How a troubling trend is impacting girls high school basketball in Wisconsin
“He literally said, ‘I have talent, kids who played basketball in the past, who decided not to go out, and that group is more talented than the group I’m putting on the floor right now,’” Schindler said. Schindler has talked to other coaches and athletic directors about the problems he sees at Deerfield, and they’re […]
“He literally said, ‘I have talent, kids who played basketball in the past, who decided not to go out, and that group is more talented than the group I’m putting on the floor right now,’” Schindler said.
Schindler has talked to other coaches and athletic directors about the problems he sees at Deerfield, and they’re in the same position. He said one athletic director told him that they could put a group of girls together from the student body and beat the varsity team.
Most girls already had played anywhere between 250 to 300 basketball games by the time they entered Don Schindler’s girls basketball program at Deerfield.
“If we don’t have girls going out for the feeders, then we’re not gonna end up having girls playing at the high school level,” she said.
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Edgewood’s Anna Miller looks for someone to pass the ball to during Friday’s WIAA Division 2 state semifinal against Rice Lake.
Girls now will play their last volleyball match on a Friday or Saturday, then go to basketball practice Monday.
Madison East
But development comes at a cost. Justice spent time this season teaching her varsity players how to dribble the ball and other basic basketball skills instead of using the time to game plan against an upcoming opponent or teach more advanced techniques.
LEE SPORTS WISCONSIN ARCHIVES
With a young family of her own, Justice understands that there are more important things in life than basketball. She tells her players that family and school come before basketball, and her flexible approach to practice allows more players to stay involved with the team while working a part-time job or taking care of younger siblings.
Without a connection to the high school program or understanding of local rivalries, high school basketball isn’t always worth sticking around for, especially when players already are exhausted.
Deerfield, a Division 4 school with 205 students, had 10 players on its varsity girls basketball team this season.
The lack of a youth program also made it harder for Justice to coach her varsity team to victories. Girls are entering high school with no previous basketball experience and no grasp of the sport’s fundamentals.
Sara Mallegni remembers a few years ago one of her varsity girls basketball players quit to focus on her club volleyball season.
Unlike Madison East, Deerfield has a thriving youth program run by the town’s community center. However, community center basketball is only the start for girls who play there. Many soon join club teams and play in tournaments across the state and region, spending about three-quarters of the year playing basketball.
The Purgolders finished the season 7-15 after a loss to Waunakee in the regional round.
Deerfield finished 22-4 this season and won the Trailways South Conference. Schindler saw people in the bleachers he hadn’t seen in a few years who were excited by the team’s success.
Madison East’s Valerie Richardson is one of the state’s top scorers, partly because of her ability to shoot from 3-point range.
The youth sports scene has completely changed over the past 20 years. Seasons that used to be six to eight weeks now last up to 24 weeks, which can exhaust young players, Schindler said.
Edgewood’s Beanie Thompson drives to the basket during Friday’s WIAA Division 2 state semifinal against Rice Lake.
Traveling so far for competition has another impact.
Edgewood’s Mya Tomlinson (middle) tips the ball to a teammate during Friday’s Division 2 state semifinal.
“Kids have to provide for their family sometimes, so you’re having kids that have to go from practice to work, or they can’t come to practice on the weekend because they have to work and make money to provide for their family at home,” she said.
Mallegni was a three-sport athlete in high school, playing tennis, basketball and softball. Her daughter, Teagan, a freshman with the University of Iowa women’s basketball team, played basketball and volleyball in high school.
The declining girls basketball numbers have impacted local schools in a variety of ways. Some have had to cut JV programs, while others have suffered from a short bench for their varsity program.
Edgewood’s Erin Schauer attempts a 3-pointer during Friday’s WIAA Division 2 state semifinal.
Edgewood’s Beanie Thompson attempts a shot against Rice Lake.
Edgewood’s Macey Faust (14) looks to take a shot down low during the first half.
However, girls also need to be willing to make an effort for their high school teams.
“They are actually watching games on TV, they show up at games,” Mallegni said about her youth program players. “I think there’s something there that we’ll build on and we’ll get girls that are excited about the game of basketball.”
“I think it becomes too much too fast for third-, fourth-, fifth-grade girls, and that drives the wear-out or burn-out you start to see,” he said.
The key to encouraging multi-sport athletes is ensuring a break between seasons to rest and re-group. When Mallegni was in high school, she always had a few weeks between sports seasons, something she looked forward to immensely.
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The coaches don’t want to blame volleyball, she said. Many coaches, including Mallegni, are willing to be flexible and allow athletes the option of participating in both club volleyball and high school basketball.
For Justice, there’s no clear answer to increasing participation in girls basketball. She suggested shortening the season could help retain the girls who can’t commit four to five months of the school year to basketball, but barriers like money and the cost of living are much harder to solve.
