Cliff Wysinger had a big game on Saturday as the Madisonville Miners picked up a big win over the Hoptown Hoppers.

Wysinger was 3-for-4 and drove in four as the Miners beat the Hoppers 14-3 to take over first place in the Ohio Valley League standings.

Wysinger’s biggest hit was a three-run homer to left as part of a nine-run fifth inning that put Madisonville in control.

Check out the round-tripper in this Max’s Moment.

People-Tag: Cliff Wysinger

It’s hard to believe, but with the publication of the spring sports all-league teams and photos today another high school sports season is just about in the books. All that is left on the schedule is the Spokane Youth Sports Awards on Tuesday, one of the coolest nights of the year for dozens of exceptional young athletes.

This was my eighth full season as high school editor for the paper (along with my other duties covering the Spokane Indians and Chiefs), and like every year, I was able to witness and chronicle some astounding individual and team efforts in the Greater Spokane League and across Eastern Washington.

I told sports editor Ralph Walter when he hired me full time that I would stay on the job until it was no longer fun. Lucky for him (and me, and I hope you), I still consider this to be the best job in the world.

And though occasionally there are long days or frustrating moments or tight deadlines or tricky interviews or an infrequent disgruntled parent, I still love what I do and the fact I get to watch and write about sports for a living. And considering my health scare 15 months ago, I’m incredibly lucky to still be at it.

So without further ado, let’s take a look at some of our personal highlights of the past season. And don’t worry – fall practice starts in just 10 ½ weeks and we’ll do it all over again.

Fall sports

It was a record-breaking football season in the Greater Spokane League, with two long-standing marks broken – one a single-game achievement, one a career record – in the same game. Central Valley’s Beau Butner broke a 2003 record for rushing yardage in a game, running for 367 yards (with six touchdowns) in a 66-35 win over Ridgeline.

In the same contest, Ridgeline’s Brayden Allen had seven catches for 111 yards with two TDs. He moved past Shadle Park’s Tanner Pauly into first place in career receiving yards and finished his career with 2,741. Allen graduates as the league’s all-time single game (17), season (90) and career (275) receptions and career receiving touchdowns (40) leader.

The GSL honored longtime University Athletic Director Ken VanSickle, naming the league’s annual slowpitch softball rivalry night under the lights at Merkel Sports Complex the “Kenny V Classic,” in recognition for his induction into the state’s AD hall of fame and his dedication to championing the sport of slowpitch.

Freeman girls soccer went undefeated with a state title and boasted the highest-scoring player in the state regardless of classification – junior Rylee Russell, who scored 66 goals, good for No. 2 in the nation.

Lewis and Clark boys cross country won the State 4A title despite not having a runner place in the top 12 – but each of its top five finished within 14 seconds of each other.

Ridgeline volleyball won the school’s first team state title, knocking off perennial state contenders Mead and Mt. Spokane in league to earn the top seed to state before downing second-seeded North Thurston in the final.

New coach. New quarterback. Only one senior among the skill positions. No problem, as Gonzaga Prep football went undefeated until a state semifinal when they led No. 1 Camas until late in the fourth quarter.

Winter sports

Perhaps the final “The Fitz” tournament at Lewis and Clark kicked off the region’s high school basketball season.

University’s Libby Roberts finished her high school career just like she started – in dominant fashion, winning her fourth consecutive state title and leaving a legacy for girls wrestling in the region and state.

Garfield-Palouse sophomore Kaydence Kivi thrives on the basketball court (and anywhere else), despite being born without a left hand.

Gonzaga Prep’s Matty McIntyre has had his share of high-profile players and talented squads. But none exemplified “team” as much as the 2024-25 version, which rode its defensive toughness and willingness to share the ball to McIntyre’s fourth State 4A title in 16 seasons.

McDonald’s All-American and state Gatorade player of the year Brynn McGaughy and Central Valley knocked off four-time defending champion Garfield en route to the storied program’s seventh state title in 10 trips. Earlier in the winter, the school inducted the Hull twins and their state-title winning teams into the Bears’ “Wall of Fame.”

The Northwest Christian girls basketball team didn’t have a coach a week before the season started. The Crusaders ended up as state champions.

The Greater Spokane Showcase, featuring the Denny Humphrey and Jack Blair Memorial all-star games, allowed league rivals an opportunity to play as teammates and produced two competitive, high-level basketball games.

Spring sports

Mt. Spokane’s Brayten Ayers was named GSL baseball MVP for the second straight season. His graduation this year closes out a special era in the Mt. Spokane baseball program.

Cheney distance runner Cameron Frenk brushed off his brain tumor removal as “just another obstacle” and just barely missed qualifying for state.

East Valley fastpitch softball team showed out, going from 6-13 last year to winning the district title and coming one game away from reaching state.

