The Top Sports Stories of 2015
Holly Tonini
Madison Wiltrout is hugged by her mother Amy after throwing the javelin a record 185 feet, 8 inches during Thursday’s WPIAL Class AAA Central Track & Field Regional Qualifier at Norwin High School.
Holly Tonini
Jefferson-Morgan’s Morgan Kendall, Jessica Taylor, Reagan Rush, Madison Dupont and Madison Ludrosky raise the championship trophy after winning Thursday against Chartiers-Houston.
Roberto M. Esquivel|Herald-Standard
Jess Strom, women’s basketball coach at California University of Pennsylvania, stands beside the team’s NCAA Division II championship trophy during a celebration Tuesday. Strom was named Division II coach of the year.
Kelly Tunney | Herald-Standard
Uniontown pitcher Luke Wallace throws a pitch in a recent American Legion baseball game. Wallace is enjoying his last season of baseball as he approaches his sophomore year of college golf at Fairmont State University.
Holly Tonini
Belle Vernon’s Nicole Ashcraft leaps after scoring the winning run on Emily Frederick’s single as Yough catcher Allie Harvey (4) and pitcher Macy Mularski (22) look on during the seventh inning of their WPIAL Class AAA softball championship game at California University of Pa.’s Lilley Field on Thursday.
Holly Tonini
Frazier’s Hunter Patterson (12) runs the ball in the second quarter against Jefferson-Morgan during Friday’s Tri-County South Conference game at Frazier High School.
The past year was quite a memorable one on the local sports scene.
In 2015 a sophomore javelin thrower grabbed national headlines, two squads rallied around the death of a team member to win championships, a wrestler did what only Cary Kolat had done at his school before, the Herald-Standard broke the story on a future Hall-of-Fame football player’s decision to retire, and several athletes began their trek on what they hope will be the Road to Rio.
Here is one view of the top 15 local sports stories of 2015:
1. Madison Wiltrout
Connellsville sophomore Madison Wiltrout stunned the high school track and field world with a national-record throw of 185 feet, 8 inches in the javelin on May 7 at the WPIAL Class AAA Central Regional Qualifier at Norwin. Wiltrout went on to win gold medals in the WPIAL and PIAA Track and Field Championships for the second year in a row, setting a WPIAL finals record in the process. Later in the year Wiltrout appeared in Sports Illustrated’s Faces in the Crowd and was named the Gatorade Pennsylvania Girls Track and Field Athlete of the Year. Wiltrout needed surgery after the season to repair the ulner collateral ligament (UCL) in her right (throwing) elbow and is currently on the road to recovery. She recently found out that she has qualified for the 2016 Olympic Trials in javelin.
2. Gavin Teasdale
Jefferson-Morgan freshman Gavin Teasdale took the wrestling world by storm by putting together a stellar high school season that ended with a gold medal at the WPIAL and PIAA championships at 106 pounds. The 16-year-old went 46-0 and also won the TriCADA tournament. Teasdale finished eight at the UWW Cadet World Freestyle Championships in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzogovina in September.
3. Jefferson-Morgan softball
Jefferson-Morgan’s softball team won its first WPIAL Class A championship on May 28 by rallying from a 2-0 deficit against Chartiers-Houston in the final. Megan Simkovic capped a three-run, fifth-inning rally with an RBI double as coach Tony Barbetta’s Lady Rockets went on to win, 3-2. J-M and its many fans went by the moniker of “Team Dugan” in honor of assistant coach Chris Dugan, who lost his battle with cancer shortly after J-M won its first-round playoff game. Dugan’s daughter, Camryn Dugan, played on courageously in his absence to help the team not only win the WPIAL title but also register its first ever win in the PIAA playoffs. Pitcher Madison Ludrosky was likely the Lady Rockets’ MVP.
