A look back at highlights and stories of a captivating year in high school sports

FARMINGTON – Journalists, particularly those who cover sports, are not supposed to show favoritism for one team over another.

As an old-school journalist, who was trained by a father who was an old-school journalist, I learned that lesson early. As a teenager and young adult who got his start writing about a sport entrenched in gambling, it was a hard lesson to remember.

Some 40 years later and I’m still a fan of sports, maybe more so now because I’ve seen so many of them, but my appreciation for the sport comes from a different angle.

I enjoy the ability to tell stories of things most people don’t get a chance to see. The games that might appear to have little if any impact on the outside world, but for a fanbase of a team or a supporter of a spot in the four corners in the middle of nowhere, they carry an enormous weight.

Being a new head coach of a high school team comes with it a great deal of responsibilities, not the least of which is knowing the team and the community around the team.

Sometimes, the community rallies around the coach. Other times, the coach finds himself the odd man out.

Nic Williams, hired just months earlier to take the reins as the head coach of the Aztec High football team, didn’t make it to the opening weekend of the prep football season. For reasons that still remain unexplained, the Tigers season was upended before it ever started, resulting in a winless campaign that hasn’t occurred in that town in nearly 40 years.

Mark Teel took over the head coaching duties of a Navajo Prep boys basketball team coming off a Class 3A state championship just a few months prior. And while the team ultimately fell short of repeating as state champions, there was a lot of pride from those players who left it all on the court as the season progressed.

One of my favorite games to cover during this recently completed high school sports year was a boys basketball game at Bronco Arena when freshman Kollin Brady capped off a Kirtland Central rally with a 3-point shot at the buzzer as the Broncos topped District 1-4A rival Aztec 56-53.

That win was the first of a four-game win streak within the district that seemed to give first-year head coach Isaiah Valdez a much-needed boost on a season that desperately needed one.

Bloomfield High School’s football team, led by an impressive performance from junior Peyton Duncan, earned their second Class 4A state title in three years. While the win was impressive enough, so was the massive turnout from fans of both teams on a chilly Thanksgiving weekend afternoon at Bobcat Stadium.

The game of the year in prep sports was one in which a local team came up a bit short, but it provided spectators, fans and writers alike a chance to see a truly fun event.

Junior running back Josh Manuelito scored five touchdowns and ran for 266 yards as the Piñon (Arizona) Eagles scored twice in the fourth quarter on the road to top Navajo Prep at home by a final of 36-32.

Despite having a 4-point lead with 9:32 to go in the final quarter, Navajo Prep allowed Piñon to run more than seven minutes off the clock before Manuelito scored to secure the victory.

Moments like those, when captured under a few towers of moderately bright lights, serve as reminders of why journalists do what we do.

Tell a story. Don’t become the storyteller.

At least that’s what one old-school journalist taught his son 40 years ago.

That’s all.

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MISSOULA, Mont. – Athletes from across Montana gathered in Missoula for the 2025 Class B and C State Track Meet, delivering impressive performances over two days of competition.

Avery Gerdes from Huntley Project clinched the girls 800 meters title with a time of 2:13.77, outpacing Choteau’s Natalie Hodgkiss and Loyola’s Ireland Johnston. In the boys 800 meters, Auston Schellig of Joliet secured victory, finishing in 1:53.79.

Shelbi Labrie from Whitewater dominated the girls 1600 meter race, winning in 5:10.02. TJ Chirrick from Roberts and Addi Lilyquist from Granite followed with silver and bronze, respectively.

Shaphan Hubner of Manhattan Christian took the boys 1600 meters, crossing the line first in 4:35.19. Prestyn Klatt and Trent Lane completed the podium.

In field events, Addyson Deal from Thompson Falls won the Class B girls javelin with a throw of 125 feet, 10 inches. Brynn Kammerzell of C-J-I claimed the Class C high jump, and Broadwater’s Kaitlyn Noyes excelled in the long jump with a distance of 17 feet, 10.75 inches.

Dane Grammer from C-J-I triumphed in the boys shot put, while Lustre Christian’s Johnslee Pierre dominated the long jump.

