikey not only pushes himself to the next level, he has taken his teammates with him,” said South Fayette wrestling coach Rick Chaussard. “He works with them either by wrestling with them or instructing them. What impresses me the most is the way he teaches elementary wrestlers. He is very patient and diligent when working with young wrestlers.
“Additionally, Mikey has achieved success by training year round. He critiques his matches looking for ways to improve. This intensity carries over to academics.”
Carr maintains a 4.01 GPA in his advanaced placement classes. He plans to become a medical surgeon, specializing in either pediatrics or gastrointenstinal diseases. He will wrestle at the University of Illinois.
Jake Dixon
Simply the best. In volleyball, Jake Dixon definitely has been at Bethel Park High School.
“I have known Jake since he was in fourth grade,” said his coach Tom Allman. “He would come to my practices and shag volleyballs for the varsity team. I knew he would turn into a good player but never dreamed he would be as good as he is. For 26 years now I have coached boys’ volleyball, and he is the best player I have seen in high school in a very long time. He is the best I have ever had and is a great leader and role model as well.”
Last year, other coaches agreed. They named Dixon the Player of the Year in the WPIAL. This year, he has already been asked (and he accepted) to play his college ball at Lewis University, an NCAA powerhouse. Additionally, Dixon has been asked to train on the Olympic Circuit and will spend a week this summer in Fort Lauderdale. He was named a preseason All-American and a USA Volleyball Magazine Top 50 among high school seniors. A four-year letterwinner, he has earned all-section and all-WPIAL honors each season he competed. A dominant outside hitter, Dixon has accumulated over 1,000 kills during his scholastic career. In leading BP to back-to-back undefeated section titles as a junior and sophomore, he averaged 22 kills, 4.2 aces and three blocks per game.
In the winter, Dixon excels in basketball. In the fall, it’s football.
He is a four-year letterwinner in hoops and three-time all-section performer. Dubbed a “beast inside” by opposing coaches, Dixon averaged 16 points, 14 rebounds and four blocked shots a game as he led the Hawks to a WPIAL and PIAA state playoff appearance this season.
On the gridiron, Dixon garnered Almanac and all-conference honors as the Hawks reached the quarterfinals in the WPIAL playoffs. As a tight end, he hauled in 32 passes for 533 yards and a 16.7-yard average. A team captain, Dixon also doubled as a linebacker on defense.
“As a three-sport athlete, it’s non-stop for Jake before and after school,” Allman said. “His work ethics are the best. He is looked up to in the community and the school. He is known for his outreach to even the youngest students in Bethel Park.”
In the classroom, Dixon maintains a 4.2 GPA. Recently he was named one of 20 WPIAL/Scholar Athletes, who receive a $1,000 scholarship. Dixon intends to major in information security in college. He plans to follow in the footsteps of his aunt and become an FBI agent. Martha Dixon Martinez was killed in the line of duty Nov. 22, 1994, in Washington, D.C.
Eddie Jenkins
A rare bred. According to his coaches, this senior is just that. For at Mt. Lebanon High School, Eddie Jenkins is a three-sport athlete, excelling in football, basketball and baseball. Recruited to play football and baseball in college, Jenkins will study at the University of Pennsylvania.
A four-year starter at shortstop, Jenkins was an all-section performer last spring, batting over .450 for an undefeated section championship club. He ranks among the top hitters in the WPIAL this spring with a .483 average and has the Blue Devils battling Bethel Park for first place in Section 5-AAAA. “He is the epitome of what a high school student-athlete should be,” said Lebo manager Pat McCloskey.
On the gridiron, Jenkins was the classic quarterback. He could scramble and throw. A three-year starter, he passed for 1,726 yards and 18 touchdowns. A team captain, he led Lebo to a 9-2 record and a runner-up showing in the Southeastern Conference. He gained Almanac and all-conference, first-team honors. A two-year captain, he also earned the Art Walker MVP award from the coaching staff and was selected by the Mt. Lebanon athletic department for an award honoring the single male athlete that represented character and honored and played the game the right way. “Eddie made the right choices, on and off the field,” said grid coach Mike Melnyk. “He acts with class, is concerned about others and represents himself, his family, teams and community with the highest character.”
In basketball, Jenkins had been a three-year starter. “While he has maintained a high degree of dedication to each sport,” said floor boss Joe David, “Eddie has exemplified sportsmanship and integrity throughout his career.”
