Ray Fisher stories, Page 16
New leaders emerge, hope to keep Bethel Park boys soccer on top of section
The Bethel Park boys soccer team racked up a 13-0-1 record in section play and ended up 15-3-1 overall in 2023. What can the Black Hawks do for an encore? “It will be very difficult to replace our strong senior core from last season,” coach Doug Fink said, “which included...
Sewickley notebook: Quaker Valley girls soccer holding teams off the scoreboard
Some recent highlights in the Sewickley Herald coverage area: • Quaker Valley’s girls soccer team didn’t allow a single goal in its first five games of the season. The Quakers blanked Ambridge, 8-0, Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, 7-0, Keystone Oaks, 5-0, and Hopewell, 3-0, and played to a...
Basketball, track experience set up Quaker Valley hall of fame inductee for success in life
Bobby Farrington, a 1982 Quaker Valley graduate, was known for his basketball and track skills as a high school athlete. However, the QV Sports Hall of Fame inductee provided a list of prominent people in his life, and they all were academic influencers. • Martha Ridgeway: “She always challenged me...
Softball skills take Leetsdale teen on trip to Italy
Mya Eshenbaugh can now say she has played softball on an international level. The 14-year-old Eshenbaugh, a Leetsdale resident, traveled with family members Aug. 7-17 to Italy to compete against club teams and visit several cities. Eshenbaugh’s team was made up mainly of girls from the upstate New York, ages...
Under new coach, Sewickley Academy girls soccer looks to take next step
Gary Weber has a compelling background in soccer and is resolute when it comes to his favorite sport. Weber, first-year coach of the Sewickley Academy girls soccer team, competed on the pitch at Shaler, Mercyhurst and with the Beadling Soccer Club. He has been coaching soccer for 30 years. “I...
3-sport standout to join Quaker Valley Sports Hall of Fame
Rick Ruperto was a three-sport standout at Quaker Valley, excelling in football, basketball and track and field. He graduated in 1992 and has been chosen this year as an inductee into the QV Sports Hall of Fame. “Being selected for the QV Sports Hall of Fame is an incredible honor...
Eden Christian girls soccer hopes to turn making playoffs into a habit
Eden Christian Academy was a WPIAL playoff qualifier in girls soccer last season. The Warriors are determined to repeat their postseason posture again in 2024. “Last season, we were able to make it to the playoffs, something that hadn’t happened for a few years,” coach Alex Davis said. “We are...
New head coach sets goal for Quaker Valley boys soccer to be last team standing
Some of the names have changed, but the forecast remains the same in the Quaker Valley boys soccer program. Sean Ryan is in his sixth year of coaching QV soccer; this is his first season as head coach. “Expectations at Quaker Valley are always high,” said Ryan, who has taken...
Sewickley Herald notebook: Quaker Valley athletes playing at college level
Quaker Valley’s 2023-24 senior class is well-represented with athletes continuing their careers at the next level. The following 2024 QV graduates are competing or will be competing in college athletic programs this year: • Katie Blackmer (diving) — Idaho • Ellie Cain (track & field) — Washington University at St....
Quaker Valley girls soccer counting on chemistry to make season memorable
Maggie Behun and Rachel Loudermilk successfully coexist as co-head coaches of the Quaker Valley girls soccer team. They provide a wholesome example of team unity in developing strategy for the QV girls. Behun believes the outlook is promising for this year’s team. “We have a young group of girls who...
Sewickley Herald notebook: Basketball teams get new section homes
The WPIAL recently released new section alignments for the next two-year cycle in all sports. In boys basketball, Class 4A lost five teams and switched from four sections to three. Quaker Valley and Avonworth moved from the defunct Section 4 into Section 2, where they will join Ambridge, Beaver, Central...
With top players back, Sewickley Academy girls soccer looks for 3rd straight playoff berth
The Sewickley Academy girls soccer team is aiming for a trifecta in 2024. The Panthers are looking to land in the WPIAL playoffs for a third consecutive season and for the fourth time in five years. Sewickley is led by a new face to the program as Gary Weber has...
