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Top Sports Stories of 2017

By Eleanor Bailey almanac Sports Editor ebailey@thealmanac.Net 1 min read
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1. Miracle on Ice

Peters Township, like the Pittsburgh Penguins, completed an improbable run in reaching the pinnacle in hockey. The Indians entered the post-season with a 10-8-2 record and as the No. 6 seed in the Class AAA playoffs. Yet, the Indians hoisted the Penguins Cup as well as the Pennsylvania Cup. In the state finals played March 25 at the Robert Morris University Island Sports Center, Peters Township knocked off Holy Ghost Prep, 2-1. Ryan Luppe and William Barnes were credited with the goals. The state championships came on the heels of the Indians’ victory against Central Catholic, 5-2, in the Penguins Cup championship contest played March 22 at the UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex in Cranberry. Luppe and Barnes scored goals as did Nicholas Young, Conrad Deemer and Cal Raymore. To reach the finals, the Indians pulled off upsets against rival Canon-McMillan, 2-1, and North Allegheny, 7-0. Alex Wilbert spearheaded the uprising. The freshman goalie went 4-0 with a 1.00 goals-against average and a .964 save percentage.

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2. Fleet feet

Savannah Shaw of Upper St. Clair dominated the scholastic running landscape. The North Carolina State recruit capped her cross-country career with a Top 16 showing during nationals. The senior clocked 18:16.5 to finish 16th in the Foot Locker National Cross Country Championships held Dec. 9 in San Diego. Shaw qualified for the national event by placing sixth at the Northeast Regional held Nov. 25 in VanCortland Park in the Bronx, N.Y. A champion in nearly every invitational she entered this fall, Shaw secured runner-up honors at the WPIAL finals and took third at the PIAA championships. She also earned all-state acclaim, the only USC runner to secure that honor. Shaw also is the top finisher in school history in WPIAL or PIAA cross-country competition. In track, she is an indoor and outdoor champion, specializing in the distances from 800- to 3,200-meters. Last spring, she was a WPIAL champion and a PIAA fifth-place finisher in the 1,600.

Shaw was not alone on the podium. Her former classmate, and now Duquesne University freshman, Harvey Kane captured the gold medal in the long jump during the PIAA track and field championships held May 27 in Shippensburg. He became the first outdoor champion from USC since Rob Rankin won a state title in the shot put 13 years ago. In two years, Kane set two school records in the long jump and ranked second all-time among 200-meter runners. Kane won the long jump on his final leap, measuring 23 feet, .25 inches. He also qualified and competed in the New Balance national championships held June 18 in Greensboro. Kane, who was a double medal winner at WPIALs with silver in the long jump and bronze in the high jump, also participated in the prestigious Penn Relays.

In addition to Shaw, Chyna Beck (100-meter high hurdles) and Courtney Phoennik (triple jump) were individual gold medalists while the Bethel Park foursome of Ken Barnhart, James Krandel, Terron Murphy and Zach Taylor combined to win the 4x100 relay in 42.64 time during the WPIAL track championships.

Sam Snodgrass from South Fayette joined Shaw in the winner’s circle at the WPIAL cross country championships. The senior won the Class AA race by more than 14 seconds with a 16:33 time. Meanwhile, the Lady Lions won the Class AA team title with 116 points, beating Brownsville (129) and defending champion, Quaker Valley (132). Maria DeCello was the team’s top finisher, placing eighth overall.

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3. Swim-sensations

Trinity Ward captured the gold during the PIAA championships held March 15-18 at Bucknell University. The Mt. Lebanon sophomore coasted to victory in the 100-yard butterfly with a 54.14 time. She also claimed the bronze in the 100 freestyle and helped Lebo (140) to a top three finish behind Avon Grove (228.5) and Upper Dublin (176.50).

During the WPIAL championships held March 2-3 at Pitt, the Lebo ladies finished runner-up to North Allegheny for the second year in a row, Ward led the medley relay team of Maddie Dorish, Sophia Donati and Emma Graham to victory and anchored the record-setting 400 free relay of Kathryn Nicholson, Donati and Graham to the top of the podium. She also defended her title in the 100 fly and finished runner-up in the 100 free.

Also at the WPIAL finals, the Peters Township boys finished runner-up to North Allegheny while Upper St. Clair took third. Stephen Hopta emerged as a champion in the 100 backstroke, touching out USC junior Jack Fitzpatrick, who had won the 200 individual medley.

