Singularly significant
Individual efforts shaped 2024 outcomes
2024 marked a significant time period in sports throughout the South Hills region where personal achievements trumped team accomplishments. From the professional through the amateur ranks, individuals impacted the athletic landscape, not to mention contributed to the eventual outcome of the specific sport.
These one-of-a-kind competitors dominate The Almanac’s annual sports year in a review. Here’s a look at the Top 10 stories that grabbed the area headlines in sports.
OLYMPIC ODYSSEY
Four area amateur athletes embarked on journeys to compete on the worldwide stage as the Summer Olympics dominated the scene.
Josh Matheny of Upper St. Clair made the biggest splash.
During the U.S. Olympic Team Trials held June 15-23 at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, he earned a berth in the Summer Olympic Games by finishing second in the 200-meter breaststroke event.
After five different heats, featuring 25 swimmers from 20 nations, the 21-year-old son of Dr. Jeff and Kristin realized his dream and qualified for the finals of the 200-meter race at the Paris La Defense Arena. On July 31, Matheny clocked a 2:09.52, nearly .2 faster than his semifinal time, and finished seventh overall.
Fans of Matheny gathered in the auditorium of his alma mater to watch his races and to view Leon Marchand’s triumph. The Frenchman won the race with a time of 2:05.85.
When Matheny returned home in August, he gifted an Olympic flag to his coach David Schravern to be displayed in the USC natatorium, where he has set many school and pool records as well as won multiple WPIAL and PIAA gold medals en route to claiming Observer-Reporter and Almanac Male Athlete of the Year laurels in 2022.
An All-America swimmer at Indiana University, Matheny has set his sights on competing in the 2028 Summer Games to be held in Los Angeles.
Matheny may not be alone in California as Sylvia Roy of Mt. Lebanon made waves during her U.S. Olympic Team Trials debut. The University of Virginia recruit competed in the 100- and 200-meter backstroke events, posting personal best times of 1:00.95 and 2:12.41. In the 100 back, she won her heat and was a mere .22 off the mark of 1:00.77 to qualify for the semifinals.
Roy entered the winter scholastic swim season as a three-time WPIAL champion in the 50-yard freestyle as well as 100 back. She set the state record with a 52.90 time in winning the 100 back at the 2024 PIAA championships.
Additionally, Matheny’s scholastic team is on the rise again as Nazar Zouskovski already is a WPIAL champion in the 100-yard freestyle. The sophomore helped the Panthers sweep the event as Kaitlyn Connors also won the 100 during the finals held Feb. 29 and March 1 at the University of Pittsburgh’s Trees Pool. Zouskovski and Connors, a Duquesne University freshmen, both earned two medals in their individual events at the PIAA championships.
Zouskovski also helped the USC boys finish runner-up to NA in the team competition, thanks to winning the 400 free relay and adding seconds in the medley and 200 free relays.
Ryan Frank of Mt. Lebanon provided the other swimming highlights. During the regular season, Frank took down the Blue Devil pool record held by Matheny before going on to capture the gold medal in the 100-yard breaststroke during the WPIAL championships. A Carnegie-Mellon University freshman, Frank was the recipient of the WPIAL Scholar-Athlete Award due in part to his 5.3 GPA as well as National Honor Society and Cum Laude Society membership, not to mention an additional pool record in the 200 medley relay.
Days after the Summer Olympics closed, the Paralympics commenced and Eric McElvenny from Bethel Park competed in the triathlon event. The former Marine officer placed ninth in the PTS4 division. It was his second Top 10 finish in the international event, having placed sixth in the 2020 Games in Tokyo.
Finally, another USC graduate, Savannah Shaw made her debut in the U.S. Olympic Team Trials for track and field held in Eugene, Oregon. The 2018 Observer-Reporter and Almanac Female Athlete of the Year competed in the 5,000-meter run held at Hayward Field but did not advance out of the qualifying heats.
PROMISING PROS
While Paul Skenes cemented his place in MLB baseball lore with his pitching debut with the Pittsburgh Pirates, grabbing National League Rookie of the Year status for his 11-3 record, 19.6 ERA and 170 strikeouts, several South Hills athletes made an equal impression in the professional world.