Red Lodge senior Nolan Evenson highlighted the meet by breaking the all-time Class B pole vault record. “Oh it feels great. I mean the perfect capstone to end high school,” Evenson said.

On Saturday, Jefferson’s Luke Oxarart took gold in the Class B shot put, and Fort Benton’s girls 4×100 relay team set a new Class C record. Loyola’s girls relay team won the Class B title.

Valley Christian captured the Class C boys 4×100, while Columbus won Class B. In hurdles, Jolee Klempel and Allison Gama claimed titles in their respective classes.

Jefferson’s Landon Richards won the Class B high jump, and sprinters Cambry Conradsen and Kaimea Dalke achieved multiple wins in their events.

Henry Kukowski and Trizten Avila swept the boys 100 and 200 in their classes, with Avila also winning the 400. In the triple jump, Brynne Hill and Ethan Stack took top honors in their categories.

Loyola swept both Class B team titles, while Manhattan Christian’s boys and Richey-Lambert’s girls won in Class C. The meet concluded with remarkable performances and personal bests from Montana’s top small-school athletes.

Track and Field first place finishers:

CLASS B BOYS

– 100 M, Trizten Avilia, Superior, 11.24 

– 200 M, Trizten Avilia, Superior, 22.00

– 400 M, Trizten Avilia, Superior, 50.05

– 800 M, Auston Schellig, Joilet, 1:53.79

– 1600 M, Auston Schellig, Joilet, 4:24.35

– 3200 M, Kyler Harris, Florence-Carlton, 9:34:08

– 110M Hurdles, Jackson Kuiken, Loyola, 15.36

– 300M Hurdles, Caleb Stosich, Sweet Grass, 39.55

– 4×100 Relay, Columbus, 43.43

– 4×400 Relay, Fairview, 3:25.01

– Shot Put, Luke Oxarart, Jefferson, 48-07.50

– Discus, Ryan Sharbono, St. Ignatius, 165-05

– Javelin, Jesse Day, Lincoln County, 180-11

– High Jump, Landon Richards, Superior, 6-06

– Pole Vault, Nolan Evenson, Red Lodge, 15-00

– Long Jump, Carson Nissen, Chinook, 21-05.25

– Triple Jump, Ethan Stack, Loyola, 44-03.75

CLASS B GIRLS 

– 100 M, Kaimea Dalke, Shepherd, 12.40

– 200 M, Kaimea Dalke, Shepherd, 25.33 

– 400 M, Avery Gerdes, Huntley Project, 56.52

– 800 M, Avery Gerdes, Huntley Project, 2:13.78 

– 1600 M, Natalie Hodgskiss, Choteau, 5:08.68

– 3200 M, Kyla Meissner, Broadwater, 11:19.17 

– 100M Hurdles, Allison Gama, Loyola, 14.80

– 300M Hurdles, Sophia Berry, Loyola, 45.05

– 4×100 Relay, Loyola, 49.01

– 4×400 Relay, Loyola, 4:03.20 

– Shot Put, Denvyr Tuss, Malta, 37-08.25 

– Discus, Alexis Deming, Plains, 128-09 

– Javelin, Addyson Deal, Thompson Falls, 125-10

– High Jump, Allison Gama, Loyola, 4-04

– Pole Vault, Ava Krings, Conrad 10-03

– Long Jump, Kaitlyn Noyes, Broadwater, 17-10.75

– Triple Jump, Avery Gerdes, Huntley Project, 37-00 

CLASS C BOYS

– 100 M, Henry Kukowski, Plentywood, 11.29 

– 200 M, Henry Kukowski, Plentywood, 22.29

– 400 M, Brayden McCoy, Valley Christian, 49.87

– 800 M, Shaphan Hubner, Manhattan Christian, 1:56.63

– 1600 M, Shaphan Hubner, Manhattan Christian, 4:35.19

– 3200 M, Dawson Parke, Drummond, 10:11.40 

– 110M Hurdles, David Chapman, Hot Springs, 14.80 

– 300M Hurdles, Johnslee Pierre, Lustre Christian, 39.55 

– 4×100 Relay, Valley Christian, 43.98 

– 4×400 Relay, Manhattan Christian, 3:26.93

– Shot Put, Dane Grammar, CJI, 47-11

– Discus, Dane Grammar, CJI, 157-11

