Fox Chapel notebook: Shady Side Academy boys welcome new coach with extensive resume

By: Josh Rizzo
Saturday, November 22, 2025 | 11:01 AM

The Shady Side Academy boys basketball team will be under new leadership this winter. The Bulldogs hired Jim Dudas to replace David Vadnais.

Shady Side Academy fought off a tough start last season to reach the PIAA Class 3A playoffs. The Bulldogs lost eight of their first 10 games before rallying down the stretch to finish 13-14 overall and 6-4 in Section 3-3A.

The Bulldogs were eliminated in the WPIAL quarterfinals, but battled back to finish fifth after beating Keystone Oaks and Ellwood City. Shady Side Academy upended North Star in the first round of the PIAA playoffs before being eliminated by Camp Hill Trinity.

Dudas was most recently an assistant coach at Knoch.

He was part of a Knights’ staff that helped the program reach the state playoffs before losing to Cathedral Prep in the first round. Dudas was previously the head coach at Sewickley Academy.

Dudas has a long history in coaching and has coached at North Hills, North Allegheny, Slippery Rock, Quaker Valley, Montour, Ambridge and South Fayette.

Bulldogs athletic director Sean Simmons was happy to announce the hire.

“Coach Dudas is a thought leader and a tireless teacher of the game,” Simmons said in a news release. “He believes in competing with excellence, leading with character and investing in the long-term growth of each student athlete.”

Strong start for Worsen

Michael Worsen joined his brother, Raymond Worsen III, at Pitt-Bradford this season. Both have found plenty of opportunities on the mat early on.

Michael, a freshman for the Panthers, became Fox Chapel’s first wrestler to reach the PIAA Class 3A tournament in eight years last season. He is off to a 10-4 start at 125 pounds. He has won eight matches by pin thus far.

Ray is 7-5, collecting four wins by fall at 157 pounds.

Denofrio makes debut

Alayna Denofrio, a Shady Side Academy graduate, has appeared in three games so far for the St. John Fisher (N.Y.) women’s hockey team. The Bulldogs graduate has attempted five shots on goal this season and has a plus-3 plus-minus rating.

Kissane piles up points

Killian Kissane, who started his hockey career at Fox Chapel and went to Shady Side Academy before last season, has continued to put up points for the Bulldogs.

Killian ranks fourth in the USHS Prep hockey league with 38 points in 23 games so far this season. He has scored 18 goals and contributed 20 assists.

Tags: Fox Chapel, Shady Side Academy