South Hills notes: Seton LaSalle’s Wagner named state’s player of the year

By: HSSN Staff
Friday, June 8, 2018 | 11:00 PM

Notebook items from around the South Hills:

• Seton LaSalle senior shortstop/outfielder Lexi Wagner was named the Gatorade Softball Player of the Year in Pennsylvania.

Wagner hit .680 with 14 home runs and 39 RBIs for the Rebels, who finished 15-3 and advanced to the WPIAL Class 2A quarterfinal round.

“Gatorade Player of the Year is the most prestigious award a high school athlete can win,” said Wagner, an Oregon recruit. “I am extremely honored. I was surprised that out of how many eligible athletes were up for this award, I was the one who was chosen.

“Winning this award is something I've worked for my whole life, and I believe it shows that hard work does pay off. This is one of my biggest accomplishments I have received throughout my softball career.”

The award recognizes athletic accomplishments as well as “high standards of academic achievement and exemplary character demonstrated on and off the field.”

• Baldwin senior Laurel Bristow won five WPIAL medals in her track and field career, which included a first-place finish this season in the shot put event.

Bristow will continue her track and field career at Akron.

“I chose Akron because of their quality track program, and a great throwing program,” she said. “The coach has an excellent national reputation, and (Akron) is not too far from home.”

• Baldwin's Brianna Phillips, a senior member of the girls volleyball team this year, plans to attend Gannon where she will major in occupational therapy.

“They have really good health science programs in general,” Phillips said, “plus I'm auditioning for their competitive dance team.”

• Former Baldwin basketball standout Lee Shaffer was inducted June 2 into the WPIAL Hall of Fame during a banquet at the DoubleTree in Green Tree.

Shaffer, a 1955 Baldwin graduate, earned ACC Basketball Player of the Year at North Carolina, was the No. 5 pick in the NBA Draft and earned NBA All-Star honors.

• Baldwin seniors Ben Remlinger and Mike Goga recently were lauded as All-WPIAL Class AAA all-stars in boys volleyball.

Remlinger, a right-side hitter, was a second-team selection. Goga, a middle hitter, was named to the third team.

• The inaugural Baldwin football heritage golf outing, presented by Baldwin Football Parents Club, was scheduled to take place June 11 at South Hills Country Club.

Baldwin and Pitt graduate Dave Wannstedt, former coach for the Chicago Bears and at Pitt, was the honorary chairman.

• Thomas Jefferson senior Logan Burnsworth was a second-team WPIAL Class AA boys volleyball all-star selection.

Burnsworth manned a middle hitter position for the Jaguars.

Ray Fisher is a freelance writer.

Tags: Baldwin, Seton-LaSalle, Thomas Jefferson