David Shields of Mt. Lebanon grabbed the headlines locally when he signed an MLB contract with Kansas City on July 22. The Royals had selected the 18-year-old southpaw in the second round of the amateur draft held July 14-16 in Fort Worth, Texas. He was the 41st overall pick. The son of Kevin and Marcia Shields had been a University of Miami recruit before making the decision to turn pro.
Despite battling a bout with mononucleosis, the 6-foot, 210-pound pitcher dominated the mound this past spring, posting a 5-1 record with a 0.96 ERA and 63 strikeouts in 35 innings. He batted .383 and started in centerfield for the Blue Devils, who advanced to the WPIAL finals for the second year in a row.
In two seasons as a starter, Shields compiled an 11-3 record that featured 169 strikeouts in 102 2/3 innings and included a no-hitter in the 2023 district finals and a stellar showing in the PIAA state final. Shields was Pennsylvania Gatorade Baseball Player of the Year as well as The Almanac/Observer-Reporter baseball MVP for two years in a row.
While another Mt. Lebanon product, Austin Kitchen, signed with the Miami Marlins on June 25 after being designated for assignment by the Colorado Rockies, Mason Miller made his mark in the American League. The Bethel Park native, like Skenes, made history when he recorded a 103.6-mph pitch during the MLB All-Star Game played July 16 in Arlington, Texas. Miller also became the last pitcher to throw a pitch at the Oakland Coliseum on Sept. 26 and finished with 2.49 ERA and 104 strikeouts for the Athletics this fall.
In the professional football ranks, Justin Watson became a Super Bowl champion for the third time in his career when the Kansas City Chiefs beat the San Francisco 49ers in overtime, 25-22, on Feb. 11 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. The South Fayette High School graduate caught three passes for 54 yards, including a 25-yard clutch catch in the pivotal fourth quarter. He also recovered a second-quarter fumble to help the Chiefs win back-to-back titles.
Watson, 27, won his first Super Bowl ring with Tampa Bay in 2021. Ironically, the Buccaneers beat the K.C. Chiefs, 31-9.
In hockey, Christian Humphreys was drafted by the Colorado Avalanche during the seventh and final round of the 2024 NHL Draft held June 28-29 at the Sphere in Las Vegas. The Peters Township native attended development camp before heading to the University of Michigan, where he is committed to play for the 2024-25 seasons. Humphreys played the past two seasons with the U.S. National Team Development Program, scoring 58 points on 23 goals and 35 assists with the U18 team and 43 points with the U17 club.
GO GIRL, GO
THE WPIAL held its first championships for female wrestling and also the PIAA approved flag football as a new spring sport for female athletes.
Valarie Solario from Canon-McMillan became the first district as well as state champion in girls’ wrestling. Several other area grapplers earned medals at the WPIAL finals and gained PIAA berths.
Bethel Park, Mt. Lebanon and Upper St. Clair sported flag football teams this spring. The district and state teams received sponsorship from the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Philadelphia Eagles.
PT ON PAR
In addition to clinching a sixth straight section banner, Peters Township won its third straight WPIAL title for girls golf with a 317 score to outdistance NA by 36 strokes on Oct. 10 at Cedarbrook Golf Course in Belle Vernon.
During the Class 3A team tournament played Oct. 23 on the White Course at Penn State University, the Lady Indians also claimed their second straight PIAA state championship when they outlasted Manheim Township, clinching the crown only after a successful four-hole playoff.
Ellie Benson, who was the WPIAL individual champion, birdied the final hole to seal the victory. Benson carded a 75 during regulation while Sophia Severns and Brooke Vowcheck followed with 76 scores. Betty Glyptis and Gabby Catalogna rounded out the competition for the Lady Indians, who completed an undefeated season.
On the boys’ side, South Fayette finished runner-up to North Allegheny in the WPIAL and the PIAA. The Lions finished two strokes behind the Tigers at states. Sam Bishop led the Lions. He submitted the best score of the match with an 8-under 64 that included nine birdies. Brady Newman shot 74, and Randy Fisher and Jackson Stephens each shot 76. Noah Nickolas finished with a 79.
Individually, Colton Lusk from Peters Township captured the WPIAL Class 3A title. Lusk shot a 4-under-part 67 on the fabled Oakmont Country Club on Oct. 1 to clinch the championship. He shot a 74 in the first round played at Southpointe Golf Club.
