Achieving Athletes
Eleanor Bailey/The Almanac
Eleanor Bailey/The Almanac
Lexi Wagner makes a catch during PIAA playoff action against South Side Beaver in 2017.
Wagner named POY
Lexi Wagner garnered Player of the Year honors for girls’ softball in the state of Pennsylvania. She earned the distinction from the Pennsylvania High School Softball Coaches Association (PAHSSBCA), which selects the members of the all-state teams.
The 2018 Seton LaSalle graduate batted .680, scored 42 runs and drove in 39. With six doubles, four triples and 14 home runs, her slugging percentage swelled to 1.80 and her on-base percentage was .738. She swiped nine bases.
As a shortstop, she recorded 14 putouts and registered 27 assists. She maintained an .891 fielding percentage.
Wagner will play for Division I softball for Oregon.
Kaitlyn Morrison and Jess Dean; joined Wagner on the all-state team. Both are rising seniors at South Park and played on the Eagles’ 2017 state championship club.
A shortstop, Morrison batted .635 with eight doubles and 10 home runs. She drove in 34, scored 32 runs and swiped five bases. The Penn State commit owned a .687 on-base and 1.37 slugging percentage. She had 11 putouts and 29 assists for a .909 fielding average.
A designated player, Dean batted .508 with four doubles, 12 steals, 14 RBI and 36 runs. She owned a .970 fielding average with four putouts and 28 assists. Her on-base and slugging percentages were .629 and .813 respectively.
Nick Wolk
Wolk wins
Nick Wolk, 20, of McMurray, turned in the top time overall and captured first place overall in the Peters Township Cross Country 5K race held on the Arrowhead/Montour Trail. The Peters Township graduate and University of Pittsburgh distance runner clocked in at 16:35.23.
Zach Marmol secured second place. The rising PT junior ran the race in 16:49.37.
Lauren LaRoche, 32, of Pittsburgh won the women’s race in 18:55.60. PT rising senior Jennifer Massucci followed in second place with a time of 20:02.84.
Over 100 runners competed in the event, hosted by the high school cross country boosters. More than $5,000 was raised in support of the community’s runners.
LAX honors
US Lacrosse named four area athletes to its All-America list.
Nicki Phelps of Peters Township led the list. The long-stick middie garnered WPIAL Class AAA Player of the Year honors. The RPI recruit also earned All-WPIAL and All-Section laurels.
Ben Delaney and Danny Bacchiochi joined Phelps on the All-America roster as well as the All-WPIAL and All-Section lists.
The trio helped the Indians win a section title and a second straight WPIAL championship.
Grant Evans from Upper St. Clair rounded out the All-America selections. The midfielder also earned all-district and all-section acclaim.
Among the other area athletes to be named to the All-WPIAL squard were: Will Delaney and Shawn Caven from Peters; Jimmy Wilkinson from USC; Logan Gray from Canon-McMillan and Tucker Welsh from Mt. Lebanon.
All-Section honors were bestowed upon: Zac Ferris, Noah Seeberger and Bryan Magnus from Bethel Park; Caven, Will Delaney and Aidan McCall from Peters; Alex Strain, Tommy Boyd, Ethan Rutowski, Kevin Krazczyk and Wilkinson from USC; Lorgan Gebhart and Gray from Canon-Mac; Tim McMullen, John Sramac, Sam Rothschild, Brendan McCarthy, Trevor Tocchet, Mark Pesacreta and Welsh from Lebo.
All-Section honorees at the Class AA level included: Anthony Galioto, Dominic Lazzini, Jack Ryan, and Jackson Dewitt from South Fayette; Matthew Tolmer from Chartiers Valley; Josh Blamer, Mike Allen, Ryan Doyle and Jake Carrier from Seton LaSalle.
Mike Ermer from Mt. Lebanon earned Class AAA Coach of the Year honors. He guided the Blue Devils to a section title and to the Final Four in the WPIAL tournament.
Gavin Campbell from Bethel Park was recognized as Person of the Year.