By the time these players reach high school, the number of games played and time spent on their sport can wear them out, which makes them less likely to continue playing.
Beyond getting help from parents to alleviate burnout, Schindler wants to motivate girls to keep playing basketball in high school by showing them the excitement of rivalry games and having classmates and community members cheer them on in the stands.
“They feel like they have to pick and choose, and unfortunately here, they feel like they need to play club volleyball in order to play school ball,” she said.
There are plenty of circumstances that have led to the decline in girls basketball participation over the past 15 years, but a growing wave of young girls have a new reason for joining the sport.
“It just kind of deteriorated, but COVID-19 didn’t help that,” Justice said. “It just wiped everything away, and now it’s up to the head coaches of these schools to bring that back on top of trying to develop their own program.”
“You have to take what you can get,” Justice said. “If girls want to come out, of course I want them. I’m going to help develop them.”
SAMANTHA MADAR, STATE JOURNAL ARCHIVES
Rebuilding the Madison East youth program isn’t something Justice can do by herself. She needs the assistance of volunteer coaches and investment from the community. But time is a valuable commodity.
Edgewood’s Maren Schmotzer (25) goes up for a shot during the first half of Friday’s Division 2 state semifinal.
Mallegni participated in a round-table discussion with other coaches in the state before this girls basketball season to discuss declining participation. The 12 coaches on the committee all were frustrated by the consequences of early sports specialization and prioritization of club sports.
Five girls basketball teams were crowned state champions over the weekend in Green Bay, concluding a season that saw the continuation of a troubling trend for the sport in Wisconsin.
“It’s really gotta be driven by the parents,” he said. “Pull them back, give them the opportunity to take a deep breath, play a different sport, be a kid, run around and do something other than play basketball, which is difficult to say when I’m a basketball coach.”
It’s been a struggle for Justice to recruit players without a youth program to feed into the high school teams. There are 1,644 students at Madison East, but the Purgolders had just 15 in their girls basketball program, including 10 on the varsity team.
Edgewood’s sutdent section takes time to do pushups during the second half.
McFarland’s Teagan Mallegni passes during a game in January.
While Schindler believes in the importance of club sports for players who genuinely love them, he knows they are not for everyone.
“We can sell to the kids, say, ‘Listen, there’s some really exciting times. The community will back you.’ I think that’s when a kid’s eyes will light up and get excited again about the sport,” he said.
There is no single reason for the drop in participation. Different factors have played a role in the decline in participation for teams in the Madison area. Here are some of the stories from schools facing decreasing participation in girls basketball.
Legendary beach volleyball player Kerri Walsh Jennings won high school state championships in basketball and volleyball. Star basketball players Angel Reese and Caitlin Clark both played multiple sports in high school — Clark played two years of soccer, while Reese was an outside hitter in volleyball.
The girl was adamant that she needed to play club volleyball to be a part of the junior varsity volleyball team at McFarland.
“It used to be that they might leave 15 minutes early from practice,” she said. ”Now we’ve had girls miss school games to go to club practices. It’s not good for team morale when you have people leaving or not showing up.”
Schindler estimates that by high school, only 20 to 30% of girls who play basketball stick with it. Even then, keeping them for all four years of high school is a challenge.
Madison East coach Alysha Justice grew up playing in the Purgolders’ youth program. But it disappeared sometime between her graduation in 2014 and return to the school as its varsity coach in 2022.
Scene from Friday’s WIAA girls basketball state semifinal between Edgewood, Rice Lake
“Basketball coaches that I’ve talked to are big fans of multi-sport athletes and would like to have girls be able to do that without bleeding from one end to the other,” Mallegni said.
MARK MCMULLEN LEE SPORTS WISCONSIN
“It’s just hard to take,” Mallegni said. “We don’t expect our girls to play club if you want to play basketball at McFarland. You can if you want to, but I don’t recommend it necessarily. We like the idea of multi-sport athletes.”
MARK MCMULLEN LEE SPORTS WISCONSIN
While basketball participation has decreased in the last 15 years, girls’ participation in sports increased by more than 250,000 athletes, according to the NFHS. Wisconsin has seen none of that growth. About 7,000 fewer girls participated in high school sports during the 2023-24 school year compared to 2009-10.
MARK MCMULLEN LEE SPORTS WISCONSIN
Girls who play sports in high school are more likely to get better grades, graduate and have higher levels of confidence, according to a study by the Women’s Sports Foundation.
MARK MCMULLEN LEE SPORTS WISCONSIN
“It’s always hard. Money and resources — that’s a big thing. Money is a barrier for a lot of things,” Justice said. “People can’t just donate their time to stuff like that anymore. If you’re not paying coaches, you’re not going to have coaches to do it.”
