From:
Sunday, August 25, 2024 | 11:01 a.m.
Quaker Valley coach Mike Mastroianni is excited to return to a group of traditional rivals.
The WPIAL recently released new section divisions for the next two-year cycle in all sports.
In boys basketball, Class 4A lost five teams and moved from four sections to three. Quaker Valley and Avonworth moved from the defunct Section 4 to Section 2, where they will join Ambridge, Beaver, Central Valley and Hopewell.
“High school basketball is best when there are natural rivalries,” says QV coach Mike Mastroianni, “and returning to our old field will create that atmosphere and level of competition.”
“It’s a very good area with high-class teams and a number of high-class individuals.”
Sewickley Academy is located in Section 2-2A along with Brentwood, Eden Christian, Leechburg, Northgate, Propel Braddock Hills and Winchester Thurston.
In girls basketball, Class 3A changes from four sections to three with 23 teams. Quaker Valley was relegated and will play in Section 1, along with Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, which moved from Section 2.
Other teams in Section 1 include Beaver Falls, Ellwood City, Mohawk, New Brighton, Riverside and Sto-Rox.
“It will definitely be different,” said QV coach Ken Johns. “We’ve been used to playing in the same section for a number of years and have built up some familiarity and maybe even rivalries there. The new section will bring some new challenges. We know some of these teams as we’ve played against them in the recent past, but there are a number of teams with good history in our new section.”
“We’ve had a really good summer of training and I like where we are now. In the new section we’ll be going to some new gyms and playing some teams we haven’t played recently, but it’s really going to be about us and how we prepare for the season. I’m looking forward to the new challenges.”
Sewickley Academy will compete in Section 1-A along with Aquinas Academy, Eden Christian, Leechburg, Springdale, St. Joseph, Union and Western Beaver.
QV Volleyball brings back talents
Mike Vavrek, coach of the Quaker Valley girls volleyball team, expects Avonworth, Hopewell and Our Lady of the Sacred Heart to be the biggest obstacles in his team’s path to a second consecutive sectional title in 2024.
But with veteran Vanessa Pickett, outside attackers Nora Hammond and Molly MacDonald, libero Carmen Forsythe and middle attacker Mia Gartley returning to lead the Quakers this season, Vavrek is confident QV will be a force in Class 2A.
QV’s experienced coach focuses on the little things every day, just like his players.
“I expect us to compete every day and improve every time we step into the gym,” Vavrek said. “We have a less experienced team this year than the last two years, but we have girls who have been in the program for a number of years and know what is expected of us.”
“We have a lot of new players that will help us. It’s always fun to see the new girls competing and working every day. As long as they continue to develop, I think we can do great things this year.”
QV golfers on the rise
Senior Ethan Dai made a big push for the Quaker Valley boys golf team last year, finishing in second place at the WPIAL Class 2A tournament.
He also secured first place in the Section 9-2A qualifier at Rolling Acres with a score of 1 under par (70).
“Ethan had such an incredible season,” QV coach Greg Vecchi said. “He just separated himself from most of the other golfers and stood out even more (in 2022). We’ve had some really talented golfers on our team in the past that somehow take their game up a level after they just had a great season. Ethan is one of those golfers now. His 2022 was so solid, but his 2023 easily surpassed 2022. He went from 35th or so in the state to 4th. That’s an incredible jump.
“Ethan’s technique is top-notch, which leads to his incredible consistency. Through all the time, effort and tournaments, he has improved in all facets. His distance and accuracy are truly outstanding. His confidence in his game is also easy to see. Ethan knows no fear.”
Scally becomes coach of the Panthers
Chuck Scally, the new coach of the Sewickley boys golf team, is a PGA golf instructor and co-founder of the Scally Golf Academy along with his wife, Jill Finlan Scally.
The Scallys have over 40 years of combined coaching experience and offer a variety of golf instruction options, including private lessons and junior camps.
Sewickley’s coach has a rich golf background, having grown up in a family involved in the sport. Scally’s Golf Center opened in 1954 and Scally has been teaching golf for more than 25 years.
He has trained many students who have gone on to achieve notable success in golf tournaments and championships.
JV trainer helps with QV
Kieran Vora is in charge of the Quaker Valley junior golf team this season. He is an instructional technology specialist for the school district.
Vecchi is happy to have Vora on board.
“Kieran will coach the JV team,” Vecchi said. “He is an experienced coach.”
SA in second place
In the Trib HSSN WPIAL boys soccer preseason rankings, Sewickley Academy finished second in Class A behind No. 1 Bentworth.
The Panthers, featuring experienced young starters Chase D’Antonio, Finn Wentz and Blake Wilmot, were again ranked as the team to beat in Section 1, which also includes Beaver County Christian, Eden Christian, Freedom, Neshannock and South Side.
D’Antonio started last season as a forward, Wentz in midfield and Wilmot as a center back.
Sewickley started last season 7-0-1, won the sectional title with a 10-1-1 record, reached the WPIAL quarterfinals and finished with an overall record of 13-3-1.
Panthers collect trophies
Sewickley Academy has won a dozen WPIAL titles in boys golf, starting with three in a row from 2006-08. The Panthers won eight consecutive championships on the links from 2013-2020 and added another title in 2022.
Tags: Quaker Valley, Sewickley Academy