MILESTONE MAKERS
Danny Holzer, Mike Ermer and Brian Kattan hit personal milestones as coaches for their respective teams.
On Dec. 10 after a 57-42 win against Norwin, Holzer recorded his 500th career victory as the Upper St. Clair High School boys’ basketball coach. He is only the 21st coach in WPIAL boys basketball history to reach 500 career wins. Holzer has guided the Panthers to four WPIAL district crowns in 1996, 2005, 2021 and 2024.
Earlier this year, the Panthers beat Baldwin, 64-41, to capture the Class 6A crown. During the game played March 2 at the Petersen Events Center, Tyler Robbins led the way with 22 points, 12 rebounds and five blocked shots.
USC lost to Central York, which went on to win the state title, in the PIAA playoffs and finished 22-6 overall.
Ermer and Kattan both won their 200th games as lacrosse coaches at Mt. Lebanon.
When the Blue Devils beat rival USC on May 1, Ermer became the first skipper in the history of WPIAL lacrosse to reach the mark. Kattan entered the 200-victory club this season with an 11-10 triumph over the Panthers.
The Mt. Lebanon boys and girls both captured WPIAL titles on May 23 at Joe Walton Stadium on the RMU campus. The boys defeated North Allegheny, 15-10, while the girls beat Pine-Richland, 16-11.
Quinn Murdoch scored four goals in the girls triumph while Morgan Daniels, Sarah Hudak and Lucy Pryor registered hat tricks. Nora Austin and Grace Goslin completed the scoring.
In boys’ wins, Miles Halter had six goals and three assists. Sullivan Kish, Fred Lasota and Jack Estabrook had two goals each while Joey Hetz, Luke Prezioso and Keegan Green tacked on single tallies. Brody Lockwich had 10 saves.
While the Lebo girls lost to Conestoga on June 8, 18-7, to end its season at 20-1, in state quarterfinals, the Lebo boys finished 18-5 overall after falling to Garnet Valley, 17-8, in the quarterfinals on Jun8 at Panzer Stadium on the PSU campus.
In other lacrosse action, the Chartiers Valley girls finished runner-up in Class 2A to Mars, falling to the Planets, 14-6, in the championship match on May 23.
The South Fayette boys’ historic season ended with a loss to Mars, 20-10, in the PIAA state semifinals played June 11 at North Allegheny. The contest was a rematch of the WPIAL final, which the Planets won, 16-5.
SF finished 21-3 with a WPIAL runner-up trophy and final four appearance in the state for a program instituted in 2016.
HOOP HYSTERIA
For the third year in a row, South Fayette captured a WPIAL title in girls’ basketball. The Lady Lions claimed the Class 5A title when they dispatched Armstrong, 70-63, at the Petersen Events Center. Juliette Leroux led the way with 18 points. Haylie Lamonde and Erica Hall both contributed 17 tallies. Lainey Yater dished up six assists to go along with nine points.
South Fayette lost to Oakland Catholic, 48-28, March 13 in the PIAA playoffs to end its championship season.
Bethel Park was a surprise entrant in the boys’ postseason. The Black Hawks lost to Moon, 67-51, in the PIAA Class 5A quarterfinals on March 15 at Chartiers Valley.
In January, three Peters Township players surpassed the 1,000-point plateau in their careers.
In a 59-55 overtime win against Bethel Park, Gemma Walker scored a game-high 22 points. The milestone came off a layup with more than a minute left in the first quarter. Natalie Wetzel assisted on the fast break and then Walker assisted on Wentzel’s 1,000 point, which came less than a week later. On Jan. 30, Jack Dunbar scored 19 points, including his career 1,000th in a 79-23 win over Connellsville
STREAK SNAPPED
For the first time in 38 years, Chartiers Valley won a Penguins Cup. During the PIHL Class A title tilt, the Colts came from behind to edge Greensburg Salem, 2-1, in overtime on March 19 at the UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex in Cranberry. Tyler Held scored the game-winning goal at 1:42 into overtime. Romeo Isoldi scored the equalizer at the 10:49 mark in the third period.
