By:

Josh Rizzo


Saturday, June 21, 2025 | 11:01 AM

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The Shady Side Academy girls basketball team took a crushing loss in the WPIAL Class 3A championship game. The Bulldogs also lost their 6-foot-2 forward Cassie Sauer for their run through the state playoffs.

But Shady Side Academy was able to pull itself together and move on to the PIAA Class 3A title game for the first time in school history. The Bulldogs lost 55-43 in the final to Loyalsock Township.

Shady Side Academy made it to the final in part to the brilliance of Karis Thomas.

Thomas, who went over 1,000 points for her career during the season, scored 21 points in the PIAA semifinal to propel the Bulldogs past OLSH.

A memorable season for the girls basketball team was one of multiple highlights in Shady Side Academy sports in the 2024-25 school year. Here is a look at some others:

Relay team cruises

The Bulldogs girls track team put together a distance relay squad that racked up wins nearly everywhere it went this spring. At the WPIAL Class 2A championships, the Bulldogs were able to set a school record and bring home a gold medal.

Rhyley Bendel, Charlotte Barker, Sarah Kushnir and Ella Van Norman finished with a time of 9:34.10.

“The training prepared us well for the quadruple that Rhyley Bendel and I did at WPIALs,” Van Norman. “The way the events are structured, it’s perfect for the order we prioritize the events. We go all out in the relay, that’s our No. 1 priority because we do that for each other.”

The group finished fifth at states.

Jochims wins WPIAL crowns

Shady Side Academy sophomore swimmer Ava Jochims won the WPIAL Class 2A title in the 200-yard IM with a time of 2:00.09. She also finished first in the 500 free with a time of 4:54.22.

Strong first impression

Bulldogs freshman Javon Johnston placed third in the WPIAL in Class 2A in the triple jump with a leap of 21-11 and second in the triple jump with a distance of 44-1 to punch his ticket to states in two events.

Johnston finished fifth in the long jump at states with a leap of 22-2 ¼. He placed ninth in the triple jump with a distance of 43-9 ¾.

Boys soccer scares Avonworth

The Bulldogs reached the quarterfinals of the WPIAL Class 2A playoffs. Shady Side Academy lost 1-0 in overtime to eventual WPIAL runner-up Avonworth. TheBulldogs were 12-5-1 on the season, including 10-3-1 in Section 1-2A.

Shady Side beat Mt. Pleasant 2-0 in the first round.

Football brings back Geisler

The Shady Side Academy football team had a rough fall, finishing 2-8. The Bulldogs were able to lock up a commitment from a former great, Andrew Geisler, to take over as coach for next season.

Geisler graduated from Shady Side Academy in 2012 and played at Saint Vincent.

Tags: Shady Side Academy

Of all the great news Kentucky fans have been blessed to see this offseason, Otega Oweh‘s return takes the cake. Today, Otega Oweh will be enjoying some cake to celebrate his 22nd birthday.

No. 00 actually gave back before receiving a gift for his big day. He brought a giant check to a satellite camp at North Laurel High School, worth $40,000 to tornado relief efforts. On Saturday morning, he joined the Wildcats for another camp in Russell County.

Otega Oweh was outstanding during his first season at Kentucky. He scored in double figures in the first 26 games of the season. He led the team in scoring with 16.2 points per game. Josh Hubbard is the only player returning to the SEC with more points per game on his resume.

Oweh scored 20 points or more in 13 games. His most impressive performance was against his old team. In the middle of a dogfight in Norman, he put the team on his back and scored the final 18 points of the game, culminating with the go-ahead bucket in the final seconds. On the other end of the floor, he blocked a shot to secure the victory.

It wasn’t the only time he broke hearts in the state of Oklahoma. Facing off in the SEC Tournament, Kentucky had a nine-point lead with just over 90 seconds to play. Then they threw the ball away, time and time again. Oweh was the culprit of one of those crucial turnovers, and it helped give the Sooners the lead with 5.6 seconds to play. Oweh made up for that mistake by driving the length of the court to hit another off-balance game-winner.

That was fun. But we all know those plays were just a small snippet of what he provided during his first season at Kentucky. Daniel Hager has more than 50 minutes of Otega Oweh highlights. Drink ’em up.

More Kentucky News and Views on the KSR YouTube Channel

Kentucky Sports Radio has expanded its coverage of the Wildcats in the most ridiculous manner possible on our YouTube Channel. Here you will be able to find interviews with coaches and players, as well as commentary from the KSR crew. From Rapid Reactions following big events to our lengthy lineup of live shows, subscribe to the KSR YouTube Channel to stay up to date on everything happening around the Big Blue Nation.

Undefeated no more.

The Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox (4-2-1) handed the Brewster Whitecaps (6-1) its first loss of the Cape Cod Baseball League season after a 3-0 win at Red Wilson Field on Saturday.

Chris Hacopian (Maryland) hit a three-run home run in the bottom of the sixth inning, which proved to be the difference in a defensive battle.

Brady Hamilton (Wichita State), Tyler Pitzer (South Carolina), Jack Nobe (Xavier) and Bo Rhudy (Kennesaw State) combined for the shutout for Yarmouth-Dennis.