Joey Kazalas
While wrestling appears to be his forte because of his 100 career wins, this senior will play football in college at either Westminster or St. Vincent.
On the gridiron, Joey Kazalas was a standout on the offensive line, earning all-conference laurels at guard two years in a row. He was also a team captain. “Joe was my leader,” said KO coach Greg Perry. “He was easily the most liked player and most feared. He was very important to me making the transition to a new program. I leaned on him for various decisions and he always came through.”
On the mats, Kazalas came through. He closed out his career, not only with his 100th victory but also with a PIAA state playoff appearance. A two-time section champion, Kazalas captured a bronze medal in the WPIAL championships. He was a three-time all-county champion. Of his team captain, head coach Rich Bonaccorsi said, “Joey is a great kid. He has a great sense of humor. He is a pleasure to coach and be around. He will be a successful young man some day.”
Levi Metheny
One of the toughest kids in the football program at Bethel Park, Levi Metheny could also be one of the kindest in the high school.
On the gridiron, he led the Hawks in tackles, tackles for losses and sacks. He earned first-team all-conference honors as linebacker. A two-year captain and four-year starter on four playoff squads, Metheny also averaged 37 yards per punt. Plus, he threw for nearly 5,000 yards in his career. He tossed 45 touchdowns and ran for 34 more scores. Named Almanac MVP, he passed for nearly 2,000 yards and 20 TDs last fall.
In hoops, Metheny captained the Hawks to back-to-back playoff appearances. He earned second-team, all-section honors as a forward.
Outside the athletic arena, Metheny maintains a 4.0 GPA. He is president of the Principal’s Advisory Council and member of the Captain’s Corner. He has participated in the WPIAL Sportsmanship Summit. In addition to volunteering at youth football and basketball camps, Metheny works with special-needs students and youth. He has worked at Camp Aim, the Special Strides Challenge, which is a 5K event for special-needs athletes, as well as Outdoor Awareness. He volunteers for the STEM project at Ben Franklin Elementary School.
According to his football coach and father, Jeff Metheny, “Levi is a very strong, physical young man. He worked and continues to work on developing his athletic potential. He was always an excellent teammate to the younger kids and showed them how to compete without showing off. He was always positive and poised in game and practice situations. His leadership will be missed immensely in the Bethel Park football program.”
Athletic director Amy Scheuneman concurred. “Levi has been an upstanding role model for our students and school. Since he was a freshman on the football team, Levi has led his peers as the starting quarterback (not an easy task). He is as humble as can be and helps anyone who asks. He is a gentleman and a scholar. Levi is a true leader by example. He works hard, doesn’t complain and is gracious in victory and defeat. I would be proud to call Levi my son and that is the highest compliment a person can receive. Levi is a very talented athlete by virtue of hard work.”
Nico Popa
A jack of all trades is Nico Popa. But this Seton-La Salle senior is master of baseball. That’s the sport he will play in college. He accepted a scholarship offer from the University of Pittsburgh.
A pitcher and infielder, Popa has the Rebels poised to reach the playoffs for the third year in a row. They lead Section 4-AA. Popa started on SLS’s WPIAL runner-up club as a sophomore.
A leading hitter in the district with back-to-back plus-.400 seasons, Popa also played on the Rebels’ district and state runner-up basketball teams in 2015. Noted for his defense, he helped SLS reach the WPIAL playoffs this winter.
On the gridiron, he started at cornerback for the Rebels, who advanced to the quarterfinals of the playoffs. He picked off four passes. He also scored four touchdowns as a wide receiver.
In the classroom, Popa maintains a 4.2 GPA. He is a member of the Environmental club and Rebels For Life.
A gifted athlete, Popa is also a natural-born leader, says SLS athletic director/football coach Damon Rosol. “Nico is a tremendous student. He leads by example and he is a very well-rounded individual. Nico played very well the last two years for me on the football field, re-joined the basketball team this year as a starting guard, and excels on the diamond as the baseball team’s go-to player.
“Nico is the definition of a student-athlete,” Rosol continued. “He is a very even-keel athlete, never letting the game get too big for him. Nothing flashy, very blue-collar and reliable,” he added. “Nico speaks up when needed, but motivates and makes others around him better with his relentless work ethic.”
Brian Ramsey
This senior does one thing. And, he does it very well. A swimmer at Mt. Lebanon High School, Brian Ramsey is already qualified for the United States Olympic Trials to be held June 26-July 3 in Omaha, Neb.