Locals did remarkably well at state track again, highlighted by Mead’s Simon Rosselli setting new marks in discus, Mt. Spokane’s Kade Brownell finally reaching the top of the podium, Rogers’ Brady Krebs winning a state title in high jump in his first year in the sport, and Josie McLaughlin of St. George’sending her storied high school career with 13 track and field gold medals.

Though it won’t ease the pain of the terrible tragedy for his family or the Northport baseball community, it was a tremendous gesture that retiring North Central coach Curly Rousseau named the Mustangs’ Dawson Baribault as starting pitcher for the all-state baseball feeder game last week, and even better that the senior and three-time league Northeast 1B MVP was one of 10 selected to the the all-state games in Yakima this month.

By: Ray Fisher


Sunday, June 8, 2025 | 11:01 AM

Several senior student-athletes at Sewickley Academy were honored May 21 at its spring awards banquet.

Severin Harmon (golf, tennis) and Katherine Varghese (soccer, track and field) were named as the Most Outstanding Male and Female Athletes.

Cooper D’Antonio (cross country, track and field) landed the Stan Partenheimer Sportsmanship Award while the Kate Dresher Sportsmanship Award went to Marie Bigi (softball, soccer, tennis, basketball).

Nolan Donnelly (basketball, baseball, golf) and Quincy Sirko (softball, soccer, track and field, basketball) were lauded as the Most Outstanding Male and Female Contributors.

Eden senior medals

Eden Christian Academy senior Lara DeFazio capped her high school track and field career as a PIAA medalist.

DeFazio finished fifth in the girls high jump at the PIAA Class 2A championships May 23-24 at Shippensburg University.

The versatile Eden Christian athlete also placed 10th in the triple jump and 12th in the long jump at the state meet.

One other PIAA qualifier for the Warriors was senior E.J. DiVito in the boys triple jump event.

DeFazio earned her second WPIAL gold medal in the long jump after previously winning in 2023.

DeFazio landed in first place in the long jump at this year’s WPIAL finals with a leap of 18-06.50.

Group promotes lacrosse

Sewickley Valley Lacrosse (SVLAX) is a nonprofit lacrosse association conducted for the Quaker Valley School District and surrounding communities.

It was started in 2004 and is run under the umbrella of the Quaker Valley Recreation Association.

SVLAX was formed to encourage early participation in and enthusiasm for lacrosse through age-appropriate instruction for boys and girls in first through sixth grade.

Both spring and fall programs are held. All programs are funded by registration fees, donations and the support of volunteers.

The Sewickley Valley Lacrosse operating committee consists of Judy Windle (president), Matt Chapman (vice president), Emily Bauersmith (program director), Tessa Chapman (secretary) and Devin Fisher (treasurer).

Quaker Valley’s boys middle school program for seventh and eighth graders also is run through SVLAX.

QV record breakers

Did you know that the Quaker Valley boys 1,600-meter relay and 3,200-meter relay teams and senior Davin “Macky” Gartley (300 hurdles) rewrote the record book at the WPIAL Class 2A track and field championships this year?

The 1,600 relay team, consisting Gartley, sophomore James Irwin and seniors Jackson Pethel and Clark LaLomia, posted a time of 3:22.36 while the 3,200 relay team — Pethel, Lalomia, junior River Capek and sophomore Jonah Montagnese — snapped the 2A record in 7:51.89. Riverside held the 1,600 record (3:24.26) since 2018. QV set the 3,200 mark (7:57.16) in 2012.

Gartley won with a 38.15 performance in the 300-meter hurdles, shattering the 2A district record established in 2012 by Washington’s Dustin Fuller (38.50). Gartley also reset the school record.

Both relay teams retained their WPIAL titles while Gartley, who won the 110 hurdles event in 14.36, was a four-time medalist. He was joined on QV’s third-place 400 relay team by senior Winston Clifford, Irwin and sophomore Kieran Cain.

Gartley holds three school records and has won seven gold medals in WPIAL track and one gold in cross country in his accomplished career.

Eden takes 3rd

The Eden Christian Academy (15-5) and Greensburg Central Catholic (17-3) baseball teams combined for 32 wins before meeting in the WPIAL Class A consolation game May 28 at Ross Memorial Field at Washington & Jefferson.

The Warriors defeated GCC, 10-2, to land the No. 3 seed for the PIAA playoffs; GCC received the fourth seed.

No. 2 Eden blanked No. 10 Avella (6-0) and lost to No. 6 Carmichaels (4-3) in the district postseason.

Both Eden and GCC won their section this spring, with the Warriors sharing the Section 3-A crown with Serra Catholic and Bishop Canevin and GCC finishing first in Section 1-A.

Tags: Quaker Valley, Sewickley Academy

River Falls senior Quin Andrews finished as the state runner-up in the Division 1 boys’ 800 meter run to headline a list of area athletes who reached the awards podium on the first day of the WIAA State Track and Field Championships in La Crosse Friday.

It took a state-record setting performance by Homestead junior Jay Tally to defeat Andrews. Tally set a new state record with a time of 1 minute, 51.21 seconds while Andrews was second in 1:52.49. Hudson junior TJ Pennycook also reached the podium in the race with a sixth place time of 1:53.73.

