Ray Fisher stories, Page 28
Senior scorer steps up during Quaker Valley playoff run
Maria Helkowski had a memorable run in the WPIAL playoffs for the Quaker Valley girls basketball team. The gritty 5-foot-6 senior guard was the Quakers’ leading scorer in all three games, a 52-39 win at home over Knoch in the Class 4A quarterfinals, a 51-40 loss to Blackhawk at North...
Ruby Olliffe, Quaker Valley divers have strong showing at WPIAL meet
Quaker Valley’s Ruby Olliffe repeated as the WPIAL Class 2A runner-up in girls diving. The sophomore diving specialist placed second to North Catholic’s Maggie Foley with a 477.65-point total at the WPIAL finals Feb. 24 at North Allegheny. “It was an incredibly competitive meet. Every girl there came prepared with...
Quaker Valley boys see remarkable season end with playoff loss to Belle Vernon
The section champion Quaker Valley boys basketball team had a tough draw in the first round of the WPIAL Class 4A playoffs. Really tough. The Quakers, who shared the Section 4-4A championship with South Allegheny and received the No. 7 seed for the playoffs, lost to visiting Belle Vernon, 81-55,...
Hempfield spirit squad ‘performed better than ever’ in winning national title
Diligence and dedication help define the Hempfield competitive spirit cheer program. Hard work, determination and desire also prove valuable. The WPIAL and PIAA champion Hempfield cheerleaders won a game day varsity national title for the first time in school history, taking first place in the Super Varsity Division I game...
Seniors help Quaker Valley girls swim team capture 4th straight section title
Nine seniors were recognized Feb. 16 for their contributions and dedication to the Quaker Valley swim program. Five girls were lauded: Ella Fuener, Zoey Murawski, Emma Smith, Tia Pethel and Hope Linge. On the boys team, Alex Wagner, Spencer Wiehe, Ashton Ragoowansi and John Shillingsburg were the honorees. “The goal...
Quaker Valley girls look forward to playoff test against Knoch
There’s no knocking Quaker Valley’s quarterfinal-round playoff opponent. QV’s girls basketball team, which received the No. 4 seed and a first-round bye, will clash with No. 5 Knoch at home Feb. 24 in the WPIAL Class 4A tournament. The Knights (15-8) scooted past No. 12 Hopewell, 53-21, Feb. 21 in...
Delmont coach shares her love of gymnastics
Renee Ruggeri, the original and sole owner of Ultimate Gymnastics in Delmont, has devoted almost her entire life to the sport she loves. She went from a hall-of-fame gymnastics career to a hall-of-fame coaching career. “The success I have had in my almost 40 years of coaching has been aided...
Baldwin Hall of Fame gymnast Renee Ruggeri shares her love of the sport through coaching
Renee Ruggeri, the original and sole owner of Ultimate Gymnastics in Delmont, has devoted almost her entire life to the sport she loves. She went from a hall-of-fame gymnastics career to a hall-of-fame coaching career. “The success I have had in my almost 40 years of coaching has been aided...
Father-daughter duos take over Baldwin softball program
The timing is ideal. The Baldwin softball program is highlighted by a unique coaching situation in 2023. Baldwin has not one but four new coaches for the spring season: two pairs of fathers and daughters. Ron Santillo, 51, has taken over as head coach and is assisted by his daughter...
Quaker Valley wrestler Logan Richey joins elite company
Quaker Valley senior Logan Richey joined an elite group of wrestlers at his school Feb. 1 with his performance at the WPIAL Class 2A team tournament. Competing at 145 pounds, Richey recorded his 100th career victory via a pin at the 3:35 mark against Jefferson-Morgan’s Grant Hathaway. The talented QV...
Quaker Valley bounces back from skid in time for Penguins Cup playoffs
Quaker Valley’s youthful hockey team snapped out of its funk Feb. 9 with an impressive 8-4 win against North Catholic. The victory temporarily propelled the Quakers past North Catholic in the PIHL Class A Gold Division standings. “Given the youth of our team, including the seven freshmen, I am very...
WPIAL Hall of Fame induction a bittersweet moment for Bethel Park’s Emily Carter
Emily Carter seems like a humble person. In the pool, she became resolute. Thanks in large part to her talent and tenacity as a Bethel Park swimmer, Carter will be inducted into the WPIAL Hall of Fame this spring as part of the 2023 class. She competed for four years...