A six-time All-American, Ramsey is the Futures Champion in the 200-meter breastroke, a U.S. Open qualifier as well as a Senior and Junior National qualifier. He holds the school record in the 200-yard individual medley, which includes all four strokes, back, breast, buttefly and freestyle. A four-time PIAA medalist, Ramsey was the state runner-up in the 200 IM and 100 breast this winter. He is the WPIAL champion in the 200 IM and the district runner-up in the breast, a race in which he shattered the WPIAL record but lost the gold to his teammate, Jack Lanphear, by a mere touch.
An honors student, Ramsey helped the Blue Devils earn runner-up honors as a team during the WPIAL championships. Lebo finished fourth in the state. For his efforts, Ramsey earned the Blue Devil Club’s “Honor The Game” award.
“Brian has developed into one of the best swimmers ever to come out of Mt. Lebanon High School,” said head coach Tom Donati.
Ramsey will swim for the University of Pittsburgh.
Jordan Smith
Another three-sport athlete, this senior has set the standard at Canon-McMillan.
In football, Jordan Smith broke the record for receptions. He tied for the lead in Quad-A. He also broked the record with 11 touchdowns. A 6-4, 220-pound tight end, he also paved the way for a record-breaking rushing record by the team’s tailback, Bryan Mulligan. As an outside linebacker, he recorded more than a dozen tackles for losses. Plus, he was a reliable tackler. “We used Jordan everywhere,” explained head coach Michael Evans. “He was a tough guy for defenses to always match up against. He has great hands and great speed.”
Gannon University will take advantage of those talents as Smith intends to play football there and pursue a career in bio-medical engineering.
Smith wasn’t too shabby at basketball or track. He is closing in on the school’s record in the javelin, having already exceeded 180 feet. In hoops, he averaged seven rebounds a game the past two seasons. He has been a three-year starter and letterwinner in basketball.
Smith maintains a 4.4 GPA. He scored 33 on his ACT. He was named a WPIAL Scholar-Athlete and is thus one of 20 recipients of a $1,000 scholarship. Smith is the vice president of the school’s National Honor Society. He is also a member of the Spanish National Honor Society.
Liam Sweeney
An all-conference football player, this senior earned a scholarship to the University of Albany. But aan injury during the eighth-week of the season, ended Liam Sweeney’s dreams of competing in college as well as his career. He was diagnosed with spinal stenosis and underwent surgery in February to repair, replace and fuse vetebrae in his neck.
Until the incident, Sweeney enjoyed a standout athletic career at Seton-La Salle High School. He was a three-starter at linebacker and two-year starter at fullback in football. He captained the team to back-to-back playoff appearances. He also had been the baseball team’s starting catcher since his sophomore season. He helped the Rebels reach the WPIAL Class AA championship game and the PIAA playoffs. He batted over .400 during his career and earned all-section honors.
“Liam was one of the baseball team’s best players the last three years,” said Damon Rosol, who doubles as the school’s football coach and athletic director.
“After his injury, there was understandably a slight grieving process that he went through with the game he loves being taken away from him. However, Liam rebounded nicely and basically turned into a young coach for my staff and our team. Whether it was practice or games, he was there to work with his teammates and try to help in anyway he could. I am not sure that every kid in the same boat would have responded like he did, which I feel is a great testament to the attitude and character this young man possesses.”
Andrew Wheeler
When this senior is on the baseball diamond, he is all business. And that’s fitting because Andrew Wheeler will make that his major when he plays baseball at George Washington University.
Currently, Wheeler is charting a playoff course for Upper St. Clair High School. Plus, he ranks among the top hitters and pitchers in the WPIAL. At the start of the week, he was batting .515. In two victories, he has 22 strikeouts. He has tossed a no-hitter. A three-year starter and four-year letterwinner, he has earned all-section honors the past two seasons.
In basketball, Wheeler earned Almanac and all-section honors two years in a row. He participated in the 2016 Roundball Classic. For the Panthers, he led the team in scoring with 17.2 points per game. A team captain, he made 55, 3-point field goals, averaged four rebounds and three assists per game. He completed his career with 801 points.
Outside the athletic arena, Wheeler maintains a 4.4 GPA. He is a member of the National Honor Society and Athletes Taking Action. He attended the WPIAL Sporstmanship Summit. A Junior Mention, he also volunteers with Casey’s Clubhouse and the Miracle League programs.