– Javelin, Layne Duncan, Custer-Hysham, 170-11

– High Jump, Ricky Williams, Noxon, 9-09.25

– Pole Vault, Tanner Vick, Power-Dutton, 14-00 

– Long Jump, Johnslee Pierre, Lustre Christian, 21-11

– Triple Jump, Johnslee Pierre, Lustre Christian, 44-05.75

CLASS C GIRLS

– 100 M, Cambry Conradsen, Savage, 12.64

– 200 M, Cambry Conradsen, Savage, 25.64

– 400 M, Cambry Conradsen, Savage, 59.17

– 800 M, TJ Chirrick, Roberts, 2:19.18

– 1600 M, Shelbi LaBrie, Whitewater, 5:10.02

– 3200 M, Shelbi LaBrie, Whitewater, 12:03.78

– 100M Hurdles, Jolee Klempel, Richey-Lambert, 15.50 

– 300M Hurdles, Ali Doyle, Turner, 45.26

– 4×100 Relay, Fort Benton, 49.82

– 4×400 Relay, Belt, 4:10.10 

– Shot Put, Kaytie Aanstad, Scobey, 42-00 

– Discus, Lillian Boyd, Seeley-Swan, 147-09

– Javelin, Kennedy Simonson, Whitewater, 124-02

– High Jump, Brynn Kammerzell, CJI, 5-04

– Pole Vault, Mylee Reuter, Savage, 10-06

– Long Jump, Montannah Piar, Granite, 17-09.50 

– Triple Jump, Brynne Hill, Richey Lambert, 35-11.75 

CLASS B STATE TITLE CHAMPIONS

– Boys, Loyoola, 58 

– Girls, Loyola, 95 

CLASS C STATE TITLE CHAMPIONS 

– Boys, Manhattan Christian, 75 

– Girls, Richey-Lambert, 52

The Bangor Girls and Lewiston Boys Track & Field Teams won the River City Rivals Meet held on Saturday May 24th at Edward Little High School in Auburn.

Competing were teams from Bangor, Brewer, Edward Little and Lewiston.

The Girl’s Team Results were

• 1 – Bangor – 192
• Tied 2 – Brewer and Lewiston – 115
• 4. – Edward Little – 88

To see all the individual Girl’s events CLICK HERE

The Boy’s Team Results were

1. Lewiston – 203
2. Bangor – 128
3. Edward Little – 116
4. Brewer – 98

To see all the individual Boy’s events CLICK HERE

Congratulations to the following athletes who won multiple events

• Lauren Vanidestine – Brewer – 1st in 100 Meter Dash and 200 Meter Dash
• Jenni Flynn – Lewiston – 1st in 100 Meter Hurdles and 300 Meter Hurdles
• Josia Katroli – Lewiston – 1st in Long Jump and High Jump
• Ryker Paradis – Lewiston -1st in Shop Put and Discus Throw.

Nominations for the Athlete of the Week are now open for performances May 19– May 24. Please email your nomination to chris.popper@townsquaremedia.com, letting us know why the individual should be the Athlete of the Week. Please include stats, and make sure you indicate what school this individual attends, and what sport they’re playing! All nominations should be received by Sunday, May 25th. Voting for Week 6 will take place May 26th -29th with the winner being announced on Friday, May 30th.

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A dozen of the finest athletes will be honored with enshrinement into the Luzerne County Sports Hall of Fame when the organization holds its 41st annual induction banquet Sunday, June 8 at Mohegan Pennsylvania.

The inductees range from Olympic trial and champion swimmers, local and national field hockey luminaries, College World Series players, to volleyball, basketball and football standouts.

Inductees are: Steve Brezna, Hanover Township, Dave Shimshock, Plains Township and John Simonitis, Dallas, for football; Kristin Stretanski DePolo, Malvern, via Kingston; Stefanie Williams Moreno, Atlanta via Bloomsburg; and Stu Marvin, Bloomsburg, all for swimming and coaching.