4. Cal U. women’s basketball
California University of Pa. defeated California Baptist, 86-69, in Sioux Falls, S.D., on March 27 to win its second NCAA Division II girls basketball championship, riding a wave of emotion after the sudden death of Shanice Clark on Jan. 18. Coach Jess Strom’s Vulcans’ improbable run in the NCAA tournament included wins over Virginia State, West Liberty and Bloomsburg at Hamer Hall as well as victories over Nova Southeastern and Emporia State in the Elite Eight to reach the final. Cal fell behind 11-2 in the championship game before reeling off 21 straight points to take control and never trailed again.
5. The Road to Rio
The Herald-Standard’s Jim Downey unveiled the Road to Rio series that followed area athletes as they attempted to qualify for the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. That group included Wiltrout; Geibel Catholic graduate Emily Zimcosky in swimming (she won WPIAL gold medals in 50 and 100 freestyle); Uniontown graduate Brad Balsley in the 25-meter rapid fire pistol competition; Uniontown graduate Kaitlyn Johnson in swimming; Dilliner resident Clara Santucci in marathon; Waynesburg Central graduate Marissa Kalsey in pole vault; and Waynesburg Central graduate Coleman Scott in wrestling.
6. Troy Polamalu
Steelers safety Troy Polamalu revealed to Herald-Standard correspondent Jim Wexell that he has decided to retire from football on April 9. Wexell and the Herald-Standard gained national attention for breaking the story first.
7. Anthony Welsh
Beth-Center’s Anthony Welsh won the Herald-Standard Touchdown Club title for an unprecedented third straight year and was named to the Class A All-State team after rushing for 1,945 yards and 28 touchdowns. Welsh ended his career with 5,062 rushing yards and 83 touchdowns.
8. Uniontown American Legion baseball
The Uniontown American Legion baseball team won the Fayette title and also took the Region 6 title in impressive fashion, losing its first game in the double-elimination tournament before stringing together five wins in a row to reach the state tournament. Uniontown ended the season with a 32-5 overall record after going 1-2 in the state playoffs.
9. The Rohanna golfers
Cousins Rachel Rohanna and Robert Rohanna, both Waynesburg Central graduates, made a huge splash in the golfing world. Robert gained notoriety with his impressive play, won a challenge and reached the penultimate episode on the Golf Channel’s show “Big Break.” Topping that was Rachel, who won one tournament and finished 10th on the Symetra Tour money list to earn her LPGA Tour card for 2016.
10. Frazier football
Frazier’s football team became the first area team in a long, long while to have an impact on the WPIAL playoffs. Coach Mike Steeber’s Commodores, riding an explosive offense and a stifling defense, upended Beth-Center in winning the Tri-County South title during an undefeated regular season, then rallied to win two playoff games before falling to the state’s top-ranked team in Clairton in the semifinals. Frazier stormed back from 13 points down to defeat South Side Beaver, 33-32, in overtime, thanks to a defensive stop on a two-point conversion try to end the game. They rallied from 13 points down again the next week, scoring twice in the second half after trailing 13-0 at halftime to pull out a 14-13 win.
11. A.C. Headlee
Waynesburg Central’s A.C. Headlee won the PIAA Class AAA gold medal at 132 and was named the tournament’s Outstanding Wrestler. He finished his high school career with a 167-16 record. Headlee is currently wrestling for the University of North Carolina.
12. Belle Vernon softball
Belle Vernon won its second Class AAA WPIAL softball championship in dramatic fashion as it rallied from a 4-0 deficit in the final two innings to stun Yough, 5-4, in the final. Coach Tom Rodriguez’ Lady Leopards plated four runs in the bottom of the seventh with the last two coming home on Emily Frederick’s game-winning, two-run single. It was Belle Vernon’s second straight walk-off playoff victory as freshman phenom Bailey Parshall had singled in the winning run in the bottom of the seventh to give the Lady Leps a 3-2 win over Southmoreland. Parshall proved to be one of the WPIAL’s top pitchers and gave Penn State an early verbal commitment. Belle Vernon reached the PIAA quarterfinals.