Abby Hay coasted to victory in the 500-yard freestyle with a time of 4:54.78. The two-time champion in the race outdistanced Abby Matheny and Olivia Shaffer from USC by more than seven seconds. Hay finished second in the IM, which she won in 2016.

In diving, Trevor Mahoney of South Fayette defended his WPIAL title. During the finals held Feb. 24 at Moon, he clinched the crown on his final dive to edge John Ek of Laurel Highlands, 427.05-426-15. Mahoney beat Ek for the 2016 title. Mahoney finished fifth in the PIAA championships.

At the club level, USC freshman Josh Matheny shattered AMS records in winning the 100- and 200-meter breaststroke races at the USA Swimming Futures Championships in Geneva, OH. His marks of 1:03.80 and 2:17.73 rank No. 1 in the country for 14-year-old swimmers and are among the top five times ever recorded by someone his age. His 200 time would have qualified him for the 2016 Olympic Trials.

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4. Girl power

Females ruled the courts as Bishop Canevin, Bethel Park, Chartiers Valley and Chartiers-Houston dominated basketball.

The Crusaders led the charge, reaching the state finals only to fall to Neumann-Goretti, 62-56, in the PIAA title tilt played March 25 at the Giant Center in Hershey. Shamyjha Price led the team with 21 points followed by Brionna Allen with 15 tallies and 11 rebounds. The Crusaders also claimed their third WPIAL title since 2013, beating Neshannock, 65-36, March 4 at the Petersen Events Center. Against the Lancers, Price pumped in 21 points and Gillan Gustine came off the bench for 15 markers, all on 3-pointers. Sarah Green supplied 10 points for the Crusaders, who finished 23-6 overall.

Meanwhile, Chartiers Valley (20-8) and Chartiers-Houston (24-3) won their first ever WPIAL girls’ hoop titles, defeating Oakland Catholic, 52-36, and Vincentian Academy, 47-35, in their respective Class 5A and 2A finals. For the Colts, Mackenzie Wagner fired in 19 points, 12 off free throws, while Megan McConnell followed with 16 tallies, 12 off four, 3-point field goals. For the Bucs, Temple-recruit Alexa Williamson averaged 23 points, 12.5 rebounds and four blocked shots during the campaign.

Jonna Burke, who recorded her 400th coaching victory, relied upon Justina Mascaro to return to the championships. Six months removed from ACL surgery, the Delaware frosh rallied the Hawks, who started section play at 2-4, by averaging 12.8 points and 5 rebounds in 11 games, including nine straight victories and playoff upsets against No. 3 Pine-Richland and No. 2 Penn Hills. Despite 13 points from Mascaro and 12 from Chatham recruit Kamryn Lach, the Hawks lost to North Allegheny, 50-39, in the Class 6-A finals.

Meanwhile, Canevin advanced the farthest among the boys’ clubs, reaching the Final Four in both the WPIAL and PIAA tournaments Mitchell King led the way, averaging 20 ppg, 6 rebounds and 3 assists per game. He earned All-State honors along with Allen, McConnell, Williamson and AJ Meyers.

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Eleanor Bailey/The Almanac

Nino Bonaccorsi was a decorated wrestler at Bethel Park High School. He finished his scholastic career with 147 victories, second-best in school history, behind only his brother, Nick. He was a two-time state runner-up and two-time WPIAL champion. Currently, he wrestles at the University of Pittsburgh.

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6. Making history

Peters Township captured its first WPIAL lacrosse title when the Indians edged Mt. Lebanon, 12-11, in double overtime to win the boys’ Class AAA championship on May 26 at Joe Walton Stadium on the Robert Morris University campus. Daniel Bacchiochi notched the decisive goal with 2:41 remaining. Will Delaney scored the equalizer with 54 seconds remaining in regulation to push the game into overtime.

PT reached the finals with another overtime thriller, edging Shady Side Academy, 7-6. Aidan McCall had the game-winner with 1:07 left in overtime. With one second left in regulation, Matthew Cottiero registered the equalizer, forcing the extra period.

While the Indians lost to Manheim Township, 14-5, in the opening round of the state tournament and ended their season, Lebo recovered from its district defeat and reached the Final Four in the PIAA lacrosse tournament. Blue Devils lost to Conestoga, 13-3, in the semifinals.

PT’S Nicky Phelps and Lebo’s Connor Brumfield capped the season by earning All-America honors. While Brumfield is now playing at Ithaca College, Phelps is just a junior and already committed to Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.

