A-K Valley high school notebook: Perfect game sneaks up on Kiski Area’s Andree

By: HSSN Staff
Saturday, April 28, 2018 | 11:37 PM

Kiski Area junior Megan Andree threw a perfect game Friday against Gateway, but she didn’t even know it until she was in the handshake line after the game.

That’s when Gateway assistant Jesse Mallon, Andree’s former travel softball coach, broke the news to her.

“He said to me that I’m proud of you, because you threw a perfect game,” Andree said after the Cavaliers’ 4-0 victory, where she struck out 10 batters in seven innings. “Then I said, what do you mean that was a perfect game?”

It may not have registered right away, but her pitching performance coupled with good defense behind her helped the Cavaliers (6-5, 5-5) stay in the postseason race. Kiski Area moved to a half game behind Plum (7-6, 6-5) for the fourth and final playoff berth in Section 1-5A.

Special day today as the Cavs cap off the week with a “perfect” 3-0 record. More than that, we played close to darn perfect today as Megan Andree threw a perfect game with 10ks and our defense retired the 11 other batters from Gateway!#believe #proudcoach

— Coach Jones (@KAcoach_jones) April 28, 2018

Andree said the perfect game started to set in a little bit once she received the game ball from Kiski Area coach Maggie Jones.

“Everyone was really excited for me and congratulating me, but I was more excited for the team, because we are back in the playoff race,” Andree said.

Andree credited her defense, which had to be shuffled around some due to injuries.

Kiski Area catcher Alayna Mintz singled and drove in three runs. Mintz almost let Andree know about the perfect game before they went out for the seventh.

“I was just about ready to go back on the field when she said, ‘Megan,’ and then she hesitated for a minute, before saying ‘You’re pitching a really good game,’ ” Andree said. “After the game she told me she didn’t want to say anything about the perfect game because she didn’t want to jinx it.”

Pitch perfect

Freeport senior Brodey Cowan achieved a rarity on the mound in the Yellowjackets’ 2-1 loss to Deer Lakes on Friday: the immaculate inning.

Cowan struck out the side on nine pitches in the bottom of the sixth as Lancers batters Greg Geis, Will Meyer and Trey Darrah went down swinging.

“I’m still kind of mad we lost,” Cowan said after Deer Lakes won, 2-1, in nine innings. “I wasn’t really aware it was happening as it was going on. I came in the dugout, and they told me.”

A senior Gettysburg recruit, Cowan struck out eight in 62⁄3 innings and drove in Freeport’s only run with a double.

“That’s insane,” Freeport coach Ed Carr said of Cowan’s perfect inning. “Brodey’s really put us on his back this year. All our pitchers have.”

Titan up

Kiski Valley is seeking its second Pennsylvania rugby championship in three seasons, but the team needs to take care of business Sunday first.

The Titans host the Blair United/Hollidaysburg Rugby Club at 2 p.m. Sunday at Kiski Area, with the section title and a berth in next month’s state rugby semifinals on the line.

The 2016 state champion Kiski Valley (3-2, 2-0) is coming off a 50-0 victory over North Pitt. Cam Taylor had three tries, and Will McClarnon, Brent Hrobak, Frank Poydence, Luke Larko and Matt Ashbaugh had one apiece.

Kiski Valley’s girls rugby team, meanwhile, stayed unbeaten with a 22-17 win over West Shore United last weekend.

Inside track

Burrell’s defense of its WPIAL Class AA girls track and field championship will begin this week.

After claiming the Section 7-AA team title last week with wins over Freeport, Apollo-Ridge and Deer Lakes, the Bucs will compete in the track semifinals at 3 p.m. Tuesday at South Park. Brownsville, Southmoreland and South Park also will compete at the meet, with the top team advancing to the May 7 team finals.

Deer Lakes also advanced to the Class AA girls playoffs and will compete at Freeport against Beaver, Hopewell and South Side Beaver.

Freeport’s boys will host a Class AA semifinal meet, with the Yellowjackets competing against Freedom, Hopewell and South Side Beaver. The Riverview boys will take on Chartiers-Houston and Riverside at Shenango.

The Kiski Area boys and girls both will travel to Butler for a Class AAA semifinal, with Butler, Chartiers Valley and Franklin Regional the other competitors.

Recruiting report

It was another week of college decision-making for Alle-Kiski Valley athletes.

• Highlands senior Logan Crise committed to Washington & Jefferson for football and track and field. A wide receiver/defensive back/kick returner, Crise caught 24 passes for 332 yards and two touchdowns for the Golden Rams, recorded 27 tackles, three interceptions and a pick-six on defense and returned two kickoffs for scores. He also added a rushing touchdown.

Beyond excited to announce I will be continuing my academic and both my athletic careers at the Washington and Jefferson College!!! #Presidentpride pic.twitter.com/HdZj5ktgXs

— logan crise (@logancrise12) April 26, 2018

• Burrell basketball big man Donovan Russell committed to Goucher (Md.). The 6-foot-5 center averaged 12.8 points, 9.6 rebounds and 2.3 blocks to help the Bucs win a share of the Section 3-3A championship this season.

A little late but I am very excited to announce I will be continuing my academic and athletic career at Goucher College!! I will be signing this Friday at 5 in the Burrell high school library for anyone who would like to attend pic.twitter.com/rrmHxnBM9R

— Donovan Russell (@drussell782000) April 22, 2018

• Springdale’s Nick Taliani committed to play soccer for Allegheny. The all-section and all-WPIAL midfielder scored 11 goals and added 19 assists to help the Dynamos reach the WPIAL Class A championship game and the second round of the PIAA playoffs.

Jerin Steele contributed. Doug Gulasy is a Tribune-Review staff writer. Reach him at dgulasy@tribweb.com or via Twitter @dgulasy_Trib.

Tags: Burrell, Deer Lakes, Freeport, Highlands, Kiski School, Springdale