Trib HSSN athletes of the week: Canon-McMillan’s Zach Rohaley, Mohawk’s Trinity Voss

By: HSSN Staff
Wednesday, June 20, 2018 | 6:48 PM

ZACH ROHALEY

School: Canon-McMillan

Sport: Baseball

Class: Senior

Claim to Fame: What a career, what a season and what a week for Zach Rohaley. With the win in the state finals, Rohaley became only the eighth pitcher in WPIAL history to hit the 30 win plateau (30-5) for his career. For the season, he finished 13-1 with an ERA of 0.81, 104 strikeouts in 86 2/3 innings with six victories coming in the district and state postseason. Last week in the state semifinals game, Rohaley pitched six innings allowing a run on five singles with no walks and two strikeouts. Because he made it under the pitch count of 75 that would have necessitated three days’ rest, Rohaley was able to come back in the 6A final on two days’ rest. At Penn State on Friday, Rohaley was masterful again allowing three runs on six hits and struck out six while pitching into the seventh inning in what was a 10-3 rout of Bensalem. The kicker was he injured his groin in the second inning of the PIAA title game but battled through four more innings on the mound.

Q: Can you compare the moment when you guys won the WPIAL championship in Washington and when you won the PIAA title at Penn State?

A: The feeling we had going through the WPIAL tournament was to prove everyone wrong. We had always been a team that made it to the semifinals, and then something went wrong and we got knocked out of the tournament. After making it past the hump and making it to the finals and winning, it was such an amazing feeling we knew then that we could compete with anyone and we knew that our business wasn’t finished. Once you get so far in the PIAA tournament — and making it to the finals — we were so pumped for the opportunity. We knew that if everyone did their job that we could win the game, and that’s exactly what everyone did. Not too many people get to say that they won their last high school game ever and to win your last high school game meant everything to our seniors. I am so happy I got to share those memories that we will remember for the rest of our lives with my teammates

Q: When and how was the decision made that you would start the state semifinals game against Council Rock North and then get the call again 3 days later against Bensalem?

A: Coach Buzz and I had a conversation. It was more of a day-before decision as to whether I would go in the championship game. He told me it depended on how I felt. Myself, I knew I wanted the ball. I always love getting the ball in the big situations and I wanted this game like no other. I want to thank the trainers for helping me get ready for the state championship game. They are the best and help me so much. And then at practice I told Buzz I was good to go, and he said, Are you sure? I said I was positive. He said, OK, you got the ball.

Q: Was there concern from you and your teammates after losing to Bethel Park for a second time and missing out on the Section 3-6A title?

A: There was no concern. It was early in the season, we knew we had a talented team and that we could pull it all together — and that’s exactly what we did. We got hot at the right time, the team came together, everyone started doing their jobs and it showed in the end.

Q: Besides the two championships, was there a personal highlight you’ll also remember from this season?

A: The best feeling — I know you said besides the championships — was definitely in the WPIAL championship game in the 6th inning. North Allegheny’s Ben Surman had a leadoff triple against me and I had the heart of the lineup coming up — all kids that would go onto play college baseball. I had no concern at all and knew I was going to have to make some perfect pitches to get out of that inning. Once I struck out the 3, 4 and 5 batters, I was more pumped up than I had ever been in my high school career. It was a feeling I will never forget and cherish for the rest of my life

Q: Did you imagine when you began at Canon-McMillan that you would accomplish so much and enjoy the type of career you ended up with in a Big Macs uniform?

A: I did not imagine it at all. I went out there every game I played and gave it my all. I wanted to give all that I could to help my team and my school. You grow up watching your high school team play and I had always dreamed of it since I was a little kid. I knew once I got there I wanted to make the most of it, and throughout all these years I have friendships and memories that I will never lose. That is so valuable to me and I can’t thank any of them enough because without the offense scoring runs and the defense making plays I wouldn’t have the career that I had.

Q. Why Wheeling Jesuit?

A: A lot of factors came into effect when choosing a school to continue my academic and athletic career. I wanted a place where my family would be able to come and watch me play. My family loves coming to games and watching me compete and I wanted to give them that opportunity. The big deciding factor would have to be coach (Dan) Abbenante. He was a favorite of mine ever since I got my first phone call from him. He is young, knows the game so well and knows what it takes to win being on the Seton Hill team that won the College World Series. You can tell every time you talk to him how passionate he is about the game and how he wants to make changes at Wheeling Jesuit and turn it into a powerhouse Division 2 program. He went out and recruited a lot of great players that love the game and want to get to work. He is the type of coach that I want to give my all to and I can’t wait to get up there and get to work.