CV’s 23-1 season ended in the state finals played March 23 in Havertown. The Colts squandered a 2-0 advantage provided by Noah Callender, who led all of Class A in scoring with 30 regular-season goals, and lost to Hershey, 4-2.
Peters Township and South Fayette were toppled in the PIHL playoffs. The Indians lost to Pine-Richland, 4-2. The Rams used a three-goal, third-period to oust the Indians on March 11 at the RMU Island Sports Center. SF lost to Penn-trafford, 4-3, in the first round of the PIHL playoffs March 4. The Lions were Penguins Cup and state champions last winter.
KICKS FOR KIDS
South Fayette and Peters Township dominated the pitch. The Lady Lions won their second straight WPIAL soccer title when they blanked Fox Chapel, 4-0, in the Class 3A final played Nov. 2 at Highmark Stadium.
Mia Deramo scored the first and final goal while Gabby Beinecki and Emma Ferrari provided the other tallies. Caitlyn Thompson earned the shutout in goal. She made six saves as Fox Chapel outshot the Lady Lions, 12-4.
South Fayette’s championship season came to an end when the Lady Lions dropped a 1-0 decision to Mars in a PIAA Class 3A quarterfinal soccer match played Nov. 9 at Newman Stadium on the North Allegheny High School campus. The Lions finished 20-4 overall.
In the Class 4A final, Cailin Martin converted the decisive penalty kick during a shootout that enabled Peters Township to beat Seneca Valley for its third WPIAL title in girls soccer.
Marina Hajnosz and Camryn Klein scored the other goals for the Lady Indians during the shootout.
Peters Township’s season ended in the first round of the state playoffs when they lost in a shootout to Central Dauphin to finish their season at 19-1-1. Julia Spergel scored two goals for the Lady Indians.
NETTERS WIN
Mt. Lebanon won its second team tennis title in three seasons when the Blue Devils upended defending champion Bethel Park, 3-2, on Oct. 17 at the Swanson Tennis Center on the Washington and Jefferson College campus.
Lebo dominated the doubles action when Sylvie Eriksen and Sarah Stroh combined for a win over Cassie Sierka 7-5, 6-1, and Allie Garcie and Maggie Meehan dispatched Amelia Lancet and Sara Walters.
Michell Yang sealed the win with a victory at No. 2 singles against Mackenzie Smock, 6-3, 7-5. Cami Fisher and Julia Gobbie won at No. 1 and 3 singles for the Black Hawks
Individually, Yang and Jackie Tang combined to win the WPIAL Class 3A doubles title in tennis with a straight set win, 6-4, 6-0, over Shady Side Academy’s Brooke Henderson and Alexandra Merkel. The duo finished runners-up in the state. The Lebo juniors Michelle Lerman and Anya Zubenko from Council Rock South in straight sets, 6-2, 6-4, in the PIAA championship match played Nov. 2 at the Hershey Racquet Club.
In other tennis action, Fisher was a third-place finisher in singles in the WPIAL and a PIAA qualifier. Upper St. Clair’s tandem of Ronan Gibbons and Ari Plutko finished runners-up in the WPIAL boys doubles.
ON THE RUN
Logan St. John Kletter of Mt. Lebanon won the 1,600- and 3,200-meter events at the WPIAL Class 3A championships for the second straight spring. She shattered the WPIAL record in the 3200 winning in 10:19.78. May 15-16 at Slippery Rock University. She went on to win both at the PIAA championships May 24-25 at Shippensburg University. She clocked a personal-best time of 4:38.54 in the 1600, fastest time ever by a WPIAL runner and won the 3200 in 10:21.46, 12 full seconds ahead of runner-up Morgan Roemer from DuBois.
Olivia Renk from South Fayette won the 100-meter dash in 12:05. She won the 200 meters in 24.87. Renk anchored the 4×400 relay to a silver medal.
In cross country, South Fayette finished third in the Class 3A team finals held Oct. 24 at White Oak Park with 128 points. North Allegheny won its seventh straight title and Norwin finished runner-up. Freshman Angela Zeng led the way, finishing fourth overall with a personal best time of 18:16.10.
South Fayette finished eighth overall in the team standings during the PIAA championships held Nov. 2 in Hershey. Zheng was 28th overall.