13. California girls basketball
The California girls basketball team won 22-consecutive games during a season that saw it sweep through section play for the second year in a row, reach the WPIAL quarterfinals and win its first ever PIAA playoff game. Coach Chris Minerd’s squad finished with a sparkling 25-3 record.
14. PIAA expands to six
The PIAA decided to expand to six classifications in most sports, a decision which may force the WPIAL to abandon playing its football championship games at Heinz Field as there will be six instead of the usual four in 2016. Other sports with fewer than four classifications previously were expanded as well. How the decision will affect teams in the area in all sports is still a question.
15. Frazier girls volleyball
Frazier’s girls volleyball team won its fourth consecutive section title and ran its section winning streak to 72 with another undefeated regular season. Coach Mandy Hartman’s Lady Commodores, who reached the WPIAL quarterfinals, last lost a section game in 2009.
Here is a list of other noteworthy accomplishments in 2015:
n Rob Kezmarsky recorded his 200th win as coach of the Uniontown boys basketball team with an 85-55 win over visiting Laurel Highlands on Jan. 13.
n The powerful Belle Vernon wrestling team reached the WPIAL Class AAA team finals and finished fifth in the state.
n The Keystone Ice Miners of the North American Hockey League folded after being eliminated in the first round of the playoffs.
n Brownsville graduate Dr. Christian Conte landed a role as co-host alongside former Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis in the Spike TV reality show “Coaching Bad.” The show was renewed for a second season.
n Brownsville’s boys basketball team, led by Noah Brown, won back-to-back section titles for the first time in the program’s history.
n Uniontown’s Braden Carei won the WPIAL Class AA diving gold medal.
n Laurel Highlands’ Brandon Thomas earned four medals at WPIAL swimming championships.
n Waynesburg Central graduate Marissa Kalsey became a three-time All-American in the pole vault at Westminster in both indoor and outdoor track and field.
n Mitch’s Bail Bonds swept Mill Run, 2-0, to win the Fayette County Baseball League championship.
n Jeremy Enslen won the Fayette County Open golf tournament for the fourth time in six years.
n Waynesburg University football coach Rich Shepas became the Yellow Jackets all-time winningest coach with his 66th victory.
n Albert Gallatin graduate Tommy Karpency fought for the World Boxing Council Light-heavyweight title, losing to champion Adonis Stevenson.
n California’s baseball team was ranked No. 1 in Class A much of the season but came up just short of a repeat as WPIAL champion went it fell to Greensburg Central Catholic, 6-4, in the final.
n Southmoreland baseball player Brennan Bunner won the Chevrolet Spark at the Centennial Chevrolet Scholar/Athlete Spotllight awards program.
n Mapletown’s Dylan Rush followed up an amazing six-touchdown performance against West Greene with an even better one two weeks later. Against Avella, the sophomore running back set two school records with 387 rushing yards and eight touchdowns. Rush ran for over 1,000 yards for the second year in a row and finished second in the Herald-Standard Touchdown Club with 144 points.
n Carmichaels’ Liam Shea and Frazier’s Annika Erdely reached the PIAA Class AA boys and girls golf championships, where Mount Pleasant’s Olivia Zambruno won the girls gold medal.
n During one week in late October, three Greene County teams won their first WPIAL playoff games. Pulling the trick were the Carmichaels and Waynesburg Central girls volleyball teams and the Waynesburg Central girls soccer team.
n Waynesburg Central’s Ben Bumgarner finished seventh in the PIALL Class AA Cross Country Championships.
n Uniontown graduate Julie Friend qualified for the NCAA Division II cross country championships while running for California University of Pa.
n Belle Vernon’s Jarod Verkleeren won the gold medal at 63 kilograms/138.75 pounds at the UWW Cadet World Freestyle Championships in Sarajevo, Bosnia-Herzogovina.
n Belle Vernon’s football team made huge strides in coach Matt Humbert’s second year at the helm, putting together a perfect regular season and winning one playoff game. The Leopards also made news by unveiling a new gold surface for its football field.