Q: You won two gold medals this spring. What are five things you would like to do this summer and one thing you are not looking forward to these next few months?

A: This summer I would like to spend time with my family, spend time with my friends, keep working to improve my game, make memories this summer as it is my last year playing summer baseball in my high school career and lifting to try to get bigger and stronger. The one thing I am not looking forward to is leaving high school. Don’t get me wrong, I can’t wait for college, but I made so many memories in high school to see it all come to an end. I made countless friendships and had some amazing teachers that I will never forget. And the final thing I will miss is putting on my Big Mac jersey. High school taught me so much and this game has taught me a lot too. To know that is all has come to an end is very sad but to know it is only the beginning of my life, I can’t wait to see what life has in store.

TRINITY VOSS

School: Mohawk

Sport: Softball

Class: Sophomore

Claim to Fame: Trinity Voss helped lead Mohawk to their best softball season in program history. The Warriors finished 18-3 overall, they won the Section 4-2A title, reached the WPIAL semifinals where they fell to defending champion Frazier, then won three state playoff games to reach the PIAA 2A title game where they lost a heartbreaker to Upper Dauphin, 2-1. Last week in the PIAA semifinals, Voss was boss as she allowed one unearned run on three hits with 10 strikeouts in the Warriors’ 3-1 win over Mount Union. Then in the state finals at Penn State, Voss again allowed only three hits and struck out 15 but Mohawk lost 2-1. The future is bright for Voss as she is only at the half way point of her Warriors career.

Q: A 18-3 record is an incredible season for Mohawk. Does it feel empty though with no championships and only state silver to show after all was said and done?

A: Some people may think that we came out of this season with nothing other than the state silver, but we came out with much more than that. We made school history, we may not have any championships but everything that happened this season was for a reason. We won as a family, and that is better than any softball championship. We play a good game, we could have used some more offense but things happen. Upper Dauphin played a good game; they just pulled ahead of us.

Q: What were the school and community like, especially in your state postseason run to Penn State?

A: In the postseason, the school and community were very supportive. It would have been better if they had as much confidence in us in the regular season as they did in our state run.

Q: Did you expect to have the kind of season you enjoyed in the circle in this your sophomore season?

A: I did not expect this at all. I knew that we had the talent and the heart to make it this far. But on a personal level I did not think I was going to be able to help carry my team this far with having had only a couple of high school games under my belt from last year. I did not know if I would be able to throw as many games as I did, but I could not have done it without the help of many people. My mom for getting me started pitching, Madison Shiderly for keeping me focused and Coach Hank for believing in me and coach Hank and Mark (my pitching coach) for pushing me to become the pitcher I am right now.

Q: What are a couple of your personal highlights from the season that you will remember for years to come?

A: One thing that I will never forget would be winning that first state game. We made school history at that very moment and I am glad I got to share it with my friends and family. Having another group of people that may not be blood but are family by heart. Another thing is we have the best coaches. They are there for us no matter the time or place. Whether it is something going on at school or at home they are there to talk about it and help us make it through the obstacles that come up in our life. Coach H, Coach Schirmer and Coach Hank have great leadership skills they pushes us to our potential.

Q: Talk about some of the things you feel you need to work on to improve in the next couple of seasons in a Mohawk uniform?

A: I think that I mostly need to work on my hitting because I did not hit as well I would have like to this season. Also I think by working on my pitching I will be able to have more control on my junk pitches and be able to make the ball do what I want it to.

Q: What is the origin of your unique first name?

The origin of my first name is really quite unique in its own way. After my mom had my older sister Tristan she had two miscarriages and they did not know if she was going to be able to have more children. So when they got pregnant with me it was a new chance for my mom and dad to make our family bigger. The name Trinity actually means “three in one.” God is Trinity because he is the father, son and Holy Spirit. I was God’s gifts to them. They also needed a strong name to go along with Tristan’s, which means “bold.” Tristan was a knight at the round table. Finally my brother’s name is John, he is the youngest and he is named after my dad. All the girls have T’s and the boys have J’s.

Q: Summertime is fun time. What three ‘fun’ things do you plan on doing this summer?

A: This summer I plan to spend it with my family and friends.

Playing softball for my travel team “ROC Elite” while playing I will be able to relax and have fun and at the same time work on my skills for the next high school season. Also this summer my family is moving into a new house, so I will be helping my family fix up around the new house and move in. Finally just spending time with my family and friends, they mean the world to me. Maybe go to camping at Cedar Point or Ocean City, Maryland. I wouldn’t want to change a thing in my life for anything else.

Don Rebel is a TribLive High School Sports Network broadcaster and staff writer. Reach him at drebel@tribweb.com.