Bethel Park sophomore earns high marks at WPIAL rifle championships
Bethel Park’s Freddy Mach proved to be a top marksman at the WPIAL rifle championship Feb. 9 at the Dormont-Mt. Lebanon Sportsmen’s Club in Canonsburg. Mach, a sophomore who was born in Japan, finished as the WPIAL runner-up with a score of 200-18x and five center targets in the co-ed...
Group effort helped Hempfield competitive spirit team defend PIAA title
It was another stirring performance for the Hempfield competitive spirit cheerleading squad. The high-energy Hempfield cheerleaders captured their second consecutive team championship in the PIAA Class 3A large varsity division Jan. 27-28 at Giant Center in Hershey. Hempfield coach Suzannah Mayer was ecstatic about the Spartans’ performance in the two-day...
Returning coach helps Quaker Valley divers reach new heights
Quaker Valley diving coach Becca Kirby witnessed their extraordinary potential years ago. Kirby coaches the QV divers, particularly star pupils Ruby Olliffe and Ruby Krotine, both sophomores, and junior Katie Blackmer. Back in January 2017, Kirby started a youth diving program through the Sewickley Valley YMCA. “Katie Blackmer and Ruby...
Junior sharpshooter Joey Coyle helps keep Quaker Valley boys among WPIAL elite
Joey Coyle has helped maintain the winning tradition in the Quaker Valley boys basketball program. Coyle is a 6-foot-1, 175-pound junior guard and the team’s leading scorer this year, averaging 17.7 points per game. He also leads the Quakers in steals. “My biggest influences in my basketball career are the...
Larry Troutman finds ‘perfect situation’ with Leechburg softball program
Larry Troutman believes he is in an ideal situation. Troutman was hired in early October as coach of the highly touted and record-setting Leechburg softball program. “I am extremely excited about the opportunity to represent Leechburg School District and the Leechburg community,” he said, “and I look forward to the...
Olivia Kovach is 1st Mt. Pleasant gymnast to make WPIALs in a decade
The last time Mt. Pleasant was represented in gymnastics, Olivia Kovach was an infant. Brittany Ruggeri was a WPIAL medal winner for Mt. Pleasant in 2011 and ’12. Now 14 years old, Kovach now is a highly competitive freshman gymnast. And what a remarkable representative she has been. Kovach is...
Quaker Valley girls coming together for stretch run
After a sluggish start, the Quaker Valley girls basketball team quickly picked up steam this season. The Quakers won 11 of 13 games to end the month of January with a 6-1 record in Section 2-4A and 13-6 overall. “I’m pretty pleased with how the team is playing,” QV coach...
Quaker Valley divers preparing for WPIAL, PIAA championships
A trio of skillful Quaker Valley divers has laid the foundation for a potentially prodigious high school career. The QV girls competed Jan. 28 at the Beaver Bobcats Diving Invitational against many of the top divers in Western Pennsylvania. Repeating their performance at last year’s PIAA Class 2A championships, QV...
Quaker Valley boys exceed expectations to challenge for section title
A section title still was within grasp of the Quaker Valley boys basketball team in games at the end of January. The defending WPIAL champion Quakers were tied with South Allegheny atop Section 4-4A with a 6-1 record. QV ended last month 11-5 overall; SA was 15-2. “We have shown...
Candid Close-up Q&A with WPIAL Hall of Fame inductee Tom Pipkins
Tom Pipkins was a fearless performer when he hit the basketball court during his heyday at Valley, and later Duquesne University. Utilizing his impressive athleticism and an adept shooting touch, Pipkins racked up a WPIAL record 2,838 points from 1989-93 during a highly successful basketball career at Valley. The previous...
Behind 2 Allegheny County champions, Quaker Valley wrestlers continue strong season
Two highly skilled Quaker Valley athletes shared the winner’s spotlight at the Allegheny County wrestling championships Jan. 20-21 at Fox Chapel. Brandon Krul took first place in the 127-pound weight division, as the QV senior competed with a flurry, pinning all five of his opponents and earning the award for...
After WPIAL runner-up finish, Thomas Jefferson spirit squad ready for states
The Thomas Jefferson cheerleaders took it up a notch this season. After finishing as the runner-up in the small squad division a year ago, the TJ varsity competitive spirit cheerleaders capped their regular season by taking first place in their division at the WPIAL championships Jan. 7, at Hempfield. The...
Longtime Thomas Jefferson soccer coach earns postseason honors
His career coaching stats are indeed impressive. Michael “Doc” Kulish has been a soccer phenomenon as head coach of the Thomas Jefferson boys program. He has coached in 636 games and compiled a 417-183-36 record. That’s a lot of soccer and a lot of wins. The Jaguars finished 17-3 in...