Andrews’ classmate Ty Bauschelt stood on the podium for the second straight season after clearing 6-feet, 6-inches to finish in a three-way tie for fourth place in the high jump. He cleared the same height last year to place third. Aiden Dyskstra of Germantown won this year’s title with 6-9.

Andrews and Bauschelt also teamed up with senior Jack Silloway and sophomore Charlie Burke to qualify for Saturday’s finals in the 4×400 meter relay with a time of 3:19.27, the fastest time in the 24-team field.

The New Richmond boys 4×200 meter relay team will also run in Saturday’s finals after earning the ninth and final qualifying spot in Friday’s prelims with a time of 1:28.77.

New Richmond senior Genna Gretzlock reached the podium in the girls discus with a fifth place throw of 128-08, while Tiger sophomore Miley Covey qualified for the finals in the girls 400 meter dash with a time of 58.57 seconds, seventh fastest of the 24 competitors in Friday’s preliminaries.

Earlier Friday in the Division 2 portion of the meet, St. Croix Central junior Matthew Goossens qualified for Saturday’s finals in the boys 400 meter dash with a time of 50.34 seconds.

FAIRFAX – On Saturday June 7, the No. 2 seed BFA-Fairfax Bullets solidified their run to the semifinals D3 softball contest by beating the No. 7 seed Fair Haven Slaters 12-6. They will be playing against the winner of the No. 3 seed Thetford vs. No. 6 seed Burlington/Winooski teams on Tuesday, June 10.

The Bullets came to play in this quarterfinal matchup, especially on the defensive end. They started off the first three innings with three up, three down defense. There were exceptional defensive efforts by Anna Villeneuve, Halle Rocheleau, Peyton Niles, Kiera Manning, and Jaiden Thweatt with impressive in field outs.

In the first inning the Slaters held the Bullets to a tied 0-0 game. But after a bomb of a double by Villeneuve, bringing in two RBIs, Fairfax’s momentum shifted in their favor. They tacked on a total of fuve runs in the second inning, including an impressive steal home by Niles.

In the third inning, the Bullets continued to dominate and tacked on two more runs, bringing the game to 7-0. Fairfax showed excellent patience in their at bats, capitalizing on walks and letting the bats fly on strikes. Niles and Summer Boutin each had an RBI.

In the top of the fourth, a home run by Bella Oberkira brought in an RBI for Fair Haven, bringing the score 7-2. Fairfax ended the half-inning with three in field outs and battling once again with the bats.

Tatum Gaudette showed poise on the plate and walked on base. This allowed a powerful opening for Bella Meade who hit a triple to tack on another RBI and further stole home. The Bullets edged ahead 9-2.

At the top of the fifth, the Slaters showed tenacity and grit, opening the door for another chance to take back the game. They added three more hits and two more runs. Luckily, Niles had an incredible double play, tagging out a runner on the way to second and throwing out the batter at first. This was a clutch moment for the Bullets.

Rocheleau hit an incredible double, tallying another run on the board for the Bullets. Fair Haven closed out the inning with two fielded outs and a strikeout.

The Bullets made quick work at the top of the sixth with three outs. They came out with fire at the bottom of the inning, scoring two more runs. Niles had an explosive hit of a triple, adding to the lead and closing out the offense 12-4.

The Slaters threatened to take back the game by adding two more runs to the scoreboard, but the Bullets drove home the win. Impressive defensive efforts were made by Gaudette, Villeneuve, and Niles, ending the game in a 12-6 victory for the Bullets.

BFA-Fairfax head coach Frank Drury spoke of the team’s effort: “It feels good to get a win against a good team. We’ve been working all week towards this game and it paid off today. Our next focus is on the winner of the Thetford vs. Burlinton/Winooski teams because either of those teams will be tough to beat. We look forward to playing them next!”

Villeneuve spoke of the team’s commitment to prepare for the game: “We worked incredibly hard this week with four days in a row of focused practices and an unexpected rainout yesterday. We’ve been preparing for this team, because we knew it wasn’t going to be easy and neither is the next one, so we need to keep this up.”

As one of the seniors, Villeneuve spoke about her excitement for the continuation of the season: “It feels pretty stinkin’ good to be going to the semis! We made it to the semis last year, and I would love to keep it going all the way to the championship!”

Rocheleau pitched a complete game for the Bullets, earning the win in the circle. She allowed nine hits, five strikeouts, and three walks. She also contributed to the offensive end taking three walks, one double, and one RBI. Villeneuve had impressive defensive efforts, creating four outs in the game from shortstop, along with Niles who had six outs in the game from second base.

Bella Mead had an impressive offensive game with a triple, two singles, an RBI, and two runs scored. Thweatt was crucial, walking every at bat and having three runs scored. Mannings and Boutin each contributed a single with a combined three runs scored.