Also, TJ Ziolkowski, Nanticoke, basketball; Sara  B. Myers, Wapwallopen; and Molly O’Malley Watts, Leesburg, Va. via Tunkhannock, field hockey; Dr, Jeffrey Craig, Shavertown; and Chris Mayerski, Dallas, baseball; and the late Monica Wignot, volleyball and basketball.

“This year’s inductees and honorees have performed with distinction on the local, national and international stage,” Jim Martin, hall of fame president, said. “Also being honored are individuals that write stories with pictures, beat the odds of physical limitations, and create a safe space for children to thrive and develop. These individuals are Frank Lauri, Chris McGavin and the late Anthony ‘Cooper’ Blaskiewicz.”

Festivities begin at 3 p.m. with a cocktail hour, followed by dinner at 4 and induction of nominees. Tickets are $70 for adults and $25 for children. Children 2-and-under are free. Tickets and program advertisements are only available through the organization’s website.

Steve Brezna

Brezna was a standout in three sports at Hanover High School — football, wrestling and baseball.

In football and baseball he earned all-conference honors as a senior while in wrestling he was a District 2 champion at 180 pounds as a junior and runner-up as a senior at heavyweight.

It was his play on the gridiron which would elevate him to the next level.

Penn State, then under legendary coach Rip Engle, was in pursuit of his talent and sent his assistant coach — Joe Paterno — to Hanover Township to lure him to Happy Valley. Engle would soon retire and Paterno would take over en route to a historic career.

After a redshirt year as a true freshman, Brezna returned and played on the Lions’ freshman team and the following year became the team’s punter. His junior and senior seasons (1968-69) would see the Nittany Lions go undefeated and play in back-to-back Orange Bowls.

Following graduation, Brezna returned to the area and began a teaching and coaching career at Hanover Area High School. He assisted Jim Moran in football and John Carr in wrestling and was the head coach of the Hawkeyes baseball team which won division titles in 1973 and 1974.

Jeffrey Craig

Craig experienced a stellar scholastic and collegiate career in baseball.

Now the director of special education in the Tunkhannock Area School District, Craig is a graduate of the former Bishop Hoban High School in Wilkes-Barre. He was a three-time All-Conference selection and earned the Most Valuable Player recognition in the conference in 2002. He was the key player in the Argents three WVC championships and a pair of District 2 crowns (2002-03).

He took his talent to Kutztown University where he was instrumental in the Golden Bears’ three Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference titles that included a Mid-Atlantic Region championship and a trip to the NCAA Division II College World Series in 2007.

He was named a PSAC all-star three straight seasons and, as a senior, was selected as Kutztown’s Scholar-Athlete of the Year. He also was named an Academic All-American by ESPN Magazine.

Craig remains in the Golden Bears’ record book with a top 10 showing in the following: career batting average (6th,.367); hits (4th, 211); RBI (6th, 136); doubles (4th, 48); home runs (7th, 17); and total bases (4th, 318). He also holds 10 single-season records: hits 73 in 2005 and 71 in RBI 55 in 2007) and 53 in 2996; doubles 17 in 2005; home runs, 9 in 2006) and total bases 113 (’06); 103 (’07) and 102 (05).

He received his masters and doctoral degrees in education from Wilkes University and resides in Shavertown with his wife Kate and four children.

Kristin Stretanski DePolo

Stretanski DePolo is one of the all-time greats in swimming in Northeast Pennsylvania.

From an age-group national qualifier at the Greater Wilkes-Barre YMCA to Villanova University, all Stretanski has done is win, including being the first swimmer in the state to become an eight-time champion at that level.

At Wyoming Valley West High School, she powered the unbeaten Lady Spartans to championships in the Wyoming Valley Swim League and District 2 all four years. At the District 2 championships she went undefeated in 16 events and her 1994 time of 24.03 time in the 50-meter freestyle still stands.