MARK MCMULLEN LEE SPORTS WISCONSIN
While players at the high school level may feel like they need to choose one sport to increase their chances of playing in college, many of the country’s top female athletes played multiple sports in high school.
MARK MCMULLEN LEE SPORTS WISCONSIN
Money isn’t just a roadblock to getting adult volunteers. Plenty of the players also have to juggle basketball with school, work and family commitments.
MARK MCMULLEN LEE SPORTS WISCONSIN
“This lack of community connection can diminish the excitement of playing for a school team, where local pride and support of friends and family are strong motivators,” Schindler said.
MARK MCMULLEN LEE SPORTS WISCONSIN
Edgewood’s Makayla Foley drives to the basket during Friday’s WIAA Division 2 state semifinal against Rice Lake.
MARK MCMULLEN LEE SPORTS WISCONSIN
Girls basketball participation in Wisconsin has decreased by 24% over the past 15 seasons, compared to a 16.4% decrease nationally, according to data from the National Federation of State High School Association.
Sports gives both fans and participants shot at greatness
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 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.
Bangor Girls and Lewiston Boys Track & Field Teams Win River City Rivals Meet – May 24th
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 – […]
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
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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Twelve athletes set to enter Luzerne County Sports Hall of Fame
Jeffrey Craig (SUBMITTED) Kristin Stretanski (SUBMITTED) Stu Marvin (Submitted) Mayerski (SUBMITTED) Stefanie Williams Moreno (Submitted) Sara Myers (Submitted) Dave Shimshock (SUBMITTED) Simonitis (Submitted) O’Malley Watts (SUBMITTED) Monica Wignot (Submitted) Ziolkowski (Submitted) Show Caption 1 of 11 Jeffrey Craig (SUBMITTED) Expand A dozen of the finest athletes will be honored with enshrinement into the Luzerne County […]
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.
Chartiers Valley softball takes pride in season's highlights, looks to bright future
By: Ted Sarneso Sunday, May 25, 2025 | 11:01 AM Chaz Palla | TribLive Chartiers Valley’s Kaitlyn Truong runs down a ball hit by Plum’s Danielle Pici during Class 5A playoff action May 12 at West Mifflin High School. Chaz Palla | TribLive Chartiers Valley starting pitcher Taylor Walsh tracks down the final out of […]
Chartiers Valley’s Kaitlyn Truong runs down a ball hit by Plum’s Danielle Pici during Class 5A playoff action May 12 at West Mifflin High School.
Chaz Palla | TribLive
Chartiers Valley starting pitcher Taylor Walsh tracks down the final out of the game against Plum during Class 5A playoff action May 12.
Chaz Palla | TribLive
Chartiers Valley’s Lily Duffill runs down a pop up hit by Plum’s Lily Deluca during Class 5A playoff action May 12.
Chaz Palla | TribLive
Chartiers Valley starting pitcher Taylor Walsh throws out Plum’s Jaiden Gentile during Class 5A playoff action May 12.
Chaz Palla | TribLive
Chartiers Valley’s Lily Duffill (left), Annabelle Helt (right) and Alana Woods celebrate with starting pitcher Taylor Walsh after a complete-game 2-1 win over Plum during Class playoff action May 12.
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.
ROUNDUP BASEBALL Walter Radulski threw a complete game two-hitter and came through with the game-winning hit in the sixth inning as Lynnfield beat Burlington 4-1 in a nonleague contest. … Elias Brendel struck out four and allowed six hits and three earned runs, while Jimmy DePalo (2-for-4, two doubles, two RBI) and Felix Ham (2-for-4, […]
Walter Radulski threw a complete game two-hitter and came through with the game-winning hit in the sixth inning as Lynnfield beat Burlington 4-1 in a nonleague contest. … Elias Brendel struck out four and allowed six hits and three earned runs, while Jimmy DePalo (2-for-4, two doubles, two RBI) and Felix Ham (2-for-4, triple, double, three RBI, two runs) fueled the offense for Brookline in a 12-4 win over Canton. … Carter Sahagian pitched a complete game shutout and allowed two hits, while Stefan Shephard tripled and scored a run as Marblehead (10-10) clinched a spot in the state tournament with a 2-0 win over Bishop Fenwick. … Gary Carrier III drove in three runs on two hits and stole a base as Apponequet (9-10) edged East Bridgewater 6-5 in eight innings.
Billy Gavin went the distance, and Bo Bogan-Stead and Chris MacDonald hit back-to-back RBI singles as Malden (14-5) took down Everett 14-4 in the Greater Boston League.
BOYS LACROSSE
Cooper Masso struck for 11 goals, while Mikey Ferraro added four goals and an assist as Bishop Feehan (15-3) routed North Attleboro 21-4 in a nonleague contest. … Luke Kelly (four goals, one assist) and Cam McCarthy (three goals, one assist) paced the offense as St. John’s Prep (17-1) defeated Hingham 16-4.