Both Hamilton (four innings pitched, two walks and three strikeouts) and Pitzer (three innings pitched, one walk and four strikeouts) gave up zero hits. Rhudy gave up just one hit in 1 1/3 innings of work to earn the save.

Tegan Kuhns (Tennessee) had a strong outing for Brewster as the starter. He gave up just three hits and struck out six batters in four scoreless innings. Camden Wimbish (North Carolina State) was dinged for five hits, three runs (all earned) in 1 1/3 inning in the loss. The Whitecaps pitching staff combined for 12 strikeouts.

The two teams combined to leave 13 runners on base and were 2-for-13 with runners in scoring position.

In other Cape Cod Baseball League action:

Hyannis Harbor Hawks 3, Cotuit Kettleers 1

The Harbor Hawks (4-2-1) were straight back in the win column with a win over the Kettleers (1-6) to maintain their spot atop the West Division standings.

Chris Rembert (Auburn) did all the damage for the Harbor Hawks with a pair of home runs. He hit a two-run shot in the top of the first inning and then smashed a solo homer for an insurance marker in the eighth.

Trey Beard (Florida Atlantic), Carson Jasa (Nebraska), Adam Troy (Pepperdine) and Ryan Speshyock (Stanford) combined for a three-hit shutout on the mound for the Harbor Hawks. Jasa picked up the win on the mound after he gave up zero hits and four walks to go with three strikeouts in 2 1/3 innings.

Speshyock picked up his second save of the season after pitching 1 2/3 scoreless and hitless innings. He struck out a pair of batters.

Luke Lavin (Stanford) drove in the only run for the Kettleers in the bottom of the second inning. Case Sanderson (Nebraska) collected a pair of hits as he went 2-for-3 with a walk and a run scored.

Reed Moring (UC Santa Barbara) dropped to 0-1 on the season after he gave up three hits, two runs (both earned), including a home run, and two walks. He struck out four batters.

Wareham Gatemen 4, Falmouth Commodores 1

After starting the season 0-3, the Gatemen (4-3) have won four straight games.

Kyuss Gargett (Kentucky) set the tone with a triple on his lone hit of the game, which drove in a pair of runs in the bottom of the second inning. Brayden Randle (Mississippi) and Kollin Ritchie (Oklahoma State) both then hit singles that tacked on two more runs to make it 4-0.

Antonio Morales (Wake Forest) scored the only run of the game for the Commodores (3-4), who were limited to just three hits. They drew seven walks but went 0-for-9 with runners in scoring position, and left eight men on base.

Both pitching staffs didn’t give up a whole lot with the two teams combining for just 10 hits.

Chase Richter (Arkansas State) struck out eight batters and gave up just two hits and two walks in 4 2/3 innings, while Kaleb Applebey (Austin Peay State) improved to 2-0 for the Gatemen. He walked three batters but gave up just one hit and one run (earned) in three innings.

Patrick Galle (Mississippi) earned his second save of the year after he pitched 1 1/3 innings of scoreless and hitless baseball.

Nebraska’s T.J. Coats dropped to 0-1 on the season after he allowed four runs (all earned) on four hits and three walks.

Orleans Firebirds 3, Harwich Mariners 1

Jordan Taylor (Stetson) hit a solo home run as the Firebirds (3-4) ended a three-game losing streak with a win over the Mariners (4-3).

Jonathan Mendez (UC Santa Barbara) helped overturn a one-run deficit in the bottom of the fourth inning as he drove in two runs on a fielder’s choice.

Auburn product Bristol Carter’s single in the top of the third served as the lone run for the Mariners.

Hits and runs were at a premium with the two teams as they combined 2-for-19 with runners in scoring position with 18 left on base.

Cole Tryba (UC Santa Barbara) picked up the win on the mound after he gave up just one hit in two innings of work in relief of San Diego’s Cal Scolari (four innings, two hits, one run, one walk and two strikeouts).

Steele Murdock (UC San Diego) picked up his first save after he allowed just one hit to go with two strikeouts in one inning.

Thomas Shurtleff (Pennsylvania) was on the losing side of the decision after he gave up two hits, two runs (both earned), three walks to go with three strikeouts in two innings.

Allen Gunn covers high school sports for the Cape Cod Times. You can contact him at agunn@gannett.com and follow him on X at @allentgunn.

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The 96th annual TCGA Amateur Championship continued Saturday with the second round at Endwell Greens Golf Course.

The top thirty spots, plus ties, makes the cut and advances to Sunday’s final round.

Leaderboard – After Two Rounds

(Total score to par after two rounds)

1. Justin Fiato (-2)

2. Luke Barney (-1)

3. Matt Maione (+1)

4. Keith Chesk (+4)

5. Nick Barney (+6)

6. Kyle Nedlik (+7)

t7. Matt Congdon (+9)

t7. Luciano Giammarino (+9)

t9. Mike Meleski (+10)

t9. Blaise Brixner (+10)

t9. RJ Juodaitis (+10)

To see the full leaderboard, click here.

The final round of the TGCA Amateur Championship tees off at 11 a.m. Sunday at Binghamton Country Club.