Stretamski went on to attend Villanova where, as a member of the 200 freestyle relay, qualified for the NCAA Championships. She was part of three relay teams (200, 400 and 800) which won Big East Conference titles. She also was named to the Academic All-American team all four years.

Stu Marvin

Marvin’s presence in five halls of fame sums up his swimming contributions in one word: extraordinary.

At Bloomsburg University, he was the Huskies’ first triple All-American award winner in 1975 and repeated it in 1977. He was an 11-time All-American while winning five Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference titles. He set six PSAC records and upon graduation held six BU records. He was an  Athlete of the Year three times and was inducted into the Bloomsburg Athletics Hall of Fame in 1990.

In addition to the Bloomsburg Hall, he also is enshrined in the Pennsylvania Swimming Hall of Fame, Broward County Florida Sports Hall of Fame, Upper Dublin High School Athletic Hall of Fame and the Florida Gold Coast Masters Hall of Fame.

He took over coaching duties at his alma mater in 2008, holding that post for 15 years. During his tenure, the women’s team achieved a .650 winning percentage in dual meets while the men posted a .613 percentage. They have a combined 13 runner-up finishes at the PSAC Championships and finished as high as 15th at the NCAA Championships.

Under his guidance, the Huskies produced 41 PSAC champions, 109 PSAC All-Conference awards, eight PSAC all-time records and six PSAC meet records – five for the men and one for the women. Marvin won a PSAC title with the men’s team for the first time in program history in 2021 and completed the first undefeated season in 2017. Marvin was named the PSAC Coach of the Year six times.

Chris Mayerski

Mayerski starred on championship teams in the Swoyersville Little League to his time at Wyoming Valley West High School to his time at Wilkes University, where he was one of the most feared hitters in the MAC Freedom Conference.

As a sophomore and junior for the Spartans he was an all-Wyoming Valley Conference second-team selection and was elevated to first team as a senior.

For the Colonels he finished with a .336 batting average and ranks in the top five in multiple offensive categories, including the top spot in home runs (36) and RBI (167). He is second in games played (146), at-bats (518) and total bases (344). He is fourth in hits (173), doubles (41) and triples (11).

He powered the Colonels sweep to the 2007 Freedom Conference championship with seven RBI.

Mayerski was four-time, All-Freedom Conference selection and in 2006 had the 10th best slugging percentage in the nation at .786.

A two-time team captain, he also was an assistant coach with the Colonels.

Stefanie Williams Moreno

Williams Moreno excelled as a swimmer from age-group to coaching at one of the country’s top universities.

Swimming for the Bloomsburg YMCA, she was a three-time national champion and was national record holder in the 50, 100 and 200 freestyles and the 100 backstroke. At  Bloomsburg High School, she never lost a scholastic race, including the PIAA Championships and powered the Panthers to the 1998 PIAA team title.

She set state records in the 50, 100 and 200 freestyles and also was a member of two relay teams, which won state titles.

She took her talents to the University of Georgia where she became a member of a three-time Southeastern Conference and NCAA Championship team, becoming a 28-time All-American. She captured two SEC championships in the 200 free and was an American record holder in the 200 and 400 relay teams and a 10-time SEC champion and four-time NCAA champion on relays. She also was a member of the USA national team that was a silver medalist at the 1999 Pan American Game, 2001 World Championships and 2003 World University Games.

As coach at Georgia, she has continued the Bulldogs swimming success with SEC women’s team titles in 2013, 2014 and 2015, while also winning NCAA team titles in 2013, 2014 and 2016.She was inducted into Georgia’s Circle of Honor, the university’s highest athletic honor.

Sara B. Myers

Myers began making her mark in field hockey at Crestwood High School where she was a three-year starter and helped the Lady Comets to three straight District 2 championships and PIAA playoff berths and was an Academic All-State selection.

She matriculated to Susquehanna University where she was a four-year starter and two-time MVP and Defensive Player of the Year. She led Susquehanna to the school’s first NCAA tournament berth, which advanced to the Elite Eight.

She began her coaching career at the University of Scranton and, in her first season, was named Freedom Conference Coach of the Year. She moved to Wilkes University in 2005 and, over a 10-year career, was twice named conference Coach of the Year and made conference playoff appearances in all 10 seasons, including being regionally ranked in 2008 and 2009.

