In track and field, the WPIAL Class AA’s top five places automatically qualify to compete in the state championships.

Sports Town congratulates all of the WPIAL’s track and field champions and state qualifiers.

Best of luck to all of you at the PIAA State Championships (Shippensburg University, May 24-25).

The following lists do not contain relays. They do provide a by-zone snapshot of the top individuals attending the state-level competition:

100-meter dash

Essence Barron, New Brighton, 12.69

Anthony Keriotis, Beaver, 11.23
Dravon Henry, Aliquippa, 11.41

track

In track and field, the WPIAL’s top four places automatically qualify to compete in the state championships.

Sports Town congratulates all of the WPIAL’s track and field champions and state qualifiers.

Best of luck to all of you at the PIAA State Championships (Shippensburg University, May 24-25).

The following lists do not contain relays. They do provide a by-zone snapshot of the top individuals attending the state-level competition:

100-meter dash

Lauren Costa, West Allegheny, 12.27

800

Alexis O'Shea, West Allegheny, 2:15.04

Chris Culley, Moon, 1:56.35

track

There are few things Blackhawk junior Brendan McKay hasn’t done on a baseball diamond. Last week, he pitched a one-hitter in defeating Mars 2-0. The lefthander struck out 16 in the win, walking just one.

In his previous two starts, McKay had set a school record with 18 strikeouts and pitched a no-hitter.

As a string of success, that stretch would be hard to match but McKay’s most unique achievement may have been in the fourth inning of the game against Mars. In that inning, McKay struck out five Mars batters.

athlete

baseball

West Allegheny lost its first two section games this season, but quickly found its footing and earned a playoff spot. The Indians have now won 11 of the final 13 games and cruise into tonight’s WPIAL Class AAA semifinal against section rival Hopewell with momentum.

In the regular season, the teams split with Hopewell winning 7-0 and West Allegheny 4-3 with both teams winning on the road. Tonight’s game will be a neutral site at the Burkett Complex.  The Burkett Complex, however, is a familiar setting for both teams as Montour plays its home games there.

baseball

On Wednesday, Nick Kocent played a flawless third base as Our Lady of the Sacred Heart defeated Union 5-1 at Pullman Park in Butler to extend the Chargers’ baseball season.

At the plate, Kocent drew a walk as OLSH had 16 baserunners in six innings and Preston Falascino limited Union to five hits and struck out nine.

The win was OLSH’s 17th straight, dating back to an exhibition loss in South Carolina on March 23 and guaranteed the Chargers at least two more games. OLSH will play a semifinal today against California at 4:00 at the Burkett Complex and either the championship or a consolation game that will determine the third PIAA Class A team from the WPIAL. Those games will be next week.

baseball

Hopewell cruised through the regular season with a 17-3 record, earning the second seed in the WPIAL Class AAA playoffs. In the regular season, the Vikings scored nine runs or more in 12 of their 20 games but, in the first round, Hopewell edged out 15th seeded Derry 1-0 on a seventh inning run.

In the next round, though, the bats came alive. The Vikings banged out 12 hits in a 13-3 win over section rival Blackhawk. Stefan Mrkonja led the win with seven strikeouts and no walks in five innings while accumulating a double and two singles at the plate.

baseball

Name: Austin Logan
High School: Beaver
Grade: 12
Sport: Baseball

athlete

baseball

Ambridge sophomore pitcher Kelly Haslett pitched well beyond her years this season and she continued that tradition in the playoffs. Haslett tossed a no-hitter in a first-round win over No. 14 Laurel Highlands (7-10) on Tuesday in a WPIAL first-round matchup.

Haslett was able to induce ground balls when need be and for the most part kept the ball in the infield while also striking out seven. It was only the second time Laurel Highlands had been shutout this season.

athlete

softball

There was much discussion among coaches in Class AA Section 5 that Beaver Area was one of the best young teams in the WPIAL and that the Bobcats could surprise some teams.

It took all of one game for Beaver to surprise some teams, one in particular, No. 4 seeded Seton-LaSalle (12-2). The No. 13 seeded Bobcats (11-6) upset the Rebels 10-3 in a WPIAL first-round contest.

softball

The next base-runner Riverside senior pitcher Kirsten Wilson allows this year in the playoffs, will be the first.

Wilson and the No. 3 seeded Panthers (16-0) got off to a perfect postseason start with a 10-0 dismantling of No. 14 Bentworth (9-9) behind a perfect game from Wilson.

softball

Below is a review of the West posts that appeared Sunday, May 12 through Friday, May 17. We're also including links from the previous Saturday (May 11).