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7. Nifty netters

Connor Bruce of Peters Township along with Upper St. Clair’s Liam Gibbons and Kevin Kwok were crowned WPIAL champions in tennis. Bruce fended off three match points and defeated Robby Shymansky, 6-3, 4-6, 7-6 (8-6) to capture the boys’ singles’ crown while the Panther pair defeated Hampton’s duo of Ben Ringeisen and Ted Donegan, 7-6 (7-2), 6-4, to claim the doubles’ title. Bruce also helped the Indians to a runner-up showing in the WPIAL team tournament. Peters Township fell to Fox Chapel, 4-1, in the finals played April 27 at North Allegheny.

In girls’ tennis, Mt. Lebanon finished third in the WPIAL behind champion NA and Pine-Richland. Golda Gershanok and Katherine Rizzo combined to win the section doubles but finished fourth and out of the running for the PIAA tournament bid. Lebo won the section title with a 9-0 record but lost to P-R in the WPIAL semifinals and NA in the Final Four of the PIAA team tournaments.

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8. Three for five

Alexis Zarnick, Tamara Blue, Kylie Airesman and Maddie Maziarz helped Bishop Canevin celebrate a third volleyball title in five seasons after the Lady Crusaders defeated Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, 3-0, on Nov. 4 in the WPIAL Class A finals. In sweeping the Chargers, 25-19, 25-22, 25-22, Kyle recorded 24 digs, and 12 kills. Alexa Malloy picked up 17 kills and Maziarz had 40 assists.

A bid for a state title, however, fell short when the Crusaders lost to Clarion, 3-2, in the first round of the PIAA tournament. The teams traded wins in the first four games, 25-19, 23-25, 25-18, 20-25, before Clarion won the fifth set, 15-6. Malloy racked up 16 kills to finish with a school record 314 on the year. Maziarz supplied 35 assists.

In boys’ volleyball action, Bethel Park finished third in the WPIAL and qualified for the PIAA tournament. The Hawks won the section title with a 12-0 record but fell to Penn-Trafford, 3-1, in the district semifinals.

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9. Par for the course

Hunter Bruce tied for second place in the PIAA championships held Oct. 23-24 at the Heritage Hills Golf Resort and Conference Center in York. The Penn State commit and Franklin Regional’s Palmer Jackson both carded 71-73–144 to finish behind Liam Hart of Holy Ghost Prep, who won the title with a 143.

Bruce is the second PIAA runner-up from Peters Township. Tom Nettles, who qualified for this year’s Pennsylvania amateur championships held July 31-Aug. 2, was a two-time PIAA runner-up in 2011 and 2012.

Bruce also led the Indians to a runner-up showing during the WPIAL team championships. On Oct. 12 at the Cedar Brook Golf Club in Belle Vernon, the Indians finished five strokes behind Central Catholic, 386-391. He fired a 73 to tie Central’s Neal Shipley for medalist honors. Parker Johnson was the only other Indian in the 70s, carding a 75. Matt Petrisin (80), Joe Pisarcik (81) and Michael Bell (82) completed PT’s scoring.

During the regular season, the Indians ran the table in Section 7 and compiled a 17-1 overall record. They have competed in 14 of the last 15 WPIAL championships, winning five times since 2004, including their record victory in 2015.

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10. Shootout shock

Hempfield and North Allegheny dashed the championship dreams of Logan Brinsky (seated) and Bryce Gabelhart (standing) in soccer. After rolling up an undefeated regular season record, the Peters Township men met their matches in the Black Knights and the Tigers. NA handed the Indians their first loss, 2-1, in the WPIAL 6-A final played Nov. 2 at Highmark Stadium. After taking a lead on Luke Kelly’s first-half goal, the Tigers scored twice in the final seven minutes to win the title. Brinsky, Gabelhart and Matt Stuck helped PT earn its revenge as the Indians defeated NA in the PIAA tournament. However, Hempfield ended PT’s season at 19-2-1 overall with a heartbreaking shootout loss, 3-2, in a state semifinal game played No. 14 at Mansion Park in Altoona.

Meanwhile, in amateur action, where many Indians got their start in the sport, a Beadling team made it to the finals in the US Youth Soccer National Championships for the first time. The club’s 2003 boys’ elite team lost to South Carolina, 2-1, in the title game played in Frisco, Texas. Anthony Defalco scored the lone goal and Ethan Sanders assisted. In addition to being national runners-up, Beadling (26-4-3) finished as PA West state champions and Region I winners.

Click through the slideshow to view the top sports stories in 2017.

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