At Wilkes, Myers garnered more than 100 victories and helped develop 36 all-conference players, six rookies of the year and two defensive players of the year.

She is in her third year as head coach at King’s College.

Myers resides at Wapwallopen with her husband Greg and daughters, Allie, Emma and Lane.

Dave Shimshock

Coughlin High School produced a number of great running backs over the decades, players like Joe Cunningham, Joe O’Donnell, Joe Perkowski, Jim Lazarski, Rodney Smith, Baldo Vinciarelli and Matt Walsh.

Dave Shimshock doesn’t take a back seat to those legends.

His football talents were recognized early as he started in the defensive backfield as a sophomore and recorded three interceptions and gained more than 250 yards and scored three touchdowns as a back-up running back.

He was elevated to the role of captain as a junior and was the featured running back with more than 1,000 yards rushing with 16 touchdowns, earning him a first team All-Conference selection.

As a senior, Shimshock led Pennsylvania with more than 2,000 yards rushing — a WVC record that held until Raghib Ismail came on the scene.

Shimshock’s heroics powered the Crusaders to an 11-0 record in the WVC and he was a first-team All-State and Big 33 Game selection. On defense he helped anchor a team which surrendered just 21 points.

Shimshock went to the College of the Holy Cross where he as a sophomore finished with more than 500 rushing yards.

He switched to strong safety as a junior and senior, finishing with four interceptions.

He is a senior wealth advisor at Wilmington Trust/M&T Bank. He and his wife Lisa reside in Plains Township and are the parents of two children and have one grandchild.

John Simonitis

John Simonitis joins a long list of terrific athletes from Dallas High School in the Luzerne County Hall of Fame with his exploits on the gridiron and basketball court.

In basketball, he was a two-time Wyoming Valley Conference first-team selection was was named MVP of both the AAU Basketball Tournament and the Crossin Christmas Holiday Classic.

It was on the gridiron where he made his mark.

Despite not playing football until his sophomore year, he quickly distinguished himself as a guard on offense and a tackle on defense. He was a two-time, first-team WVC selection, and was selected second team all-state as a junior and first team as a senior.

He took his talent to the University of Pittsburgh where, after a redshirt season, he started four seasons, including being named a freshman All-American. He was a team captain his junior and senior seasons and was a Big East All-Conference selection.

Molly O’Malley Watts

O’Malley Watts is one of Tunkhannock Area High School’s all-time greats.

She was a three-sport standout, earning 10 varsity letters, including four each in hockey and track and field.

She powered the Lady Tigers field hockey team to Wyoming Valley Conference titles in 1992 and, in 1994, was an all-state first-team selection along with being named the Most Valuable Player in the WVC.

In track, she captured six District 2 medals, including a gold medal in 1992 in the 800-meter run.

She took her talent to the Ivy League, keying Princeton to a 65-15 record in her four years. That run included three NCAA Final Four appearances, twice advancing to the championship game. She finished her career with 101 goals, tied for 10th all-time. She was a first-team All-American in 1998 and a three-time All-Ivy League selection and was a member of the Team USA Under-23 national team.

She and her husband Andrew, reside in Leesburg, Va., and are the parents of three children.

Monica Wignot

The late Monica Wignot was a two-sport star at both the scholastic and collegiate level.

At Holy Redeemer High School, she was a four-year starter in volleyball and basketball. In volleyball, she was a three-time Player of the Year in the Wyoming Valley Conference. She amassed more than 1,000 kills in leading the Royals to four WVC and District 2 championships and four appearances in the PIAA playoffs.

As a senior she was first in the state in kills and second in hitting and received national recognition by MaxPrep and the American Volleyball Coaches Association. Wignot nearly matched those feats in basketball, twice being named Player the Year and surpassing the 1,000-point milestone. She keyed the Royals to three league championships and one District 2 championship. She was a three-time All-State selection.

She played four seasons at the University of Pittsburgh in volleyball and added basketball as a graduate senior.

