A-K Valley athletes of the week: Knoch’s Neah Ewing, Kiski Area’s Travis Shearer

By:
Saturday, January 25, 2025 | 2:26 PM


Neah Ewing

School: Knoch

Class: Junior

Sport: Basketball

Claim to fame: Ewing led the Knights (8-8, 7-2) with 17 points in a 47-40 win over Burrell on Monday night. The junior guard then tallied 15 points in a 39-33 win versus Highlands on Thursday night. Both wins helped move Knoch ahead of Burrell for third in Section 1-4A.

The team has won four straight, and all of them have been section wins. What’s been going right?

Getting in the mindset that we need to be, trying our hardest in every single game. We’ve been stepping up in our practices so we’re better prepared on the court. Our main priorities are rebounding and boxing out.

What will need to happen for the streak to continue?

Always making sure everyone is doing their best and hold each other accountable. Always having each other’s backs and for each of us to remain confident and have that confidence and trust in each other.

The two victories this week set the team up in third place in the section. How important is it to hold that spot for a better seed in the playoffs?

It’s very important just to prove that the hard work we’ve put into our practices is paying off in the games. Definitely looking forward to having a home playoff game. Just knowing we’ve tried extremely hard for this and to know it’s a great accomplishment.

Two tough matchups against North Catholic and Oakland Catholic in the next three games. What did the team learn from those losses in an effort to try and beat them this time around?

They’re two very good teams. We’re not looking at them as though they’re better than us, but that we want to get better off of playing them. We need to go into those games with our heads held high and trust each other knowing that if we play 100%, we can come out with a win or at the very least come out a better, battle-tested team.

Once you’re in the playoffs, what will the team need to do to advance past the quarterfinal round?

Making sure we’re going into the playoffs with full force and focused. Continuing to try our hardest and making necessary changes and critiques, doing everything we can to shore up our offense and defense and become the best players we can. Our main focus is playing well together, which should be easy because we’re all great friends on and off the court.

How did you score your points this week?

Going into the games, I try to have a lot of confidence. If I make my shots, I’m very happy. If I start to miss, I try to remain confident in myself. My teammates also help me 100%. Without their passes and screens, I would not have been doing as well as I have been. We’re always encouraging each other. Our bench is great with cheering us on.

What were your individual goals at the start of the year?

This is my first year as captain, so I wanted to make sure I was the best leader I could be. I’ve been working on my 3-point shooting. Working on seeing the whole court and my defense. I wasn’t playing the best defense when the season started, but as the season’s gone on, I’ve seen improvement.

How did it feel to be selected as a captain?

It was amazing. Just seeing how the coach saw me and felt I was ready for that role felt really good. I want to make him and my teammates proud.

What type of leader do you see yourself being?

I want to be someone the other girls can look up to both on and off the court. Being kind, not yell too much, be very understanding and let the girls know they can come to me and talk about anything, both on and off the court.

What’s been a highlight of the season so far?

Our super close wins, like the wins this week against Burrell and Highlands. Being in those close games with the crowds yelling and all my best friends beside me. Making points and getting wins have been other highlights.

What gets you in the zone prior to a game?

I have to have a good meal and take a 30-minute nap and make sure I pray, both by myself and as a team.

Favorite meal?

I’m not picky at all, but recently I’ve been eating wedding soup or a sandwich before each game.

If there was a 3-point contest amongst the team, who would win?

I’m going to have to say myself. I’m very competitive, and there’s no way I would let anyone beat me.

Which opponent do you look forward to playing against?

Burrell because my good friend Casey Brancato plays for them. We’ve played AAU for the last two years, so that’s something I’ve looked forward to.

Do you play any other sports at school?

I throw javelin during track season.

What’s your PR?

118 feet.

Favorite subject in school?

Right now, I would say history has been pretty interesting.

What are some of your favorite hobbies other than basketball?

I like going to the gym, riding quads and right now I’m waitressing at the Handlebar Cafe, and I’m really enjoying that.

With this cold snap we’re experiencing, what warm locale would you like to travel to?

I would love to go to Florida because we go there every year.

Is there anyone that inspires you?

My mom. I love her more than anything. She’s my No. 1 motivator. She’s an independent, smart woman to look up to. She supports me 100% in all my decisions.

Travis Shearer

School: Kiski Area

Class: Sophomore

Sport: Wrestling

Claim to fame: In Wednesday’s match against Fox Chapel for the section title, the Cavaliers were down 21-15 before they went on to win the next six matches. Shearer’s 8-1 decision at 160 pounds over Fox Chapel’s Milo Chiu gave Kiski Area (13-4, 4-0) the lead for good at 22-21, and the Cavaliers went on to clinch the match 43-21 and the section championship. Shearer then recorded sub-minute pins against all three of his opponents on the first day of the Fred Bell Tournament at Grove City on Friday.

What was going through your mind before your bout as the team was trailing?

I had to win, had to beat him.

How did you tally those eight points to win?

The whistle blew, he took a double-edged shot and I sprawled out. Then I went behind him, but he escaped. I took him down out of bounds. I got into a zone where I forget the rest of how the match went.

How great was it to see the team rally behind your win and rattle off six straight?

It was amazing. It was cool to know that I participated and helped to get that win.

What was the atmosphere like after the match knowing you clinched the section?

It was crazy. We were so happy because Kiski hasn’t won a section title in a couple of years. It was cool to clinch.

Playoffs are swiftly approaching; how are you preparing, mentally?

Just taking it one match at a time and keep going.

How did it feel when you placed third in sections last year?

I was ecstatic because, as a freshman, I didn’t know if I was going to place.

What did you learn from that experience for sections this year and that can carry over to the WPIAL competition?

Doesn’t matter who you wrestle against, as long as you have the mindset to move forward, you can beat anybody.

Now that the regular season is pretty much over, what are your thoughts on the new points system and how it affected the bouts overall?

I think it’s good in a lot of ways, but sometimes it can mess you up. A takedown is now three, and if you take him to his back that’s an automatic seven points. But if you slip up, the same thing can happen to you.

How do you get locked in for a match?

I think about how I want to play the match out and wrestle through conditions.

What were your goals at the start of the year?

To place at sections again, place at WPIALs because I didn’t make it last year and hopefully make Hershey.

Still early in your high school career, but is there an opponent you look forward to wrestling the most?

Ben Catullo from Burrell. We wrestled a couple of times in junior high, and it’s been back and forth every time.

Do you have a favorite subject in school?

Math. It’s honestly really easy.

What’s your favorite meal when you’re not trying to make weight?

Pizza.

From any place in particular?

Vocelli’s.

Any hobbies outside of wrestling?

I go hunting, fishing and trapping. I got a six-point buck and a couple of doe.

What warm place would you like to travel to just to get away from the cold weather for a while?

St. Pete Beach, Fla. My family and I went down there over the summer.

Tags: ,

More High School Other

High school scores, summaries and schedules for Feb. 8, 2025
A-K Valley athletes of the week: Plum’s Serena Carnahan, Cade Schimmer
High school scores, summaries and schedules for Feb. 7, 2025
High school scores, summaries and schedules for Feb. 6, 2025
PIAA to follow Trump’s order barring transgender athletes from girls sports