Saturday, May 11
* Both Moon lacrosse teams experience growing pains
* Blackhawk only West team in WPIAL girls' lacrosse playoffs

Sunday, May 12
* Sports Town West Week in Review (May 5-11)

Monday, May 13
* Alumni Update: Brad Kubis (Bethany)
* Alumni Update: Olet Stasko (Westminster)
* Alumni Update: Jasmine Blackwell (Waynesburg)
* Alumni Update: DJ Chisom (Slippery Rock)
* Alumni Update: Derrik Zeroski (California University of Pennsylvania)
* Alumni Update: Ben Rawding (Gannon)

reviews

It's become a common site for Blackhawk High's girls lacrosse team to look down the sideline and see a familiar foe enjoying the fruits of yet another victory.

It happened again this season when Chartiers Valley, the No. 7 team in Laxpower.com's girls rankings for teams in Western Pennsylvania celebrated two more victories over the Cougars by scores of  11-6 and 13-8. The two teams meet for the third time in the WPIAL Division II girls semifinals at 6 p.m. Tuesday at Chartiers Valley High School. The winner advances to Thursday's championship game against either Shaler or the winner of Friday's first-round game between Hampton and The Ellis School.

lacrosse

Name: Trent Munk
High School: Ambridge Area
Grade: 12
Sport: Boys Volleyball
Position: Middle Hitter

volleyball

Cara De Carlo's feature on the Aliquippa boys' 4x100-meter relay team:

"Last year at the WPIAL track & field championships, the Aliquippa boys' 400-meter relay team didn't just cross the finish line -- they obliterated it.

The Quips took first with a record time of 42.28 seconds in 2012. Today, they'll return to the championship starting line at Baldwin High School with all but one of those 2012 record-setters.

"We've been together [on the relay] for a while," Aliquippa track coach Sherman McBride said."

track

John D' Abruzzo's feature on Freedom's Dee Dee Adams:

"DeeDee Adams isn't worried about fatigue.

A senior distance runner from Freedom Area High School, Adams is just going to clear her mind and run today ... a lot.

Adams plans to pull off quite the feat this afternoon by competing in four events during the WPIAL Class AA individual track and field championships at Baldwin High School. Adams will be penciled in to compete in the 800-meter, 1,600-meter and 3,200-meter runs as well as participate as a member of Freedom's 1,600-meter relay team."

track

Malik Vincent's feature on New Brighton's DiQuan Ambrose:

"One thing that New Brighton boys track and field coach Matt Suber was quick to point out about DiQuan Ambrose is that he's versatile.

He said he can put his senior standout anywhere in the Lions lineup and that he "usually does well in every event."

Though proven to be the aforementioned -- and then some -- Ambrose hasn't been paying much attention to what he brings in that aspect. His one and only focus for the season is to qualify for the PIAA championships later this month.

"He just fell out of the top five last year [in the triple jump]," Suber said. "He finished sixth and has been somewhat disappointed since.""

track

John D'Abruzzo's feature on the OLSH baseball team:

"Personal statistics are basically just a bunch of numbers to Preston Falascino.

Sure, this senior pitcher/shortstop for the Our Lady of the Sacred Heart baseball team is both excited and proud of his individual accomplishments during the regular season, but he also believes his stats mean nothing if the Chargers aren't winning.

"Winning as a team is what matters," said Falascino, who lives in the Banksville neighborhood of Pittsburgh. "Stats are one thing and that's personal, but what our team accomplishes and our current winning streak is what's really important."

Behind Falascino, OLSH rode a 15-game winning streak into the postseason and captured the Section 5-A title with a perfect 10-0 record."

Nick Tolomeo's feature on the Sto-Rox softball team:

(Photo: Bill Palermo, recognized by his team last year after coaching his 700th game, is considering retiring when this season ends. Matt Freed/Post-Gazette.)

These were taken at last Thursday's (May 9) track team championships. Look for these athletes (and many others) to return to Baldwin's track tomorrow to stake their place in the WPIAL individual championships.

track

Aliquippa runners are headed back to WPIAL championships tomorrow. They’ve never needed a track to be fast.

“Right now we do hill workouts,” said Aliquippa head track coach Sherman McBride. “We run the relay up hills. Sounds difficult, but that’s what we do. We do a lot of hill work, because there are a lot of hills in Aliquippa.”

Aliquippa is located west of the city, where the Ohio river seems to meet the mountains in a sheer drop-off. The Quips are unintimidated by such geography…

Many are familiar with Aliquippa’s tradition in the 400-meter relay, and the 2013 squad is no exception to the tradition. Hassahn Thompson, Dravon Henry, Malik Shegog, and Shaquere McBride are out to win the WPIAL in the event. They want a trip back to the state meet, and a gold medal from the PIAA.

track