Josh Rizzo stories, Page 33

Having another year together has done the Shaler girls lacrosse program a lot of good. Missing out on a trip to the playoffs helped bring everyone together. “Our biggest strength is teamwork,” Titans coach Ali Nicholas said. “We work well as a team. Last year, a lot of the girls...

Ryan Shank doesn’t spend time thinking about being exhausted after Shaler lacrosse matches. Without a deep roster, the Titans’ veterans play long minutes. Shank, a senior defenseman, is no different in that respect. What all Shaler players have developed is an ironman approach. “It’s about having the mentality,” Shank said....

There will be no break for the Shaler baseball team this season. Before entering Section 2-5A play last Monday against Moon, Titans coach Brian Junker wanted to prepare his players for what would be a tight playoff chase. During a five-game stretch to open the season, Shaler took on three...

Matt Osten and the North Allegheny boys lacrosse team have a strong baseline to guide them. The Tigers’ system provides a solid foundation for an offensive attack. Making North Allegheny’s attack special relies on each player bringing his own personality. No two players approach each situation the same way. During...

North Allegheny girls lacrosse coach Harry Datz didn’t need much time to diagnosis what made the Tigers’ offense more potent. Behind seven goals from Old Dominion recruit Brooke Ferringer, the Tigers opened the season with a 19-9 win over Franklin Regional in their season opener. It was the most goals...

Trapper Crain knows the Shaler boys volleyball team isn’t likely to overpower opponents. The 5-foot-10 junior outside hitter wants the Titans to set the pace. For Shaler to extend its streak of making the WPIAL playoffs to a third year, the Titans plan on moving quickly. “During preseason, we did...

Shaler junior Dalton Kalbaugh is in position to make his accomplishments a seasonal affair. Heading into the outdoor track season, Kalbaugh will try to be the only member of the Titans’ track and field team to reach states in cross country, indoor track and outdoor track. Kalbaugh qualified for the...

Tom Sorce didn’t want any hopeful Shaler softball players doomed by the pressure of a 72-hour performance. The second-year coach let all 36 players who tried out know conditioning and weightlifting would be a part of the process. Sorce said he felt people bought in. “That was the extraordinary part,”...

The Shaler unified bocce team wrapped up its season last Wednesday at the state championships in Hershey. The Titans lost their two matches in pool play to North Penn Liberty and Henderson. “The experience at states was a thrill for athletes, partners and families,” Shaler coach Gina Chmielewski said. “We...

Participating in tennis in some form was always a likely choice for Shaler sophomore Cam Szazynski. Szazynski enjoys watching Rafael Nadal, viewing matches on television and keeping up with old and new players. Pedigree also had something to do with Szazynski picking up the sport about two years ago. “My...

Rob Niederberger does everything possible to get the Shaler boys basketball team exposure to different styles during the summer. That strategy helped the Titans make their first appearance in the PIAA playoffs in seven years an eventful one. Shaler took District 10 champion Meadville down to the wire before losing...

Shots didn’t fall for North Allegheny girls basketball in the second round of the PIAA Class 6A playoffs. While the lack of offense led to a 41-32 defeat against defending state champion Upper Dublin last Tuesday at Chambersburg, it didn’t change much for the Tigers. North Allegheny, which led its...

Former Shaler hockey standout Zac Lynch is headed back to the ECHL’s Wheeling Nailers. Lynch was recently released following a six-game stint in the AHL on a professional tryout contract with the New York Ranger affiliate Hartford Wolf Pack. Hartford released Lynch on March 5 after he recorded seven shots...

James Bernick, a freshman at Slippery Rock, joined the Shaler unified bocce team during its first season last year with an eye on the future. Bernick liked the values sports can teach and wanted to focus on getting a teaching degree with an emphasis in special education. The Titans didn’t...

Everything played out according to “the script,” according to North Catholic girls basketball coach Molly Rottmann. By taking down Central Valley, 75-57, on Friday night at Pitt’s Petersen Events Center, the Trojanettes won their third straight WPIAL Class 4A title and 19th in the school’s history. Carrying the weight of...

Ryan Sullivan’s final performance as a Shaler wrestler was heart-wrenching and dramatic. Fifteen seconds into his 120-pound Section 3-AAA championship match against Pine-Richland’s Kelin Laffey at Fox Chapel, Sullivan broke his hand. “He gutted it out,” Titans coach Drew D’Agostino said. The defending state champion and Pitt recruit found a...

Cam Mbalo made sure the Shaler track and field team received one more accolade before the season ended. With a leap of 45 feet, 9 inches, Mbalo broke his own school triple-jump record and set a personal best to land on the medal stand with a seventh-place finish at the...

Reyna Garvey’s WPIAL gymnastic routine was a collaborative effort. The North Allegheny freshman had to execute all of the tricks but wasn’t alone when it came to preparation. “I would write down the skills I have, what I need to add and what might look better for the judges,” Garvey...

Shaler swimming coach Keith Simmons wanted every opportunity for his athletes to qualify for the WPIAL Class AAA swimming championships. Going to the last-ditch meet at North Allegheny was an opportunity to try to get a few kids through to swim at Pitt’s Trees Hall. Lydia Nebiolo, Isabella Cercone, Jenna...

Navigating the regular season is a grind. So is finding a path through the WPIAL Class 5A boys basketball playoffs, Shaler coach Rob Niederberger said. However, Shaler extended its postseason stay by toppling McKeesport, 76-60, on Feb. 18. It was the Titans’ first playoff win since 2012. Shaler played defending...

Sincere Carry knocked down a 3-pointer, grabbed the gray waistband on his red shorts before giving his hips a swivel near midcourt. The Duquesne freshman point guard let everyone know 91 seconds into Saturday’s game at Palumbo Center that it wasn’t going to be a typical Dukes game. “The dance...

The Shaler unified bocce team scored its first-ever victory last Wednesday at Montour. The Titans defeated the Spartans, 2-1, and will have their first scheduled home match Feb. 22 against Hampton. Shaler’s program is part of the Interscholastic Unified Sports program sponsored by the Special Olympics in Pennsylvania. The teams...

Listing all the accomplishments earned by the seniors on the North Allegheny swim team would have likely lasted longer than its meet last Wednesday against North Hills. A list of team accomplishments pops off the page as the Tigers prep for the WPIAL championship, which begins Feb. 28 at Pitt’s...

Overstating the importance of Sincere Carry’s absence from the Duquesne men’s basketball team Saturday at Palumbo Center would be difficult. Dukes coach Keith Dambrot beat everyone to the punch following the Dukes’ 80-74 loss to VCU. Dambrot made sure to put a qualifier in front of the comparison to avoid...

Luce Duritza’s climb didn’t come by scaling the mountain all at once. The 5-foot-11 forward for the Marietta women’s basketball team had to make gradual progress. As a senior at Shaler, Duritza had her season end when she tore her ACL in the opener. As a college freshman, Duritza was...