GIRLS LACROSSE
Louisa Beni (six goals, assist), Dylan Damian (four goals) and Maddie Lombardi (hat trick, two assists) paced the Nantucket offense during a 17-11 Cape and Islands League win over St. John Paul II.
In a Commonwealth league matchup, Aliyah Coutu notched a hat trick while Addison Carbone added two goals and two assists as Greater Lowell defeated Nashoba Tech 7-4.
Jill Martin scored four goals and supplied an assist, while Julianna Lanzillo notched a hat trick and two assists as Chelmsford (15-4) defeated Westford 13-7 in the Merrimack Valley Conference.
Alexis Penny registered four goals, and Ava Nason and Cassidy Cheney scored three goals each for St. Mary’s (Lynn) in a 16-5 Catholic Central League victory over Cardinal Spellman.
Izzy Kittredge netted five goals and provided an assist, while Kendall Herrick had two goals and five assists as Medfield defeated Burlington 15-5 in a nonleague game. … Cece Levrault (hat trick, assist) buried the winning goal with three seconds remaining for Apponequet (16-3) in an 11-10 win over Cape Cod Academy. Abby Bradley tallied four goals and four assists for the Lakers. … Emily Berube tallied three goals while Allie Buonaccorsi, Delaney Berube, and Emmette Barry each added two goals as Bishop Feehan topped North Attleboro 11-4. … Bella Duffy (hat trick, assist) scored the winning goal with 2:30 remaining for Braintree in a 6-5 win over Quincy.
SOFTBALL
Lila Coull went 4-for-4 with a home run as Newton South took down Brookline 19-2 in a nonleague matchup. … Alyx Rossi recorded her 900th career strikeout as Bedford defeated Tyngsboro, 4-0. … Jenna Nigro (2-for 5, two-run home run) and Jill Capozzi (4-for-5, three runs) went deep for Chelmsford in a 10-0 win over Westford.
BOYS VOLLEYBALL
Janiel Vizcaino recorded 10 service points and 11 kills, while Joel De La Rosa dished out 35 assists as Greater Lawrence (15-5) defeated Central Catholic 3-0 in a nonleague matchup. … Logan Uy registered 49 digs, while Vitou Seng had 37 assists and eight blocks as Lowell (18-2) bested Everett, 3-1. … Ridty Tauch (15 kills, 17 digs) and Liam Quinn (22 kills, three blocks) again led the Chelmsford attack, helping fuel a 3-1 win over St. John’s of Shrewsbury. … Ben Cleary’s 26 kills put him at 321 kills this year to break older brother Mason Cleary’s single-season program record, pairing with 19 kills from Liam Poole to lead BC High (11-7) over Medfield, 3-1.
Larry Claudio (23 assists, 11 kills) and Chris Choc Chavez (18 assists) connected with Kawan Dias (14 kills) and Juan Perez (11 kills) to lift Revere over Lynn Classical, 3-1, in Greater Boston League play.
BOYS BASKETBALL
Newton North hired John McNamara as its new boys basketball coach. A 2005 graduate of Newton North and captain of the school’s 2005 state championship team, McNamara has been a fixture in the Newton North basketball community since returning to the school in 2009 as an educator and coach. Over the past 16 years, he has held roles at every level of the program from Freshman and JV coach to his most recent position as varsity assistant.
“I’m incredibly honored and excited to take on this role,” said McNamara. “As a former player and long-time coach here, this program means everything to me. I look forward to building on our recent success and continuing to develop a culture of hard work, accountability, and pride in being a Newton North Tiger.”
McNamara was one of two recent hires. Steve Matthews was named the new boys hoop coach at Dedham. A former standout player at Catholic Memorial, Matthews has extensive high school coaching experience, mostly recently at Newton South where he guided the Lions to a pair of Dual County League titles.
The 2024-25 high school sports season concluded Saturday with the spring championships. Watch this week’s edition of Sports Extra for highlights and recaps of the state track and field meets, which were held in Kalispell and Missoula. We also feature the three state softball championship games: Class B/C in Glasgow, Class A in Columbia Falls […]
The 2024-25 high school sports season concluded Saturday with the spring championships.
Watch this week’s edition of Sports Extra for highlights and recaps of the state track and field meets, which were held in Kalispell and Missoula.
We also feature the three state softball championship games: Class B/C in Glasgow, Class A in Columbia Falls and Class AA in Great Falls. The high school baseball title game is included, as well.
The show closes out with a feature on a Billings swimmer who has qualified for the Deaflympics.
WATCH THE MAY 24 EDITION OF SPORTS EXTRA:
Sports Extra: Montana sports news and highlights (May 24, 2025)