She had a career-best 368 kills as a sophomore and, as a junior, was named to the All-Big East second team.

Wignot joined the basketball team as a graduate student. She was the team’s second leading scorer and third leading rebounder. Her 83 blocks set a Pitt season record. The Panthers qualified for the NCAA Championship that year and won their first-round game before being eliminated by Tennessee.

TJ Ziolkowski

TJ Ziolkwski is one of the standout basketball players who, over the last eight decades, graced the hardwood from the Nanticoke Rams to the Greater Nanticoke Area Trojans.

As a two-year starter for GNA, he scored 986 points and is in the top 10 all-time in rebounding. He was a first-team Wyoming Valley Conference selection as a senior.

He attended Luzerne County Community College and became its first player to reach the 1,000-point milestone. His 1,369 career points tops the LCCC record book.

He was twice named to the EPCC All-Conference Team.

Ziolkowski transferred to Wilkes University for his junior and senior years and was a member of the Colonels’ 1998-99 Middle Atlantic Conference team that reached the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Division III tournament.

Originally Published: May 24, 2025 at 11:45 PM EDT

By:

Ted Sarneso


Sunday, May 25, 2025 | 11:01 AM

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The goal for the Chartiers Valley softball team every year is playing into June.

In the past four seasons, the team made it to the semifinal round of the WPIAL playoffs and qualified for the state playoffs.

This year, the team came up inches shy of making it five years in a row.

“We fought to the end,” said Colts coach Chris Lloyd. “We had bases loaded with a chance to tie the game, and it came down to a diving play.”

With Chartiers Valley trailing by three in the top of the seventh inning with the bases loaded, sophomore third baseman Alana Woods came up to bat and roped a line drive that was on its way to splitting the gap when Penn-Trafford outfielder Giuliana Youngo made a spectacular diving catch to end the rally.

“She made one heck of a play,” said Lloyd. “If she didn’t catch that, we definitely would have tied the game.”

As it was, Chartiers Valley (12-7) saw its season end in a 14-11 loss to the top-seeded Warriors in the Class 5A quarterfinals. It was a tough one for the Colts players to take.

“They were pretty upset,” Lloyd said. “Penn-Trafford’s pitcher wasn’t hit all year, and we put up 18 hits on her, so we played pretty well offensively. Defensively, we had a couple of miscues that gave them some life and extra runs throughout the game.”

“The game started out rough for us,” said senior pitcher Taylor Walsh. “We knew they were going to be tough competition, but we weren’t going to back down to them. Everyone was ready to go. We just fell short.”

The Penn-Trafford game was a snapshot of the Colts’ season, as the players carried a never-quit mentality throughout.

The year began rocky for a team that expected to hit well and had four players committed to playing at the college level.

The Colts started with a pair of shutout losses, 4-0 to Neshannock and 13-0 at Plum. They beat Beaver, 10-4, and Blackhawk, 5-2, but were held in check in an 11-1 loss to South Park to open the year 2-3.

Then the rain began to fall and for the next two weeks, the Colts didn’t play a game but spent all their time in the gym working on their hitting.

“Those losses at the beginning of the year kept us pretty humble,” said senior second baseman Annabelle Helt.

The biggest thing Lloyd saw from his team during its two weeks without games was how the players came together as a group.

“I said attitudes are contagious, are yours worth catching?” Lloyd said. “I told them they needed to be ready, to bring everything they had and support and be there for each other. They grew as one.”

“We hang out with each other outside of softball every day, and I think if you are close off the field, it’s easy to play with and for one another,” said senior pitcher and center fielder Delaney O’Connor.

Once the weather cleared, Chartiers Valley got off to a five-game winning streak against section opponents, and the offense ignited to the tune of 60 total runs scored in those contests.

From there, the team won four of its last seven and was set to face Plum in the first round of the playoffs.

Lloyd reminded his players that in their loss to the Mustangs at the start of the year, they were playing at Plum, where the fences went out to about 170 feet. But in the playoffs on a neutral field, the fences would be 30 feet farther back.

