A-K Valley high school notebook: Freeport, Deer Lakes golfers duke it out atop section standings

By: Michael Love
Wednesday, September 10, 2025 | 7:02 PM

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The Freeport boys golf team rolled through its first 11 matches without a loss.

The Yellowjackets compiled an 8-0 record in Section 1-2A, and that included a 204-222 win over Deer Lakes on Aug. 18 at Buffalo Golf Club behind a 37 from senior Ethan Crooks, a returning WPIAL qualifier.

But the Lancers were ready for the rematch Monday at Pheasant Ridge Golf Club in Gibsonia. The teams finished separated by just two strokes. Deer Lakes shot its lowest score of the season in a 195-197 victory to pull to within one win of Freeport in the section standings at 8-2.

Junior Christian Capetta, the team’s leading scorer in all but one match this season, led the Lancers against Freeport with a 35. Fellow junior Nolan Danka shot a 38, and sophomore Adam Duffy and senior Colby Sutch carded 40. Senior Landon Yourish fired a 42.

Crooks shot a 36 in Monday’s match, and Aiden Bauman (37), Max Zigo (39), Gavin Tola (40), and Trey Schreckengost (45) also contributed to the Yellowjackets’ score.

Deer Lakes kept pace Tuesday with a 207-224 win over Burrell, and Freeport topped the Bucs on Wednesday to stay in the section lead.

The Yellowjackets recorded a 182 in their win over Burrell which was the lowest score in coach Joseph Sprumont’s 16 years at the helm of the team. All five Freeport golfers shot in the 30s with Crooks leading the way with a 33.

The top two teams in each Class 2A section and ties for second place will enter the team championship, set to start with the semifinals Oct. 6.

Riverview, led by the play of Ian Stempfer, Lucas Bauer, Rex Roberts, Jack Quinlan and Crosby Laughrey, shot its best score of the season Monday, a 197 to defeat Valley by 44 strokes at Buffalo Golf Course.

The Raiders, who split their two matches with Deer Lakes and fell to Freeport twice, improved to 8-3 Wednesday with a win over St. Joseph on Senior Day.

Rivalry in prime time

The Riverview boys and girls soccer teams are ready to go under the lights Thursday for their annual night games at Riverside Park, and rival Springdale again is the opponent for both contests.

The Raiders expect large, spirited crowds for the games. The girls matchup starts at 6 p.m. with the boys to follow at 8.

The Riverview girls, off to a 4-0 start overall and in Section 4-A, remained undefeated Monday with a 2-1 double overtime victory over Winchester Thurston with Hannah Hudack scoring the winner.

Springdale is right behind Riverview in the section standings at 2-0-1 and sits at 3-0-1 overall.

The Dynamos swept last year’s season series with the Raiders, and that included a 3-0 win in Riverview’s night game.

The Springdale boys have won 12 straight against Riverview dating to 2018. Last year’s games were close with the Dynamos capturing a 1-0 win at Springdale and a 2-0 victory in the night contest at Riverside Park.

The Dynamos are off to a 3-0 start with two wins in section: an 11-0 triumph over St. Joseph and a 1-0 victory at Jeannette on Tuesday.

Riverview is 3-3-1 overall and 0-1-1 in the section.

On the run

Each year, the Red, White & Blue Invitational brings the best from the WPIAL and surrounding regions to White Oak Park for an early-season test of cross country speed and endurance.

Saturday’s series of races at the site of the WPIAL championships in October included runners representing Burrell, Deer Lakes, Fox Chapel, Freeport, Kiski Area, Highlands, Knoch, Riverview and Plum, and a number of them recorded times that put them at or near the leaders of their respective races.

Riverview junior Ashton Saunders recorded the highest finish among A-K Valley competitors with a fifth in the Class A boys race with a time of 16 minutes, 58.10 seconds. He was seven spots ahead of sophomore teammate Oscar Smith (12th, 18:07.00).

Knoch junior Carter French crossed the finish line sixth in the Class 2A boys race (16:13.20), and Freeport sophomore David Kristine was in 19th (16:47.50).

Veteran Fox Chapel runner Michael Costello, a senior, put his stamp on 13th in the Class 3A boys race in 16:25.50, and Kiski Area senior Sam Plazio returned to the White Oak course to place 17th (16:32.60).

On the girls side, Fox Chapel freshman Claire Loudice was 24th overall in Class 3A and 16th among WPIAL runners with a time of 19:30.10.

Junior Natalie Zolinas led Knoch and was 18th overall in Class 2A at 20:11.90.

Riverview senior Rosa Lascola made her mark Saturday in 16th overall in Class A with a time of 22:56.80. Raiders sophomore Kirsten Levarse was four spots back in 20th (23:14.10).

Up next for several area teams — Apollo-Ridge, Burrell, Deer Lakes, Fox Chapel, Kiski Area, Freeport, Highlands, Plum and Riverview — is Friday’s Kiski Area Invitational on the challenging course at Northmoreland Park.

The fifth annual event starts with the girls varsity race at 11 a.m. The boys race follows at 11:30.

Serving notice

The Deer Lakes girls volleyball team rallied from two games down Tuesday to defeat Southmoreland, 3-2, in its Section 5-2A opener and improve to 3-2 overall.

Burrell also won its Section 5 opener, dispatching Yough in four games.

Plum (4-0, 1-0 Section 3-4A), Kiski Area (5-1, 1-0 Section 4-4A) and Freeport (4-1, 1-0 Section 2-3A) are off to solid starts. Knoch, St. Joseph, Leechburg and Springdale all won their section openers earlier this week.

Rivals Knoch and Freeport highlight Thursday’s slate of matches with the first of their two Section 2 meetings. The clash at Freeport is set for a 7:15 p.m. first serve.

St. Joseph visits Leechburg in another key section matchup involving A-K Valley teams. The Spartans swept the Blue Devils last year en route to the Section 1-A title.

Michael Love is a TribLive reporter covering sports in the Alle-Kiski Valley and the eastern suburbs of Pittsburgh. A Clearfield native and a graduate of Westminster (Pa.), he joined the Trib in 2002 after spending five years at the Clearfield Progress. He can be reached at mlove@triblive.com.

Tags: Riverview, Springdale