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Achieving athletes

By Eleanor Bailey almanac Sports Editor ebailey@thealmanac.Net 3 min read
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Ward helps Yale win title

Brian Ward of Mt. Lebanon was a member of the Yale lacrosse squad that upended Duke, 13-11, and captured the 2018 NCAA national championship.

The title capped a prolific season for the Bulldogs. They won a school-record 17 games, culminating in the national final played before 29,455 fans at Gillette Stadium.

“I’m really proud of my guys for sticking with it. My guys are just a coach’s dream. Really a coach’s dream in every sense of the word,” said Andy Shay, who is in his 15th year as head coach at Yale.

Ward is one of those dream players. He is a sophomore just like Matt Gaudet, who garnered MVP honors with 10 combined goals during championship weekend, including four against the Blue Devils.

The 5-11, 175-pound midfielder was a two-time US Lacrosse Association and Brine National All-American at Mt. Lebanon High School. He also was voted US Lacrosse WPIAL Player of the Year. He scored 168 career goals and added 70 assists for 238 points during his four-year scholastic career that included four undefeated section championships, two WPIAL titles, four WPIAL finals and one appearance in the PIAA state semifinals.

A two-year captain, Ward garnered Almanac MVP honors twice. He was a two-time All-Midwest Lacrosse Association selection and a MSCLA finalist.

Off the field, he excelled academically. He was the Mt. Lebanon Academic and Athletic Award winner and a member of the National Honor Society.

During his freshman year at Yale, he played in four games and scored two goals. He was a reserve midfielder on this year’s squad.

The son of Anne and John Ward is an economics major.

Shaw’s last run

Savannah Shaw of Upper St. Clair closed out her scholastic racing career by participating in the New Balance Nationals Outdoor Championships held June 17 in North Carolina. She won her heat in Girls’ 1-mile championship. Her time of 4:53.04 placed her eighth overall at nationals.

Shaw ran a personal best time of 4:49.51 and finished fourth in the 1,600-meter run during the PIAA track and field championships. She won the event for the second straight time during the WPIAL finals.

A school record-holder in both track and cross country, Shaw competed in the Penn Relays, the indoor nationals as well as the Footlocker regional and national championships for cross country.

She will run cross country as well as track for North Carolina State University, which competes in the ACC.

“Savannah was a catalyst,” USC coach Doug Petrick said. “She set the standard for development. She going to keep improving at NC State. Get ready. She’s a great kid that is going succeed at whatever she decides to pursue. She’s that dynamic.”

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