“We had nothing to lose going into the game,” said Lloyd. “The first time we faced them, we threw outside a lot. In the playoff game, Taylor pitched very well, threw a lot of her stuff in on their hands, and we took their bats away from them.”

“I knew I had to go out there, be myself and trust my fielders,” said Walsh. “I gave my all in the circle, and we played a good collective game.”

Lily Duffill, a Penn State commit, smashed a two-run home run and the Colts came away with a 2-1 win.

“We knew going into that game we were the underdogs,” Duffill said. “Nobody thought we would win, and we said we were going to prove everyone wrong.”

Duffill finished her year with an average of .574 with 37 hits, 26 RBIs, eight home runs, five stolen bases and 27 runs scored.

Her production dipped a bit this year as teams took the bat out of her hands and she walked close to 20 times.

“She probably got upset, but she never showed it,” said Lloyd. “She found other ways to help the team and to score. She led the team in stolen bases.”

“I mentally matured,” Duffill said. “I got used to dealing with things that weren’t in my comfort zone, learned how to be more comfortable with things I normally didn’t like or wanted.”

It was up to the rest of the lineup, which included four new position players, to pick up Duffill.

Sophomore Ava Dunlap took over at first base and became the team’s five hitter, batting behind Duffill. She finished with an average of .338 with 22 hits and 16 RBIs and was second team all-section.

Chloe Tenney, another sophomore, played a lot of right field and was subbed by her twin sister Alyssa later in games. She finished the year with a .364 average.

“Chloe did a great job rolling the lineup over by getting on base and was one of our top hitters,” said Lloyd. “It was great to see Ava to play varsity as a sophomore and step up the way she did.”

Woods started at third base and picked up her hitting as the season went on. She ended the year with a .295 average, collected 18 hits and drove in 12 runs. Fellow sophomore Morgan Vaughan played shortstop and was the team’s flex.

One big surprise came in Gianna Scalise, who as a freshman was the team’s designated player. Her first game was against West Allegheny and she hit a home run. She slashed a couple of triples during the year, including one against Penn-Trafford.

“She got off on the right foot,” said Lloyd. “She wasn’t scared or nervous, went up to the plate swinging every time. Hopefully she’ll continue to improve as her high school career goes on.”

“It was hard to replace the seniors from last year,” said O’Connor. “The underclassmen played very well, and I’m so proud of them. I don’t think we would have made it as far as we did if they didn’t step up.”

The veteran players also took it upon themselves to help guide the younger players and were eager to take them under their wings.

“I was the only returning player in the infield,” said Helt. “I felt I had to step up and help them when it came to certain situations. Morgan and Alana got better as the season went along, and they’ll do better next year as they continue to improve.”

The Colts also came away with a lot of recognition at the end of the season.

Duffill was named player of the year, Walsh, Helt and senior Delaney O’Connor were all selected as first team all-section and Lloyd was coach of the year.

“I was surprised,” Lloyd said. “It’s good to be recognized by all the other coaches, but if it wasn’t for the girls and how they played, I wouldn’t be coach of the year. That’s all on them.”

As the team shakes off its playoff loss, the players will look to next year where they will be without their top two pitchers, as both Walsh and O’Connor are graduating.

Walsh, who is off to Wheeling University to study exercise science, was 9-6 this year with 72 strikeouts. O’Connor, who is headed to Robert Morris to study actuarial science, was 3-1 with a 2.10 ERA and 32 strikeouts. Helt will leave a void at second base, as she is headed to Pitt-Johnstown in the fall and will study biology.

“It’ll be hard losing those three,” Lloyd said.

There is plenty of young talent that can help get the Colts back to the playoffs. Chloe Tenney is expected to take over one of the pitching spots and Duffill is excited to work with her.

“She is an outstanding pitcher,” Duffill said. “She doesn’t have a lot of velocity right now, but the spin she’s able to put on the ball is amazing.”

“Our young girls got a lot of playing time this year between varsity and JV,” said Lloyd. “They know what to expect going into next year. We’ll be one of the top teams in our section, and we’ll look to make some noise in the playoffs.”

With any luck, Chartiers Valley will be playing well into June next season.

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