Brentwood hopes to compete for playoff spot in coach’s 2nd season
It was a somewhat inauspicious debut for Brentwood coach Nick Caponi. His Spartans football team didn’t win its first game last year until mid-October and finished 2-8 overall. “Our motto this year is ‘Win in the Dark.’ It’s something our defensive coordinator, Jake Thomas, brought up at a staff meeting....
Seton LaSalle looking to maintain momentum after .500 campaign
Seton LaSalle made a dramatic improvement as a team in 2023. The Rebels upgraded from a 0-10 record in 2022 in coach Tim Storino’s first year as field boss to a 5-5 overall mark last season. The Rebels made significant improvements on both offense and defense, going from scoring 114...
‘Queens of the ‘Burgh’ volleyball tournament grows in popularity in 2nd year
The Sharks dominated at the second annual Queens of the ‘Burgh girls volleyball tournament. The event took place Aug. 2-3 at the All American Field House in Monroeville and was open to all incoming high school junior and senior girls for the 2024-25 school year. The Sharks beat last year’s...
Quaker Valley Rugby Club takes root as sport’s popularity grows
There’s a new sport in town that’s been growing at a steady pace. Sean O’Neill of Sewickley Hills is co-founder of the Quaker Valley Rugby Club, which is partnering with the Premier Youth & Community Center in Sewickley. “We just started the club earlier this year with a meeting with...
Quaker Valley senior has WPIAL golf championship in his sights
Ethan Dai finished as the WPIAL Class 2A runner-up in boys golf last year. Dai, a senior, certainly would like to take that next step to an individual championship this season. However, he’s all about a team-first mentality. “My personal goal for this year is to help take my team...
After gaining experience, Quaker Valley looks to take step forward
The 2023 season was a tough grind on a young Quaker Valley football team, much like 2022. After finishing 1-8 two years ago, the Quakers ended up 1-9 last season. They were 1-5 both years in the Class 3A Western Hills Conference. The aim now is to utilize the Quakers’...
Thomas Jefferson in position to continue program’s championship tradition
The legacy continues for the Thomas Jefferson football program as Bill Cherpak begins his 30th year as head coach. Cherpak has a 309-56 career record to rank behind only Jim Render (406) and Joe Hamilton (342) in wins among WPIAL football coaches. “We have always strived to be a program...
After reaching PIAA tournament, expectations high for Quaker Valley girls volleyball
The Quaker Valley girls volleyball team is looking to hit the jackpot this season. “I’m looking forward to getting started with this group,” coach Mike Vavrek said. “It’s always fun to see the newer girls compete and work every day. As long as they continue to develop, I think we...
Quaker Valley to induct dominant 1968 football team into hall of fame
The 1967 football team was inducted into the Quaker Valley Sports Hall of Fame in 2017. It is only appropriate for the 1968 squad to also receive HOF recognition. Quaker Valley’s talented 1968 football team will be honored for its achievements and inducted into the HOF. The QV Sports HOF...
Ahead of senior tennis season, Quaker Valley’s Kristen Close hosting empowering women program
A free program entitled “Empowering Women Around the World” will take place at 6:30 p.m. Monday at the Sewickley Valley YMCA Walter J. Brannon Community Center. MePower United of Sewickley, Women of the Cloud Forest of Pittsburgh and Local Women’s Handicraft of Nepal will present the program. Kirsten Close, Amy...
Loaded with experience, Bethel Park sets championship goals
Bethel Park was in the fight for first place all season in the Class 5A Allegheny Six Conference in 2023. Same as the previous year, the Black Hawks ended up tied for second with Upper St. Clair and Moon with a 3-2 record in conference play. Despite going 4-7 overall,...
Baldwin aims to change fortunes with turnaround season
Baldwin has not reached the football postseason since 2019. Since then, the Fighting Highlanders have generated records of 2-3, 2-8, 1-9 and 1-9. They are hoping they are able to change their fortunes on the gridiron this year, although it may prove to be an uphill climb. Dana Brown had...
New coach set to lead Sewickley Academy boys golf team
Sewickley Academy’s Severin Harmon is the reigning WPIAL Class 2A champion in boys tennis. He’d like to add another prestigious title to his resume this fall, joining Sewickley grads Jason Li (2015), J.F. Aber (2019) and Tim Fitzgerald (2020) as WPIAL individual golf champions. “Personally, my goal is to improve...
